Dyesol announces leadership change, raises AUD$5 million through Share Purchase Plan

Friday, 3.30.2012 - 20:33 (PV-Tech)

Dyesol has announced that, effective immediately, Gavin Tulloch will no longer serve in the consultant role of director of technology, a position he has been responsible for since October 2010. Details surrounding the end of the engagement were not disclosed, however, Dyesol did note that Tulloch will remain a non-executive director of the company. Read more

KDG Energy manufactures solar modules for China Sunergy

Friday, 3.30.2012 - 16:19 (PV-Tech)

French PV module manufacturer KDG Energy has begun the production of China Sunergy?s modules in France. The two companies have entered a memorandum of understanding in 2011 stating that China Sunergy (CSUN) will provide components for solar modules that KDG Energy will manufacture under CSUN?s brand name. KDG Energy officially commenced production of the modules in mid March 2011. Read more

Suniva to supply modules for 810 kW PV plant at New Jersey Boy's school

Friday, 3.30.2012 - 15:50 (Solarserver)

On March 27th, 2012, Suniva Inc. (Norcross, Georgia, U.S.), a manufacturer of crystalline silicon solar cells and modules, announced that it will supply solar panels for a 810 kilowatt (kW) ground-mount solar photovoltaic (PV) system at Bonnie Brae?s campus in Bernards Township, New Jersey. Read more

PROINSO opens offices in Australia and India

Friday, 3.30.2012 - 15:35 (Solarserver)

On March 27th, 2012, PROINSO (Fustiñana, Spain), which supplies modules, inverters, trackers and fixed structures for roof- and ground-mounted solar photovoltaic (PV) systems, announced that it has opened two new branches in Brisbane, Australia and Mumbai, India. The company now has a total of 12 branches around the world, which confirms its interest in emerging solar PV markets. Read more

Powerway, Dow Corning announce strategic cooperation

Friday, 3.30.2012 - 15:30 (Solarserver)

On March 28th, 2012, Powerway Renewable Energy Co. Ltd. (Guangdong Province, China), a solar farm designer and builder, and a company specialized in photovoltaic (PV) mounting structures, announced that it has formed a strategic partnership with Dow Corning (Auburn, Michigan, U.S.). The partnership will allow Powerway to use Dow Corning?s silicone bonding technology in its photovoltaic (PV) mounting systems. Read more

IKEA commissions 16th PV plant; 497 kW installation on store in Portland Oregon

Friday, 3.30.2012 - 15:21 (Solarserver)

On March 28th, 2012 home furnishings retailer IKEA (Emeryville, California, U.S.) officially plugged-in the solar photovoltaic (PV) energy system installed at its store in Portland, Oregon. The 62,500-square-foot PV array, a 497.3 kW system, consists of 2,072 panels. Read more

All change: feed-in tariff alterations take affect from April 1

Friday, 3.30.2012 - 13:26 (Solarpowerportal)

As I?m sure most of you are painfully aware, the Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) is introducing a range of changes to the feed-in tariff scheme as of April 1, 2012. Read more

Improving Productivity in Solar Module Manufacturing

Friday, 3.30.2012 - 12:52 (Renewable Energy World)

The photovoltaic (PV) industry is expected to grow exponentially over the next five years with market experts anticipating the global market to more than double in size by 2014. While this impressive growth rate is good news for the PV industry as a whole, module manufacturers are faced with a unique challenge ? how to meet increased demand, while remaining profitable. In order to remain competitive and take advantage of industry growth, module manufacturers need to take steps to enhance overall production efficiency, reducing cost-per-unit. Automating production lines, reducing material waste, and decreasing equipment downtime are three ways module manufacturers can increase Read more

SunEdison arranges financing for 60 MW PV plant in Bulgaria

Friday, 3.30.2012 - 12:17 (Solarserver)

On March 29th, 2012 SunEdison LLC (Beltsville, Maryland, U.S.) announced the completion of a EUR 155 million (USD 206 million) non-recourse debt financing arrangement with public and private entities for a 60.4 MW-DC solar photovoltaic (PV) plant in Bulgaria which it has recently completed. Construction on the PV plant in the municipality of Parvomay, Bulgaria began in September 2011, and SunEdison reports that it interconnected the plant in March 2012. The company expects to complete the sale of equity from the plant in 2012. Read more

SolFocus to build 450 MW CPV project in Baja California

Friday, 3.30.2012 - 9:52 (Solarserver)

On March 29th, 2012 SolFocus Inc. (San Jose, California, U.S.) announced plans to build a 450 MW concentrating photovoltaic (CPV) project near Tecate (Baja California) near the U.S. - Mexico border. SolFocus is collaborating with real estate developer Grupo Musa (Tijuana, Mexico) and Synergy Technologies LLC (Waynesboro, Georgia, U.S.) to develop the project, which it will build in 50 MW tranches. SolFocus plans to begin construction on the first tranche in late 2012 and commission this plant before the end of 2013. Read more

PV Manufacturing Equipment: Yole report sees market shift to production of high-efficiency cells, modules

Friday, 3.30.2012 - 9:39 (Solarserver)

On March 29th, 2012 Yole Développement (Lyon, France) announced a report examing crystalline silicon solar photovoltaic (PV) manufacturing technology and equipment markets. The report estimates that 35 GW of new PV manufacturing equipment will be purchased by 2017, with crystalline silicon remaining the dominant PV technology. "Crystalline Silicon PV: Technology, Equipment and Materials" states that current technology and market consolidation shows an increased interest in high-efficiency crystalline silicon PV cell and module approaches, which enables product differentiation and reduced manufacturing and system costs. Read more

Silevo To Roll Out Hybrid Silicon Solar Cells

Friday, 3.30.2012 - 8:18 (Renewable Energy World)

Hybrid solar cell developer Silevo may be based in California, but it plans to start commercial production in China in May and is now expecting a lower production cost than when I first learned about the company last October. Read more

Jinko opens new regional headquarters in Singapore

Friday, 3.30.2012 - 21:37 (PV-Tech)

JinkoSolar Holding has opened new regional headquarters, for its Asia-based operations, in Singapore. The office will manage sales, logistics, financing, project development and customer service for the country. The company noted that with the opening of its new office in Singapore, it now has nine sales and marketing offices located on four continents. Read more

Conergy connects 8MW Grimmen solar project to grid

Friday, 3.30.2012 - 21:13 (PV-Tech)

Joined by the Mayor of Grimmen and repeat private investor, Stephan Johannsen, Conergy officially connected its 8MW solar plant near Stralsund to the grid, making it one of the largest solar parks in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern to achieve such status. The company noted that all of the projects components were from its domestic manufacturing facilities. The project has been installed on over 20 hectare and uses around 35,000 Conergy PowerPlus modules from its Oder facility. It is expected to generate nearly 8 million kWh of solar power per year. Read more

SAG Solarstrom sells 48MW Italian solar project, expects to receive ?50 million in liquid funds

Friday, 3.30.2012 - 20:11 (PV-Tech)

SAG Solarstrom advised that the sale of its 48MW solar park in Italy to BNP Paribas Clean Energy Partners has been completed in accordance with a sales agreement signed on December 31, 2011.The company did not specify the purchase value, but did acknowledge that it was in the three-digit million Euro range. Read more

PV powered airplane Solar Impulse set to land in Morocco in spring 2012

Friday, 3.30.2012 - 15:59 (Solarserver)

Solar Impulse, an aircraft that flies using only solar power, will be coming to the Kingdom of Morocco in the spring 2012 after its inaugural flight to Paris and Brussels in 2011. Bertrand Piccard's and André Borschberg?s solar airplane will attempt, for the first time ever, to fly over 2,500 km (1,550 miles) without using a drop of fuel, finally landing in Morocco. Read more

REC launches certification program for PV installers

Friday, 3.30.2012 - 15:42 (Solarserver)

On March 28th, 2012, Renewable Energy Corporation ASA (REC, Sandvika, Norway) announced that it has launched a certification program for warranty solar installers, including extension and service fees. The qualification offers installers high-level training and access to a wide range of benefits. Read more

Solar power service: Sales company Cydcor partners with SunRun

Friday, 3.30.2012 - 15:28 (Solarserver)

On March 27th, 2012, Cydcor (Westlake Village, California, U.S.) announced that it has partnered with SunRun. Cydcor will offer SunRun solar power service to homeowners in Southern California. SunRun invented solar power service, a way for homeowners to switch to solar without purchasing the photovoltaic (PV) panels for thousands of dollars upfront. Read more

Strutt & Parker launches innovative solar barn project

Friday, 3.30.2012 - 15:26 (Solarpowerportal)

Strutt & Parker has developed an innovative solution for new agricultural buildings that incorporates solar PV right from the initial construction. The solar barn was developed by the company?s newly-created energy division, which has been working closely with a number of rural landowners to develop agricultural buildings that incorporate solar PV to lower utility costs and benefit from the feed-in tariff (FiT). Read more

Silevo To Roll Out Hybrid Silicon Solar Panels

Friday, 3.30.2012 - 15:18 (Renewable Energy World)

Hybrid solar cell developer Silevo may be based in California, but it plans to start commercial production in China in May and is now expecting a lower production cost than when I first learned about the company last October. Read more

SunEdison completes financing agreement for 60.4MW Bulgarian PV plant

Friday, 3.30.2012 - 14:13 (PV-Tech)

SunEdison has announced the completion of a ?155 million financing arrangement with IFC, Overseas Private Investment Corporation (OPIC) and UniCredit for a 60.4MW solar plant in Bulgaria. The project, located in Karadhalovo, was constructed in September 2011 and connected to the grid in March 2012. More than 214,000 PV modules were installed on a 100ha site.  US$50 million were provided by OPIC while IFC allocated ?46 million and UniCredit another ?41.1 million to the agreement. Read more

Bundestag votes in favour of solar incentive cuts

Friday, 3.30.2012 - 13:50 (PV-Tech)

The German Bundestag has voted in favour of cuts in solar incentives and approved new guidelines for renewable energies. With a majority of votes from the coalition, the law to change regulation regarding renewable energies (17/8877) passed the Bundestag on Thursday. Read more

SunRun report: 3rd party-owned solar reaches 73% of small residential PV market in California

Friday, 3.30.2012 - 11:54 (Solarserver)

On March 27th, 2012 SunRun (San Francisco, California, U.S.) released an analysis by PV Solar Report which estimates that 3rd party-owned solar represented 73% of the California small residential solar photovoltaic (PV) market in February 2012. According to the report, 3rd party-owned solar grew 174% in the first two months of 2012 compared to the same period in 2011. SunRun also estimates that solar as a service has generated over USD 100 million in growth for the California economy. Read more

Fronius to release new Agilo PV 100 inverter at Intersolar 2012

Friday, 3.30.2012 - 11:46 (Solarserver)

On March 27th, 2012 Fronius International GmbH announced that it has introduced the Fronius Agilo 100.0 central inverter. The company will showcase its product at Intersolar 2012 in Munich, Germany. The Agilo 100.0 inverter, a three-phase device with an output of 100 kilowatt (kW), is suitable for both industrial and commercial photovoltaic (PV) systems. Read more

SAG Solarstrom to soon complete sale of Italian Serenissimia PV project

Friday, 3.30.2012 - 11:35 (Solarserver)

On March 29th, 2012 SAG Solarstrom AG (Freiburg, Germany) announced that it will soon conclude the sale of its 48 MW Serenissima solar photovoltaic (PV) plant, after unexpected delays. SAG Solarstrom sold the plant to an investor on December 31st, 2012. The company states that after settling outstanding receivables and the repayment of a EUR 80 million (USD 106 million) project bridge loan, it will receive EUR 50 million (USD 66 million) in liquid funds. Read more

NREL Thinks Big at Wind Technology Center

Friday, 3.30.2012 - 15:00 (Renewable Energy World)

The Front Range environment at the National Wind Technology Center (NWTC) is harsh. The winds ? the very reason the NWTC is there ? have little mercy. The frigid cold of winter gives way to the baking sun of summer. Yet in the midst of this difficult landscape, the future of wind energy grows bigger and stronger thanks to the work being done by the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) National Renewable Energy Laboratory's (NREL) NWTC and its industry partners. Read more

Jiuquan, Gansu Province Drives Development of Wind Farms Along China's Hexi Corridor

Friday, 3.30.2012 - 15:00 (Renewable Energy World)

China is seeking to develop the Hexi Corridor, part of the ancient Northern Silk Road that lies inside China, into a demonstration zone for renewable energy in a move to lessen its dependence on foreign oil and gas. Read more

Air Products expands hydrogen selenide capacity at Hometown, PA facility

Friday, 3.30.2012 - 12:30 (PV-Tech)

Air Products has completed and brought onstream its hydrogen selenide (H2Se) facility expansion at its electronic specialty materials manufacturing facility in Hometown, PA, USA. The newly expanded high-purity H2Se facility will serve the growing demand from the CIGS market for the compound, which is provided by Air Products to semiconductor and PV customers at more than 99.99% purity levels. Read more

Chevron Energy activates 1.68MW project, on 15 school sites, for South San Francisco School District

Friday, 3.30.2012 - 21:29 (PV-Tech)

Chevron Energy Solutions advised that it had activated what it calls the largest K-12 solar and energy efficiency program in San Mateo County at 15 elementary, middle, and high school sites throughout the South San Francisco Unified School District. Together, the systems are anticipated to produce 1.68MW of solar energy. Read more

Paging Little Miss Muffet: Energy from Cheese Waste

Friday, 3.30.2012 - 15:00 (Renewable Energy World)

Some farmers take recycling to the extreme, to the benefit of both the environment and their bottom lines. They are the often-unheralded pioneers of waste-to-energy technology, sometimes powering entire small towns with their byproducts. Read more

Green house competition winners move in

Friday, 3.30.2012 - 11:30 (Solarpowerportal)

Blaenau Gwent Council and the United Welsh Housing Association have now completed the construction of two fully energy efficient homes in Ebbw Vale, Blaenau Gwent. Read more