News of the year 2012

Date: 25.07.2012



Photovoltaics

PV Institute Berlin, PV Evolution Labs certify Canadian Solar modules are free of PID

Wednesday, 7.25.2012 - 18:42 (Solarserver)

On July 23rd, 2012, Canadian Solar Inc. (Ontario, Canada) announced that its solar modules have passed two high-voltage endurance tests. The Photovoltaic Institute (PI) Berlin, Germany, tested the company's CS6-poly-series and the PV Evolution Labs assessed the company's CS5-mono-series and CS6-poly-series. The tests measured the sensitivity of the module output parameters when exposed to high system voltages ? formally known as Potential Induced Degradation (PID). Read more

IMS Research: micro-inverter firms fastest growing as PV inverter market to surpass US$7 billion

Wednesday, 7.25.2012 - 18:10 (PV-Tech)

The latest global PV inverter market report from IMS Research paints a mixed business environment for the sector that has more than 150 active suppliers. Although having defended reasonably well against price declines, compared to the rest of the supply chain, the market research firm is forecasting inverter sector revenues to only increase by 3% in 2012, while shipments increase nearly 25%. Read more

Sunways releases financial results for FY 2011

Wednesday, 7.25.2012 - 15:55 (Solarserver)

Sunways AG (Konstanz, Germany) has released financial results for its fiscal year 2011, reporting a -48% decline in revenues to EUR 116 million (USD 141 million) despite increasing volumes of module sales, as well as a -57% operating margin. The company reports EUR 34.0 million (USD 41.3 million) in expenses from transaction-related and other non-recurring effects, including provisions for anticipated losses under wafer purchase contracts. Overall, the company reported a consolidated net loss of EUR 62.1 million (USD 75.4 million). Read more

IMS Research: Global PV inverter market to return to growth in 2012, exceed USD 7 billion

Wednesday, 7.25.2012 - 11:07 (Solarserver)

The global solar photovoltaic (PV) inverter market is predicted to grow by 23 percent in 2012 and hit almost 32 GW according to the 5th edition of IMS Research's (Wellingborough, U.K.) annual report on this industry. However, the report ?The World Market for PV Inverters? provided a much more sobering outlook for industry revenues which are forecast to grow by just 3 percent in 2012 to hit USD 7 billion for the first time. Read more

SMA to provide 130 MW of MV Power Platforms to Northland Power

Wednesday, 7.25.2012 - 9:44 (Solarserver)

Northland Power Inc. (Toronto, Canada) has selected SMA Solar Technology AG (Niestetal, Germany) to provide up to 130 MW of its medium-voltage (MV) power platforms for multiple solar photovoltaic (PV) projects in the Canadian Province of Ontario. Northland is building thirteen 10 MW PV plants in the province, which will participate in the province's feed-in tariff. The company began working with SMA on the project more than two years ago. Read more


Thermal Power/Heating

SolarCity partners with Credit Suisse on second round of investment for solar panel installations

Wednesday, 7.25.2012 - 23:15 (PV-Tech)

SolarCity announced that it has partnered with Credit Suisse on a second round of investment. The investment will go towards building solar panel installations and will help offset the upfront cost of solar panels for SolarCity customers. Each round included an investment of US$100 million from Credit Suisse, for a total of US$200 million. Read more

Credit Suisse provides US$200 million commitment to Sunrun

Wednesday, 7.25.2012 - 23:15 (PV-Tech)

Credit Suisse, which just announced its US$200 million partnership with Solar City, has additionally advised that it has committed US$200 million to Sunrun. The investment will help support the purchase and installation of thousands of residential solar systems in the US. Sunrun noted that it installs over US$1.5 million in solar every day and has more than 24,000 customers in ten states. Read more

Sky Solar to develop series of large scale projects in Japan

Wednesday, 7.25.2012 - 23:15 (PV-Tech)

Sky Solar announced that through its subsidiary, Sky Solar Japan, it will be constructing several large scale PV plants in Japan. The projects will be located in Mihomura-Ibarakiken and Uto-Kumamoto on Japan?s Kyushu island. Read more

Upsolar completes its largest US solar project, a 2.2MW plant in Vermont

Wednesday, 7.25.2012 - 22:15 (PV-Tech)

Upsolar advised that it had completed the installation of its latest project, which also happens to be the company?s largest project in the US to date: a 2.2MW solar plant in Sharon, Vermont. Talmage Solar Engineering oversaw the construction of the project, which uses Tigo Energy?s Module Maximizer technology and the company?s digital monitoring services at the module level. Read more

Solarbuzz: 40% of PV projects in the United States are below 500 kW

Wednesday, 7.25.2012 - 20:40 (Solarserver)

NPD Solarbuzz (Santa Clara, California, U.S.) has released a new report stating that 40% of photovoltaic (PV) projects currently underway in the United States are less than 500 kilowatt (kW) in size. The ?United States Deal Tracker? report provides comprehensive details of commercial PV projects between 50 kW and 500 kW, which are often overlooked as opportunities for downstream PV suppliers and installers. In total, more than 1,300 projects fall into this category with a cumulative PV generation of up to 200 megawatts (MW). Read more

IKEA powers on two more solar projects on US stores, brings completed US solar projects to 25

Wednesday, 7.25.2012 - 20:15 (PV-Tech)

Just two days after IKEA?s Atlanta store officially turned on its rooftop solar array, the company announced that two of its Chicago-area stores, in Bolingbrook and Schaumburg, Illinois, now sport new rooftop PV projects. The two projects cover a total of 248,700 square feet and have a combined generating capacity of 1,989kW. Together, the two installations use 8,463 panels, which were provided by SolarWorld. SoCore Energy was responsible for the development, design and installation. Read more

ReneSola enters 5.95 MW Virtus PV module sales agreement with Australian distributor Solargain

Wednesday, 7.25.2012 - 18:34 (Solarserver)

On July 23rd, 2012, ReneSola Ltd. (Jianshan, China) announced that it has signed a sales agreement with Solargain PV Pty Ltd., a solar distributor in Australia. Under the terms of the agreement, ReneSola will ship a total of 5.95 megawatts (MW) of its 250 watt (W) high-efficiency Virtus solar photovoltaic (PV) modules directly to Solargain. Read more

Repower Port Augusta pushes for concentrating solar thermal power plant in South Australia

Wednesday, 7.25.2012 - 18:28 (Solarserver)

On July 23rd, 2012, Repower Port Augusta announced that a campaign to replace Port Augusta's ageing coal-fired power plant with a concentrating solar power plant (CSP) has received an overwhelming response from the community. Over the last 2 weeks, 4053 local residents of Port Augusta have voted in support of solar thermal, while 43 voted for gas. Read more

UPDATE: Jefferies: EU likely to proceed with AD case against China

Wednesday, 7.25.2012 - 18:15 (PV-Tech)

Solar stocks in Chinese companies have been under increased pressure following reports that SolarWorld?s anti-dumping case against Chinese OEMs is progressing to the European Union. Jefferies has predicted that if the anti-dumping verdict is passed, it will be negative towards Chinese cell/module suppliers, positive to Taiwanese cell suppliers, SunPower and First Solar and neutral to poly and wafer suppliers (assuming the scope is largely limited to cells as in the US). Read more

Solar installers concerned with ?complex, costly, and bureaucratic? MCS assessment proposal

Wednesday, 7.25.2012 - 18:11 (Solarpowerportal)

Over 200 solar companies have written to the administrators of the Microgeneration Certification Scheme (MCS) to voice concerns over proposals to increase the paperwork, introduce oral assessments and enforce more training requirements. Read more

SolarWorld files anti-dumping complaint against Chinese PV manufacturers in European Commission

Wednesday, 7.25.2012 - 16:03 (Solarserver)

On July 24th, 2012 SolarWorld AG (Bonn, Germany) filed a complaint with the European Commission (EC) alleging dumping of solar photovoltaic (PV) products by Chinese PV manufacturers. The European Commission has 45 days to decide whether or not to launch an investigation. Both the EC and SolarWorld declined to comment on the filing of the complaint. The Coalition for Affordable Solar Energy (CASE) has issued a statement condemning the action, and China's Ministry of Commerce (MOFCOM) has warned of retaliation. Read more

Confusion Reigns As European Solar Trade Complaint Appears Imminent

Wednesday, 7.25.2012 - 15:46 (Renewable Energy World)

After months of rumors and false starts, it appears that SolarWorld AG is on the cusp of filing a trade complaint with the European Union trade commission against Chinese solar cells and modules, and it looks like the announcement could come later this week. Read more

Clear Solar Film Means Power From Windows for IPads, UCLA Says

Wednesday, 7.25.2012 - 15:00 (Renewable Energy World)

Researchers at the University of California, Los Angeles have developed a transparent film that may be affixed to glass and other surfaces to capture sunlight and generate electricity. Read more

Update: US government administers new legislation for solar energy development on public land

Wednesday, 7.25.2012 - 13:36 (PV-Tech)

The Department of the Interior and the Department of Energy has published the Final Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement (PEIS) for solar energy development in six south-western states ? Arizona, California, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico and Utah. In 30 days? time, if no protests are raised, the government will permit the development of utility-scale projects generating over 20MW on public lands. Read more

US government administers new legislation for solar energy development on public land

Wednesday, 7.25.2012 - 13:15 (PV-Tech)

The Department of the Interior and the Department of Energy has published the Final Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement (PEIS) for solar energy development in six south-western states ? Arizona, California, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico and Utah. In 30 days? time, if no protests are raised, the government will permit the development of utility-scale projects generating over 20MW on public lands. Read more

AGRenewables proposes 15MW Suffolk solar park

Wednesday, 7.25.2012 - 13:06 (Solarpowerportal)

Great Glemham Farms has partnered with renewable installer, AGReneewables, to propose the development of a 15MW solar park near the Suffolk village of Great Glemham. Read more

India launches Solar Cities program

Wednesday, 7.25.2012 - 11:56 (Solarserver)

India's Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) has launched a program to reduce demand for conventional energy in the nation's cities within five years through the creation of "Solar Cities". Through the program, cities will prepare a master plan for increasing energy efficiency and renewable energy supplies, starting with an energy base-line for 2008, and including demand forecasting for 2013-2018, studies of the feasibility of various resources, and an action plan for implementation. Read more

LADWP commissions 11.4 MW PV plant in Southern California

Wednesday, 7.25.2012 - 9:36 (Solarserver)

The Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (LADWP, Los Angeles, California, U.S.) has held a commissioning ceremony for its 11.4 MW-DC Adelanto Solar Power Plant in California's Mojave Desert. SolarWorld AG's (Bonn, Germany) U.S. subsidiary designed and procured materials for the plant, which features 46,000 SolarWorld 250-watt modules and Sunfix racking systems. These parts, as well as the plant's inverters and other electrical components, were all manufactured in the United States. Read more

Solar Impulse completes 6,000 km journey with return to Switzerland

Wednesday, 7.25.2012 - 9:30 (Solarserver)

On July 24th, 2012 at 6:30 PM UCT, the Solar Impulse HB-SIA plane landed in Payerne, Switzerland, as the completion of an 6,000 km trip to Morocco and back in eight flights. The Crossing Frontiers journey included the world's first intercontinental flight powered solely by solar power. The plane stopped in France, Spain, and Morocco, including a visit to the site of a planned 500 MW concentrating solar power (CSP) plant in Ouarzazate, Morocco. Read more

No reduction in solar RO banding until consultation

Wednesday, 7.25.2012 - 8:44 (Solarpowerportal)

The Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) has announced the results of the banding review for the Renewables Obligation (RO). The new proposals set out the level of support for large scale renewable developments between 2013 and 2017. Read more

Updated: No reduction in solar RO banding until consultation

Wednesday, 7.25.2012 - 8:44 (Solarpowerportal)

The Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) has announced the results of the banding review for the Renewables Obligation (RO). The new proposals set out the level of support for large scale renewable developments between 2013 and 2017. Read more


Biomass/Pellets

U.K. Boosts Gas While Cutting Subsidies From Wind to Biomass

Wednesday, 7.25.2012 - 20:37 (Renewable Energy World)

The U.K. government granted tax relief for natural gas drillers and cut subsidies for renewable energy, signaling more reductions in the months ahead as it balances demand for cheaper power against a goal to lower pollution from fossil fuels. Read more


Wind Energy

Offshore Wind Power Industry To Take Off in China's Fujian Province

Wednesday, 7.25.2012 - 16:08 (Renewable Energy World)

China's Fujian province, with some of the richest offshore wind power resources in the country, has been a hotspot for domestic wind turbine makers. State-owned firms including Datang Group, China Huadian Corporation and China Longyuan Power, as well as province-level companies such as Fujian Investment and Development Group and Fujian Energy Group, have launched onshore or offshore wind power projects in the area. Read more


Hydropower

There are no news available

 



Hydrogen/Fuel Cell

There are no news available

 



Geo Thermal/Heat Pump

There are no news available

 



Energy Policy/Climate/CO2

RO banding: ?Ministers would rather fight each other than fight for new jobs in clean energy?

Wednesday, 7.25.2012 - 17:14 (Solarpowerportal)

The Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) has published its Renewable Obligation (RO) banding rates for 2013 to 2017. Under the new arrangements solar PV will see support remain at 2ROCs until April 2013, pending a separate consultation on what rates should be introduced thereafter. Read more

McPhy to build 39 MWh energy storage project to accompany renewable generation in Puglia

Wednesday, 7.25.2012 - 12:03 (Solarserver)

McPhy Energy SA (La Motte-Fanjas, France) and a consortium of partners have launched an EUR 23.9 million (USD 28.9 million) grid-connected energy storage project to balance demands on the electricity grid from renewable energy generation in the Puglia Region of Italy. The INGRID project will supply a total of 39 MWh of energy storage, and will take an estimated four years to complete. The project combines solid-state high-density hydrogen storage systems and electrolysis with ICT technologies for distribution grid monitoring and control. Read more


Solar-/Electromobil

There are no news available

 



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