Evergreen PV expands UK operations

Thursday, 6.21.2012 - 16:55 (Solarpowerportal)

Oxfordshire-based solar company Evergreen PV has now expanded its wholesale services to cover the entire UK, sourcing products for both domestic and commercial projects. Read more

Toshiba to build 100 MW of PV plants in Fukushima

Thursday, 6.21.2012 - 15:53 (Solarserver)

On June 20th, 2012 Toshiba Corporation (Tokyo, Japan) announced that it will build a group of solar photovoltaic (PV) plants totaling 100 MW in Fukushima Prefecture, Japan. Toshiba describes the project as a contribution to the reconstruction and revitalization of the region, which was devastated by the 2011 Tohoku Earthquake and Tsunami as well as the subsequent nuclear disaster. The company plans to begin construction in its fiscal year 2012 and aims for completion in 2014. Read more

British Photovoltaics Association introduces the UK Solar PV Industry Charter

Thursday, 6.21.2012 - 14:10 (Solarpowerportal)

The British Photovoltaics Association (BPVA) has today published the UK Solar PV Industry Charter, which sets out how the UK solar industry is delivering significant opportunities to the UK and its economy, and how it intends to continue to deliver these benefits in partnership with Government. Read more

Stion reaches 14.8% aperture area efficiency with CIGS modules

Thursday, 6.21.2012 - 12:40 (Solarserver)

On June 20th, 2012 Stion Corporation (San Jose, California, U.S.) announced that the U.S. Department of Energy's National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) has verified a 14.8% aperture area efficiency for the thin-film solar photovoltaic (PV) modules produced at its factory in Hattiesburg, Mississippi, United States. This translates into a 13.4% module efficiency for the 65 cm x 165 cm copper indium gallium diselenide (CIGS) PV modules. While other manufacturers including Solibro and MiaSole have reported higher efficiencies for their CIGS modules in volume production, Stion's achievement makes it competitive with market leader Solar Frontier, which unveiled a 13.0% efficient Read more

Brattle Group: More PV can reduce utility bills for Texans during the summer

Thursday, 6.21.2012 - 12:35 (Solarserver)

A new report by the Brattle Group (Cambridge, Massachusetts, U.S.) shows that increased solar photovoltaic (PV) generation can reduce prices for electricity consumers in the U.S. state of Texas during times of intense demand in the summer. "The Potential Impact of Solar PV on Electricity Markets in Texas" finds that adding 1 GW of PV could have decreased average wholesale energy prices in the summer of 2011 by USD 0.0006/kWh, and 5 GW would have resulted in a decrease of USD 0.0029/kWh. Read more

PV and energy storage: German inverter manufacturer KACO cooperates with Samsung SDI

Thursday, 6.21.2012 - 12:28 (Solarserver)

KACO new energy GmbH (Neckarsulm, Germany), producer of solar photovoltaic (PV) inverters, has agreed on a cooperation with the energy storage manufacturer Samsung SDI at Intersolar Europe 2012. KACO presented its energy storage and management system Powador-gridsave at the solar power trade fair in Munich and also secured an excellent source for continuous supply of the necessary batteries, the company notes. Read more

KACO new energy signs MOU with Samsung SDI for energy storage systems

Thursday, 6.21.2012 - 0:55 (PV-Tech)

During Intersolar Europe 2012, KACO new energy signed a memorandum of understanding with Samsung SDI, which will see both companies support each other in defining optimal energy storage systems. Sangjin Park, CEO of Samsung SDI and Ralf Hofmann, CEO of KACO new energy both signed the MOU. Read more

Concentrating solar power: SkyFuel enters Saudi Arabia market

Thursday, 6.21.2012 - 21:02 (Solarserver)

SkyFuel, Inc. (Arvada, Colorado, U.S.) has confirmed plans to enter the concentrating solar power (CSP) market in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) with their high performance parabolic trough collector, and seeks local partners to establish its presence there. "SkyTrough" is the optimum technology solution for the recently announced CSP market program promoted by the King Abdullah City for Atomic and Renewable Energy (KA-CARE), SkyFuel emphasizes in a press release. Read more

SCHOTT Solar, VELUX introduce new integrated concept for "sunroof" BIPV installations

Thursday, 6.21.2012 - 20:42 (Solarserver)

On June 19th, 2012, SCHOTT Solar (Mainz, Germany) and VELUX (Hørsholm, Denmark) announced the launch of a window which is designed for use with SCHOTT Advance InDaX roof-integrated photovoltaic (PV) systems. The new window fits into the SCHOTT Advance InDaX system seamlessly at every position. In developing its roof window, VELUX made use of seal-less SCHOTT Solar InDaX technology. Read more

SunPower appoints Lisa Bodensteiner executive vice president, general counsel

Thursday, 6.21.2012 - 20:39 (Solarserver)

On June 19th, 2012, SunPower Corp. (San Jose, California, U.S.) announced that it has appointed Lisa Bodensteiner as executive vice president (EVP) and general counsel. Lisa, whose appointment is effective from June 25th, 2012, comes to SunPower from First Solar (Tempe, Arizona, U.S.), where she served as general counsel project development since 2009. Read more

Solar Inverter Shakeout: 3 Survivors, 2 Buyers, a Loser and a Wildcard

Thursday, 6.21.2012 - 18:14 (Renewable Energy World)

The major publicly traded solar inverter companies are Power-One (NASD:PWER), Satcon (NASD:SATC), SMA Solar (OTC:SMTGF), Siemens (NYSE:SI), Advanced Energy Industries (NASD:AEIS), Schneider Electric (OTC:SBGSF) and upstart Enphase Energy (NASD:ENPH). Over the last year the industry has faced eroding margins and an increasingly competitive environment. This parallels the problems of solar manufacturers: the industry has too much capacity for a market that is not growing as fast as many expected. Read more

Trade War Escalates: Chinese Seek Duty on US Silicon

Thursday, 6.21.2012 - 17:56 (Renewable Energy World)

Chinese polysilicon makers are pressing their government to impose duties on U.S. imports, a move to drive up prices for competing supplies of the material used in solar panels, four people familiar with the issue said. Read more

Solaria and ForVEI agree on sale of Italian 8MW PV plant

Thursday, 6.21.2012 - 16:38 (PV-Tech)

Solaria and Italian ForVEI have agreed on the sale of Solaria?s 8MW PV plant in Italy, the company has announced. The plant is located in the municipality of Orte and is owned by Solaria Aleph Generación, a 50% subsidiary of Solaria. Built in 2010, the PV plant is part of Solaria?s 47MW European portfolio. The value of the sale constitutes ?35.1 million and a debt reduction of ?23.4 million. Read more

Solar PV has potential to lower electricity costs in Texas, US, by US$520 million

Thursday, 6.21.2012 - 16:28 (PV-Tech)

A new report released today, demonstrates the benefits of adding solar PV capacity to the Texas electricity grid to reduce power outages and lower whole electricity prices for Texan customers. The Potential Impact of Solar PV on Electricity Markets in Texas, funded by the Energy Foundation and the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) estimates that electricity costs could be lowered by up to US$520 million. Read more

SolarWorld targeted by DuPont in patent infringement case with Heraeus

Thursday, 6.21.2012 - 15:45 (PV-Tech)

Following-on from a previously filed patent infringement lawsuit against Heraeus Materials Technology over to front-side metallization paste compositions, DuPont has filed another lawsuit that alleges Heraeus and SolarWorld both infringe DuPont US Patent No. 8,158,504 B2, by manufacturing, selling and/or using Heraeus front-side silver pastes in solar cell fabrication. Read more

First Solar to supply enXco with 61 MW of PV modules for Catalina Solar

Thursday, 6.21.2012 - 15:44 (Solarserver)

enXco Inc. (San Diego, California, U.S.) has signed an agreement whereby First Solar Inc. (Tempe, Arizona, U.S.) will supply the company with 61 MW of its thin film cadmium telluride solar photovoltaic (PV) modules for a project in Southern California. enXco will build the Catalina Solar project in Kern County, California in two phases. The company plans to complete the first 60 MW phase by the end of 2012 and the remainder of the project by June 2013. Read more

Activ Solar finishes 21.18MW phase one of PV plant in the Ukraine

Thursday, 6.21.2012 - 15:37 (PV-Tech)

Activ Solar has completed the first 21.18MW of its PV plant in Ukraine, the company has announced. The second phase will see the company install another 21.77MW and is expected to be completed in July 2012. Once completed, Starokozache Solar Power Station, located in Belgorod-Dnestrovskiy, in the Odessa region, will have a total capacity of 43MW. It will be equipped with 185.952 multicrystalline PV modules as well as 41 inverters on a site of 80ha. Read more

Competing in the Solar Industry: Delivering Green Jobs While Keeping Energy Costs Low

Thursday, 6.21.2012 - 15:00 (Renewable Energy World)

The solar industry has come a long way in recent years, but now companies around the world are grappling with a solar photovoltaic (PV) industry in rapid transition, with significant oversupply and prices in rapid decline. Dominant players are struggling; emerging players are seizing market share. Each company is trying to turn the current upheaval into their opportunity to emerge as the new top player. Read more

Intersolar EU: OutBack releases new Radian series inverter/charger

Thursday, 6.21.2012 - 14:11 (PV-Tech)

Due to be released in the third quarter of 2012, OutBack released details at Intersolar in Munich last week of its new inverter the company claims will meet international specifications and performance requirements. OutBack?s grid-interactive Radian series GS7048E inverter/charger, offers 230V of adjustable power for residential, industrial, commercial and other applications. Read more

Intersolar EU: Joint Forces for Solar offers solutions for life after FiTs

Thursday, 6.21.2012 - 12:47 (PV-Tech)

Intersolar Europe 2012 in Munich last week was used as a platform for the European Joint Forces for Solar Meeting. The panel discussion was moderated by David Own, CEO of Solar Media, parent company of PV-Tech. The high level panel consisted of Andrea Bothega, EMEA marketing, CSUN, Armin Schöntag, marketing manager, Lightway Solar, Matthias Altieri, managing director, head of solar energy, Thomas Lloyd Group, Zhongpin Wu, EU marketing manager, Sungrow Power Supply and Gerhard Stryi-Hipp, head of energy policy, Fraunhofer ISE. Read more

Enevis completes major social housing project in London

Thursday, 6.21.2012 - 12:40 (Solarpowerportal)

Enevis, in partnership with the Apollo Group, has completed one of the largest multi-installation solar projects in London. After being awarded the contract in January this year the company managed to install a total of 500 systems in Walthamstow in a space of just three months. Read more

Etrion announces 5MW Chilean PV project

Thursday, 6.21.2012 - 12:32 (PV-Tech)

Canadian solar power producer Etrion has opened an office in Santiago, Chile, the company has announced. The company is trying to break into the Chilean market and is currently in negotiations about a power purchase agreement (PPA) for the construction of a 5MW PV project in Chile. Etrion is expecting to sign more PPAs for possible PV projects throughout the year. Read more

Intersolar EU: EPIA concludes PPAs and net-metering as the future for continued PV growth

Thursday, 6.21.2012 - 11:16 (PV-Tech)

Intersolar Europe 2012 in Munich last week was used as a platform for the European Photovoltaic International Association?s (EPIA) International PV Associations Meeting: Joint Forces for Solar. The meeting featured presentations on the global market situation by Gaëton Masson, head of business intelligence, EPIA and the second on net-metering schemes in Europe, presented by senior national policy advisor, EPIA, Marie Latour. The presentations were moderated by David Own, CEO of Solar Media, parent company of PV-Tech. Read more

Enel Green Power brings four new solar plants online in Greece

Thursday, 6.21.2012 - 1:28 (PV-Tech)

According to a report from Reuters, Enel Green Power has four new solar power plants in Greece producing solar power. The projects bring the company?s installed capacity in Greece to 245MW. Furthermore, Enel Green Power noted that ESSE, a joint venture with Sharp, started production on two solar plants in Greece with a capacity of 2MW. Read more

Report: US to give Jordan US$100M grant for solar project

Thursday, 6.21.2012 - 1:20 (PV-Tech)

Bloomberg has reported that according to Al Arab Al Yawm, the US plans to give Jordan a US$100 million grant. The grant will finance the development of a solar project with an aim to help the kingdom save nearly 60,000 tons of fuel derivatives per year. The Amman-based news report, cited an undisclosed official as its source for the financial story. Read more

First Solar to supply 61MWp of its thin-film modules for enXco?s Catalina PV project

Thursday, 6.21.2012 - 1:13 (PV-Tech)

First Solar and enXco, a subsidiary of EDF Energies Nouvelles, signed a solar module supply agreement, which will see First Solar deliver 61MWp of its thin-film modules. Delivery is set to start in September and will supply enXco?s Catalina Solar Project in Kern County, California. Read more

Sunsolar to develop 30MW PV manufacturing plant in the UK

Thursday, 6.21.2012 - 0:41 (PV-Tech)

Sunsolar recently advised of its plans to construct a 30MW solar PV manufacturing plant in Oldbury with a US$7.85 million (£5 million) grant from the Government fund backed by Sandwell Council and the Regional Growth Fund. Sunsolar will provide an additional US$7.85 million for the factory?s development, with plans to open the facility?s doors at the end of October. Read more

Wind Developers Look to Ontario in the Midst of PTC Uncertainty

Thursday, 6.21.2012 - 17:11 (Renewable Energy World)

Planning for wind energy developments in the U.S. for 2013 is literally at a stand-still due to the uncertainty of an extension of the Production Tax Credit (PTC). But that isn?t stopping some developers from moving forward with new projects for next year. These new builds might, however, pop up not in the U.S., but in a community with a stable gov Read more

Uruguay Boosts Wind-power Estimate to 1,000 Megawatts by 2015

Thursday, 6.21.2012 - 16:05 (Renewable Energy World)

Uruguay increased the amount of wind-powered electricity it plans to bring online in coming years, saying it wants to capitalize on cheap turbine prices. Read more

Fossil Fuel Subsidies Five Times Higher than Wind Power Subsidies

Thursday, 6.21.2012 - 15:24 (Renewable Energy World)

UK newspapers have again picked-up on the issue of government subsidies to wind power saying that one Cabinet Office minister ? Oliver Letwin ? backs an end to subsidies to onshore wind farms by 2020. But the Guardian reported that Mr. Letwin?s comments have ?irritated? Ed Davey, the UK climate change secretary, who last week set out his backing fo Read more

The Pied Piper of Grid Parity

Thursday, 6.21.2012 - 18:28 (Renewable Energy World)

You'd think that quarter after quarter of losses for PV industry manufacturers along with a steady march of failures would be enough to shake the industry loose from its addiction to the goal of grid parity. Instead, and despite evidence that the current pricing for PV modules is actually damaging the industry's ability to compete, the enthusiastic chorus about grid parity continues to grow louder. Disagree at your own risk, but agree or disagree, promises have been made for consistently lower system prices, and the cost of breaking these promises could be steep. "Hamelin Town's in Brunswick, by famous Hanover city" ? so begins the famous poem by Robert Browning, famous Read more

Hydro Powers Latin America

Thursday, 6.21.2012 - 15:00 (Renewable Energy World)

Hydropower is the world's largest source of renewable energy. In Latin America, it is the main source of power generation, accounting for roughly 65 percent of all electricity generated. Altogether, Latin America's installed hydropower capacity totaled 153 GW at the end of 2010. Read more

Applied Materials appoints Gary Dickerson as president

Thursday, 6.21.2012 - 18:42 (PV-Tech)

Gary Dickerson has been appointed president of Applied Materials effective June 19, 2012, the company has announced. In this new role Dickerson, who will report to Chairman and CEO Mike Splinter, is responsible for Applied Materials? business units: energy and environmental solutions, display and applied solutions and the silicon systems group. In his former role, he spent seven years as CEO of Varian Semiconductor, a company Applied Materials acquired in 2011. Read more

US Dept. of Energy to invest US$56 million into CSP projects

Thursday, 6.21.2012 - 18:18 (PV-Tech)

In support of the SunShot Initiative, the US Department of Energy has announced US$56 million worth of new investments to further advance cutting-edge CSP projects. A total of 21 projects, spanning 13 states, will be conducted in partnership with private industry, national laboratories and universities, but remain subject to congressional appropriations. Read more

Tigo Energy receives DoE?s SunShot award

Thursday, 6.21.2012 - 18:04 (PV-Tech)

Tigo Energy is one of ten companies that have received the US Dept. of Energy?s (DoE) SunShot Incubator investment award, the company has announced. The award, worth US$500,000 is intended to reduce PV installation costs. Read more

Australia grants AUD$900,000 to University of Melbourne towards AUD$1.2 million renewables study

Thursday, 6.21.2012 - 17:34 (PV-Tech)

The Australian Commonwealth Government has announced that it will grant the University of Melbourne AUD$900,000, through the Emerging Renewables Program, towards a AUD$1.2 million study Achieving Cost-effective Abatement from Australian Electricity Generation. Read more

Report: how best to avoid being hit by rising energy prices

Thursday, 6.21.2012 - 17:26 (Solarpowerportal)

The rising cost of energy has long had an impact on business profitability; in fact over the past 15 years the compound average annual electricity price increase for a medium-sized business has been almost four percent, which is twice the rate of inflation. This is a concern for UK companies, which are currently exploring ways to reduce reliance on fossil fuels. Read more

Campbell Soup, RNB, Enfinity, FirstEnergy and SunPower inaugurate 9.8MW PV system

Thursday, 6.21.2012 - 17:10 (PV-Tech)

A 9.8MW PV system at Campbell Soup?s production facility in Napoleon, Oregon, has been inaugurated, the company has announced. Representatives of RNB Renewable Energy, Enfinity America, FirstEnergy Solutions and SunPower were present at the event to celebrate the completion. Read more

Cheap Coal Is Dead. Long Live Renewable Age (Part 2)

Thursday, 6.21.2012 - 17:01 (Renewable Energy World)

With oil costing close to $100 a barrel, and most imported Asian coal about $120 a ton, fossil energy costs are crippling emerging economies in Asia and Africa. Although renewable alternatives are far less costly than they were even two years ago, they still can't match the cheap coal and oil that Asia and Africa had counted on. Read more

IRENA and OLADE sign agreement to map global renewable energy potential

Thursday, 6.21.2012 - 16:52 (PV-Tech)

Ministers and senior officials witnessed the signature of a partnership agreement to enhance the mapping of renewable energy resources in the region. On June 19, at Rio+20 United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development, the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) and the Latin American Energy Organization (OLADE) agreed to assess the renewable energy potentials on a global scale. Initially, it will cover wind and solar, but is to progressively extend to other renewable energy resources. Read more

OutBack Power Technologies JV with Alpha Technologies for EMEA region

Thursday, 6.21.2012 - 14:01 (PV-Tech)

OutBack Power Technologies has formed a joint venture with Alpha Technologies to better serve its customers in Europe, the Middle East and Africa. The companies expect the partnership to substantially increase opportunities for them to meet the energy needs in the EMEA region by combining power technology with innovative project planning and support. Read more

DECC works to mobilise private sector low carbon investment

Thursday, 6.21.2012 - 11:39 (Solarpowerportal)

In a bid to reduce the evident risk involved in low carbon investment the Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) has set up a working group in partnership with Anglia Ruskin University designed to help mobilise private investment in climate change solutions. Read more

NREL confirms 13.4% module efficiency rating for Stion?s monolithic CIGS modules

Thursday, 6.21.2012 - 1:06 (PV-Tech)

The US Department of Energy?s (DOE) National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) recently verified that Stion?s fully certified commercial modules have a 14.8% aperture (13.4% module efficiency) rating. The 145W module, with dimensions of 65cm x 165cm, is produced at the company?s Hattiesburg, Mississippi factory. Read more