German institute for solar energy research develops 20.1%-efficient screen printed silicon solar cell with novel rear passivation layer

Thursday, 3.8.2012 - 21:08 (Solarserver)

The Institute for Solar Energy Research Hameln (ISFH) in collaboration with SINGULUS TECHNOLOGIES AG increases the conversion efficiency of screen-printed silicon solar cells from today?s industry typical 17.0% to 18.5% to a record value of 20.1%, as confirmed by an independent measurement from the Fraunhofer ISE. A novel ICP-AlOx / SiNy double layer at the rear side of the solar cell enables the improvement without applying a ?selective emitter?. ?These technological innovations show the high potential to further reduce the costs of photovoltaic electricity," says Prof. Dr. Rolf Brendel, Director of the ISFH. Read more

Solar power on a grand scale: Intersolar Europe 2012 spotlights large-scale photovoltaics, technologies, trends and markets

Thursday, 3.8.2012 - 20:55 (Solarserver)

Newly installed photovoltaic capacity reached all-time record levels in 2011, and PV plants with an output of over 200 kilowatt peak (kWp) occupy a rapidly growing share of the market. Europe holds the number one spot for plants of this size, though other markets are hot on its tail: New large-scale projects are currently being planned in the U.S. and Canada, China and India, as well as fledgling markets like South Africa and South America, are increasingly turning to large-scale PV formats. Dynamic development in this field therefore features among the central topics of the exhibition and the accompanying Intersolar Europe Conference 2012. Read more

PsomasFMG, NRG to develop 11 MW of PV plants in Southern California

Thursday, 3.8.2012 - 20:10 (Solarserver)

On March 6th, 2012 PsomasFMG LLC (Los Angeles, California, U.S.) and NRG Solar LLC (Carlsbad, California, U.S.) announced plans to jointly develop solar photovoltaic (PV) projects totaling 11 MW, including a 7.3 MW PV project for a school district and 3.3 MW of PV for Orange County, both in Southern California. All of the projects include signed power purchase agreements with facility owners to buy the electricity generated by the PV plants. The project with Orange County will span five county facilities, including the Peace Officer's Training Facility and the County Registrar of Voters. Read more

DOE, Ampulse collaborate for cheaper PV cells

Thursday, 3.8.2012 - 20:04 (Solarserver)

On March 5th, 2012, the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) announced that it has teamed up with Ampulse Corp. (Golden, Colorado, U.S.) to produce cheaper solar photovoltaic (PV) panels to lower solar electricity prices. Silicon wafers account for almost half the cost of today's solar PV panels, so reducing or eliminating wafer costs is essential to bringing prices down, NREL states. Read more

NREL and Ampulse apply CVD process to create c-Si thin-film solar cells

Thursday, 3.8.2012 - 17:48 (PV-Tech)

A trio of companies is attempting to reduce the waste caused by wafer-sawing processes by growing crystalline silicon on relatively cheap foil. NREL has teamed up with DOE?s Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) and c-Si thin-film technology company Ampulse with the aim of lowering the cost of solar panels. Read more

Suntech shipments, revenues decline in 4Q 2011

Thursday, 3.8.2012 - 16:10 (Solarserver)

On March 8th, 2012 Suntech Power Holdings Company Ltd. (Wuxi, China) released preliminary fourth quarter and full year 2011 financial results, reporting a 22% decrease in revenues to USD 629 million, a -8.3% operating margin, and a net loss of USD 137 million during the quarter. The world's largest solar photovoltaic (PV) module manufacturer also reported a 9.7% decrease in shipments during the quarter. Over the course of 2011 the company earned revenues of USD 3.15 billion, with an operating margin of -20% and a net loss of USD 1.01 billion. Read more

Centrotherm c-Si business grows in 2011, restructuring announced

Thursday, 3.8.2012 - 16:03 (Solarserver)

Centrotherm Photovoltaics AG (Blaubeuren, Germany) announced a restructuring which will include an increased focus on crystalline silicon technologies and a transfer of its Thin Film business to Asia, in a statement accompanying its unaudited 2011 financial results on March 6th, 2012. Centrotherm reported a 12% increase in annual revenues in 2011 to EUR 698 million (USD 925 million), primarily through Solar Cell & Module segment, as well as a -2.8% operating margin. This operating margin is a significant improvement over the -12% operating margin it reported in 2010. Read more

Suntech?s PV shipments reached 2,096MW in 2011 but decline 30% in Q1

Thursday, 3.8.2012 - 15:39 (PV-Tech)

Suntech Power met recently released preliminary revenue and shipment guidance for its fourth quarter and full year financial results. However, the company guided first quarter shipments down 30% compared to the prior quarter and gross margin guidance to be in the range of 3% to 6%. Suntech said that the decline was due to lower than expected inventory levels as it exited 2011 and seasonal weakness in demand. Suntech said it expected 2012 shipments to be in the range of 2.1GW to 2.5GW, compared to shipments of 2,096MW in 2011. Read more

Suntech?s PV shipments reached 2,096MW in 2011 but declined 30% in Q1

Thursday, 3.8.2012 - 15:39 (PV-Tech)

Suntech Power met its recently released preliminary revenue and shipment guidance for its fourth quarter and full-year financial results. However, the company guided first-quarter shipments to be down by 30% compared to the prior quarter and gross margin guidance to be in the range of 3% to 6%. It expects 2012 shipments to be in the range of 2.1GW to 2.5GW, compared to shipments of 2.096GW in 2011. Read more

Suntech?s PV shipments reached 2,096MW in 2011; but fall 30% in Q1 on inventory issues

Thursday, 3.8.2012 - 15:39 (PV-Tech)

Suntech Power met its recently released preliminary revenue and shipment guidance for its fourth quarter and full-year financial results. However, the company guided first-quarter shipments to be down by 30% compared to the prior quarter and gross margin guidance to be in the range of 3% to 6%. It expects 2012 shipments to be in the range of 2.1GW to 2.5GW, compared to shipments of 2.096GW in 2011. Read more

Manz posts record annual sales: PV segment sales increased 10.5%

Thursday, 3.8.2012 - 12:04 (PV-Tech)

Market diversification and strong revenue growth in equipment sold to the FPD market, supported record revenue at Manz in 2011, slightly ahead of previous guidance.  Sales increased 33% to ?240.5 million, compared to sales of ?181.4 million in 2010. In its Photovoltaic segment, Manz reported a 10.5% increase in sales, which reached to ?72.6 million, compared to ?65.7 million in 2010 and ?46.9 million in 2009. The company posted a positive EBIT of ?3.1 million, up from ?0.6 million in the previous year. Read more

Powerway announces construction on 30 MW rooftop PV project in China

Thursday, 3.8.2012 - 11:41 (Solarserver)

Powerway Renewable Energy Company Ltd. (Foshan City, China) has announced that it began with the construction on a 30 MW rooftop solar photovoltaic (PV) plant on two buildings in Yulin City, Guangxi Province, China on February 16th, 2012. The project due to the company consists of a 25 MW PV plant on a metal roof and a 5 MW PV plant on a flat concrete roof. Powerway expects to commission the PV plants at the end of June 2012. Read more

Jan Withag resigns as chairman of Solar Millennium management board

Thursday, 3.8.2012 - 19:57 (Solarserver)

On March 5th, 2012, Solar Millennium AG (Erlangen, Germany) announced that Dr. Jan Withag has resigned as chairman of the company, effective March 8th, 2012. Withag?s resignation follows last week?s initiation of insolvency proceedings for Solar Millennium by the local Court of Fürth. Read more

Solarcentury launches new ?universal? solar electric roof tile

Thursday, 3.8.2012 - 19:02 (PV-Tech)

Solarcentury is launching the new C21e solar electric plain roof tile, responding to demand for more products for roofs. The advantage of the C21e is that it can easily be integrated into traditional small format tile roofs. The company first launched the C21e roof tile in 2005, going on to win the Queen?s award. The tile is 47W and 54 tiles for a typical 2.5kWp system and this system is able to replace on average 200 tiles and thus, uses a lot less space on the roof. Read more

Anonymous CASM Member Goes Public in Solar Case

Thursday, 3.8.2012 - 18:49 (Renewable Energy World)

Helios Solar Works, a small solar panel manufacturer based in Milwaukee, Wisc., said Thursday that it is one of the seven companies that filed the original trade complaint against the price of solar panels coming in from China. Read more

Petra Solar opens business to federal customers with GSA contract agreement

Thursday, 3.8.2012 - 15:22 (PV-Tech)

New Jersey-based Petra Solar has opened its doors to the procurement arm of the US federal government with the signing of a Schedule 70 contract with the General Services Administration (GSA). This action will allow US military customers to purchase Petra Solar?s products and services, building on the company?s existing presence in the military sector. Read more

Element Power Solar completes sale of 6MW UK solar parks

Thursday, 3.8.2012 - 13:36 (Solarpowerportal)

Element Power Solar has announced the sale of two solar PV projects with a total capacity of 6MW to funds managed by alternative asset manager, Foresight Group. Read more

NRG Energy completes first two solar energy projects with the Clinton Foundation in Haiti

Thursday, 3.8.2012 - 12:57 (PV-Tech)

Former president Bill Clinton and NRG Energy?s president David Crane visited Haiti to examine the progress of the solar power installations built in partnership with the Solar Electric Light Fund (SELF). NRG invested US$1 million through the Clinton Global Initiative (CGI), with the Clinton-Bush Haiti Fund adding an additional US$500,000 to the investment in several projects in Haiti?s Central Plateau. Read more

Trina Solar opens sales, project development offices in Chengdu, Urumqi

Thursday, 3.8.2012 - 11:34 (Solarserver)

On March 6th, 2012 Trina Solar Ltd. (Changzhou, China) announced that it has opened sales and project development offices in the cities of Chengdu and Urumqi, located in Southwestern and Western China. Trina states that the opening of these offices coincides with the Chinese National Development and Reform Commission's decision to develop PV plants in these regions. The company also notes that it is accelerating its domestic Chinese operations in response to the implementation of a feed-in tariff for China. Read more

2BG doubles Cappello?s output at Italy plant

Thursday, 3.8.2012 - 11:33 (PV-Tech)

Italian PV equipment supplier, 2BG, has helped to double Cappello?s ? Italy-based solar manufacturer ? output at its Ragusa, Italy, plant. Read more

SCHOTT Solar, Canopy complete 2.2 MW PV plant in Corsica

Thursday, 3.8.2012 - 11:25 (Solarserver)

On March 6th, 2012, SCHOTT Solar AG (Mainz, Germany) and CANOPY SAS (Paris, France) announced the completion of a 2.2 megawatt (MW) Mediterranean solar energy project near Ucciani in central Corsica. The solar project features about 10,000 solar photovoltaic (PV) modules from the German manufacturer. Read more

Canadian Solar reports slight decline in revenues, increase in module shipments in 4Q 2011

Thursday, 3.8.2012 - 9:54 (Solarserver)

On March 7th, 2012 Canadian Solar Inc. (Kitchener, Canada) announced financial results for its fourth quarter and fiscal year 2011, reporting a 5% decrease in quarterly revenues to USD 474 million, as module shipments increased 23% to 436 MW. The company also reported a -4.5% operating margin during the quarter, an improvement from the -6.1% that it reported in the third quarter of 2011, and a net loss of USD 59.9 million. These quarterly losses are relatively minor compared to the losses reported by other large solar photovoltaic (PV) manufacturers including First Solar Inc. (Tempe, Arizona, U.S.), Yingli Green Energy Holding Company (Baoding, China) and Q-Cells SE (Bitterfeld-Wolfen, Read more

German government coalition delays PV FiT cuts; Solar industry calls postponement a mere reprieve

Thursday, 3.8.2012 - 9:47 (Solarserver)

On March 6th, 2012 the German government coalition parties decided to postpone the severe cuts in feed-in tariffs (FiTs) for solar photovoltaic (PV) generation to take effect on April 1st, 2012. The German Solar Industry Association (BSW-Solar) called the postponement a sham, stressing that the new proposal does not include essential improvements. BSW-Solar reviews that neither the level of FiT cuts has been revised, nor the government's goal to reduce PV development in Germany by 75 percent within the next years. Read more

Claude Lambert of Alstom Hydro North America: The State of North American Hydropower

Thursday, 3.8.2012 - 15:00 (Renewable Energy World)

Claude Lambert, president and chief executive officer of Alstom Hydro North America, discusses technology, policy and the factors driving the hydropower market. Read more

The Interview: Claude Lambert of Alstom Hydro North America

Thursday, 3.8.2012 - 15:00 (Renewable Energy World)

Claude Lambert, president and chief executive officer of Alstom Hydro North America, discusses technology, policy and the factors driving the hydropower market. Read more

Interview: Claude Lambert of Alstom Hydro North America

Thursday, 3.8.2012 - 15:00 (Renewable Energy World)

Claude Lambert, president and chief executive officer of Alstom Hydro North America, discusses technology, policy and the factors driving the hydropower market. Read more

DOE Offers $6 Million for Fuel Cell EV Data Collection

Thursday, 3.8.2012 - 15:00 (Renewable Energy World)

DOE announced on March 1 that up to $6 million will be available this year to collect and analyze valuable performance and durability data for light-duty fuel cell electric vehicles (FCEVs). Projects selected will gather data from next-generation FCEVs as they are operated in real-world conditions. The goal is to identify ways to lower costs, improve fuel cell durability, and increase overall vehicle performance. Read more

Is the End of Renewables Nigh as Fukushima Anniversary Nears?

Thursday, 3.8.2012 - 19:00 (Renewable Energy World)

In the run-up to the 11 March anniversary of the Fukushima reactor meltdown, the steady drip of anti-renewables articles in the mainstream media will become a torrent as the nuclear lobby cranks up its public relations machine. And they're taking aim at European feed-in tariffs, no doubt because of their success. Germany is particularly in their cross-hairs because of its massive development of renewable energy over the past two decades and its plan to close all its reactors for good. Read more

Renewable Energy PTC and 1603 Extensions Tacked Onto Senate Bill

Thursday, 3.8.2012 - 16:49 (Renewable Energy World)

Renewable energy policy has seemingly been on the hot seat since late summer. As early as today, it will finally find out how much political backing it has with a series of votes on Capitol Hill. Read more

Green Investment Bank to be based in Edinburgh and London

Thursday, 3.8.2012 - 16:12 (Solarpowerportal)

The Business Secretary, Vince Cable, has announced that Green Investment Bank (GIB) will be based in both Edinburgh and London. Read more

juwi maintains a positive outlook for 2012

Thursday, 3.8.2012 - 12:57 (PV-Tech)

juwi has issued a press release to celebrate its success of 2011 and to increase public participation to make the transfer to renewables from fossil fuels more manageable. Thanks to this, the German company has been able to expand its management structure in a financially difficult climate. Read more

KLNE secures £5 million investment from Shenergy Group

Thursday, 3.8.2012 - 12:28 (Solarpowerportal)

Chinese solar inverter manufacturer, KLNE, has announced that it has secured additional funding that will help the company realise its ambitions for increased growth and expansion. Read more

Green Deal gets £3.5 million cash injection

Thursday, 3.8.2012 - 11:59 (Solarpowerportal)

The Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) has announced that it will provide £3.5 million worth of funding to help train energy assessors and installers to participate in the upcoming Green Deal. Read more