DelSolar modules pass salt mist corrosion test conducted by TÜV Rheinland

Wednesday, 8.22.2012 - 23:03 (PV-Tech)

TÜV Rheinland confirmed that DelSolar?s solar modules have passed the new salt mist corrosion test with a severity level of 6, the highest stress rating for the test. Modules included in the testing were DelSolar?s D6M_B3A, D6P-B3A and D6Q_B3A. Read more

Solon commissions Berlin's largest roof-mounted PV system; 1.6 MW on top of the wholesale market

Wednesday, 8.22.2012 - 18:49 (Solarserver)

On August 20th, 2012, SOLON Energy GmbH (Berlin, Germany) announced that it has completed a 1.6 MW solar photovoltaic (PV) system on the rooftops of the wholesale market in Berlin. The PV system, installed atop a surface of nearly 40,000 square metres, is Berlin's largest roof-mounted PV system. It will generate about 1,400 MWh of solar power per year, meeting the average demand of about 600 households while saving 850 tons of carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions. Read more

SEIA: 4.62 GW of utility-scale PV, CSP under construction in U.S.

Wednesday, 8.22.2012 - 15:53 (Solarserver)

The Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA, Washington D.C., U.S.) has found 4.62 GW of solar photovoltaic (PV) and concentrating solar power (CSP) plants larger than 1 MW under construction in the United States, as of August 15th, 2012. The association released this information in an update to its listing of U.S. utility-scale PV and CSP projects. The agency found an additional 24.8 GW of utility-scale solar projects under development, as well as 2.08 GW of operational utility-scale PV and CSP. Read more

Organic photovoltaics: Phillips 66 Company, Chinese university reach 9.31% conversion efficiency with polymer-based solar cell

Wednesday, 8.22.2012 - 15:39 (Solarserver)

Phillips 66 Company (Houston, Texas, U.S.), South China University of Technology (SCUT, Guangzhou, China) and Solarmer Energy Inc. (El Monte, California, U.S.) have produced polymer-based organic photovoltaic (OPV) cell with a 9.31% conversion efficiency. This world-record efficiency has been certified by the Newport Technology & Application Center's Photovoltaic Lab (Long Beach, California, U.S.). The cell utilizes a new polymer jointly developed by Solarmer and Phillips 66, combined with interface technology developed at SCUT's Polymer Optoelectronic Materials and Devices. Read more

Photovoltaics market booming in US; 1.7GW installed in first six months

Wednesday, 8.22.2012 - 13:51 (PV-Tech)

According to the latest report form IMS Research, PV installations in the US in the first half of the year have reached 1.7GW, a growth of over 120%, compared to the same period a year ago. With utility-scale projects typically back-end loaded, the market research firm expects installations to reach nearly 4.3GW in 2012. Read more

Armstrong closes on USD 65 million in funds for small PV, hydro and wind projects in SE Asia

Wednesday, 8.22.2012 - 13:42 (Solarserver)

Armstrong South East Asia Clean Energy Fund (Singapore) has announced that it has closed on USD 65 million in funding to support investments in solar, wind and small hydro technology in Southeast Asia. The funding round was led by the Global Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Fund (GEEREF, Luxembourg) and Deutsche Investitions- und Entwicklungsgesellschaft mbH (DEG, Köln, Germany). Armstrong is targeting a full fund size of USD 150 million, which it will use to provide early-stage capital to renewable energy developers in Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia and other emerging markets. Read more

Survey: 51 percent of Brits don?t know what a smart meter is

Wednesday, 8.22.2012 - 13:22 (Solarpowerportal)

The Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) has commissioned a series of research in order to measure the public?s views on smart meters ahead of their widespread rollout in 2015. Read more

Photovoltaics market booming in US; 1.7GW installed in first 6-months

Wednesday, 8.22.2012 - 13:15 (PV-Tech)

According to the latest report form IMS Research PV installations in the US in the first-half of the year have reached 1.7GW, a growth of over 120%, compared to the same period a year ago. With utility-scale projects typically back-end loaded, the market research firm is expects installations to reach nearly 4.3GW in 2012. Read more

IMS Research: Americas PV market grew by 120% in first half of 2012; USA to become 3rd largest market in 2012

Wednesday, 8.22.2012 - 12:37 (Solarserver)

The Americas photovoltaics (PV) market more than doubled in the first half of 2012 to reach 1.7 GW and is set to reach almost 4.3 GW for the full year according to the ?Q3 PV Demand Report? from IMS Research (Wellingborough, UK). Solar PV Installations grew by more than 120% in the first half of this year and will help drive the global market to grow by at least 3 GW in 2012, according to the research firm. Read more

Students develop methodology for realizing economic benefits of storage to accompany PV

Wednesday, 8.22.2012 - 12:26 (Solarserver)

Two students at Virginia Tech (Blacksburg, Virginia, U.S.) have presented a methodology for deploying distributed energy storage to accompany solar photovoltaic (PV) generation in a way that allows developers to realize additional benefits. The team has developed an optimization algorithm for a distributed energy storage system on a broad scale, involving fleets of batteries connected to distribution transformers, with the aim of withholding electricity from PV generation before it is bid to market. The students' paper on this concept has been recognized as Best Student Paper at the 20th International Conference on Nuclear Engineering. Read more

IPVEA comes out against EU tariffs on Chinese PV products

Wednesday, 8.22.2012 - 9:33 (Solarserver)

Stating that it favors a "Free Market PV Economy", the International Photovoltaic Equipment Association (IPVEA) has issued a statement in opposition the imposition of "punitive" tariffs by the European Union against China. IPVEA states that it has reviewed the statements from similar trade associations and concluded that they are generally also against such tariffs. The organization states that it seeks to collaborate with other associations to make a joint industry statement instead of filing separate declarations. Read more

Solar Shakeout: AQT Solar begins search for partner to buy its assets

Wednesday, 8.22.2012 - 22:15 (PV-Tech)

The CIGS industry can add another notch to the wall as VentureWire reports that AQT Solar has announced its quest to sell of its assets. The CIGS company is looking for a partner or an acquirer and ?has retained Gerbsman Partners to handle the sale of its assets and intellectual property.? Read more

Upsolar receives two IEC certification for modules with Schweizer Solrif frames

Wednesday, 8.22.2012 - 22:15 (PV-Tech)

Upsolar announced that the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC), in conjunction with ICIM, issued two new certifications for its 60-cell modules, which feature Schweizer Solrif (SOLar Roof Integration Frame) frames. Read more

Canadian Solar, Mecosun, achieve Pass?Innovation certification from the CTSB

Wednesday, 8.22.2012 - 22:15 (PV-Tech)

Canadian Solar and its French PV integrator partner Mecosun have achieved Pass?Innovation certification from the French Centre Scientifique et Technique du Batiment (CTSB).The testing confirms Canadian Solar?s PV panels integration with Mecosun?s MV? system and aims to enable attainment of insurances and funding from French government authorities. Read more

Draker, SPTI close merger; procure US$8 million in equity

Wednesday, 8.22.2012 - 22:00 (PV-Tech)

As of August 21, Draker and Solar Power Technologies (SPTI) completed their merger, combining the two companies into one organization that will operate under the Draker name. Charles Curtis, will remain in his position as the CEO of the combined company, while Ray Burgess, CEO of SPTI, has been named the combined company?s president. Draker noted that it will keep its existing operations in Texas, Vermont, California and New Jersey, and also holds plans to expand into other locales. Read more

Organic PV: German politicians visit Heliatek?s production of flexible solar films

Wednesday, 8.22.2012 - 18:40 (Solarserver)

On August 17th, 2012, the German Federal Minister for the Environment, Peter Altmaier, and the Prime Minister of Saxony, Stanislaw Tillich, visited Heliatek GmbH?s (Dresden, Saxony, Germany) trial production of flexible solar films based on organic semiconductor materials. Heliatek aims to deliver the OPV components in Q3 2012. Heliatek?s customers will be able to integrate the solar films for example into building and construction materials, car-roofs and street furniture. These are applications never served before by traditional PV, reads a press release by the company. Read more

Ingenostrum plans to build another large-scale PV project in Chile

Wednesday, 8.22.2012 - 16:15 (PV-Tech)

Ingenostrum, a Spanish developer of PV projects, is planning to build another large-scale solar power plant in Antofagasta, Chile, Photon has revealed. Read more

US Solar PV Market Grows Despite PV Manufacturer Failures

Wednesday, 8.22.2012 - 14:19 (Renewable Energy World)

It's the same story again and again in the PV industry for the past year. While low module pricing is driving increased demand for solar power installations, that same low pricing is driving struggling module manufacturers right out of the market. Read more

Report: Consumers switch to solar thanks to rising energy bills

Wednesday, 8.22.2012 - 11:24 (Solarpowerportal)

Two thirds of UK households benefitting from solar energy say their bills have been significantly reduced since investing in the technology, with most making an average annual saving of ~£1,000. In fact almost 80 percent of generators installed solar panels with reducing energy bills as the primary reason for doing so. Read more

IBC Solar completes 203 kW PV plant in Turkey

Wednesday, 8.22.2012 - 9:26 (Solarserver)

IBC Solar AG (Bad Staffelstein, Germany) has completed a 203 kW solar photovoltaic (PV) plant in the Anatolia region of Turkey, serving as engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contractor as well as supplying its solar photovoltaic (PV) modules. The PV plant is comprised of 864 IBC PolySol 235 DS modules and 12 SMA Sunny Tripower 17000TL inverters, and was constructed in under two months. IBC built the plant for the city of Konya under contract with regional power distribution company Meram Elektrik Da??t?m A? (Konya, Turkey). Read more

Vestas Cuts 1,400 More Jobs on Forecast for Shipments Drop

Wednesday, 8.22.2012 - 16:38 (Renewable Energy World)

Vestas Wind Systems A/S is cutting an additional 1,400 jobs to lower costs by more than 250 million euros ($311 million) in preparation for a decline in wind turbines installations it expects next year. Read more

Wind Power Company Vestas Cuts 1,400 More Jobs

Wednesday, 8.22.2012 - 16:38 (Renewable Energy World)

Vestas Wind Systems A/S is cutting an additional 1,400 jobs to lower costs by more than 250 million euros ($311 million) in preparation for a decline in wind turbines installations it expects next year. Read more

PV mounting systems: Powerway to produce three products in South Africa

Wednesday, 8.22.2012 - 18:56 (Solarserver)

Powerway Renewable Energy Co. Ltd. (Foshan City, China) announced plans to produce three main products at its factories in South Africa. The products, including Powerway screw, Powerfit and Power-green Tracker, will support the ground and rooftop projects in the region, the company states. Read more

Should Renewable Energy Be Afraid of Basel III Banking Standards?

Wednesday, 8.22.2012 - 15:00 (Renewable Energy World)

The Basel III Accords, the latest set of international banking standards from the Basel Committee on Banking and Supervision, are set to take effect in just a few short months. This new banking regime was designed to create a more resilient and robust international banking system with a suite of capital adequacy, leverage, and liquidity requirements. Basel III will have impacts across the broader commercial lending market, though the renewable energy (RE) sector, with its heavy reliance on project finance, will be particularly vulnerable to the new liquidity standards. Read more

Only Ten Days Left to Nominate ? Submit Your Nomination for the 2012 Project of the Year Awards!

Wednesday, 8.22.2012 - 14:23 (Renewable Energy World)

http://www.renewableenergyworld.com/rea/awards/2012 Read more

Just a Few Days Left to Nominate ? Submit Your Nomination for the 2012 Project of the Year Awards!

Wednesday, 8.22.2012 - 14:23 (Renewable Energy World)

http://www.renewableenergyworld.com/rea/awards/2012 Read more

MOFCOM proceeds with anti-protectionist investigation against US

Wednesday, 8.22.2012 - 13:15 (PV-Tech)

Three months of deliberations has resulted in the Chinese Ministry of Commerce (MOFCOM) finding six US renewable energy initiatives guilty of flouting World Trade Organization laws. MOFCOM is dictating it will take necessary measures to force the US to cancel these initiatives in order to bring it inline with WTO statute. Read more

Inauguration of Conto Energia V register set for August 20

Wednesday, 8.22.2012 - 12:15 (PV-Tech)

Owning to July?s communiqué that Italy had reached its ?6 billion limit, bringing into force the mooted Conto Energia V, Italian energy agency (GSE) has opened the first six-month register for PV systems over 12kW. The register will open at 9am August 20 and close at midnight on September 18 and capped at ?140 million. Read more

BYD and SunEnergy Europe connect 6.65MW PV projects

Wednesday, 8.22.2012 - 12:15 (PV-Tech)

BYD and SunEnergy Europe have announced that they have connected two solar projects, which have a combined capacity of 6.65MW, to the grid. BYD is a developer of green energy based while SunEnergy Europe is a photovoltaic integrator and general contractor. Read more

China's MOFCOM rules against U.S. renewable energy incentives

Wednesday, 8.22.2012 - 9:39 (Solarserver)

China's Ministry of Commerce (MOFCOM) has issued a final ruling finding that six U.S. state-level renewable energy policies constitute prohibited subsidies under World Trade Organization (WTO) and General Agreement on Trade and Tariffs (GATT) rules. This finding is consistent with MOFCOM's May 24th, 2012 preliminary ruling on the subject. The Ministry states that it will take "relevant measures" in accordance with the law to force the United States to cancel these policies. Read more