Australian Capital Territory seeks public input on large-scale PV project

Tuesday, 8.14.2012 - 18:48 (Solarserver)

The Australian National Capital Authority (ACT) is seeking public comment on a draft development control plan (DCP) for a 40 megawatt (MW) solar photovoltaic (PV) project. The authority received a request from CB Richard Ellis to establish a DCP for Part Block 1633 Tuggeranong. The site has been identified as a possible location for these solar generation facilities. Read more

Singulus sales slump but targeting investments in thin film and c-Si technologies

Tuesday, 8.14.2012 - 17:02 (PV-Tech)

Singulus Technologies reported sales of ?43.6 million for the first 6-months of the year, down from ?64.6 million in the same period of 2011. Solar segment equipment sales were 27.5% of revenue in the first half of 2012, or approximately ?12 million, down from 33.1% of sales in the prior-year period. Read more

Conergy achieves positive EBITDA margin in 2Q 2012

Tuesday, 8.14.2012 - 16:02 (Solarserver)

Conergy (Hamburg, Germany) has released results for the second quarter of 2012, reporting a 35% year-over-year decline in sales to EUR 145 million (USD 179 million), a -2.1% EBIT margin and a net loss of EUR 5.6 million (USD 6.9 million). The company has characterized this as a win due to its first positive EBITDA margin since 2010, however Conergy's EBIT margin remained negative. Conergy shipped 110 MW of solar photovoltaic (PV) modules during the quarter, and notes that its net cash flow was positive as well. Read more

OPA releases new FIT documents, application window for small PV projects to open October 1

Tuesday, 8.14.2012 - 15:57 (Solarserver)

The Ontario Power Authority (OPA, Toronto, Canada) has released final documents related to the new version of the province's feed-in tariff (FIT), dubbed "FIT 2.0". The new version represents minor changes from a draft released in March 2012. Despite an order from the Ontario Minister of Energy in July 2012 to open the application period concurrent with publication of the new rules, the OPA is not currently accepting FIT applications, but anticipates that a window for 200 MW of projects under 500 kW will open on October 1st, 2012. Read more

Italian court takes action over Suntech?s fraud claims with GSF

Tuesday, 8.14.2012 - 15:15 (PV-Tech)

All assets of GSF Capital and its senior manager, Javier Romero have been frozen by an Italian court over claims that Suntech and its chairman and CEO, Dr. Zhengrong Shi were victims of fraud. The court also appointed a manager to take control of the Fund, though Suntech did not provide further insight into how the affair happened. Read more

CASM claims Chinese imports to US down 60%

Tuesday, 8.14.2012 - 14:11 (PV-Tech)

The Coalition for American Solar Manufacturing (CASM) has issued a release stating that Chinese solar imports were down by 60% since June 2011, totalling US$99.6 million from US$241.5 million. CASM cites the US Department of Commerce?s US Imports of Merchandise database as its source, stating that this decline reflects the market?s rising recognition of the costs, risks and uncertainties associated with importing Chinese solar cells and panels. Read more

CASM claims Chinese imports to US is down 60%

Tuesday, 8.14.2012 - 14:11 (PV-Tech)

The Coalition for American Solar Manufacturing (CASM) has issued a release stating that Chinese solar imports were down by 60% since June 2011, totalling US$99.6 million from US$241.5 million. CASM cites the US Department of Commerce?s US Imports of Merchandise database as its source, stating that this decline reflects the market?s rising recognition of the costs, risks and uncertainties associated with importing Chinese solar cells and panels. Read more

Conergy?s restructuring efforts offset price erosion on return to profitability

Tuesday, 8.14.2012 - 13:15 (PV-Tech)

Despite fluctuating regional market demand and continued solar module price declines due to overcapacity, PV manufacturer, Conergy was cash flow positive in the second-quarter of 2012. Sales declined only 7.5% to ?145.5 million on an adjusted price and currency basis with the first quarter on total sales volume of 110MW, down slightly from 119MW in the same period a year ago. Read more

NASA selects PV space propulsion development proposals

Tuesday, 8.14.2012 - 12:54 (Solarserver)

The U.S. National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) has selected Deployable Space Systems (DSS, Goleta, California, U.S.) and ATK Space Systems Inc. (Commerce, California, U.S.) for contract negotiation to develop solar photovoltaic (PV) arrays for space propulsion. NASA states that the proposals from the two companies offer innovative approaches to the development of large-scale solar arrays and associated deployment systems, which will reduce weight and stored volume compared to current systems. The agency notes that this is important for the efficiency and functionality of future systems. Read more

Spire Corporation revenues down on weak PV equipment market

Tuesday, 8.14.2012 - 12:30 (Solarserver)

Spire Corporation (Bedford, Massachusetts, U.S.) has released its second quarter 2012 results, reporting a 52% year-over-year decline in revenues to USD 6.6 million, mostly due to a fall in demand for solar photovoltaic (PV) module production equipment. The company also reported a -27% operating margin and a net loss of USD 1.8 million. Spire Corporation notes that it introduced and delivered its first Spi-Sun Simulator 5600SLP during the quarter, and expects sales of the new product to increase. Read more

U.S. imports of Chinese PV products fall again in June 2012

Tuesday, 8.14.2012 - 9:37 (Solarserver)

For the third straight month, U.S. imports of Chinese solar photovoltaic (PV) cells and modules decreased year-over-year, falling 60% to USD 99.6 million in June 2012, according to U.S. Department of Commerce (DOC) data. While some of this decrease is due to the collapse in PV module prices over the previous year, this volume also represents a 20% decline from May 2012. The DOC announced preliminary countervailing duties (CVD) and anti-dumping duties in March and May 2012, respectively, which have been highly controversial within the U.S. and international solar industries. Read more

PV in New Zealand: Powersmart commissions first plant in Tokelau

Tuesday, 8.14.2012 - 9:34 (Solarserver)

Powersmart Solar (Mount Maunganui, New Zealand) has commissioned the first of three solar photovoltaic (PV) plants which will enable the island of Tokelau, a territory of New Zealand, to be entirely powered by PV. The PV plant on Fakaofo Atoll will allow the atoll to meet its entire electricity demand with solar generation, replacing its former dependency upon diesel generation. The company stated that work would begin on the second atoll "immediately", and expects to commission all three plants on the island's three atolls, which will total roughly 1 MW, by the end of 2012. Read more

Constellation to develop 4.35MW PV project for Arizona school district

Tuesday, 8.14.2012 - 23:15 (PV-Tech)

Constellation advised that it will be developing a 4.35MW solar power project for Arizona?s Casa Grande Union High School District. The project will consist of solar power systems on four sites including Vista Grande High School, Casa Grande High School, Casa Verde High School and the school district?s transportation centre. The solar panels are expected to produce nearly 75% of the district?s electricity needs. Read more

Younicos and EDA to develop world?s first MW-scale renewable energy system, including solar

Tuesday, 8.14.2012 - 19:15 (PV-Tech)

EDA, the utility responsible for the production, distribution and commercialization of electricity in the nine Azorean islands, and Younicos have teamed up to develop what has been labelled as the world?s first MW-scale renewable energy system based on up to 100% solar and wind power. The system will be installed on Graciosa, an Azorean island which forms part of the Canary Islands. Read more

REC ASA to File for Insolvency of Norway Solar Wafer Unit

Tuesday, 8.14.2012 - 19:00 (Renewable Energy World)

Renewable Energy Corp. ASA, a solar- energy group grappling with falling demand, will stop funding its Norwegian solar-wafer division and plans to file for the insolvency of the unit after shutting down all production. Read more

Donauer Solartechnik sells mounting systems for 2.5 MW of PV arrays

Tuesday, 8.14.2012 - 18:57 (Solarserver)

On August 8th, 2012, Donauer Solartechnik (Gilching, Germany) announced that it has achieved its sales target of 2.5 megawatts (MW) in the first half of 2012. The company states that its flat roof and flat roof duplex solar photovoltaic (PV) mounting frames were tested and certified by the LGA (test office for structural analysis). Read more

Encon, GSG Energy Finance announce solar leasing program for Connecticut

Tuesday, 8.14.2012 - 18:44 (Solarserver)

On August 6th, 2012, Encon (Stratford, Connecticut, U.S.) and GSG Energy Finance (Brooklyn, New York, U.S.) announced the creation of a solar leasing program to fund solar power projects for businesses, schools, and government buildings in Connecticut. The program will help building owners navigate the various state and federal incentive programs, including filing rebate applications on the client's behalf to ensure the most cost effective solutions are utilized in achieving the client?s goals, the companies emphasize. Read more

GeSolar and Greenersys sign letter of intent to develop Costa Rican PV plant

Tuesday, 8.14.2012 - 18:15 (PV-Tech)

Witnessing the signatures, the president of Costa Rica, Laura Chinchilla, has announced that GeSolar, a Chinese manufacturer of solar products, and Greenersys, a supplier of renewable energy products based in Costa Rica, have signed a letter of intent to develop a PV plant in Costa Rica. Read more

Sempra abandons 300MW solar farm plans near Hawaii?s Pearl Harbor

Tuesday, 8.14.2012 - 16:47 (PV-Tech)

Sempra US Gas & Power have made a u-turn on a decision announced in the previous year by revealing that the company will not go ahead with its plans to build a 300MW solar farm on Navy land near Hawaii?s Pearl Harbour, according to Pacific Business News. Read more

AEE Renewables reveals plans for Suffolk solar farm

Tuesday, 8.14.2012 - 12:19 (Solarpowerportal)

German solar developer, AEE Renewables has revealed plans to develop a 4.4MW solar park in Reydon, Suffolk. The company has submitted a planning application to Waveney District Council detailing plans to install 12,848 solar modules across 24 acres of a private farm in Reydon. Read more

REC to wind-up REC Wafer Norway via bankruptcy

Tuesday, 8.14.2012 - 12:15 (PV-Tech)

To avoid further drains on its battered balance-sheet, REC said it would start winding-up REC Wafer Norway via bankruptcy proceedings. The solar wafer operations at two sites in Glomfjord and at Herøya have already been permanently closed down. The bankruptcy of REC Wafer Norway was said to not have an effect on REC Solar and REC Silicon operations, which continue to operate as normal. Read more

As Drought Worsens, Food Institute Calls on U.S. to Halt Ethanol Production

Tuesday, 8.14.2012 - 14:34 (Renewable Energy World)

A global food crisis may "hit us very soon" as a drought ravages corn crops in the U.S., the world's largest grower, the International Food Policy Research Institute said. Read more

India Wind Giant Suzlon Plans Job Cuts, Bond Sale

Tuesday, 8.14.2012 - 23:05 (Renewable Energy World)

Suzlon Energy Ltd., India's largest wind-turbine maker, may cut jobs and sell bonds this year after reporting its second-biggest quarterly loss since at least 2007 as costs rose. The company's shares fell to a record low. Read more

Report: A Plea For Extending a Federal Tax Incentive for Wind Energy

Tuesday, 8.14.2012 - 22:43 (Renewable Energy World)

Efforts to get Congress to extend a wind energy production tax credit before it expires at the end of 2012 have intensified, and the latest ammunition came in a form of a government report released Tuesday touting the jobs created by the wind energy industry and the growing reliance on wind energy to meet electricity demand. Read more

California's Geothermal Market In Flux, Part 1

Tuesday, 8.14.2012 - 15:00 (Renewable Energy World)

Led by efforts in the 1920s, the first modern geothermal well in the U.S., Magma No. 1 was drilled in 1955 at The Geysers, in the Mayacamas Mountains of northern California ? a site that today comprises about 45 square miles and is the largest geothermal field in the world. Read more

Younicos and EDA to develop renewable energy system on Graciosa

Tuesday, 8.14.2012 - 19:29 (PV-Tech)

EDA, the utility responsible for the production, distribution and commercialization of electricity in the nine Azorean islands, and Younicos have teamed up to develop what has been labelled as the world?s first MW-scale renewable energy system based on up to 100% solar and wind power. The system will be installed on Graciosa, an Azorean island which forms part of the Canary Islands. Read more

Talison lithium announces opening of lithium operations plant in Western Australia

Tuesday, 8.14.2012 - 18:53 (Solarserver)

On August 10th, 2012, Talison Lithium Ltd. (Perth, Australia) announced that it has officially opened the Greenbushes Lithium Operations plant expansion in Western Australia. The expansion was completed and commissioned in June 2012, doubling Talison's production capabilities to around 100,000 tons of lithium carbonate equivalent per annum. The expansion was deliberately designed to be large scale to both provide operational efficiencies and enable Talison to support the needs of the lithium market into the future, the company states. Read more

Green Tomato Energy joins Green Deal Finance Company

Tuesday, 8.14.2012 - 18:48 (Solarpowerportal)

London-based renewable energy firm, Green Tomato Energy, is the latest solar installer to become a member of The Green Deal Finance Company (TGDFC) ahead of the Green Deal?s launch in October. Read more

Could Minneapolis Get Cleaner Energy With a Utility Takeover?

Tuesday, 8.14.2012 - 15:12 (Renewable Energy World)

As we spoke to legislators and activists roaming the halls of the State Capitol this past legislative session, it became increasingly clear that Xcel Energy and other utilities are calling the shots for our energy future. They decide which bills will be heard and, ultimately, which will be passed into law. Not coincidentally, a champion of clean, l Read more

U.S. VP pick would slash renewable energy funding

Tuesday, 8.14.2012 - 9:17 (Solarserver)

In Congressman Paul Ryan (R-Wisconsin), U.S. Presidential Candidate Mitt Romney (R) has chosen a Vice-Presidential (VP) candidate who has proposed gutting federal renewable energy funding, maintaining oil and gas subsidies, and blocking the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) from regulating greenhouse gases. According to the Center for American Progress, Paul Ryan's fiscal year 2013 budget proposal would have removed tax incentives for wind and solar development, while retaining USD 40 billion in tax breaks to oil and gas companies over the next decade. Such an approach is consistent with Ryan's support from oil tycoons David and Charles Koch, as well as his denial Read more