Tool Order: ROFIN selling laser systems for PERC cell advancements

Friday, 9.20.2013 - 16:15 (PV-Tech)

Despite the continued constraints on capital expenditure and R&D investments, ROFIN-BAASEL Lasertech said it had seen an uptick in laser system orders, notably due to solar cell manufacturers focusing in on PERC (Passivated Emitter Rear Cell) and selective emitter processes for improvements in conversion efficiencies. Read more

PV production technology: 3D-Micromac expects strong order receipts for laser system to process PERC solar cells

Friday, 9.20.2013 - 16:02 (Solarserver)

3D-Micromac AG (Chemnitz, Germany) has developed a novel, highly productive laser system for opening the rear sides of PERC solar photovoltaic (PV) cells. Innovative on-the-fly technology makes it possible to achieve an unbeatable cost-benefit ratio, the company emphasizes. 3D-Micromac AG is counting on significant order intake with the launch of the new structuring system for opening rear-side-passivated cells (PERC, passivated emitter rear contact). Read more

Viridian publishes wind loading calculations

Friday, 9.20.2013 - 14:41 (Solarpowerportal)

Viridian Solar has published wind loading calculations for its Clearline range of solar modules today. Read more

PV production technology: Multicrystalline silicon solar cell efficiencies above 18% achieved using RENA/SoLayTec InPERC technology

Friday, 9.20.2013 - 8:50 (Solarserver)

RENA GmbH (Gütenbach, Germany) reports that one of its Chinese customers has reached solar photovoltaic (PV) cell efficiencies of 18% with multicrystalline silicon wafers using its inline passivated emitter and rear cell (InPERC) technology. The InPERC solution includes rear-side smoothing, passivation, laser ablation and overall process integration. This includes SoLayTec BV's (Eindhoven, The Netherlands) InPassion atomic layer deposition (ALD) tool, which allows for rapid deposition of uniform aluminum oxide layers. Read more

Innotech Solar gains ‘Made in EU’ certificate from TÜV Rheinland

Friday, 9.20.2013 - 17:15 (PV-Tech)

Innotech Solar (ITS) has received the ‘Made in EU’ certificate from TÜV Rheinland, enabling its modules to benefit from the extra 10% FiT payment in France. Read more

ET Solar cooperates with UNICEF in China

Friday, 9.20.2013 - 16:08 (Solarserver)

ET Solar Group Corp. (Nanjing, China) has launched a new partnership with the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) to give financial support to the Child Welfare Demonstration Project (CWDP). This initiative aims to provide welfare services like essential health care, nutrition, and access to education for most vulnerable children in China. Read more

3D-Micromac develops novel laser system for PERC solar PV cell production

Friday, 9.20.2013 - 15:55 (Solarserver)

3D-Micromac AG (Chemnitz, Germany) has unveiled a new laser system for opening the rear sides of passivated emitter rear contact (PERC) solar photovoltaic (PV) cells, which it says can achieve a typical conversion efficiency increase up to one percentage point. The company also notes that the system is modular and can be combined with different laser-source technologies. The new system also eliminates the handling and individual positioning procedures, as PV cells are now transported under the laser source on a conveyor belt with integrated optics compensating for the cells' relative motion. Read more

German-Turkish JV KosiFrankensolar commissions one of Turkey’s largest solar PV plants in Antalya

Friday, 9.20.2013 - 15:55 (Solarserver)

KosiFrankensolar, a Turkish affiliate of the Nuremberg (Germany) based FR-Frankensolar GmbH, has implemented a 500-kW roof-integrated solar photovoltaic (PV) system in Antalya, its first major project in the Turkish solar market. Read more

Forced Localization – A Growing Threat To U.S. Solar Exports

Friday, 9.20.2013 - 15:28 (Renewable Energy World)

President Obama’s recent decision to install solar panels atop the White House is just the latest example of his strong commitment to U.S. leadership in solar energy and the jobs it will create here at home. The member companies of the Solar Energy Industries Association strongly share that commitment. Covering every aspect of the solar pipeline, t Read more

Listen Up: The Emergence of Solar Industry E-Commerce

Friday, 9.20.2013 - 15:15 (Renewable Energy World)

One way to tell that an industry is growing up is when global marketplaces emerge. Buyers and sellers of PV products of all shapes, sizes and specifications are actively transacting business on six of the seven continents (my apologies to Antarctica). With all this diversity, it's gotten too complicated to keep track of the details. So it's no surprise that dedicated PV industry e-commerce solutions are emerging. Read more

India plans 4 GW solar PV project in Rajasthan

Friday, 9.20.2013 - 14:59 (Solarserver)

The government of India has announced plans to build a 4 GW solar photovoltaic (PV) project near a salt lake in Rajasthan, with the first 1 GW to be commissioned by the end of 2016. The project was initiated by India's Ministry of Heavy Industries and Public Enterprises, and will be located on 93 square kilometers of land belonging to publicly-owned Hindustan Salts Ltd. (Jaipur, India) near Sambhar Lake. Read more

First Solar starts work on 150MW Solar Gen 2 PV power plant

Friday, 9.20.2013 - 14:15 (PV-Tech)

First Solar has broken ground on its third Imperial County PV power plant. Read more

JinkoSolar raises share offering and names price

Friday, 9.20.2013 - 14:15 (PV-Tech)

Having previously announced an American depositary share (ADS) stock offering to potentially expand capacity, JinkoSolar has increased the number of shares to be made available at a price of US$16.25 per ADS. Read more

CanSIA calls for 5% solar target in Ontario

Friday, 9.20.2013 - 14:15 (PV-Tech)

The Canadian Solar Industries Association (CanSIA) has sent recommendations to the Ontario Ministry of Energy for boosting Ontario’s PV sector, including a target for generating 5% of the province’s energy from solar power by 2025. Read more

Protecting Solar Projects with Insurance

Friday, 9.20.2013 - 13:00 (Renewable Energy World)

Solar power generation is rapidly increasing and helping thousands of Americans embrace clean energy technology. According to Solar Energy Industries Association, “more than 4,400 megawatts of PV solar will come online throughout 2013.” The jump in solar development is driven by a dramatic drop in solar panel prices since 2011 along with state and federal incentive programs driving increased tax equity investments. Read more

Google partnership with Solar Impulse reaches new heights

Friday, 9.20.2013 - 12:15 (PV-Tech)

Google this week announced a formal partnership with Solar Impulse, which arrived in New York in July after crossing the United States powered only by photovoltaic cells made by SunPower. Read more

Ex-Im bank funds Dow Chemical CSP exports to Spain and Africa

Friday, 9.20.2013 - 12:15 (PV-Tech)

The US Export-Import (Ex-Im) bank has approved loans worth US$34 million loan to finance the export of heat transfer fluid for use in concentrated solar projects in Spain and South Africa. Read more

Raghu Belur of Enphase appointed to SEIA board

Friday, 9.20.2013 - 12:15 (PV-Tech)

The Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) has appointed the co-founder & vice president of products and strategic initiatives at Enphase Energy, Raghu Belur, to its board. Read more

PacWest to move CIGS solar PV manufacturing line to Brazil

Friday, 9.20.2013 - 11:59 (Solarserver)

Following last week's news of a USD 50 million equity financing commitment and local partnerships, PacWest Equities Inc. (Las Vegas, Nevada, U.S.) has announced that it will establish a vertically integrated solar photovoltaic (PV) manufacturing line to the Brazilian state of Paraná. PacWest says that that it plans to produce both thin film and silicon PV products, citing its ability to produce transparent copper indium gallium diselenide (CIGS) thin-film PV modules on glass for the building integrated photovoltaic (BIPV) market using recently acquired technology. Read more

Tamil Nadu to sign PPAs with Indian solar PV project developers

Friday, 9.20.2013 - 11:57 (Solarserver)

RESolve Energy Consultants (Chennai, India) predicts that the public utility in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu will sign power purchase agreements with solar photovoltaic (PV) developers who have been issued letters of intent by the end of October 2013, following “extensive” meetings. The company says that this will allow for roughly 700 MW of PV projects to move forward, but warns that new issues may arise. RESolve notes that this progress brings hope to the PV industry. Read more

Waxman Renewables agrees distribution deal with TiSUN ahead of domestic RHI launch

Friday, 9.20.2013 - 11:44 (Solarpowerportal)

UK-based distributor Waxman Renewables has announced that it has secured a deal with Austrian solar thermal manufacturer TiSun. Read more

U.S. installs 1.77 GW of utility-scale solar PV in first eight months of 2013

Friday, 9.20.2013 - 8:56 (Solarserver)

The United States has installed 1.77 GW of capacity at 148 utility-scale solar photovoltaic (PV) plants from January through August 2013, according to data from the U.S. Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC). This is roughly double the capacity installed in the first eight months of 2012, and brings the nation to 6.02 GW of utility-scale solar. This 1.77 GW includes 464 MW of PV plants in Southern California's Imperial Valley: AES Solar's 200 MW Imperial Valley Solar Phase 1, Southern Company's 139 MW Campo Verde Solar project and LS Power Group's 125 Centinela Solar Energy Phase 1. Read more

Commercial Solar Energy Storage to Overtake Residential and Utility-scale in Next Four Years

Friday, 9.20.2013 - 7:01 (Renewable Energy World)

The global solar energy storage market could be turned on its head by 2017, with the commercial sector set to overtake residential and utility-scale to become the largest market segment. Read more

Cool Planet Energy Gets $19.4 Million for Biofuel Development

Friday, 9.20.2013 - 10:23 (Renewable Energy World)

Cool Planet Energy Systems Inc., a closely held biofuel developer, raised $19.4 million to help build its first production facility. Read more

New Jersey Offshore Wind Proposal Still Seeks Answers

Friday, 9.20.2013 - 17:56 (Renewable Energy World)

One of a handful of fledgling U.S. offshore wind projects is still in limbo seeking state support in New Jersey, and the clock's ticking. Read more

EPA updates proposal to regulate carbon emissions for new power plants

Friday, 9.20.2013 - 22:46 (Solarserver)

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has issued a new set of proposed carbon pollution standards for new power plants, slightly increasing CO2 emissions limits for smaller natural gas-fired plants and coal-fired plants to 499 kg per megawatt-hour (MWh). The previously proposed limit of 454 kg/MWh has been retained for large natural gas plants. Read more

Gina McCarthy Introduces EPA's Revised Rules for New Power Plants

Friday, 9.20.2013 - 17:57 (Renewable Energy World)

Gina McCarthy, administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency, took the stage at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C. September 20 to introduce her agency's newly revised pollution standards for new power plants. Read more

Clean energy jobs in Massachusetts have grown by 24.4 % over the past two years

Friday, 9.20.2013 - 16:18 (Solarserver)

Announcing the results of the 2013 Massachusetts Clean Energy Industry Report at the Fraunhofer Center for Sustainable Energy Systems in Boston (Massachusetts, USA), Governor Deval Patrick revealed that in his state clean energy jobs grew by 11.8 % between June 2012 and June 2013, and have grown by 24.4 % over the past two years. The job growth over the past year was eight times faster than the overall growth rate among all industries combined in the Commonwealth, where 5,557 clean energy companies are now employing 79,994 workers. Read more

U.K. Rejects $40 Billion Severn Barrage Tidal-Power Project

Friday, 9.20.2013 - 11:18 (Renewable Energy World)

The U.K. rejected proposals for a 25 billion-pound ($40 billion) tidal-energy barrage designed to generate as much as 5 percent of the nation’s power needs. Read more

Health University in California signs for 672kW PV rooftop

Friday, 9.20.2013 - 11:15 (PV-Tech)

A prominent graduate school for the health professions, Western University of Health Sciences, has signed a contract with Washington Gas Energy Systems for a 672kW rooftop PV project. Read more

IHS: Commercial segment to lead global energy storage market by 2017

Friday, 9.20.2013 - 8:54 (Solarserver)

IHS Inc. (Englewood, Colorado, U.S.) has published a new report which finds that the commercial sector will rise to 40% of the global market for energy storage to accompany solar photovoltaic (PV) generation, as installations in the sector rise 700-fold in capacity over the next five years. “The Role of Energy Storage in the PV Industry” predicts that commercial energy storage installations will rise to 2.3 GW in 2017, up from 3.2 MW today, driven mainly by a need to manage PV system output to reduce energy prices. It also finds that North America will be the largest market for this segment. Read more