Feeding the Beast: Why Scaling Up Production Is So Hard

Monday, 3.12.2012 - 20:27 (Renewable Energy World)

Solar startup companies like to talk publicly about their core technologies of creating efficient solar cells with various etching, texturing or deposition processes. But there is one manufacturing aspect that is, though less sexy, equally important to reach mass production: protocols to ensure workers run the machines efficiently. Read more

Why Thin-Film PV Is Struggling, But Not Done Yet

Monday, 3.12.2012 - 18:56 (Renewable Energy World)

Equipment supply to the solar photovoltaic (PV) industry has changed significantly since Oerlikon's entry as a turn-key supplier of a-Si based production lines in 2006. While not exclusively focused on entire turn-key lines, success ultimately would be based upon the market-adoption of amorphous/microcrystalline (a-Si/uc-Si) silicon tandem technology, market-traction of early adopters, and ? crucially ? repeat orders for turn-key fabs. Read more

Ecobuild: Redland expands UK product range

Monday, 3.12.2012 - 18:35 (Solarpowerportal)

Solar photovoltaics company Redland, a brand of the Monier Group, will be exhibiting four new solar PV products at this year’s Ecobuild in London. Read more

Taiwan PV producers already benefiting from US anti-dumping case, says Jeffries

Monday, 3.12.2012 - 18:08 (PV-Tech)

Taiwan-based PV wafer and cell producers are already seeing the benefits from the US anti-dumping duty case, which the US Department of Commerce has yet to make its final determination on possible countervailing import duties against Chinese PV module producers. According to Jeffries investment bank, sales at Taiwanese solar cell producers have rebounded 29% since the beginning of the year, after sales plummeted as overcapacity and subsequent weak demand resulted in many posting lowest sales for more than two years. Read more

Taiwan PV producers already benefiting from US anti-dumping case, says Jefferies

Monday, 3.12.2012 - 18:08 (PV-Tech)

Taiwan-based PV wafer and cell producers are already seeing the benefits from the US anti-dumping duty case, for which the US Department of Commerce has yet to make its final determination on possible countervailing import duties against Chinese PV module producers. According to Jefferies investment bank, sales at Taiwanese solar cell producers have rebounded 29% since the beginning of the year, after sales plummeted as overcapacity and subsequent weak demand resulted in many posting their lowest sales for more than two years. Read more

Sharp to build 100 MW PV plant in Bali

Monday, 3.12.2012 - 15:36 (Solarserver)

On March 8th, 2012 the government of Indonesia announced that it will work with Sharp Corporation (Osaka, Japan) to build a 100 MW solar photovoltaic (PV) plant on the island of Bali within one year. The nation's Directorate General of New Renewable Energy and Energy Conservation (Ditjen EBTKE) is currently waiting for the results of a feasibility study, and in the interim will begin work on small PV plants between 1 and 2 MW in capacity. Read more

Suntech to present high-efficiency modules at Ecobuild 2012

Monday, 3.12.2012 - 14:58 (Solarserver)

On March 8th, 2012 Suntech Power Holdings Company Ltd. (Wuxi, China) announced that it will present its mono-crystalline STP200S and STP195S - 24/Ad+ solar photovoltaic (PV) modules at the Ecobuild 2012 show from March 20th - 22nd, 2012 in London, United Kingdom. The modules now offer an improved efficiency of 15.7%, and Suntech states that with their compact size of 1580 x 808 x 35 mm and high power output they are ideal for the UK residential market. The company also notes that the modules offer a weak light performance of 95.5% at 200/m2, well above the industry standard. Read more

Mastervolt presents new inverters, solutions to increase on-site consumption of PV at Ecobuild

Monday, 3.12.2012 - 14:47 (Solarserver)

On March 8th, 2012, Dutch solar inverter manufacturer Mastervolt (Amsterdam, Netherlands) announced that it has introduced a new transformer-less inverter SunMaster ES3.6TL, which increases the on-site consumption of solar power. The new inverter SunMaster ES3.6TL is designed for smaller photovoltaic (PV) installations, and achieves a maximum output of 16A AC (3.6 kW). Read more

Catching Some Rays ? Lots of Them

Monday, 3.12.2012 - 14:38 (Renewable Energy World)

Metamaterials are a new class of artificial substances with properties unlike anything found in the natural world. Some have been designed to act as invisibility cloaks; others as superlenses, antenna systems or highly sensitive detectors. Now, researchers at MIT and elsewhere have found a way to use metamaterials to absorb a wide range of light with extremely high efficiency, which they say could lead to a new generation of solar cells or optical sensors. Read more

Suntech announces world record 20.3% efficiency for Pluto solar cell technology

Monday, 3.12.2012 - 13:50 (Solarserver)

Suntech Power Holdings Co., Ltd. (Wuxi, China), the world's largest producer of solar photovoltaic (PV) panels, on March 12th, 2012 announced that its industry-leading Pluto cell technology set a world record 20.3% efficiency for a production cell using standard commercial-grade p-type silicon wafers. The Solar Energy Research Institute of Singapore has independently confirmed the 20.3% efficiency of the improved Pluto cell technology, a significant improvement over the 19.6% best cell efficiency of the first generation Pluto cell technology. With further optimization, the efficiency of the improved Pluto cell technology due to Suntech is projected to reach 21.0% in the next Read more

Suntech?s Pluto technology achieves world-record 20.3% efficiency

Monday, 3.12.2012 - 13:29 (PV-Tech)

Suntech has logged another world record for its Pluto cell technology with a SERIS-verified 20.3% cell efficiency. The figure was achieved on a production cell using standard commercial-grade p-type silicon wafers, and was developed by the company?s R&D team in collaboration with the UNSW. SERIS independently confirmed the 20.3% efficiency, which marks a big step up from the 19.6% cell efficiency gained with the first-generation Pluto cell technology. Read more

SoftBank to build four new PV plants totaling 10 MW in Japan

Monday, 3.12.2012 - 12:47 (Solarserver)

SoftBank Energy Company (SB Energy, Tokyo, Japan) has reached agreements with three Japanese prefectures in central and southern Japan for the construction of four new solar photovoltaic (PV) plants totaling 10 MW. The company plans to commission these plants either by or soon after Japan's feed-in tariff takes effect on July 1st, 2012. These plants are in addition to the two 2.1 MW PV plants that SoftBank will develop in the city of Kyoto, bringing the company to 14.2 MW of new Japanese PV plants announced from March 5th to 8th, 2012. Additionally, SoftBank officials have told Bloomberg that they are considering building a 30 MW PV plant in Japan. Read more

FRV partners with Denham Capital for PV, CSP project development

Monday, 3.12.2012 - 12:41 (Solarserver)

On March 8th, 2012 Fotowatio Renewable Ventures SL (FRV, Madrid, Spain) announced that it has entered into a partnership with Denham Capital LP (Boston, Massachusetts, U.S.) to invest over USD 190 million in new solar photovoltaic (PV) and concentrating solar power (CSP) projects in several continents. FRV states that the partnership will also consider acquiring PV and CSP projects in situations where FRV's feels that it can add value. Through the partnership Denham Capital will become the lead investor in FRV, along with Qualitas Equity Partners SA (Madrid, Spain). Read more

East Lindsey District Council awaits Supreme Court decision

Monday, 3.12.2012 - 12:02 (Solarpowerportal)

East Lindsey District Council has installed £400,000 worth of solar photovoltaic panels across five sites. The solar arrays have been installed at the Meridian Leisure Centre and London Road Sports Ground, Louth; Embassy Swimming Pool and Embassy Theatre, Skegness; and Horncastle Swimming Pool. Read more

German FiT draft bill awaits decision from members of the Bundestrat

Monday, 3.12.2012 - 11:22 (PV-Tech)

The Bundestag has approved the draft bill for a contentious feed-in tariff. The draft bill proposes to cut rates by 20-30%, effective April 1, with monthly degression to begin in May, in order to avoid the boom experienced last year which resulted in 7.5GW of installations. Read more

German FiT draft bill awaits decision from members of the Bundesrat

Monday, 3.12.2012 - 11:22 (PV-Tech)

The Bundestag has approved the draft bill for a contentious feed-in tariff. The draft bill proposes to cut rates by 20-30%, effective April 1, with monthly degression to begin in May, in order to avoid the boom experienced last year which resulted in 7.5GW of installations. Read more

Apricum: FiT cuts to destroy ground-mounted PV market segment, PV manufacturing in Germany

Monday, 3.12.2012 - 9:16 (Solarserver)

Apricum GmbH (Berlin, Germany) has released an analysis of the potential impact of cuts to Germany's feed-in tariff (FiT) for solar photovoltaic (PV) generation, predicting a "significant" contraction in the overall German market, the end of the nation's ground-mounted segment, and the potential end of German PV manufacturing. The firm states that German residential and commercial segments, while requiring downstream cost reductions, will continue to be viable. Read more

Schott states it is off to a great start in the Japanese solar market

Monday, 3.12.2012 - 20:40 (PV-Tech)

Judging from interest and attention received at the PV Expo trade fair in Tokyo February 29 through March 2, Schott says that it is off to an admirable start in the Japanese solar market. Company officials note that its flagship product, the Perform Poly 245 solar module, garnered considerable interest in Tokyo and will see the company initially focus on the medium-sized market segment for solar installations on industrial rooftops. Read more

Schott states it?s off to a great start in the Japanese solar market

Monday, 3.12.2012 - 20:40 (PV-Tech)

Judging from interest and attention received at the PV Expo trade fair in Tokyo February 29 through March 2, Schott says that it is off to an admirable start in the Japanese solar market. Company officials note that its flagship product, the Perform Poly 245 solar module, garnered considerable interest in Tokyo and will see the company initially focus on the medium-sized market segment for solar installations on industrial rooftops. Read more

Christoph Wolff selected as CEO, chairman of management board for Novatec Solar

Monday, 3.12.2012 - 20:24 (PV-Tech)

Novatec Solar announced that Dr. Christoph Wolff will be the company?s new CEO and chairman of the management board. Wolff holds more than two decades worth of management experience in the logistics, automotive and chemical industries having worked at McKinsey & Company and DB Schenker. Read more

Antaris Solar welcomes Robert McNamara as new GM for the US region

Monday, 3.12.2012 - 20:09 (PV-Tech)

As energy prices continue to climb and solar rebates continue to attract a steady stream of customers, Antaris Solar has hired Robert McNamara as its new general manager for the United States in order to manage the regions increasing customer base. McNamara brings solar sales and management experience to his new role, coming from Solar Wholesale Products, which he led as president. Read more

ESA Renewables debuts production guarantee program under O&M division

Monday, 3.12.2012 - 19:59 (PV-Tech)

ESA Renewables is taking solar guarantees one step further with the launch of their Solar Power Production Guarantee program, which promises specific monthly energy production for solar energy systems under an ESA O&M agreement. If the system fails to meet ESA?s annual guaranteed power production levels, the company will compensate the solar project?s owners for the difference between guaranteed and actual energy generated. Read more

L&T Construction advises cumulative orders of over 200MW from India?s solar industry

Monday, 3.12.2012 - 19:41 (PV-Tech)

ElectroIQ informed that EPC company L&T Construction, a unit of Larsen and Toubro, has received cumulative orders from India?s solar industry of more than 200MW. The company foresees having 112MW of installed capacity by April, with its largest project commissioned in the past two years being a 25MW solar PV power plant at Charankha in Gujarat using tier-1 crystalline PV technology. Read more

DEWA to issue first bids for US$3 billion, 1,000MW solar park in Dubai

Monday, 3.12.2012 - 19:27 (PV-Tech)

According to a report by Arabian Business, the Dubai Electricity & Water Authority (DEWA) will issue the initial bids for the first 10MW of a US$3.3 billion solar park this September. The 1,000MW solar park has a target date for completion in 2030. Read more

Powerway to build the world?s largest roof-mounted solar power station

Monday, 3.12.2012 - 19:01 (PV-Tech)

Chinese solar farm builder Powerway is building the world?s largest roof-mounted, integrated solar power system. The project, located in the Yulin City Guangxi province, has a capacity of 30MW. At an investment of RMB400 million, it will produce 38 million kWh per year. Read more

Verengo Solar leads residential sales in California

Monday, 3.12.2012 - 18:38 (PV-Tech)

The California Solar Initiative has announced Verengo Solar to be on track to becoming the leading residential solar company in California for total sales since January. As a result, 80 jobs have been created within the company since the beginning of this year, expecting to add a further 400 jobs before the end of 2012. Read more

NextEra Energy Resources acquires two Canadian solar projects from First Solar

Monday, 3.12.2012 - 18:28 (PV-Tech)

NextEra Energy Resources and First Solar announced today that NextEra Energy Resources has completed the acquisition of two solar PV projects from First Solar for an undisclosed sum. The projects are located in St. Clair, Ontario, Canada, and produce a total of 40MW. Read more

Nautilus Solar announces new 1.9MW solar project in Chino, California

Monday, 3.12.2012 - 18:06 (PV-Tech)

Nautilus Solar Energy commenced the construction of a new 1.9MW, roof-mounted PV project located on Antonio Avenue in Chino, California. The project is scheduled to begin commercial operation in May 2012 and the power generated will be sold to Southern California Edison under a 20-year purchase agreement. Read more

Q-Cells to construct four solar parks in Thessaly, Greece

Monday, 3.12.2012 - 17:46 (PV-Tech)

Q-Cells? EPC capabilities will be called upon for the construction of four new PV power plants totalling 2.4MW in the central Greek region of Thessaly. Of the four plants, two will be roof-mounted on industrial building rooftops in the towns of Larisa (530kWp) and Farsala (830kWp), while the remaining two ground-mounted projects will each be 500kW will both be situated on an open-field site near the town of Larisa. Read more

STA appoints new CEO while Chairman steps down

Monday, 3.12.2012 - 17:11 (Solarpowerportal)

After months of vacancy, the UK Solar Trade Association (STA) has appointed a new Chief Executive Officer. Joining the Association as of last week, Paul Barwell has now been officially inaugurated in his new position. Read more

NRG commissions First Solar to construct 26MW Avra Valley plant

Monday, 3.12.2012 - 17:08 (PV-Tech)

NRG Energy has finalized an agreement with First Solar that will see the latter construct NRG?s 26MW solar park in Avra Valley, Tucson, Arizona. As well as acting as plant developers, First Solar will supply its thin-film modules and single-axis tracker systems for the project, work for which will being by the end of March. Read more

Bluesky maps the solar potential of 500,000 homes

Monday, 3.12.2012 - 16:07 (Solarpowerportal)

Aerial mapping company Bluesky has assessed the solar power potential of 500,000 properties in the UK. The company has hit the half-a-million milestone a year after launching its independent solar assessment service. Read more

NextEra purchases 40 MW of PV plants from First Solar, companies to build 26 MW PV plant in Arizona

Monday, 3.12.2012 - 15:30 (Solarserver)

On March 12, 2012 NextEra Energy Resources LLC (Juno Beach, Florida, U.S.) announced that it has acquired two solar photovoltaic (PV) plants totaling 40 MW in St. Clair, Ontario from First Solar Inc. (Tempe, Arizona, U.S.). First Solar commissioned the plants in February 2012. The companies announced on the same day that they have reached an agreement for First Solar to construct NRG's 26 MW Avra Valley solar project near Tucson, Arizona. First Solar expects to begin construction by the end of March 2012, and to complete the plant by the end of the year. Read more

SunMaxx Solar supplies solar thermal system for New York farm, unveils two new products

Monday, 3.12.2012 - 14:53 (Solarserver)

On March 8th, 2012 SunMaxx Solar Inc. (Conklin, New York, U.S.) announced that it has supplied components for a solar thermal system at a farm in the U.S. state of New York, which includes both hot water delivery and floor heating. The solar thermal system at Brightly Farms in Hamlin, New York, was installed by Simply Solar Systems LLC (Hamlin, New York, U.S.). On the same day, SunMaxx unveiled two new products: a glycol-based heat transfer fluid, and a ballast tray system. Read more

Helios Solar announces participation in Coalition for American Solar Manufacturing

Monday, 3.12.2012 - 14:42 (Solarserver)

On March 8th, 2012, Helios Solar Works (Milwaukee, Wisconsin, U.S.) announced that it has joined the Coalition for American Solar Manufacturing (CASM) to support the trade cases. The Coalition for American Solar Manufacturing, led by SolarWorld (Hillsboro, Oregon, U.S.), is made up of seven companies that manufacture solar cells and modules in the United States as well as more than 150 employers of nearly 15,000 workers, who have registered their support for CASM?s case as associate members. Read more

Solar Equipment Development: Going From Fuzzy to Focused

Monday, 3.12.2012 - 14:00 (Renewable Energy World)

One of the toughest things about starting a tool development design and build project is that, in most cases, the overall requirements for tool functionality and performance are not yet really focused. The group tasked with this tool development responsibility, however, is told to get moving on the project because "we are already late." In fact, the picture of what is needed is still kind of fuzzy, with few if any critical details clearly delineated. Read more

UL certifies Mage Solar?s modules for PID resistance

Monday, 3.12.2012 - 13:40 (PV-Tech)

PV system and module supplier Mage Solar has revealed that its Powertec Plus module range was certified against potential-induced degradation (PID) by Underwriters Laboratories (UL) at the end of 2011. This test, which vouches for the modules? insensitivity to power losses due to high voltages, temperatures and humidity, was carried out at UL?s Neu-Isenburg facility at the end of the year. Read more

Sharp develops large-scale solar plant in Indonesia

Monday, 3.12.2012 - 13:22 (PV-Tech)

The Indonesian government in Jakarta has announced plans to construct a large-scale solar power plant boasting a maximum of 100MW. In order to achieve this goal, the Directorate General of Renewable Energy and Energy Conservation (Ditjen EBTKE) will cooperate with Japanese electronics company Sharp. Kadaya Warnika, General Director of the EBTKE, revealed that the next step in the process will be a feasibility study, conducted by Sharp on location in Bali to determine the intensity of solar irradiation on the island. Read more

Sharp develops big scale solar plant boasting 100MW in Indonesia

Monday, 3.12.2012 - 13:22 (PV-Tech)

The Indonesian government in Jakarta announced plans of building a big scale solar power plant boasting a maximum of 100MW. In order to achieve success, the Directorate General of Renewable Energy and Energy Conservation (Ditjen EBTKE) will cooperate with Japanese electronics company Sharp. Kadaya Warnika, General Director of the EBTKE revealed that the next step in the process will be a feasibility study, conduced by Sharp on location in Bali to determine the intensity of solar irradiation on the island. Read more

French residential homes to be powered by Senersun PV modules

Monday, 3.12.2012 - 13:13 (PV-Tech)

French solar panel manufacturer Senersun has signed a deal with the French project developer AEG Aquitaine to furnish residential homes in the South West of France with 1MW of PV modules. Altogether, Senersun will supply more than 5,400 of their crystalline solar panels for the residential applications, which will be installed on rooftops. Read more

SCHOTT Solar awarded IEC standard 61701 certificate for salt spray corrosion test

Monday, 3.12.2012 - 13:07 (PV-Tech)

SCHOTT Solar is the latest company to receive TÜV Rheinland?s IEC standard 61701 certificate to pass the salt spray corrosion test. The modules are sprayed with salt water for two hours at a time, then attacked by a 5% sodium chloride solution and finally stored at 40°C and 93% humidity for 20 hours. Read more

Suntech to purchase 40% of solar silicon produced at Silicor (formerly Calisolar) facility

Monday, 3.12.2012 - 12:34 (Solarserver)

On March 8th, 2012 Silicor Materials Inc. (San Jose, California, U.S.) announced that it has secured a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Suntech Power Holdings Company Ltd. (Wuxi, China) for the purchase of 40% of the projected output of the company's production facility, planned for the U.S. state of Mississippi. Silicor has also obtained a MOU from the Lowndes County Board of Supervisors for the receipt of USD 19 million in financial incentives, as part of a USD 94 million package of loans, grants and infrastructure incentives. The company further announced that it has changed its name from Calisolar to Silicor Materials, which it says is consistent with its focus Read more

Upsolar PV modules certified for salt spray, ammonia resistance

Monday, 3.12.2012 - 12:27 (Solarserver)

On March 8th, 2012, Upsolar (Shanghai, China) announced that its solar photovoltaic (PV) modules have been verified for installation in coastal and agricultural areas. The certification, by conformity assessment laboratory Bureau Veritas (BV) LCIE China, demonstrates that the company?s modules ? both standard-type and those with Zep Solar and SOLRIF frames ? can withstand both the above average levels of salt spray common to coastal regions, and the ammonia exposure prevalent in agricultural environments. Read more

Calisolar changes name as Suntech becomes key customer of its purified silicon metal

Monday, 3.12.2012 - 12:13 (PV-Tech)

Calisolar is morphing into a polysilicon producer with a name change that better reflects its future ambitions. Renamed, Silicor Materials Inc, the company has bagged a major supply deal for its purified silicon metal material with the PV industries largest module producer, Suntech Power Holdings. Read more

Altec Solar Ltd locates in the UK

Monday, 3.12.2012 - 11:16 (Solarpowerportal)

German Solar PV under-construction specialist, Altec Solartechnik, has added to its recently established offices in Greece and Italy by launching a UK-based subsidiary – Altec Solar Ltd. Read more

Plans emerge for 40MW solar farm in Pembrey

Monday, 3.12.2012 - 10:47 (Solarpowerportal)

Plans for another large-scale solar park have emerged this week after Cirencester-based Inazin Solar revealed its intention to build a 40MW plant in Pembrey. The giant solar farm, which is the largest to reach pre-application stage in the UK to date is planned... Read more

Toward Energy Literacy: Our "Peak Oil" Reality

Monday, 3.12.2012 - 19:53 (Renewable Energy World)

"Energy literacy" and "peak oil literacy" should be requirements for pundits ? and for citizens more generally. I've followed these issues for many years now, and the poor energy knowledge among even the chattering classes and punditry still amazes me. Read more

Offshore Wind Power: Penny Foolish, Dollar Wise

Monday, 3.12.2012 - 18:15 (Renewable Energy World)

As I discussed in my article on investing in offshore wind power, Nstar (NYSE:NST) recently agreed to buy 27.5 percent of Cape Wind's 420-MW planned output. Since National Grid (NYSE:NGG) has had a power purchase agreement (PPA) to buy 50 percent of the farm's output since 2010, Cape Wind now has enough capacity contracted to raise money for construction. Read more

Thanks in Part to Technology, ERCOT Wind Power Generation Record Shattered Twice

Monday, 3.12.2012 - 14:44 (Renewable Energy World)

The grid operator for most of Texas broke its wind power generation record twice this week. But what's almost as notable is what was behind the record?besides the wind, that is. Read more

Ontario's Wind Power Sector at a Crossroads

Monday, 3.12.2012 - 14:00 (Renewable Energy World)

Despite having Canada's largest population and being home to an energy-intensive manufacturing sector, Ontario was slow to adopt wind power. As recently as 2006, only 10 turbines were spinning in the province. However, the province is currently home to more than 1,750 MW of wind power and plans are in place for this figure to increase to 7,500 MW by 2018. Read more

What if the Wind PTC Expires?

Monday, 3.12.2012 - 21:13 (Renewable Energy World)

During a March 7 speech, Sen. Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn) said he plans to introduce a bill to end the Production Tax Credit for wind, calling wind a source that can provide only “puny amounts of expensive, unreliable electricity.” The credit, which is set to expire at the end of this year, has been extended on four previous occasions and Read more

Citizens Make an Example of Minnesota "Community Wind" Project

Monday, 3.12.2012 - 18:52 (Renewable Energy World)

Community wind promises to expand the economic opportunity of transitioning the electricity system to cleaner energy and engage local communities.  Unfortunately, there's "community wind" and community wind, as one Minnesota project starkly illustrates. Goodhue Wind was first envisioned as a 78-MW "community wind" project by National Wind i Read more

Asia Report: After Quake, Japan Pushes for Asia Supergrid

Monday, 3.12.2012 - 18:12 (Renewable Energy World)

Japan this week marks the one year anniversary of the devastating earthquake and tsunami that has since forced it to re-evaluate its nuclear strategy. In doing so, it also unveiled a plan that could have big implications for renewable energy across the continent. Read more

Davey hits back at ?misleading? article which claims nuclear will be rebranded as renewable

Monday, 3.12.2012 - 17:37 (Solarpowerportal)

Energy and Climate Change Secretary, Ed Davey, has hit back at an article published in the Guardian (March 12, ‘UK wants renewable energy target scrapped’), lambasting it as “misleading”. Read more

First U.K. Green Investment Bank to be located in Edinburgh

Monday, 3.12.2012 - 12:21 (Solarserver)

On March 8th, 2012, the U.K. Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (London, England) announced that the first ever U.K. Green Investment Bank (GIB) will be located in Edinburgh. The bank?s main transaction team will be based in London. ?Harnessing the strengths of Edinburgh and London will support the Green Investment Bank?s ambition to become a world leader,? Business Secretary Vince Cable said. Read more

SuperGroup renews Good Energy contract

Monday, 3.12.2012 - 12:15 (Solarpowerportal)

After a six-month trial international clothing retailer SuperGroup has decided to renew its energy contract with 100 percent renewable electricity supplier, Good Energy. Read more

Italy reaches 3.2% of electricity production from PV in 2011

Monday, 3.12.2012 - 9:11 (Solarserver)

The grid operator in the nation of Italy has released preliminary data on electricity production in 2011, reporting that the nation produced 9,258 GWh of electricity from solar photovoltaic (PV) generation, for a total of 3.2% of total electricity generation. This represents a 394% increase over the 1,874 GWh of electricity produced from PV in 2010. Terna SpA (Rome, Italy) reports that production was strongest in the four regions that comprise the southern end of the Italian peninsula, which totaled 2,313 GWh, followed by the five regions surrounding and including Rome at 1,726 GWh. Read more