ReneSola retains module shipment momentum: develops Gen II ?Virtus? technology

Monday, 8.27.2012 - 19:13 (PV-Tech)

Higher module shipments on the back of increasing focus on expanding its solar module business and building sales channels supported ReneSola producing better than expected second-quarter 2012 financial results. The company posted US$233 million in sales, up 10.2% from US$211.5 million in the prior quarter. Read more

Renesola retains module shipment momentum: develops Gen II ?Virtus? technology

Monday, 8.27.2012 - 19:13 (PV-Tech)

Higher module shipments on the back of increasing focus on expanding its solar module business and building sales channels supported ReneSola producing better than expected second-quarter 2012 financial results. The company posted US$233 million in sales, up 10.2% from US$211.5 million in the prior quarter. Read more

Suntech unveils 300 W multicrystalline PV module at SPI

Monday, 8.27.2012 - 12:01 (Solarserver)

Suntech Power Holdings Company Ltd. (Wuxi, China) has unveiled a new 300 W multicrystalline silicon solar photovoltaic (PV) module, designed for commercial and utility-scale PV projects in North and South America. Suntech's Ve-Series module features 72 PV cells and a 15.5% module efficiency, as holds a 1000 volt UL operational certification and a new frame design. The module will be on display at the Solar Power International trade show in Orlando (Florida, U.S.) from September 10th through 14th, 2012. Read more

Keiser Analytics presents zip code-level ROI calculation tool for PV projects in the U.S.

Monday, 8.27.2012 - 11:36 (Solarserver)

Keiser Analytics (NYC, New York, U.S.) has unveiled a new tool which provides an analysis which estimates return on investment (ROI) from solar photovoltaic (PV) projects, differentiated by U.S. zip code, as well as the installed cost per watt at which the market will become viable. The company states that Max-ROI not only allows an unprecedented analysis of which markets are currently viable, but also helps developers determine which markets to prioritize in the future. Read more

Official: Hanwha Group strikes deal to acquire Q-Cells

Monday, 8.27.2012 - 11:15 (PV-Tech)

After much media speculation that South Korean conglomerate, Hanwha Group had been in negotiations to acquire PV manufacturer, Q-Cells a deal has been struck according to a brief statement issued late Sunday evening. However, the deal still requires the approval of creditors, which the insolvency administrator Henning Schorisch said would be sought at a meeting on August 29. Read more

ReneSola shows shipment growth, losses in 2Q 2012

Monday, 8.27.2012 - 9:59 (Solarserver)

ReneSola Ltd. (Jiashan, China) has released results for the second quarter of 2012, reporting a 6% year-over-year decline in revenues to USD 233 million, despite a 71% increase in wafer and solar photovoltaic (PV) module shipments to 504 MW. The company also achieved a -15% operating margin and a net loss of USD 34.8 million. ReneSola reports that it is operating at full capacity, a rare claim for a PV manufacturer in 2012, and has increased its production of its high-performance Virtus modules. Read more

EGESA begins work on 2.4 MW PV plant in Panama

Monday, 8.27.2012 - 9:48 (Solarserver)

Panamanian President Ricardo Martinelli has announced that Electricity Generation Company SA (EGESA, Panama) has begun work on a 2.4 MW solar photovoltaic (PV) plant in Sarigua National Park, the first of this scale in the nation. Enel Green Power SpA (Rome, Italy) has donated USD 9 million to support the project, which will involve an 8 km transmission line at a cost of USD 1 million. In a second phase, EGESA will double the plant to 4.8 MW. Read more

ReneSola to sell 4.6MW of its modules to Solar Planet Power

Monday, 8.27.2012 - 22:15 (PV-Tech)

ReneSola announced that it has agreed to sell 4.6MW of its 255W poly modules to Solar Planet Power. The company will ship the modules to Solar Planet during the third quarter of 2012. Solar Planet noted that it plans to order up to 15MW of additional solar modules within six months following the first delivery. Read more

Tenaska Solar Ventures acquires proposed 160MW Silverleaf PV project

Monday, 8.27.2012 - 21:15 (PV-Tech)

As of August 1, Tenaska Solar Ventures (TSV) is the new owner of the proposed 160MW Silverleaf project, which is under development in Southern California. The company bought the project from Agile Solar Holdings, an affiliate of Agile Energy and Bregal Energy. Agile Energy will provide development services to TSV through the completion of the project permitting while TSV takes over all other development aspects of the project, including securing a PPA. Read more

Newly formed Japan Mega Solar Power to develop 250 PV plants in Japan over 5 years

Monday, 8.27.2012 - 21:15 (PV-Tech)

The newly founded Japan Mega Solar Power, formed by Japanese home renovator West Holdings in June, has announced plans to invest US$1.3 billion for the development of 250 solar PV plants over five years in Japan. The plants will have a combined 500MW capacity and are being built with a goal of taking advantage of the higher tariffs the country is offering for renewable energy. Read more

India Set To Replicate its IT Sector Success with Solar Energy

Monday, 8.27.2012 - 20:29 (Renewable Energy World)

India is set to replicate its information technology (IT) sector success in solar energy. With every known business entity exploring its own agenda in the solar energy sector, the country is already at the starting point of an energy revolution. Read more

Canadian Solar completes US$48.4 million sale of utility-scale solar plant to Stonepeak

Monday, 8.27.2012 - 20:15 (PV-Tech)

Canadian Solar advised that the sale of its Canadian Solar 1 installation has been completed with the utility-scale power plant sold to Stonepeak Infrastructure Partners for US$48.4 million. Canadian Solar was the developer, EPC and construction financier for the project, which is built near the town of Napanee. The installation is connected to the grid and uses nearly 50,000 of the company?s CS6M modules. Read more

Order Focus: JinkoSolar wins 30MW contract from China Guangdong Nuclear

Monday, 8.27.2012 - 20:15 (PV-Tech)

JinkoSolar Holding has been awarded a 30MW supply contract by China Guangdong Nuclear Solar Energy Development. The modules will be used for a PV power plant that is being developed in Hami City, Xinjiang Province, China. Details regarding a delivery timeline were not disclosed. Read more

The Crowded Field of Solar Project Development

Monday, 8.27.2012 - 18:10 (Renewable Energy World)

Tenaska, an independent power producer of fossil fuel stripes, moved into the solar energy business earlier this year with the purchase of a First Solar project. It's now expanding its solar portfolio and today announced the acquisition of a 160-MW project in California. Read more

Solar Power Companies Offer Competing Bids for Solar Panel Manufacturer Q-Cells

Monday, 8.27.2012 - 16:45 (Renewable Energy World)

Hanwha Group's bid to buy the insolvent German manufacturer Q-Cells SE drew a competing approach from a Spanish power-plant builder that also wants to own what was once the biggest solar-cell maker. Read more

Solarbuzz: Asia-Pacific PV demand to increase 80% in 2H 2012

Monday, 8.27.2012 - 15:57 (Solarserver)

NPD Solarbuzz Inc. (Santa Clara, California, U.S.) has released a report which predicts that the solar photovoltaic (PV) market in the Asia-Pacific region will grow 80% year-over-year in the second half of 2012, and reach 5.3 GW in the fourth quarter of the year. The latest edition of the company's "Asia Pacific Major PV Markets Quarterly" states that while in years past major European markets have fueled strong year-end PV demand, the fourth quarter of 2012 will represent a transition to a more truly global PV industry. Read more

Tenaska acquired 160 MW PV project in Southern California

Monday, 8.27.2012 - 15:50 (Solarserver)

Tenaska Solar Ventures LLC (TSV, Omaha, Nebraska, U.S.) has acquired a 160 MW PV project under development in Southern California's Imperial Valley, from two affiliates of Agile Energy LLC (San Bruno, California, U.S.). TSV closed acquisition of the project on August 1st, 2012. The company plans to begin construction on the Tenaska Silverleaf Solar Energy Center as early as 2014, with commercial operation targeted for 2015. Read more

NPD Solarbuzz: Asia Pacific set to deliver 5.3GW of PV installations in fourth quarter

Monday, 8.27.2012 - 14:56 (PV-Tech)

The expected geographical shift in PV demand away from Europe to the Asia Pacific region is turning into a surge, according to new research featured in the NPD Solarbuzz ?Asia Pacific Major PV Markets Quarterly.? Year-on-year growth is expected to be around 80% but 50% of that growth, which is equivalent to 5.3GW, is expected to occur in the fourth quarter of 2012. Key markets driving growth include; China, India and Japan. Read more

Solar Energy International to feature free technical training sessions at SPI conference

Monday, 8.27.2012 - 12:15 (Solarserver)

On August 23rd, 2012, Solar Power International announced that a photovoltaic (PV) technical training program consisting of 11 in-depth sessions will be offered at SPI conference (SPI '12) to be held in September 2012. The training sessions are the newest addition to the SPI conference program and have been developed in partnership with Solar Energy International (SEI) and the North American Board of Certified Energy Practitioners (NABCEP), SPI reports. Read more

EquipNet to auction AMG Solar Corporation's PV manufacturing equipment

Monday, 8.27.2012 - 12:06 (Solarserver)

EquipNet Auctions (Canton, Massachusetts, U.S.) has announced that it will host an online auction of AMG Idealcast Solar Corporation's (Frederick, Maryland, U.S.) crystalline silicon solar photovoltaic (PV) manufacturing equipment on September 12th-13th, 2012. The equipment for auction is located at AMG's Frederick, Maryland factory, and bidding will begin on September 12th at 9 AM USET. EquipNet notes the variety of items available at the facility. Read more

DelSolar solar PV modules pass salt mist corrosion test

Monday, 8.27.2012 - 11:53 (Solarserver)

On August 22nd, 2012, DelSolar Co. Ltd. (Taipei, Taiwan) announced that its solar photovoltaic (PV) modules have passed the new salt mist corrosion test with severity level of 6. The test, conducted by TUEV Rheinland, confirms that DelSolar's modules can withstand harsh environments. The company's D6M_B3A?D6P_B3A and D6Q_B3A solar modules have all qualified under the test. Read more

California third-party owned solar exceeds USD 1 billion mark

Monday, 8.27.2012 - 11:43 (Solarserver)

Sunrun Inc. (San Francisco, California, U.S.) and PV Solar Report (Cheyenne, Wyoming, U.S.) have released an analysis which estimates that the market for third-party owned residential solar photovoltaics (PV) has grown to USD 388 million in 2012, to reach a total contract value of USD 1.03 billion over five years. The companies also note that medium-income zip codes are currently driving program adoption, with the largest number of applications in zip codes with a median annual household income of USD 50,000-75,000. SunRun was among the first companies to offer solar as a service in California in 2007, and currently claims market leadership in the state. Read more

Oregon commissions 1.75 MW solar highway project

Monday, 8.27.2012 - 11:21 (Solarserver)

On August 23rd, 2012, Portland General Electric (PGE, Portland, Oregon, U.S.) announced the commissioning of a 1.75 MW solar photovoltaic (PV) power plant along Interstate 5 near Wilsonville in Oregon. The Baldock Solar highway project is a partnership between PGE and the Oregon Department of Transportation (ODT). The project includes about 7,000 solar panels across seven acres of the Baldock Safety Rest Area. Read more

MAGE SOLAR bundles plug-and-play AC-PV panels, rolls out 3 select kits containing modules, micro-inverters, racking, and BOS at SPI

Monday, 8.27.2012 - 9:53 (Solarserver)

MAGE SOLAR (Dublin, Georgia, U.S), a complete solar photovoltaic (PV) system solution provider who has just introduced a game-changing AC-PV module announced that it will be offering special AC-PV module kits at Solar Power International in Orlando. In recent months, the AC-version of the industry leading MAGE POWERTEC PLUS modules has garnered great attention and reviews as it is the only AC-PV module on the market offering an exclusive 30 year product warranty on the module-integrated micro-inverter to match the industry leading 30 year power guarantee on the MAGE POWERTEC PLUS module, MAGE SOLAR, emphasizes. Read more

Recap: U.S. Wind Energy Layoffs Continue in Colorado, Iowa as Federal Policy Uncertainty Continues

Monday, 8.27.2012 - 15:56 (Renewable Energy World)

More jobs in American wind power were lost this week, this time in manufacturing facilities in Colorado and Iowa, in the absence of a policy signal only Congress can provide: extension of the Production Tax Credit, the policy driver behind the rapid growth in U.S. jobs and manufacturing since 2005. Read more

Power-One delivers Aurora inverters for PV test facility at Amsterdam Schiphol Airport

Monday, 8.27.2012 - 20:15 (PV-Tech)

Thirty-one of Power-One?s Aurora PVI-12.5-Tl-FS inverters have been delivered for use at a new PV test facility at Amsterdam Airport Schiphol in the Netherlands. The 400kW installation was provided by Solartechno, in cooperation with The Grounds, a platform for innovative applications for sustainable airports. Read more

A New Twist in the Energy Efficiency Story

Monday, 8.27.2012 - 16:31 (Renewable Energy World)

Blend a little new energy tech with a pinch of behavioral psychology and you?re bound to get something unexpected. Consider what happened when New York City-based ThinkEco recently lead a four-month energy challenge for international industrial packaging company Greif. The goal, of course, was to save energy. And that they achieved. Sixty employees Read more

In Germany and Elsewhere, Energy Storage is Key to Unlocking Renewable Energy

Monday, 8.27.2012 - 15:51 (Renewable Energy World)

For Michael Specht, the solution to Germany's future energy needs lies in a rectangular framework of steel pipes and valves the size of a VW campervan parked on the outskirts of Stuttgart. Read more

Experts Weigh In: Will California Meet Its RPS?

Monday, 8.27.2012 - 13:31 (Renewable Energy World)

About one year ago, California made history by enacting a law that would require the highest amount of renewable energy to be incorporated into a state's energy mix: 33 percent by 2020. That number is at least 8 percent higher than the next most aggressive state renewable portfolio standards and upwards of 10 percent more than the average renewable portfolio standard for all the states in the nation. Read more

Advanced Energy Economy Institute poll result: 80% of Republican voters think U.S. government should support "advanced energy"

Monday, 8.27.2012 - 11:31 (Solarserver)

Advanced Energy Economy Institute (AEEI, Washington D.C., U.S.) has released the results of a poll which finds that 80% of members of the opposition Republican Party in 12 states considered critical in the 2012 U.S. presidential election believe that it is important for the government to support "advanced energy" development. AEEI's definition of "advanced energy" includes renewable energy technologies as well as nuclear power. Poll results were published on the eve of the Republican National Convention, a day after U.S. Presidential Candidate Mitt Romney (R) released an energy policy white paper critical of renewable energy subsidies in favor of oil and gas. Read more