JinkoSolar modules successfully pass IEC salt mist corrosion testing

Monday, 7.9.2012 - 21:15 (PV-Tech)

TÜV Rheinland has completed and confirmed that JinkoSolar Holding?s modules have passed the salt mist corrosion test in accordance with IEC 61701 standards. The solar modules were experienced 56 days of eight test cycles where each module was sprayed with salt water for two hours and then stores at 40°C and 93% humidity for 20 hours. Read more

Intersolar NA: imec to present silicon solar cell of 20.04% efficiency

Monday, 7.9.2012 - 20:00 (PV-Tech)

This week in San Francisco, imec will present a 20.04% large-area industrial-level silicon solar cell, certified by Fraunhofer ISE-Callab). The cell combines a high efficiency with a low-cost industrial process. Read more

Powerway wins tender for 350 MW off-grid PV plant project on the Marshall Islands

Monday, 7.9.2012 - 17:25 (Solarserver)

Powerway Renewable Energy Company Ltd. (Foshan City, China), which has supplied many off-grid solar photovoltaic (PV) plant projects funded by aid from Europe, recently won the bid for the largest such project to date, a 350 MW PV power plant in the Pacific Ocean country of The Marshall Islands, the company announces in a press release. Read more

Oman plans 200 MW PV, CSP project

Monday, 7.9.2012 - 15:54 (Solarserver)

The Oman Power and Water Procurement Company (OPWP Ghala/Bushar, Oman) is currently investigating the development of a 200 MW solar photovoltaic (PV) and concentrating solar power (CSP) project. The company is currently collecting solar irradiance data from weather stations at potential project sites. The project still needs approval from the nation's Council of Ministers via the Public Authority on Electricity and Water (PAEW). Upon approval, which is expected in 2012, the project will move to the next phase of developing requests for proposals. Read more

CPUC: California exceeds 1 GW of customer-sited PV

Monday, 7.9.2012 - 8:59 (Solarserver)

The California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) has released its annual assessment of the California Solar Initiative (CSI), finding that the program contributed to the state adding 311 MW of customer-sited solar photovoltaic (PV) plants in 2011, to bring it to a cumulative total of over 1 GW. "California Solar Initiative Annual Program Assessment" also finds "tremendous" growth in third-party owned residential PV projects, a 28% decrease in system costs since 2007, and a sharp increase in low- and middle-income markets. Read more

Karlsruhe Institute of Technology receives EUR 4.25 million for printable organic solar cell research

Monday, 7.9.2012 - 8:07 (Solarserver)

Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) has received EUR 4.25 million (USD 5.22 million) in funding from the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research to initiate a four-year research project on printable organic solar cells (OPV). The project aims to enhance the efficiency of organic solar cells to more than 10%. The study is being led by Dr. Alexander Colsmann at the Light Technology Institute (LTI). Read more

Intersolar NA: EV Group, BMT collaborate on development of AR coating solution for PV market

Monday, 7.9.2012 - 22:15 (PV-Tech)

EV Group (EVG) and Brisbane Materials Technology (BMT) advised that their strategic cooperation agreement, has seen them collaborate on a total solution for anti-reflective (AR) coatings for the PV market. The agreement has seen EVG optimize its large-area coating systems for BMT?s materials and processes, leading to high-yield fabrication of AR coatings. Read more

Intersolar NA: SolarBridge launches Pantheon II microinverter, announces new partnerships

Monday, 7.9.2012 - 22:14 (PV-Tech)

SolarBridge Technologies will be debuting its next-generation AC module solution, which includes its Pantheon II microinverter and updated SolarBridge Management system at Intersolar North America in San Francisco, July 10-12. The Pantheon II microinverter has built on its predecessor and features 208V/240V autosensing and compatibility with 60- and 72-cell modules up to 280W. Read more

Intersolar NA: WTEC team members to be present at Moscone Centre

Monday, 7.9.2012 - 21:57 (PV-Tech)

WTEC team members will be present at this year?s Intersolar North America conference and exhibition in San Francisco, July 10-12.  Representatives from the company can be found at booth #9255. Read more

Intersolar NA: Renusol America will introduce new CS60 10 Degree mounting system in San Francisco

Monday, 7.9.2012 - 21:15 (PV-Tech)

This week during Intersolar North America, July 10-12 at the Moscone Centre in San Francisco, Renusol America will introduce a full-scale module of its new CS60 10 Degree mounting system. The 10 Degree tilt system is said to offer maximum flexibility for all flat roof commercial system installations and will help solar panels be placed so that they fully take advantage of regulatory incentives that are based on the amount of power output installed. Read more

Solar Frontier to supply modules for 2,000 Lawson convenience stores in Japan

Monday, 7.9.2012 - 21:15 (PV-Tech)

Over the next two years, Solar Frontier will be supplying its CIS thin-film modules to Lawson, a Japanese convenience store chain, which will be installed on 2,000 of the store?s locations. Lawson plans to install solar panels at 1,000 of its domestic stores this fiscal year and 1,000 next year. Each store will sport a 12kW installation using 150W Solar Frontier modules. Lawson has additionally ordered Solar Frontier?s ?Frontier Monitor? technology for the first 1,000 stores. Read more

Intersolar Day 1: The Need to Cut Capital Costs and Regain Stability

Monday, 7.9.2012 - 20:22 (Renewable Energy World)

Tom Cheney of Impress Labs spent little time stating the obvious ? the solar industry has undergone a titanic shift in the past year. And the rest of the presenters who kicked off the first day of Intersolar North America in San Francisco detailed what the industry needs to do to get back on a sustainable course. Read more

Sunperfect develops 2.5MW PV project in New Jersey

Monday, 7.9.2012 - 20:08 (PV-Tech)

Sunperfect has been chosen to build and manage a 2.5MW PV plant in Pittstown, New Jersey, the company has announced. The project is expected to be completed in July 2012. Sunperfect exclusively distributes Shanghai Chaori Solar?s PV panels in the US and provides projects development as well as supervision. Read more

Manic Monday in Australia as residents clamour for last minute solar deals before FiT deadline

Monday, 7.9.2012 - 19:15 (PV-Tech)

Tonight in the state of Queensland, Australia, solar retailers are expecting to work over time. The Herald Sun is predicting a ferocious rush to apply for solar systems before the government?s 80% cuts to feed-in tariffs are enforced at midnight July 10. ?Mad Monday? is forcing vendors to put on extra staff, extend their hours and adopt an ?everything must go? attitude, offering discounts and interest-free terms, to cash in on the last-minute frenzy. Read more

IKEA installs 19th PV system in Houston

Monday, 7.9.2012 - 19:15 (PV-Tech)

IKEA?s 813kW PV system at its store in Houston, Texas, marks the 19th solar system the Swedish company has installed after connecting a PV array in Orlando to the grid last month. The installation is 116,400ft² in size, equipped with 3,388 solar panels and the system was installed by REC Solar; IKEA owns and operates the system as opposed to buying the generated energy under a PPA. The company?s goal is to reach a total capacity of 38MW throughout the United States. Read more

Martifer Solar installs 229kW PV system at Hertz global HQ, New Jersey

Monday, 7.9.2012 - 19:15 (PV-Tech)

Martier Solar?s expansion plans are slowly being realized with a 229kW PV solar system at Hertz?s global headquarters in Park Ridge, New Jersey, US. This is one of a series of approximately 15 PV systems designed and installed at Hertz facilities around the US. The array is expected to produce more than 263,000kWh of renewable energy on an annual basis. Read more

Hanwha SolarOne partners with SilentPower to enter energy storage market

Monday, 7.9.2012 - 19:15 (PV-Tech)

Hanwha SolarOne has entered a strategic partnership with SilentPower, the company has announced. Hanwha hopes to push into the energy storage market with the partnership. Under the agreement, Hanwha?s PV modules will be offered in a package with SilentPower?s energy storage device OnDemand Energy Appliance. The OnDemand is UL certified and battery agnostic and the device further offers monitoring software. The bundle is designated for the residential, commercial and industrial markets and will be available from September 2012. Hanwha SolarOne already invested US$8 million in the funding of SilentPower?s Series B. Read more

Yingli tops list of Chinese PV module companies in Q1 2012

Monday, 7.9.2012 - 18:15 (PV-Tech)

Yingli has topped other Chinese companies in terms of shipments of PV modules in Q1 ?12, it has been announced. According to Digitimes, the top five Chinese PV module companies in Q1 ?12 are Yingli, Trina, Suntech, Canadian Solar and Hanwha SolarOne. Yingli managed to increase its shipment volume despite the steady drop in solar panel prices, which has caused many companies losses in the first quarter of 2012. In Q1 ?12, inventory values have surpassed revenues, which will affect Chinese companies. Read more

IEA SHC: Large industry players investing in solar cooling

Monday, 7.9.2012 - 15:49 (Solarserver)

The International Energy Agency's Solar Heating and Cooling Programme (IEA SHC) has announced that major Asian industrial corporations are increasing their involvement with solar cooling, and that its multi-country research project is drawing strong interest from these players. The IEA SHC states that Hitachi Plant Technologies Ltd. (Tokyo, Japan) and Mitsubishi Plastics Inc. (Tokyo, Japan) have started to enter the solar cooling market. Hitachi has set a goal of earning JPY 5 billion (USD 63 million) by 2015 with its solar-powered air conditioning unit, and Mitsubishi estimates that it will earn JPY 3 billion (USD 38 million) with its new compact absorption chiller series Read more

Suntech meets with Israeli firms as REAI publishes report on Israeli solar energy

Monday, 7.9.2012 - 15:14 (PV-Tech)

Executives of Chinese panel manufacturer Suntech have met with executives of the Israeli solar energy industry, it has been reported. The Israel Export and International Cooperation Institute organized a meeting between Suntech and members of the solar industry including representatives of Pythagoras Solar, Solaris, bsolar, Watts and More and SolarBead. Read more

New US financing alternative to tax incentive could increase installations by 75%

Monday, 7.9.2012 - 14:57 (PV-Tech)

The US Senate?s recent vote to not extend the Department of Treasury?s solar energy tax incentive has resulted in a creative alternative by underwriters from financial institutions like Bank of America to Credit Suisse and Citigroup. This option would convert ?sunlight into cash to pay bond investors,? reports Bloomberg. The SEIA predicts solar installations could increase by 75%, exceeding the 3,200MW goal for 2012. The only negative could be that developers may have to offer higher interest rates than more established asset-backed bonds in order to attract investors. Read more

Intersolar NA: Talesun introduces ACPV module

Monday, 7.9.2012 - 14:15 (PV-Tech)

Talesun Solar has introduced its ACPV module at Intersolar North America, the company has announced. The company has collaborated with micro-inverter manufacturer SolarBridge to integrate a micro-inverter into the ACPV module, making it applicable to small or medium sized residential as well as commercial installations. Read more

DECC: 83 percent of Brits support solar above all other renewables

Monday, 7.9.2012 - 14:04 (Solarpowerportal)

A new survey carried out by the Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) has revealed that renewable energy generation in the UK continues to receive incredibly strong public support as part of a diverse energy generation mix. Read more

Solarcentury recognised for international sales success

Monday, 7.9.2012 - 12:29 (Solarpowerportal)

Solarcentury has been named amongst the 200 fastest growing private UK companies in terms of international sales in this year?s The Sunday Times HSBC International Track 200. Read more

PV Kraftwerker unveils "Momo" PV module assembly robot at Intersolar North America

Monday, 7.9.2012 - 12:17 (Solarserver)

PV Kraftwerker Ltd. (Göppingen, Germany) has announced that it will display its mobile solar photovoltaic (PV) plant assembly robot at the Intersolar North America trade show in San Francisco, California on July 9th-12th, 2012. The company states that its "Momo" robot can perform multiple processes involved in PV plant construction, and that it is particularly suitable for large area assemblies, where installers have to cover large distances. Read more

Marketing Optimism versus Healthy Optimism

Monday, 7.9.2012 - 12:02 (Renewable Energy World)

Mid-2012, the solar shutdowns and the industry's painful correction continue. Motech announced that it will shutter US-based polysilicon manufacturer AE Polysilicon, and GE announced that it is stopping construction on its CdTe manufacturing facility in Colorado, citing un-competitively low prices and a return to R&D. In early 2012, CdTe manufacturer Abound made a very similar announcement of a return to R&D. Abound ceased operations officially in June, and filed for bankruptcy. The solar industry desperately needs a return to pricing sanity (meaning healthy margins) and frankly, needs to remain optimistic during these painful times ? realistic optimism is possible, even Read more

Intersolar EU: TSEC nears completion of first phase of 500MW facility

Monday, 7.9.2012 - 11:15 (PV-Tech)

Speaking with PV-Tech at Intersolar last month, TSEC vice president Robin Chien confirmed that the recent anti-dumping tariffs imposed on Chinese manufacturers by the US had helped the company to ramp up operations from 400 to 500MW in one month. Read more

MNRE releases progress update on Indian National Solar Mission sub-programs

Monday, 7.9.2012 - 8:54 (Solarserver)

On July 6th, 2012 India's Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) released an update on the commissioning status of various projects through sub-programs under phase 1, batch 1 of the nation's Jawaharlal Nehru National Solar Mission (JNNSM). MNRE reported that 76.55 MW of solar photovoltaic (PV) plants have been commissioned out of 98.05 MW holding power purchase agreements (PPAs) under the nation's Rooftop PV and Small Solar Power Generation Programme (RPSSGP) program in phase 1, batch 1. Read more

Solar Impulse successfully lands in Madrid

Monday, 7.9.2012 - 8:47 (Solarserver)

On July 7th, 2012 at 01:19 AM the Solar Impulse plane landed successfully in Madrid-Barajas International Airport, following a 17-hour flight from Rabat-Salé International Airport in Morocco. A final flight to Switzerland will conclude the Solar Impulse's Crossing Frontiers mission. The Solar Impulse team has used the mission to help bring awareness to the work being done to support renewable energy development in Morocco and Spain. Read more

Illuminated Bacteria Enlighten Biofuel Production

Monday, 7.9.2012 - 12:00 (Renewable Energy World)

Cyanobacteria are small organisms with huge importance. Ancient cyanobacteria created the oxygen atmosphere, and modern cyanobacteria produce a significant amount of the air we breathe. Now, these tiny organisms are helping us again by providing clues to improving biofuel production. Read more

U.K. DECC to investigate fall in PPA prices

Monday, 7.9.2012 - 17:17 (Solarserver)

The U.K. Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) has begun soliciting evidence on potential barriers to market access for renewable energy producers, in response to these producers' complaints that power purchase agreement (PPA) prices have fallen. DECC will use the responses to refine proposals set out in its draft energy bill. The agency has also appointed Lord Deben as its preferred candidate for chair of the Committee on Climate Change. Read more

Confederation of British Industry: U.K. Government needs better approach to energy, climate change policy

Monday, 7.9.2012 - 17:13 (Solarserver)

The Confederation of British Industry (CBI, London, U.K.) has released a new report which calls upon the British Government to establish a more coherent, strategic approach to energy and climate change policy. "The colour of growth: maximising the potential of green business" states that the U.K. has the ability to be a global leader in low-carbon products and services, estimating that this could add GBP 20 billion (USD 30 billion) to the nation's economy annually by 2015. The report is sharply critical of the decisions made by the existing government. Read more

SunEdison sells 98MW of European PV projects

Monday, 7.9.2012 - 13:15 (PV-Tech)

SunEdison has sold a total of 98MW of European PV projects, the company has announced. The company has closed three transactions last week. The projects are a 60MW PV plant in Karadzhalovo, Bulgaria, which was sold to a consortium of investors including the First Reserve Energy Infrastructure Fund, Saudi Arabian developer ACWA Power and Turkish private equity firm Crescent Capital. The plant was connected to the grid in March 2012 and had been funded by an IFC ?155 million debt financing agreement. ACWA subsidiary NOMAC and SunEdison will operate and maintain the plant under a joint vernture agreement. Read more

REC alters financial restructuring, issues additional shares

Monday, 7.9.2012 - 12:22 (Solarserver)

Renewable Energy Corporation ASA (REC, Sandvika, Norway) has changed the terms of its proposed financial restructuring, after a bondholder's meeting did not approve changes to a bond loan agreement as requested by REC. As part of this restructuring, REC has issued a total of 1.12 billion new shares in two public offerings, 263 million of which were purchased by companies connected REC board members. The company reports that the first private placement of 867 million shares was significantly oversubscribed. Read more

Big Data Goes Green

Monday, 7.9.2012 - 12:00 (Renewable Energy World)

Cloud computing, where software is delivered as a service to end users over the internet, is currently receiving a lot of attention. The term describes data-processing operations that are outsourced to server farms, instead of being powered on-site. These range from websites and remotely hosted networks, to digital storage space and individual documents. Read more

U.S. National Renewable Energy Laboratory celebrates 35th anniversary

Monday, 7.9.2012 - 8:02 (Solarserver)

The U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL, Golden, Colorado, U.S.) has celebrated its 35th anniversary on July 5th, 2012. President Jimmy Carter opened the Solar Energy Research Institute (SERI) on July 5th, 1977. SERI was approved by Congress and championed by President Carter in large part because of the oil embargo that pushed the price of gasoline from about 36 cents a gallon in 1972 to 62 cents in 1977. After 14 years as a solar institute, SERI achieved national lab status in 1991 under President George H. W. Bush. SERI became NREL, the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) laboratory. Read more