SunEdison seeks permission to build 72 MW PV plant in Chile

Monday, 8.20.2012 - 16:21 (Solarserver)

SunEdison LLC (Beltsville, Maryland, U.S.) is seeking environmental approval to build a 72 MW-DC solar photovoltaic (PV) project in northern Chile. The request for an environmental impact statement filed with Chile's Environmental Assessment Agency (SEA) states that María Elena Photovoltaic Park will be built in two phases, a 33.5 MW phase and a 38.6 MW phase. SunEdison estimates that the project will cost USD 171 million. Read more

Monier Group acquires InDaX technology

Monday, 8.20.2012 - 13:15 (PV-Tech)

On August 16, Monier Group signed an agreement to acquire Schott Solar?s InDaX technology for the manufacture of roof-integrated photovoltaics. Read more

U.S. Photovoltaic Manufacturing Consortium hires Joseph Hudgins as VP

Monday, 8.20.2012 - 12:46 (Solarserver)

The U.S. Photovoltaic Manufacturing Consortium (PVMC) has hired Joseph Hudgins as senior vice president (VP) for business development and strategic alliances. The PVMC states that in this role Hudgins will engage with a broad spectrum of stakeholders, universities, national laboratories and both member companies and companies across the supply chain to improve PVMC's partnership activities, as well as developing new alliances to strengthen PVMC's membership, funding and programs. Read more

CSE accuses U.S. of assault on Indian PV manufacturing

Monday, 8.20.2012 - 9:45 (Solarserver)

The Centre for Science and Environment (CSE, New Delhi, India) has accused the U.S. government of "killing the Indian solar panel industry" by using low-interest government loans to subsidize the export of solar photovoltaic (PV) modules to India. The organization also accuses the United States of distorting information. CSE notes that the U.S. has been using "fast start" financing from the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change to support these exports, and states that this has put 80% of India's domestic PV manufacturing in crisis. Fast-start financing is intended to help developing nations deal with climate change impacts and limit greenhouse gas emissions. Read more

Indian solar industry suffocated by US thin-film manufacturers

Monday, 8.20.2012 - 18:52 (PV-Tech)

Non-governmental organization (NGO), the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE), is accusing US thin-film manufacturers of using a loop hole in the Indian government?s renewable energy scheme to ?ruin the Indian domestic PV industry?. Jawaharlal Nehru National Solar Mission (JNNSM) initiative mandates a domestic content requirement, however, only for crystalline PV and not for thin-film. Read more

IBC Solar installs, it claims, Turkey?s first grid-connected PV system

Monday, 8.20.2012 - 18:07 (PV-Tech)

IBC Solar?s Turkish subsidiary IBC Solar Yat Ve Tic has announced that it has completed the installation of its Konya PV plant, which it claims is the first grid-connected PV power plant in Turkey. Read more

Blue Earth, Sunvalley Solar partner to develop 1 MW of PV projects in California

Monday, 8.20.2012 - 16:33 (Solarserver)

On August 16th, 2012, Blue Earth Inc. (Henderson, Nevada, U.S.) announced that its Xnergy Inc. subsidiary entered into a joint development agreement with Sunvalley Solar Inc. (Los Angeles, California) to build solar photovoltaic (PV) power plants in California with a total generation capacity of about 1 megawatt (MW). Under the agreement, the companies will jointly build six separate solar PV arrays, including both ground mount and rooftop. The projects are valued at about USD 4.2 million. Read more

Dynamic Solar gets NY-SUN funding for solar projects in New York

Monday, 8.20.2012 - 16:28 (Solarserver)

On August 15th, 2012, Dynamic Solar (Wayne, Pennsylvania) announced that it is among 16 energy companies selected to receive a USD 30 million NY-Sun funding award from New York Governor Andrew M. Cuomo. Dynamic Solar states that the award will enable the company to finance commercial and industrial photovoltaic (PV) projects at sites throughout New York City and the lower Hudson Valley. Read more

Infinia begins construction of 1.5 MW dish Stirling CSP plant in Utah

Monday, 8.20.2012 - 16:26 (Solarserver)

Infinia Technology Corporation (Kennewick, Washington, U.S.) has broken ground on a 1.5 MW concentrating solar power (CSP) plant using its PowerDish system at a U.S. Army installation in the U.S. state of Utah. Infinia will partner with contractor CDM Smith (Cambridge, Massachusetts, U.S.) and Hunt Electric Company (Salt Lake City, Utah, U.S.) to build the plant at the Tooele Army Depot (TEAD) in Tooele, Utah. PowerDish is based on dish Stirling CSP technology, which incorporates Stirling engines. Read more

REC to unveil SmartFit solution at Solar Power International

Monday, 8.20.2012 - 16:16 (Solarserver)

Renewable Energy Corporation ASA (REC, Sandvika, Norway) has announced that it will unveil its SmartFit solution, which combines a frameless solar photovoltaic (PV) module with a mounting system, at the Solar Power International trade show September 10th-13th, 2012, in Orlando (Florida, U.S.). REC says that the new concept was developed for faster installation times and lower balance of systems (BOS) costs. In addition to the SmartFit Solution, REC has states that it has improved the performance of its PV cells and modules. Read more

Feature: Solar thermal -coming out of the shade

Monday, 8.20.2012 - 13:07 (Solarpowerportal)

While the feed-in tariff has been grabbing all the headlines, the UK Government has quietly launched a similar cash-back scheme for solar heating in non-domestic applications. But what is this incentive scheme, how does it work and what are the best opportunities for this technology in the UK? Read more

Feature: Solar thermal ? coming out of the shade

Monday, 8.20.2012 - 13:07 (Solarpowerportal)

While the feed-in tariff has been grabbing all the headlines, the UK Government has quietly launched a similar cash-back scheme for solar heating in non-domestic applications. But what is this incentive scheme, how does it work and what are the best opportunities for this technology in the UK? Read more

Solar Frontier obtains JETPVm certification for PV modules, customer support system

Monday, 8.20.2012 - 12:38 (Solarserver)

Solar Frontier K.K. (Tokyo, Japan) has announced that it became the first solar photovoltaic (PV) manufacturer to obtain JETPVm certification (JIS Q 88901) from Japan Electrical Safety & Environment Technology Laboratories (JET) on August 9th, 2012. The company states that this certification asserts the reliability of its PV modules, as well as its customer support system. The new certification was created in June 2012 to coincide with the launch of Japan's feed-in tariff program, and is based on the Japanese Industrial Standards (JIS) for quality assurance in PV. Read more

PV Crystalox revenues fall 75% in 1H 2012

Monday, 8.20.2012 - 9:35 (Solarserver)

PV Crystalox Solar PLC (Abingdon, U.K.) has released interim results for the first half of 2012, reporting a 75% year-over-year decline in revenues to EUR 32.6 million (USD 40.2 million), a -40% operating margin and a net loss of EUR 27.9 million (USD 34.4 million). PV Crystalox wafer shipments also fell 70% over the first half of 2011 to 61 MW, with production running at an estimated 20-25% of capacity. PV Crystalox states that it remains committed to a cash conservation strategy announced in October 2011, and continues to operate at reduced production levels. Read more

Will the Department of Defense Help Open the Way to Next Generation Biofuels?

Monday, 8.20.2012 - 22:14 (Renewable Energy World)

The budget line item for alternative fuels development is a drop in the bucket in terms of overall military spending, but it could be transformative for reducing the military's vulnerability to rising global petroleum prices and supply disruptions. It could also be game changing for fulfilling the nation's long-term commitment to developing competitively priced, domestically produced, more sustainable, renewable advanced biofuels. Yet getting this Congress to fund this Defense Department initiative is proving to be an uphill battle. Read more

DOE Wind Report: 67 Percent Domestic Content in Wind Turbines

Monday, 8.20.2012 - 15:42 (Renewable Energy World)

The U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) latest annual report for wind power depicts an energy source being threatened by policy uncertainty ? yet one that is now conventional, driven by the continuing trends of downward prices and more of the technology's components being made in America. Read more

Why Geothermal Energy Is Stalled in California

Monday, 8.20.2012 - 12:00 (Renewable Energy World)

The Geothermal Energy Association is working with California energy authorities to help restart the flow of state utility power purchase agreements made with geothermal electricity generators, after close to a year's doldrums. Karl Gawell, executive director of the Washington-based GEA, said, "There is no question that geothermal is stalled in California. We need PPAs and transmission lines, and this year it is particularly important to see how (Western) states are working together to solve this," addressing a small roundtable group during the National Geothermal Summit, last Wednesday in Sacramento. Read more

DECC seeks industry?s opinion on installation figures

Monday, 8.20.2012 - 17:22 (Solarpowerportal)

The Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) is seeking industry feedback on whether to continue publishing weekly solar installation figures. Read more

SunEdison submits proposal for 72MW Chilean project

Monday, 8.20.2012 - 16:15 (PV-Tech)

SunEdison, a US developer of PV projects, has submitted plans to develop a 72MW PV projects in Antofagasta in the north Chile, according to the Chilean news site Diario Financiero. Read more

U.K. government: Electricity network and storage technologies important for adoption of renewables

Monday, 8.20.2012 - 16:00 (Solarserver)

The U.K.'s Low Carbon Innovation Coordination Group (LCICG) has released a new analysis which finds that electricity network and storage (EN&S) technologies could play an important role in supporting electricity system changes including greater integration of renewable energy. The LCICG's Electricity Networks and Storage Technology Innovation Needs Assessment states that EN&S technologies could save the U.K. USD 6 to 30 billion in deployment costs to 2050, with possible additional value added by deploying other key technologies. Read more

Where Do the Presidential Candidates Stand on Energy Efficiency?

Monday, 8.20.2012 - 15:00 (Renewable Energy World)

We know that what a political candidate says during a campaign often differs from what the eventual office-holder does. We also know that candidates choose their words carefully to give themselves wiggle room for modifications in course. So we listen for innuendo and subtleties when candidates talk about our special interests. What kind of qualifyi Read more

Military Renewables: Why More Than Money is at Stake

Monday, 8.20.2012 - 12:41 (Renewable Energy World)

In 2011, the U.S. Army spent five billion dollars on renewable energies. But why does the Army care so much about renewable energy? The answer is simple: lives and public funds are at stake. Read more

Daqo New Energy revenues stay depressed in 2Q 2012

Monday, 8.20.2012 - 9:29 (Solarserver)

Daqo New Energy Inc. (Chongqing, China) has released second quarter 2012 results, reporting a 57% year-over-year decline in revenues to USD 30.6 million, despite a 2.7% increase in shipments of polysilicon to 1028 metric tons (MT). The company also reported a -22% operating margin, and a net loss of USD 7.1 million. Daqo estimates that it has completed 97% of total construction on its Xingjiang Phase 2 project, and expects to begin pilot production of polysilicon under this project in September 2012. Read more