SoloPower sets 13.4% flex CIGS aperture efficiency record backed by NREL

Tuesday, 3.13.2012 - 22:14 (PV-Tech)

Another day, another record as new measurements made by NREL (National Renewable Energy Laboratory) have confirmed flexible GIGS thin film solar cells from SoloPower have produced an aperture area efficiency of 13.4%, a record for the flexible substrate-based technology. The cells were produced at SoloPowers 20MW pilot production plant in San Jose, California. Read more

Ecobuild: Enecsys set to unveil new micro-inverter

Tuesday, 3.13.2012 - 18:57 (Solarpowerportal)

Inverter supplier, Enecsys is set to unveil its enhanced monitoring system and showcase its new 480W Duo micro-inverter at this year’s EcoBuild. Read more

Order Focus: REgeneration Finance chooses Advanced Energy inverters for 8MW of PV projects

Tuesday, 3.13.2012 - 17:40 (PV-Tech)

Advanced Energy (AE) has been chosen by REgeneration Finance to provide inverters for more than 8MW of PV projects in the US. REgeneration will install 61 of AE?s PV inverters in total, ranging from power levels of 35kW to 260kW. Read more

Heliatek starts ?14 million roll-to-roll OPV production plant

Tuesday, 3.13.2012 - 16:51 (PV-Tech)

The first roll-to-roll flexible OPV thin film plant using vacuum deposition of oligomers has been officially opened by Heliatek. The ?14 million facility in Dresden, Germany has 1 pilot/production line initially with the expectation to launch commercial product offerings in around the third quarter of 2012. The first key market Heliatek is addressing is BIPV and has plans to raise a further ?50 million for a full-scale production line. An opening ceremony was attended by the Prime Minister of Saxony, Stanislaw Tillich. Read more

New back-contact cell developed by HZB and ISFH reaches 20.2% efficiency

Tuesday, 3.13.2012 - 13:04 (PV-Tech)

The Institute for Photovoltaics (E-I1), part of the Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin (HZB), has developed a new solar cell in cooperation with the Institute for Solar Energy Research in Hameln (ISFH). The development, part of a project initiated by the federal ministry for environment and supported by Bosch, Schott Solar, Sunways and Stiebel Electron, has resulted in a solar cell that has yielded lab efficiency of 20.2%. Read more

SCHOTT Solar modules passed salt spray corrosion test

Tuesday, 3.13.2012 - 12:22 (Solarserver)

On March 8th, 2012, SCHOTT Solar AG (Mainz, Germany) announced that its modules from the SCHOTT PERFORM POLY series have passed the salt spray corrosion test at the most difficult level of 6. The testing was conducted by TUEV Rheinland. The test came into effect in December 2011 as the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) standard 61701: 2011 Ed.2, and the company received the official certificate from TUEV Rheinland at the end of February. Read more

Heliatek opens factory for production of organic photovoltaic modules in Dresden, Germany

Tuesday, 3.13.2012 - 9:07 (Solarserver)

On March 12th, 2012 Heliatek GmbH (Dresden, Germany) announced that it has opened a factory for the production of flexible organic photovoltaic (OPV) modules in Dresden, Germany. Heliatek invested EUR 14 million (USD 18 million) in the creation of this first production line, which incorporates roll-to-roll processes using vacuum deposition at low temperatures. Heliatek states that this process offers potential for greatly reducing costs in mass production of PV. Read more

Verengo Solar becomes leading residential PV installer in California

Tuesday, 3.13.2012 - 18:17 (Solarserver)

On March 12th, 2012, Verengo Solar (Torrance, California) announced that it installed more residential solar photovoltaic (PV) plants in California than any other company in January and February 2012, as measured by California Solar Initiative data. The company also reported hiring 44 new employees in January and 40 additional employees in February 2012, in addition to the 400 employees the company hired in 2011. The company expects to hire a total of 400 employees in 2012. Read more

SolarCity and US Bancorp create equity fund for phase 1 of SolarStrong project

Tuesday, 3.13.2012 - 18:15 (PV-Tech)

In June 2011, SolarCity and US Bancorp had partnered to launch a US$158 million fund for commercial and solar projects in the US. To this end, the companies have generated further funding to complete the first phase of its SolarStrong project through the creation of a renewable energy tax equity fund for an undisclosed amount. This ambitious five-year project is expected to provide up to 300MW of solar generation capacity to 120,000 privatized military family homes. Read more

Aegis Solar installs 496 square meter hot water system on apartment complex in Connecticut

Tuesday, 3.13.2012 - 18:11 (Solarserver)

Aegis Solar has installed a solar thermal system at an apartment complex in the U.S. state of Connecticut, which will supply more than 30% of the hot water needs of residents of 14 apartment buildings, with a total of 496 square meters of collector space. The system at the Windham Heights apartments was funded in part through a USD 453,000 grant through the state Clean Energy Finance and Investment Authority. Aegis began construction in November 2011 and completed the system at the end of February 2012. Read more

Mage Solar launches ground-mount system for PV applications

Tuesday, 3.13.2012 - 18:04 (Solarserver)

On March 9th, 2012, Mage Solar (Ravensburg, Germany), part of the globally operating Mage Group, announced that it has introduced its Mage Systemtec mounting system for ground mount applications to the market. Read more

Twin Creeks Unwraps New Tool, Process to Slash Silicon Solar PV Costs

Tuesday, 3.13.2012 - 17:51 (Renewable Energy World)

A startup company has emerged from stealth mode with a new technology refined under wraps for several years that promises to radically change the game for silicon solar photovoltaics (PV) manufacturing by taking out almost all the starting material and thus a great deal of up-front process costs. Read more

Southern California Telephone & Energy installs PV solar thermal systems at HQ

Tuesday, 3.13.2012 - 17:47 (Solarserver)

On March 9th, 2012, Southern California Telephone & Energy (Temecula, California, U.S.) announced that it has completed an energy renovation project throughout the entire building at its headquarters located in Temecula. SCT&E spread a thermoplastic polyolefin (TPO) membrane across the roof to reflect the heat that would otherwise penetrate the roof. This technology cuts the amount of energy consumed in the building thus taking pressure off of the Heating Ventilation & Air-Conditioning (HVAC) controls reducing energy costs and lengthens the life span of the unit itself. Read more

Ecobuild: Sanyo Solar set to present new look as Panasonic Solar

Tuesday, 3.13.2012 - 17:21 (Solarpowerportal)

Sanyo, a group company of Panasonic, has announced that it will be exhibiting at this year’s Ecobuild. Read more

100 Clydebank tenants receive free solar

Tuesday, 3.13.2012 - 16:21 (Solarpowerportal)

Over 100 tenants in a Clydebank housing scheme have received solar panels as part of an initiative run by Knowes Housing Association. Read more

NLP Solar Sales Training Live Webinar March 21st & 22nd

Tuesday, 3.13.2012 - 16:01 (Renewable Energy World)

Read more

Orta Solar increases its solar O&M portfolio to over 35MW

Tuesday, 3.13.2012 - 15:57 (Solarpowerportal)

Orta Solar has announced a series of successful solar PV operation and maintenance contracts that will take its total maintained solar capacity to over 35MW. Read more

7,000 MW of Solar Energy Potential on California Military Bases

Tuesday, 3.13.2012 - 14:48 (Renewable Energy World)

A recent Department of Defense (DoD) study found huge potential for solar deployment on military bases in California. Responding to a Congressional request, the DoD spent a year evaluating the potential for affordable solar energy on military bases in California and Nevada. Although 96 percent of the land on the bases was deemed incompatible with solar, the DoD identified 25,000 acres that are "suitable" and 100,000 acres that are "likely" or "questionably" suitable for solar. Read more

Solar PV to be given centre stage at Intersolar Europe 2012

Tuesday, 3.13.2012 - 14:23 (PV-Tech)

Record levels of installed PV capacity has made solar PV generation the star of the show at Intersolar Europe 2012 this summer in Germany. Plants with an output of over 200kWp occupy a rapidly growing share of the market. The US and Canada are catching up with Europe and costs per kilowatt are of rated capacity are falling. Over 90 exhibitors from around the globe have registered in this category to present products and services all connected with large-scale PV installations: from the hottest system solutions through to mounting systems and inverters to monitoring technology and the latest modules. Read more

JACO claims US$15/kg cost of solar grade silicon

Tuesday, 3.13.2012 - 13:32 (PV-Tech)

China-based solar grade silicon producer, JACO has claimed it has achieved several key milestones in its ability to supply SoG for wafer production. Having entered production of its Gen 1 process in 2011, JACO said that it reached a key cost target of US$15/kg that also equated to a CapEx cost of US$15/kg and an electricity consumption cost of 15kwh/kg. Read more

Concentrating solar power: SENER wins European Business Award for its Gemasolar project

Tuesday, 3.13.2012 - 12:44 (Solarserver)

SENER (Madrid, Spain) was selected as one of the winning companies for the European Business Award for the Environment/Spanish Division for its Gemasolar project, which it entered in the Sustainable Development Process category. SENER was honored with the Sustainable Development Process award for its Gemasolar concentrating solar power (CSP) plant, the first CSP plant in the world to use central tower receptor technology and a molten salt storage system. Read more

Martifer Solar sales reach ?293.2 million in 2011

Tuesday, 3.13.2012 - 12:36 (PV-Tech)

Diversification in both business segments and on a regional basis proved successful for Portugal-based Martifer Solar which said its revenue increased 33% to ?293.2 million in 2011. Unlike some of its rivals, the company also posted positive EBITDA of ?20.1 million and a net profit of ?9.5 million. The company noted that was the fourth consecutive year of positive financial results. Read more

NCSEA report: Certain solar PV systems reach grid parity in North Carolina

Tuesday, 3.13.2012 - 12:36 (Solarserver)

The North Carolina Sustainable Energy Association (NCSEA) has published a new report which shows that solar power is rapidly closing the gap with retail power prices in the state, and that in some cases photovoltaic (PV) plants are already cost competitive. "Levelized Cost of Solar Photovoltaics in North Carolina" states that for many utilities, PV plants greater than 10 kW with federal and state tax credits were at grid parity with retail electricity in 2011, but that systems smaller than 10 kW will not become cost competitive until 2020. Read more

PVA TePla revenue rises but solar sales decline in 2011

Tuesday, 3.13.2012 - 12:13 (PV-Tech)

Vacuum and high-temperature-based systems supported revenue increases in 2011 at equipment supplier, PVA TePla while sales to the solar sector declined, year-on-year. The company reported preliminary full-year 2011 revenue of ?132.6 million, up from ?120.4 million in 2010. Read more

Australian Opposition party lobbies government to restore solar hot water rebate scheme

Tuesday, 3.13.2012 - 12:12 (PV-Tech)

The Australian coalition government will be introducing a Private Member?s Bill this week demanding the government commit to the remaining funding it had allocated towards the solar hot water rebate scheme. Read more

Highbury-based UK Solar Generation struggling after FiT cuts

Tuesday, 3.13.2012 - 12:00 (Solarpowerportal)

UK Solar Generation was Russell Lyne’s dream, after hearing of the introduction of the feed-in tariff scheme, the entrepreneurial electrician was able to secure a bank loan and invested his life-savings to secure the £25,000 needed to set up his own solar PV installation company. Read more

Q-CELLS wins contracts for four solar PV projects in Greece totaling 2.4 MW

Tuesday, 3.13.2012 - 9:02 (Solarserver)

Q-CELLS (Bitterfeld-Wolfen, Germany) one of the world?s leading photovoltaics (PV) companies, on March 12th, 2012 announced it has won contracts for four commercial and industrial (C&I) solar photovoltaic (PV) projects in the central Greek region of Thessaly. The planned solar power plants will have a combined generation capacity of approximately 2.4 megawatts (MWp), which represents enough green power for over 700 households in Greece ? a country with more than enough of that vital resource, sunshine. Read more

E.ON Reconsiders UK Biomass Plant

Tuesday, 3.13.2012 - 13:43 (Renewable Energy World)

On Monday the trade press reported that German utility E.ON had received the go-ahead to construct a 150 MW biomass plant in Bristol, southwest England. The plant had been awaiting regulatory approval for construction to begin. Read more

Enhanced Geothermal Systems: Have a Little Faith

Tuesday, 3.13.2012 - 14:00 (Renewable Energy World)

Geothermal resource hot spots: Nevada, Arizona, California, and?Pennsylvania? Yes, even the east coast looks like a viable location for geothermal energy. Why? Enhanced geothermal systems (EGS) are making it possible. Read more

Minnesota Electricity Could Be 100% Renewable, 100% Local

Tuesday, 3.13.2012 - 21:10 (Renewable Energy World)

A new report released today by the Institute for Energy and Environmental Research shows that Minnesota can meet 100% of its electricity needs with in-state wind and solar power, and (with ample energy efficiency investments) at a comparable cost to its existing electricity supply. The notion that solar and wind energy cannot be the mainstay o Read more

Senate Rejects 1603, PTC Amendment

Tuesday, 3.13.2012 - 20:32 (Renewable Energy World)

The renewable energy industry's hope of extending a slew of federal programs was easily defeated on the Senate floor Tuesday. Read more

DEGERenergie hires Florian Falk Naumann for Australian market

Tuesday, 3.13.2012 - 18:52 (PV-Tech)

In keeping with its 20% increase in turnover for 2011 and to boost its international presence, DEGERenergie has recruited Florian Falk Naumann as county manager for Australia. DEGERenergie is expecting its MLD technology to flourish in the Australian climate under the government?s ?Clean Energy Future? scheme. Read more

DESERTEC Foundation signs Memorandum of Understanding on Asian super-grid for renewable energy

Tuesday, 3.13.2012 - 18:33 (Solarserver)

A year after the nuclear disaster in Fukushima, the DESERTEC Foundation and the Japan Renewable Energy Foundation (JREF) will start to cooperate on promoting an Asian "Super Grid" necessary for the expansion of renewable energy in Asia. The aim is to accelerate the deployment of renewable energy to provide secure and sustainable alternatives to fossil and nuclear energies, the partners emphasized. Read more

Eight19 wins Climate Week award

Tuesday, 3.13.2012 - 18:08 (Solarpowerportal)

Eight19, the Cambridge-based developers of the innovative IndiGo pay-as-you-go personal solar electricity system, has received the Climate Week Award 2012 for “Best Initiative for a Small or Medium-Sized Business” at a ceremony in Lancaster House, London. Read more

Energy Saving Trust temporarily closes London headquarters

Tuesday, 3.13.2012 - 17:44 (Solarpowerportal)

The Energy Saving Trust’s London headquarters has been temporarily closed after a fire broke out on March 9. The Energy Saving Trust has confirmed that everyone was safely evacuated from the building and the fire was quickly contained. Read more

China Sunergy is latest manufacturer to adopt PowerGuard?s PowerClip warranty

Tuesday, 3.13.2012 - 17:21 (PV-Tech)

PowerGuard?s unique PowerClip extended warranty protection has been adopted by module manufacturer China Sunergy. This year alone Lightway Green New Energy, SunEdison, Talesun and Long Energy, to name but a few, have joined the scheme. Read more

?Black Silicon? development work gets boost from NREL

Tuesday, 3.13.2012 - 17:18 (PV-Tech)

A new research program to bring ?Black Silicon? antireflective layer process and materials to commercialization has been signed between Natcore Technology and material inventor, the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) with funding of US$150,000. Read more

Desertec signs MOU with JREF to promote Asian Super Grid

Tuesday, 3.13.2012 - 13:46 (PV-Tech)

The Desertec Foundation and the Japan Renewable Energy Foundation (JREF) have signed a memorandum of understanding that will see the two organizations co-operate on the promotion of an Asian Super Grid, necessary for the expansion of renewable energy in Asia. The agreement between the two non-profit organizations aims to encourage and accelerate the adoption of renewable energy as a secure and sustainable alternative to fossil and nuclear energies. Read more

Pike Research: Demand response, renewables integration will drive the growth of short-term power markets

Tuesday, 3.13.2012 - 12:16 (Solarserver)

On March 8th, 2012, market research and consulting firm Pike Research (Boulder, Colo., U.S.) has issued a report stating that demand response (DR) and integration of renewable energy will lead to accelerating growth in short-term power markets over the next several years. Read more