Kyocera?s 70MW PV power plant to cost US$345 million

Tuesday, 7.31.2012 - 20:12 (PV-Tech)

Japan?s largest single utility-scale solar power plant, using 129,000 multicrystalline solar modules supplied by Kyocera is expected to cost in the region of US$345 million or approximately ¥27 billion when complet by autumn 2013. With project finance now in place, construction of the plant in Kagoshima City, on land owned by IHI Corporation, will start in September. The plant was initially announced in April 2012. Read more

Panasonic?s solar module sales recovering

Tuesday, 7.31.2012 - 18:15 (PV-Tech)

Although Panasonic doesn?t breakout the former Sanyo PV module sales, the company said in its first quarter financial results for 2013 reporting year that sales had increased, primarily in Japan, compared to the prior year period. This was despite sales in its Energy segment, declining 2% to 142.6 billion yen from 145.1 billion yen a year ago. Read more

Mitsubishi, farmer's group to install 200 MW of PV across Japan

Tuesday, 7.31.2012 - 15:38 (Solarserver)

Mitsubishi Corporation (Tokyo, Japan) and Japan's National Federation of Agricultural Cooperative Associations (JA ZEN-NOH) have created a joint venture to develop solar photovoltaic (PV) plants on the roofs of buildings owned by farmers throughout Japan and JA Group facilities. JAMC Solar Energy Company plans to invest JPY 60 billion (USD 770 million) to install up to 200 MW of PV plants at between 400 and 600 locations across Japan by the end of 2014. In order to assist farmers with starting their PV businesses, JA ZEN-NOH will provide farmers with optimal PV systems and lease products developed by JA Group's financial institutions. Read more

Australia: Victorian Competition & Efficiency Commission releases report on feed-in tariffs, distributed generation

Tuesday, 7.31.2012 - 14:09 (Solarserver)

On July 27th, 2012, the Victorian (Australia) Competition & Efficiency Commission announced that it has presented its final report ?Power from the People: An inquiry into distributed generation? to the Victorian Treasurer. Read more

Blue Earth secures 497 kW PV project in Hawaii

Tuesday, 7.31.2012 - 13:58 (Solarserver)

On July 25th, 2012, Blue Earth Inc. (Henderson, Nevada) announced that it has acquired the rights to construct a 497 kilowatt (kW) solar photovoltaic (PV) plant in Hawaii. The project is valued at about USD 2 million and consists of a solar PV system mounted on the ground. The project has secured a fully executed power purchase agreement (PPA) with Hawaiian Electric Co. (HECO), Blue Earth reports. Read more

French government accepts bids for 541 MW of PV, CSP, CPV plants

Tuesday, 7.31.2012 - 8:40 (Solarserver)

The government of France has selected bids for 541 MW of solar plants of various technologies through two requests for tenders (RFTs), including 21 MW of concentrating solar power (CSP) plants. Under the first RFT for 100 to 250 kW rooftop solar photovoltaic (PV) plants, the government identified 109 projects for a total of 21 MW. Under the second RFT 105 PV, CSP and concentrating photovoltaic (CPV) projects larger than 250 kW were selected for a total capacity of 520 MW. Read more

A Rush to Innovate Silicon Solar Technology

Tuesday, 7.31.2012 - 22:41 (Renewable Energy World)

It wasn't so long ago when some solar company executives ? particularly those in the thin film business ? dismissed the idea that innovation could still thrive in the world of crystalline silicon technology. The silicon technology was getting cheaper and factories were getting larger, and its dominance seemed unshakable, at least in the short-term. Why would anyone invest in new materials or production processes? Read more

Following Ontario?s relaunched FIT program, PV installations to reduce by more than 150MW in 2012

Tuesday, 7.31.2012 - 20:48 (PV-Tech)

Canada?s microFIT review will have a detrimental effect on Ontario?s solar PV market, predicts a report by independent research firm ClearSky Advisors. Expecting a growth of 31%, ClearSky is downgrading its installation forecast from December 2011 by more than 150MW to a total of 368MW for 2012. The report looks at the Ontario PV market for the period 2012 through to 2018, including market forecast scenarios, supply capacity and pricing, market volume and value. Read more

Canada?s microFIT review will reduce capacity by more than 150MW

Tuesday, 7.31.2012 - 20:15 (PV-Tech)

Canada?s microFIT review will have a detrimental effect on Ontario?s solar PV market, predicts a report by independent research firm ClearSky Advisors. Expecting a growth of 31%, ClearSky is downgrading its installation forecast from December 2011 by more than 150MW to a total of 368MW for 2012. The report looks at the Ontario PV market for the period 2012 through to 2018, including market forecast scenarios, supply capacity and pricing, market volume and value. Read more

Philippines launches US$0.23 per kWh solar FiT

Tuesday, 7.31.2012 - 20:12 (PV-Tech)

The Philippines? solar industry is already importing to countries like the US reaching figures of US$41.5 million, up 47.3% last year. Now, almost three years in the making, following petitioning by the Renewable Energy Board (NREB), the Philippines? Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) has finally approved an initial feed-in tariff rate for renewable energy. The FiT for all solar installations will be 9.68 PHP (US$0.23) per kWh, regardless of the size of the system or technology used. Read more

Polysilicon headwinds unchanged at Hemlock

Tuesday, 7.31.2012 - 19:15 (PV-Tech)

In reporting first-half year financial results, Dow Corning noted that ?polysilicon prices remain depressed? due to overcapacity within the polycrystalline silicon markets, while ?the economic and political uncertainty surrounding the solar industry,? remained challenging. Read more

Sharp teams up with Hitachi Capital to offer UK solar finance

Tuesday, 7.31.2012 - 18:06 (Solarpowerportal)

In a bid to remove some of the barriers preventing UK consumers from installing solar panels Sharp has teamed up with Hitachi Capital (UK) to offer a range of financing options for private investors and business customers looking to go solar. Read more

First Solar Road to Profits Amid Red for Global Industry

Tuesday, 7.31.2012 - 15:39 (Renewable Energy World)

First Solar Inc. Chairman Mike Ahearn has found the best way to make money from photovoltaics is to sell whole power plants to Warren Buffett and NextEra Energy Inc. instead of competing with China on panel sales. Read more

Trina Solar downgrades 2Q 2012 shipment guidance

Tuesday, 7.31.2012 - 15:28 (Solarserver)

Trina Solar Ltd. (Changzhou, China) has downgraded its guidance for the second quarter of 2012, stating that it now expects to ship only 390 to 420 MW of PV products. This represents a 21% decrease from the 500 to 520 MW that the company had earlier predicted. Trina Solar also downgraded its gross margin to between 7% and 9%, and noted that its operating results will be impacted by receivables provisions and currency exchange losses totaling USD 67 to 71 million. A near-immediate loss of USD 0.45 in Trina's stock value on the NYSE followed this announcement on Monday, July 30th, 2012. Read more

Canadian Solar to miss second quarter shipment guidance

Tuesday, 7.31.2012 - 15:15 (PV-Tech)

Although solar module shipments are still expected to be higher in the second quarter, compared with the first quarter of 2012, Canadian Solar has followed Trina Solar in revising solar module shipment guidance down. The company cited weaker than expected demand from the US for the shortfall. Read more

Solar Philanthropy: Five Groups Using Solar to End Energy Poverty

Tuesday, 7.31.2012 - 15:00 (Renewable Energy World)

Approximately 1.3 billion people live without regular access to energy. People are forced to use fuels that pollute and cause respiratory illnesses, like kerosene and biomass, and spend long hours time collecting fuel. It is a global crisis that is harming the health and well-being of people in the developing world, in addition to harming the planet. Read more

Order Focus: Talesun Solar enters Japanese market with 26MW supply deal

Tuesday, 7.31.2012 - 14:15 (PV-Tech)

As the Japanese market gets going after attractive feed-in tariffs were introduced at the beginning of July, 2012, Talesun Solar has signed a 26MW module supply deal with Nice Corporation, a Japanese construction materials company, which is focused on the residential market. Read more

STA: solar still a ?no-brainer? at 16p

Tuesday, 7.31.2012 - 13:54 (Solarpowerportal)

The Solar Trade Association (STA) has moved to reassure industry that customers will still enjoy decent returns on a domestic solar investment ahead of the reduction in feed-in tariff (FiT) rate on August 1. Read more

SolarCity opens expanded operations center in Beltsville, Maryland

Tuesday, 7.31.2012 - 13:53 (Solarserver)

On July 26th, 2012, SolarCity (San Mateo, California, U.S.) announced that it has opened an expanded operations center in Beltsville (Maryland, U.S.). The operations center will bring new jobs to Maryland and give the state's homeowners, businesses, and non-profit organizations better energy options that can cost less than their utility bills, SolarCity emphasizes. Read more

JA Solar products receive Intertek?s Green Leaf Mark

Tuesday, 7.31.2012 - 13:15 (PV-Tech)

Solar power products manufacturer JA Solar?s emphasis on module production appears to have paid off. The company has announced that three of its cell models and three of its module models have successfully completed Intertek?s Carbon Footprint Evaluation program and have been granted the Green Leaf Mark by Intertek. JA Solar is the first solar company in China to receive Green Leaf Mark verification for its products. In the second quarter of 2012, China saw a surge in investment to US$18.3bn, up 92% from the previous quarter. Read more

JinkoSolar receives CORE certification for Canadian-made PV modules

Tuesday, 7.31.2012 - 12:56 (Solarserver)

The Local Content Assurance Bureau (LCAB) has certified that solar photovoltaic (PV) modules made by JinkoSolar Holding Company Ltd.'s (Shangrao, China) Canadian subsidiary adhere to the domestic content requirement in the Ontario's feed-in tariff. LCAB's award of CORE certification to JinkoSolar Canada Co. follows an independent review of the company's manufacturing agreements, contract manufacturing facilities and products, including an on-site review. Read more

Trackers Lead Solar Into Harshest of Environments

Tuesday, 7.31.2012 - 12:20 (Renewable Energy World)

There are two particularly egregious arguments against solar power: it does not work in certain areas because of weather and it costs too much. But as we saw at Intersolar in San Francisco earlier this month, the industry's continuous innovation is helping to blow these false perceptions out of the water. Read more

Engensa rolls out SolarLoan which offers solar at no upfront cost

Tuesday, 7.31.2012 - 10:08 (Solarpowerportal)

Traditionally, homeowners interested in solar have had two options: purchase a system outright and benefit from the feed-in tariff scheme or apply for a ?free solar? scheme and benefit solely from the free electricity. London-based Engensa is hoping to provide one more option, its newly-launched SolarLoan. Read more

Qatar Solar Technologies signs MOU with Kahramaa for future distribution of PV modules

Tuesday, 7.31.2012 - 8:30 (Solarserver)

Qatar Solar Technologies (QSTec) has signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with electricity and water supplier Kahramaa (Doha, Qatar) involving plans to supply the company with solar photovoltaic (PV) modules. QSTec did not specify the quantity of modules discussed or dates for expected distribution. The company is currently building a polysilicon plant in Qatar with an output of 8,000 metric tons annually, and plans to develop the capacity to produce wafers, cells and PV modules in Qatar from this polysilicon. Read more

Small Wind Profile: Two Wind Turbines Supply Electricity to U.S. Border Station

Tuesday, 7.31.2012 - 15:00 (Renewable Energy World)

Following the terrorist attacks of 9/11, the U.S. initiated a program to expand and upgrade its border stations with Canada and Mexico. Federal agencies have aggressive clean energy and carbon reduction goals, and the federal government's General Services Administration (GSA) is responsible for many of the federal government's buildings, including energy procurement. While the U.S. operates 168 border stations, in GSA's New England Region, there are 47 land ports of entry (LPOEs), ranging in size from 2,000 to 100,000 square feet. With more sophisticated electronic equipment being deployed in these stations, the electricity requirements are increasing. Read more

On the Edge of the Subsidy Cliff: Will the US PTC Expire?

Tuesday, 7.31.2012 - 15:00 (Renewable Energy World)

Colorado Senator Mark Udall is persistent by nature. He's a mountain climber who has scaled some of the world's most daunting peaks, from Mount McKinley in Alaska to Mount Aconcagua in the Andes. That dogged pursuit has served him well in his recent career spent navigating the perilous cliffs of Washington's Capitol Hill. And now he has at least one more mountain to climb ? the seemingly intractable extension of the Production Tax Credit (PTC), the wind industry's defining subsidy and the financial tool that has helped his rugged home state become a leader in wind energy generation and wind manufacturing. Read more

Lloyds pledges £333m for renewable energy projects

Tuesday, 7.31.2012 - 17:35 (Solarpowerportal)

Lloyds Banking Group announced in its half-year results that it plans to invest approximately £333 million in renewable energy projects over the next 18 months as part of Government?s £1 billion infrastructure strategy. Read more

Advanced Energy benefits from US utility-scale PV business in Q2 results

Tuesday, 7.31.2012 - 14:41 (PV-Tech)

Advanced Energy Industries, Solar Energy Business Unit posted a second quarter 2012 revenue increase of 12%, compared with the first quarter as the US utility-scale market continued to expand. Solar Energy sales were US$50.8 million in Q2, up 24% when compared to the same quarter a year ago, when sales reached US$40.8 million. AE posted total sales of US$115.7 million compared to US$105.8 million in the first quarter of 2012. Read more

Salamon shareholders approve DayStar takeover

Tuesday, 7.31.2012 - 13:48 (Solarserver)

On July 27th, 2012, Salamon Group Inc. (Las Vegas, Nevada, U.S.) announced that its insiders', officers' and common stock shareholders have approved a tender offer for Salamon Group by DayStar Technologies Inc. To-date, 65% of all free trading and public shareholders have indicated they will tender their stock for DayStar shares on a 6 for 1 basis. Read more

DOE awards USD 12.3 million to Southwest Research Institute, partners to develop new CSP components

Tuesday, 7.31.2012 - 8:57 (Solarserver)

Southwest Research Institute (SwRI, San Antonio, Texas, U.S.) and partner organizations have been awarded USD 12.3 million in two separate grants from the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) to develop new components for concentrating solar power (CSP) plants. The DOE awarded SwRI and partners a USD 8.5 million grant to develop a high-efficiency supercritical CO2 hot gas turbo-expander for CSP plants, and a separate USD 3.8 million grant to SwRI and another group of partners to develop a novel gas turbine combustor for hybrid CSP/natural gas generation. Both grants were provided through the DOE's SunShot Initiative. Read more