Professor Michael Grätzel, father of dye-sensitized solar cells, awarded 2012 ALBERT EINSTEIN World Award of Science

Wednesday, 2.29.2012 - 22:29 (Solarserver)

A substantial validation of the power of Dye Solar Cell (DSC) technology to significantly impact the world's renewable energy supply has come from the World Cultural Council as it awards the father of the DSC, Professor Michael Grätzel, the prestigious "2012 ALBERT EINSTEIN World Award of Science". Grätzel will be honored for his outstanding achievements in inventing and developing the Grätzel Cell, a dye-sensitized Solar Cell (DSC), that is regarded by many as the single most important breakthrough in the development of sustainable energy. Read more

The Easy FIT Co aims to simplify FiT registration process

Wednesday, 2.29.2012 - 17:51 (Solarpowerportal)

The Easy FIT Co has launched a new service that aims to help both installers and customers register for feed-in tariff (FiT) payments. Read more

German Cabinet approves planned feed-in tariff cuts

Wednesday, 2.29.2012 - 14:40 (PV-Tech)

As expected by solar industry observers and trade groups, Germany?s cabinet of Chancellor, Angela Merkel has approved plans proposed by Economy Minister Philipp Roesler and Environment Minister Norbert Roettgen to drastically curtail the feed-in tariff in an attempt to limit future PV installations, after a record 7.5GW was installed in 2011. Read more

NanoMarkets report: BIPV glass market to quadruple by 2016

Wednesday, 2.29.2012 - 12:32 (Solarserver)

NanoMarkets LC (Glen Allen, Virginia, U.S.) has released a report on the building integrated photovoltaics (BIPV) glass market, which estimates that the total market for BIPV glass will grow from USD 1.5 billion in 2012 to USD 6.4 billion in 2016. "BIPV Glass Markets 2012" notes that the combining of architectural and electricity generation functions creates the value proposition for BIPV, and identifies transparency as the main competitive feature of BIPV glass. NanoMarkets also predicts that the use of BIPV glass will spread from prestige buildings to commercial, residential and other building types over the next eight years. Read more

Sacramento suburb sees new solar project installed at DST Output

Wednesday, 2.29.2012 - 23:16 (PV-Tech)

DST Output, located in El Dorado Hills, a suburb of Sacramento, advised that its facility is sporting a rooftop solar project across its 588,000 square foot production facility. The project spans 3.15 acres and is anticipated to produce over 1.4 million kWh of energy per year. Although the system?s specific size was not specified, DST Output did note that the project is designed to use cylindrical solar collectors instead of the more typical flat panels. Read more

Payom Solar closes energy bond with over subscription for over ?27 million

Wednesday, 2.29.2012 - 23:03 (PV-Tech)

Payom Solar advised that as of February 10, it had completed its energy bond issuing a volume of ?27,548,000 in subscription. Finished ahead of schedule, the bond has a ?1,000 denomination and holds a five-year maturity with an interest rate of 7.5%, due April 8. The company notes that the original subscription period was scheduled to March 20, but after talk about the future of FiTs, coupled with other developments in the solar market, no further subscriptions had been received. Read more

JinkoSolar opens Ontario office, collaborates with local manufacturer Heliene

Wednesday, 2.29.2012 - 22:51 (PV-Tech)

In order to better serve customers in the North American region, JinkoSolar Holding?s has opened a new office in Ontario, Canada. Furthermore, to satisfy Canada?s local content manufacturing requirement, the company has paired up with local manufacturer Heliene. Heliene will produce Jinko modules in Ontario helping it meet the ?Made in Ontario? requirements. Read more

Promise Energy signs distribution deal for solar hot water systems in the U.S.

Wednesday, 2.29.2012 - 22:12 (Solarserver)

On February 23rd, 2012, Adam Capital affiliate Promise Energy (Sonoma, California, U.S.) announced that it has signed a major U.S. distribution agreement with Baymak, a division of BDR Thermea, a manufacturer of solar heating and storage equipment. Financial terms of the agreement were not disclosed. Read more

Cleantech Solutions delivers sample order for solar furnace

Wednesday, 2.29.2012 - 22:09 (Solarserver)

In February 2012 Cleantech Solutions International Inc. (Wuxi, China) announced that it has delivered two units of sample sapphire chambers and one unit of a solar furnace for the production of poly-silicon photovoltaic (PV) wafers to an undisclosed international customer. The company expects its customer to place additional orders for sapphire chambers and solar furnaces following the completion of testing and approval of the initial units. The company, however, cannot predict the extent or timing of new orders if follow-on orders are placed. Read more

GE's Rise as a Major Solar Investor

Wednesday, 2.29.2012 - 20:33 (Renewable Energy World)

Given the low interest rates and plummeting prices for solar energy equipment, it would seem a good time for investing in solar power generation. GE Energy Financial Services, for one, has been pursuing solar deals actively and on Wednesday it announced a $100 million equity investment in a solar power plant in Arizona. Read more

First Solar's 4Q11 Takeaways: Warranty Woes, And a Radical Idea

Wednesday, 2.29.2012 - 19:06 (Renewable Energy World)

First Solar's (FSLR) fiscal 4Q11 and 2011 results came with a couple of unexpected surprises ? including a big nasty one related to performance issues ? and industry watchers are raising voices for what could be a radical shift in the company's business. Read more

Abound Solar claims closure of Gen 1 thin film plant supports acceleration to Gen 2 plant migration

Wednesday, 2.29.2012 - 18:45 (PV-Tech)

Having started production of CdTe thin film modules at its first facility located in Longmont, Colorado in 2009, Abound Solar said it would close the facility to accelerate the migration to its Gen 2 higher efficiency modules with the loss of 180 jobs. Abound Solar received a US$400M loan guarantee from US Department of Energy to build and expand capacity in 2011. The new plant is being built in Tipton Indiana. Read more

Borrego completes first US military installation

Wednesday, 2.29.2012 - 17:38 (PV-Tech)

The completion of the 3.4MW solar installation on Edwards Air Force Base in California, US, marks Borrego Solar?s first military installation. It was financed through a 10-year PPA. Read more

Church of England partners with Ecotricity to install over 150 solar arrays.

Wednesday, 2.29.2012 - 17:22 (Solarpowerportal)

More than 150 churches across the country have benefitted from the installation of solar panels, thanks to renewable energy provider Ecotricity. The Stroud-based energy supplier has installed over 100 solar arrays in the South West since January 25. Read more

Calyxo secures future financing from backer as CdTe module efficiencies reach 13.4%

Wednesday, 2.29.2012 - 16:08 (PV-Tech)

Solar Fields, the owner of CdTe thin-film module manufacturer Calyxo, will continue to financially support the company through 2012 thanks to Calyxo?s new aperture area efficiencies of 13.4%, as confirmed by SGS Germany. The latest improved module performance is said to be the cornerstone of its next-generation module series and potentially improves their market competitiveness in the future. Read more

Kick-starting Solar Process Heat in Europe

Wednesday, 2.29.2012 - 15:00 (Renewable Energy World)

Solar thermal systems have enormous potential for industry. About 30 percent of industrial heat demand is at temperatures below 100°C, which can be provided with commercially available solar thermal collectors. However, the global and European markets are very much in their infancy; only a few hundred installations currently exist. Read more

Why Your Solar Mission Statement Is Useless and Meaningless ? and How to Fix It

Wednesday, 2.29.2012 - 15:00 (Renewable Energy World)

  Pop quiz: Without checking your website or business plan, what’s your solar company’s mission statement? You have 10 seconds…..and…failure. Useless. Meaningless. But it shouldn't be, and I'll tell you why in a bit. So, why have a mission statement if you and other employees can’t clearly say what the mission Read more

BSW-Solar calls for mass rally in Berlin against "solar phase-out" legislation

Wednesday, 2.29.2012 - 14:51 (Solarserver)

The German Federal Minister of Economics and Federal Minister of the Environment have agreed on sharp additional cuts to PV feed-in tariffs (FiTs), scheduled to take effect on March 3rd, 2012. On February 29th, 2012 the German Federal Cabinet as a first step has decided to limit the annual amount of electricity from solar generation to be remunerated within the FiT framework. The nation's solar industry association (BSW-Solar) warns that the government's plans represent an "existential" threat to the solar industry, and is planning a mass rally in Berlin on March 5th, 2012. Read more

Solar Millennium initiates insolvency proceedings; lays off its remaining 40 employees

Wednesday, 2.29.2012 - 12:40 (Solarserver)

On February 28th, 2012 Solar Millennium AG (Erlangen, Germany) initiated insolvency proceedings in the local court of Fürth. The court appointed Volker Böhm as insolvency administrator, a continuation of his position as interim insolvency administrator. Mr. Böhm has assumed power of administration and disposal from the former company. Additionally, the company has laid off its remaining 40 employees. Read more

Solar Power UK roadshow: Coping with the Cuts launches today

Wednesday, 2.29.2012 - 11:58 (Solarpowerportal)

Solar Power UK Roadshow: Coping with the Cuts is perfectly positioned to help translate these changes into everyday business activity and offer insight and solutions to the upcoming challenges facing the UK solar industry. Read more

First Solar posts heavy losses in 4Q 2011 results, will reduce production in 2012

Wednesday, 2.29.2012 - 9:40 (Solarserver)

On February 28th, 2012 First Solar Inc. (Tempe, Arizona, U.S.) announced fourth quarter and full year 2011 financial results, reporting a 34% sequential decrease in net sales to USD 660 million, an operating loss of USD 485 million and a net loss of USD 413 million in the fourth quarter. The company's heavy operating losses are mostly due to one-time goodwill impairment charges of USD 393 million in its components business. First Solar also announced that it will reduce global capacity utilization to 60 - 70% in 2012, including closing four production lines at its facility in Frankfurt (Oder), Germany, and halting construction on a new factory in Vietnam. Read more

Solar Frontier sets new world record for CIGS PV aperture area efficiency at 17.8%

Wednesday, 2.29.2012 - 9:33 (Solarserver)

On February 28th, 2012 Solar Frontier K.K. (Tokyo, Japan) announced that it has achieved a 17.8% aperture area efficiency with a 30 cm x 30 cm copper indium gallium diselenide (CIS) submodule, a new world record. Solar Frontier created the submodule in a joint research effort with Japan's New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization at the company's Atsugi Research Center in Tokyo. This new efficiency exceeds the previous world record 17.4% aperture area efficiency set by Solibro GmbH (Thalheim, Germany) in November 2011. Read more

JA Solar estimates 4Q 2011 shipments between 390 and 410 MW, exceeds previous guidance by 25%

Wednesday, 2.29.2012 - 9:28 (Solarserver)

On February 28th, 2011, JA Solar Holdings Company Ltd. (Shanghai, China) announced that it expects to report shipments between 390 MW and 410 MW for the fourth quarter of 2011, 25% more than its previous guidance. The company estimates that its shipments for the full year 2011 will be between 1.68 GW and 1.70 GW. These preliminary estimates are subject to later revision, and the company will report complete fourth quarter and full year 2011 financial results in March 2012. Read more

Amendment to Ease Geothermal Exploration Rules Passes House

Wednesday, 2.29.2012 - 18:25 (Renewable Energy World)

An amendment introduced by Idaho Congressman Raul Labrador easing rules for geothermal energy exploration passed the U.S. House by a 244-176 bipartisan vote in February. Supporters had awaited the news after the rule passed the House Committee on Natural Resources in summer 2011. Read more

Renewable Energy Industry Leaps into Mainstream Power Generation

Wednesday, 2.29.2012 - 17:22 (Renewable Energy World)

It’s a leap year and I am writing this on February 29th.  This year we have one extra day to make our work count.  It’s exciting and invigorating to me.  There’s another exciting and invigorating development taking place this year. It is one that proves renewable energy has made it to the mainstream and it is happe Read more

Yingli reports very heavy losses, 30% fall in module sales in 4Q 2011 amid annual growth

Wednesday, 2.29.2012 - 15:35 (Solarserver)

On February 29th, 2012 Yingli Green Energy Holding Company Ltd. (Baoding, China) released unaudited financial results for the fourth quarter and full year 2011, reporting a 39% sequential decline in quarterly revenues to USD 408 million and a staggering operating loss of USD 601 million. Yingli's heavy losses are largely due to impairment of assets its in-house polysilicon subsidiary Fine Silicon Ltd. (Baoding, China) and costs associated with polysilicon contracts. However, the company also reported a 30% sequential decline in PV module shipments in the fourth quarter of 2011. Read more

Yingli Green posts 4Q net loss of US$599.4 million: capacity to expand by 750MW

Wednesday, 2.29.2012 - 13:58 (PV-Tech)

Asset write-downs from its polysilicon operations, Fine Silicon and other pre-announced impairments led to Yingli Green Energy posting a fourth quarter net loss of US$599.4 million. The company reported Q4 sales of US$408.0 million on module shipments estimated at 351MW, down 29.8% quarter over quarter. Revenue for full-year 2011 was US$2,332.1 million, up 17.4%, compared to 2010. Module shipments reached 1,603.8MW, an increase of 51.1% from 1,061.6MW in 2010. The company reported a net loss in 2011 of US$509.8 million. Read more