Bosch closes acquisition of voltwerk

Thursday, 4.19.2012 - 17:02 (PV-Tech)

The Bosch Group has closed the acquisition of voltwerk electronics from Conergy, signed in December 2011. The purchase price has not been disclosed. Read more

McKinsey & Company: PV becoming viable without subsidies across a range of conditions

Thursday, 4.19.2012 - 16:29 (Solarserver)

McKinsey & Company (New York, New York, U.S.) has released a report which predicts that despite current troubles, falling prices will cause dramatic growth in the global solar photovoltaic PV industry within the next decade, even as subsidies disappear. "Solar Power: Darkest Before Dawn" estimates that the amount of PV that could be operated at a lower cost than competing sources could exceed 1,000 GW by 2020, with system costs potentially declining to USD 1/watt. The company states that even if system costs fall to only USD 2/watt, the industry is still likely to install an additional 400 GW to 600 GW of capacity by 2020. Read more

LADWP approves CLEAN LA program to support PV generation

Thursday, 4.19.2012 - 12:11 (Solarserver)

On April 17th, 2012, The Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (LADWP, Los Angeles, California, U.S.) Board of Commissioners approved a 10 MW pilot program to support solar photovoltaic (PV) generation. While the LADWP calls the CLEAN LA program a feed-in tariff (FiT), however program is not a FiT on the European model, but instead a competitive solicitation program. CLEAN LA was previously approved by the Los Angeles City Council, which gave the LADWP the ability to enter into long-term standard contracts for the program. Read more

Quanta chosen as EPC contractor for 70 MW of PV plants in Southern California

Thursday, 4.19.2012 - 12:05 (Solarserver)

On April 18th, 2012, Quanta Power Generation Inc. (Houston, Texas, U.S.) announced that it has been chosen by GCL Solar Energy Inc. (San Francisco, California, U.S.) to provide engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) services for two solar photovoltaic (PV) plants totaling 70 MW-AC in Southern California. Quanta will supply design and EPC services for the 50 MW-AC Alpaugh PV plant and the 20 MW-AC Alpaugh North Project, both of which it plans to complete by the end of 2012. The PV plants will use 324,000 GCL solar PV modules equipped with trackers, and cover more than 200 hectares. Read more

France drafts rules for 10% FIT bonus for PV products made in Europe

Thursday, 4.19.2012 - 9:56 (Solarserver)

The French Department of Ecology for Sustainable Development, Transport and Housing has drafted a rule to create a 10% bonus to the nation's feed-in tariff (FIT) for use of solar photovoltaic (PV) components produced in the European Economic Area (EEA). The proposed regulation was scheduled to be sent to the nation's Supreme Council of Energy on April 18th, 2012. Analysts at Tecsol (Perpignan, France) have speculated that the rule could be published before the first round of the presidential election. Read more

AEG Power Solutions installs 40MW in India

Thursday, 4.19.2012 - 19:17 (PV-Tech)

AEG Power Solutions has announced that it has installed 40MW of energy in projects across India since the company began its operations there. 34MW of energy have already been booked since January of this year, all of them complete systems and most of them in the state of Gujarat, at the 600MW Gujarat solar park. Read more

Solar Top 10: SEPA List Details Key Utility Trends

Thursday, 4.19.2012 - 18:23 (Renewable Energy World)

In 2011, solar became a far deeper ingrained part of energy portfolios for utilities across much of the United States, and that adoption was fueled by significant leaps in everything from large-scale power plants to residential rooftops. Read more

Munich Re underwrites SkyFuel?s warranty insurance

Thursday, 4.19.2012 - 18:01 (PV-Tech)

Solar collector manufacturer SkyFuel has announced that it now offers insurance on their product warranties. After a year of negotiations, German reinsurer Munich Re has agreed to back SkyFuel?s warranties. Read more

SPI Solar enters purchase agreement with Thermi-Taneo for 7.4MW of PV projects

Thursday, 4.19.2012 - 17:19 (PV-Tech)

SPI Solar recently entered a purchase agreement with the Greek Thermi-Taneo Venture Capital Fund. Thermi-Taneo will acquire three PV projects in the Evros region totalling 7.4MW from SPI. The purchase includes the permits to construct the PV plants as well as the land lease. Further, SPI will act as the EPC contractor for the 7.4MW PV projects, which are expected to complete construction in late 2012. Read more

Solar eclipse live broadcast with solar power

Thursday, 4.19.2012 - 16:46 (PV-Tech)

Panasonic has launched an ambitious project: Eclipse live from Fujiyama by solar power. The aim of this project is to raise awareness of renewable energies. On May 20, the company will broadcast the solar eclipse live from Mount Fujiyama and stream the broadcast online. The unique aspect is that the electricity used to power the filming and broadcast of the eclipse will be provided solely by solar power. Read more

T-Solar in second round of South African bidding

Thursday, 4.19.2012 - 16:42 (PV-Tech)

Italian company T-Solar has announced it has presented a bid in the second round of the South African government?s programme for developing renewable energies. The company?s co-developers include Green Continent Partners and the South African companies, IDC, GCBG Solar and Zico. Read more

KREDL awards contracts for 80 MW of PV, CSP through Karnataka Solar Policy

Thursday, 4.19.2012 - 16:06 (Solarserver)

Karnataka Renewable Energy Development Ltd. (KREDL, Bangalore, India) has allocated the first 80 MW of solar photovoltaic (PV) and concentrating solar power (CSP) projects through the Karnataka Solar Policy, following a delay due to legal complications. Contracts for 20 MW of CSP and 60 MW of PV projects were awarded in this first round of bidding. The lowest bid came in at INR 7.94/kWh (USD 0.152/kWh) by Helena Power Pvt. Ltd. for a 10 MW PV plant and the highest successful bid at INR 8.50/kWh (USD 1.63/kWh) by Welspun Solar AP Pvt. Ltd. for a 7 MW PV plant. Read more

Gehrlicher Solar to commence construction of 35MW ground mounted facility in Germany

Thursday, 4.19.2012 - 15:35 (PV-Tech)

Announced at the end of 2011, Gehrlicher Solar AG has finally started construction of the 35MW ground-mounted solar park at the former military airport in Perleberg. Complex munitions removal from the site and the uncertainty surrounding the German government?s FiT revisions have been attributed to the delay. Read more

The Pending Subsidy Cliff, And the Way Out

Thursday, 4.19.2012 - 15:27 (Renewable Energy World)

It's a daunting reality, yet one that's been years in the making. And it's a scenario that's shaping up from the wind-swept coasts of California to the solar rooftops of New Jersey. The renewables industries ? all of them ? are not only approaching a subsidy cliff. They already have one foot dangling over the edge. Read more

President de Kirchner attends 5MW PV plant induction

Thursday, 4.19.2012 - 12:41 (PV-Tech)

The Argentinean President Cristina Fernández de Kirchner is expected to attend the induction of the 5MW Cañada Honda solar park in the Argentinean province of San Juan. The park, developed by Emgasud is the largest South American PV project to date, according to Photon. Read more

Solar shakeout: New bid for ECD but Odersun and Helianthos out of luck

Thursday, 4.19.2012 - 12:37 (PV-Tech)

With approximately US$148 million in cash and investments, coupled to current assets valued at just over US$1.03 billion but debts of equivalent value, Chapter 11 refugee, Energy Conversion Devices is therefore primed for takeover or asset strip. Investment firm Salamon Group is the first to officially make a move in a tender offer for the company, though the deal would seem far removed from ECD managements goals of restructuring under Chapter 11. Read more

Solar shakeout: New bid for ECD but Odersun and Heliantos out of luck

Thursday, 4.19.2012 - 12:37 (PV-Tech)

With approximately US$148 million in cash and investments, coupled to current assets valued at just over US$1.03 billion but debts of equivalent value, Chapter 11 refugee, Energy Conversion Devices is therefore primed for takeover or asset strip. Investment firm Salamon Group is the first to officially make a move in a tender offer for the company, though the deal would seem far removed from ECD managements goals of restructuring under Chapter 11. Read more

Solar shakeout: New bid for ECD but Odersun and Heliantos luck out

Thursday, 4.19.2012 - 12:37 (PV-Tech)

With approximately US$148 million in cash and investments, coupled to current assets valued at just over US$1.03 billion but debts of equivalent value, Chapter 11 refugee, Energy Conversion Devices is therefore primed for takeover or asset strip. Investment firm Salamon Group is the first to officially make a move in a tender offer for the company, though the deal would seem far removed from ECD managements goals of restructuring under Chapter 11. Read more

Our Solar Future issues industry rallying call

Thursday, 4.19.2012 - 12:22 (Solarpowerportal)

Our Solar Future, who runs the Cut Don?t Kill Campaign, has issued a plea to the industry to help it gather real-market data on the current condition of the UK solar market. Read more

Gujarat holds ceremony to dedicate 600 MW of solar plants

Thursday, 4.19.2012 - 12:17 (Solarserver)

On April 19th, 2012, the state of Gujarat held a ceremony to dedicate 600 MW of solar plants commissioned in the last year, including 214 MW at the multi-developer Gujarat Solar Park. The ceremony was led by Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi. Over the previous two years, Gujarat has signed 968.5 MW of solar projects to its Gujarat Solar Policy. The state has emerged as a national leader in both policy and solar market development, similar to the position of California in the United States. Read more

Order Focus: SolarWorld provides 10.6MW to Gujarat solar park

Thursday, 4.19.2012 - 11:52 (PV-Tech)

German module manufacturer SolarWorld has provided 10.6MW in PV modules to Asia?s biggest solar park in Gujarat, India. The Gujarat solar park, located near Charanka in the Patan district, has a total capacity of 600MW, installed by a variety of developers. SolarWorld?s PV plant at Gujarat is 46,000MW strong. Read more

Order Focus: China Sunergy supplies Renewable Energy with 31MW of PV modules

Thursday, 4.19.2012 - 18:36 (PV-Tech)

China Sunergy has announced that it has entered into a supply agreement with Renewable Energy, a subsidiary of SUNfarming Group. Sunergy will exclusively supply Renewable Energy with 31MW of its PV modules. The modules will be used for a variety of ground mounted systems and rooftop installations in Germany. Last year, Sunergy supplied SUNfarming with 23MW of its modules. Read more

Order Focus: China Sungery supplies Renewable Energy with 31MW of PV modules

Thursday, 4.19.2012 - 18:36 (PV-Tech)

China Sunergy had announced that it has entered into a supply agreement with Renewable Energy, a subsidiary of SUNfarming Group. Sunergy will exclusively supply Renewable Energy with 31MW of its PV modules. The modules will be used for a variety of ground mounted systems and rooftop installations in Germany. Last year, Sungery already supplied SUNfarming with 23MW of its modules. Read more

E2 states clean energy jobs on the rise in 2012

Thursday, 4.19.2012 - 17:43 (PV-Tech)

Contrary to figures published by Bloomberg early last week announcing global clean energy investment was down by 22% Environmental Entrepreneurs (E2) has published a report in defiance stating that nearly 50,000 clean energy jobs have been created in the US alone, through approximately 137 project proposals in Q1 2012. Read more

Doubling Down to Support Renewable Energy Jobs

Thursday, 4.19.2012 - 15:00 (Renewable Energy World)

While in Vermont last month, President Obama called for a "doubling down" in support of clean energy.  Prior to taking the stage before thousands of Vermonters, he was introduced by Jeanne Morrissey, the head of a local contracting company.  Most spectators were unaware that one of the last times Jeanne spoke in public she stood before a Read more

DECC delays launch of non-domestic Green Deal

Thursday, 4.19.2012 - 14:31 (Solarpowerportal)

The Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) has revealed that it will be delaying the rollout of the Green Deal for all non-domestic buildings. The Department had originally aimed to introduce the Green Deal for both domestic and non-domestic customers in October this year but the Department are now looking at a phased implementation of the scheme that will see the rollout of non-domestic support delayed. Read more

1,500 gather in Rome to protest against Conto Energia V

Thursday, 4.19.2012 - 14:29 (PV-Tech)

Nearly 1,500 people gathered in front of the Italian Parliament in Piazza Montecitorio in Rome yesterday vehemently protesting against the government?s new incentive programme: Conto Energia V. Memc Mirano led the crowd of citizens, various energy and environmental associations and employees of the renewable sector converged on the square shouting slogans like ?Fools, fools, that?s enough, go home? and ?400 workers laid off?. Read more

Heraeus teams with Yingli Green on ?PANDA? cell silver metallization pastes

Thursday, 4.19.2012 - 13:32 (PV-Tech)

A 1-year, US$70 million R&D and supply project is underway between materials supplier, Heraeus and Yingli Green. Resources are being allocated from Heraeus? 3 global technology centres develop next-generation silver metallization pastes for Yingli?s N-type ?PANDA? silicon solar cells. Read more