PV in the lab: TÜV Rheinland selects MBJ Solutions electroluminescence inspection system

Monday, 1.21.2013 - 23:14 (Solarserver)

TÜV Rheinland (Cologne, Germany) has equipped its photovoltaic laboratory with a high resolution electroluminescence inspection system from MBJ Solutions (Hamburg, Germany). The system ?SolarModule EL-basic? due to the producer is capable to inspect crystalline solar photovoltaic (PV) modules as well as thin film solar modules and is optimized for the use in a laboratory. Read more

Research reveals SMA is UK?s most preferred inverter

Monday, 1.21.2013 - 16:32 (Solarpowerportal)

Solar installers in the UK have named SMA inverters as the most preferred PV inverter brand in a new survey conducted by IMS Research. Read more

IMS Research: PV inverter warranty and after sales service dictate purchasing decisions

Monday, 1.21.2013 - 16:31 (PV-Tech)

Valued PV inverter warranties and after sales service are key reasons for installers purchasing decisions, according to a survey undertaken by IMS Research, a part of market analytical firm IHS. Read more

Minister of Environment bolsters German PV module manufacturers

Monday, 1.21.2013 - 15:48 (Solarserver)

Peter Altmaier, German Minister of Environment, attended the World Future Energy Summit this year. In Abu Dhabi Altmaier made clear that he considers the anti-dumping lawsuit of the European Commission against Chinese solar photovoltaic (PV) dumping as legitimate, Europressedienst (Bonn, Germany) reports. Read more

Power-One downgrades 4Q 2012 guidance

Monday, 1.21.2013 - 12:48 (Solarserver)

Power-One Inc. (Camarillo, California, US) has downgraded its outlook for the fourth quarter of 2012, driven by a disappointing market in Europe for its solar photovoltaic (PV) inverters. The company now estimates that it will report between USD 190 and 195 million in revenues for the quarter, and a net loss of USD 12 to 15 million. Power-One notes that it was also impacted by ramp-up costs and a USD 6 million foreign currency loss due to a stronger Euro. Read more

TÜV Rheinland picks MBJ Solutions inspection system for Cologne lab

Monday, 1.21.2013 - 12:40 (PV-Tech)

Testing company TÜV Rheinland has equipped its photovoltaic laboratory in Cologne, Germany, with a high resolution electroluminescence inspection system from MBJ Solutions. Read more

Masdar launches pilot program for solar, renewable-powered desalination plants

Monday, 1.21.2013 - 23:20 (Solarserver)

On January 17th, 2013, Masdar (Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates) announced that it has launched a pilot program to test and develop advanced energy-efficient seawater desalination technologies suitable to be powered by renewable energy sources. The company plans to implement renewable energy-powered desalination plants in the United Arab Emirates and to have a facility at commercial scale by 2020. Read more

IREC unveils community-shared solar case studies

Monday, 1.21.2013 - 23:09 (Solarserver)

On January 16th, 2013, the Interstate Renewable Energy Council Inc. (IREC, Latham, New York, U.S.) announced that it has released community-shared solar case studies: ?Community Shared Solar: Diverse Approaches for a Common Goal?. These new three case studies offer a glimpse at how three different utilities provide the opportunity to go solar to their energy consumers, IREC states. Read more

US DOE makes USD 12 million available to bring down solar hardware, soft costs

Monday, 1.21.2013 - 16:50 (Solarserver)

On January 16th, 2013 the US Deparment of Energy (DOE) announced the availability of USD 12 million in funding to accelerate solar energy innovation that reduces manufacturing, installation and permitting costs through tis SunShot Incubator Program. The new round of Incubator funding will be divided into grants targeted at solar hardware and soft costs, and will address technologies and projects at different stages of commercialization and implementation. Read more

New State Study Demonstrates Net Metering Benefit for Ratepayers

Monday, 1.21.2013 - 15:58 (Renewable Energy World)

The body of evidence that demonstrates the benefits of solar net metering to retail electric customers continues to grow. From California and Texas to New York and now Vermont, there is a growing stack of reports that make the financial case for greater deployment of distributed solar generation and net metering. On the same day that a Vote Solar I Read more

IDEA Polysilicon chooses Al Rajhi Capital as financial advisor for polysilicon, solar wafer project

Monday, 1.21.2013 - 15:56 (Solarserver)

IDEA International Polysilicon Company (IPC, Khobar, Saudi Arabia) has appointed Al Rajhi Capital (Riyadh, Saudi Arabia) as financial advisor for its project to produce polysilicon, ingots and silicon wafers for the solar photovoltaic (PV) industry in Saudi Arabia. Al Rajhi Capital will study financing alternatives and apply the chosen strategic financing plan as well as negotiating a financing agreement for the facility, which will be located in Yabu Industrial City in Saudi Arabia's Western region. Read more

MicroTech launches thin film solar PV process tool line

Monday, 1.21.2013 - 15:52 (Solarserver)

MicroTech (Fremont, California, US) has launched a new wet-process product line designed for high throughput processing of thin-film solar photovoltaic (PV) cells, which can process an array of PV cells on a single substrate. The MicroTech TF 1200 tool can process substrates up to 2 meters in size. MicroTech notes that the tool also offers low water consumption, effective particle filtering and a modular design. Read more

How Ready Are Europe's Grids for Solar PV Interconnection?

Monday, 1.21.2013 - 15:32 (Renewable Energy World)

A consortium of European solar groups has updated its data looking at project development processes across Europe, offering a comparative analysis of which countries have the "smartest" processes for PV developers to get projects running and feeding into the grid. Read more

UK scientists use solar panels to mimic photosynthesis

Monday, 1.21.2013 - 14:47 (Solarpowerportal)

A trio of UK universities have been awarded £800,000 to fund research into how photosynthesis can help develop more efficient renewable energy. Read more

Order Focus: Emerson to provide Crescent Dunes project with Ovation control system

Monday, 1.21.2013 - 13:07 (PV-Tech)

Emerson Process Management has won a contract to deliver its Ovation control system to the 110MW Crescent Dunes Solar Energy Project near Tonopah, Nevada. Read more

Emerson to supply control system for Crescent Dunes concentrating solar power plant

Monday, 1.21.2013 - 12:37 (Solarserver)

Emerson Process Management (Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, US) has been awarded a contract to supply its Ovation control system for the 110 MW Crescent Dunes Solar Energy Project in the US state of Nevada. SolarReserve LLC (Santa Monica, California, US) is developing the project, which will use its solar power tower concentrating solar power (CSP) technology with molten salt energy storage. Engineering, procurement and construction contractor Cobra Thermosolar Plants Inc. (Las Vegas, Nevada, US) awarded the contract to Emerson. Read more

Al Rajhi Capital becomes financial advisor to Saudi Arabia?s IDEA Polysilicon

Monday, 1.21.2013 - 12:36 (PV-Tech)

Planning to become the first integrated polysilicon and solar wafer manufacturer in the Middle East, Saudi Arabian start-up IDEA International Polysilicon Company (IPC) has appointed Al Rajhi Capital as financial advisor. Read more

Schletter and Grupo Clavijo set up JV for South African PV projects

Monday, 1.21.2013 - 11:42 (PV-Tech)

Schletter, a German manufacturer of PV mounting systems, and Grupo Clavijo, a Spanish solar tracker producer, have teamed up to establish a joint venture in South Africa. Read more

Belgium Plans to Build Island to Store Excess Wind Energy

Monday, 1.21.2013 - 21:24 (Renewable Energy World)

As the U.S. progresses inch-by-inch to get a single offshore wind turbine constructed, Belgium announced that it plans to construct an island for the sole purpose of storing its vast amounts wind energy. According to reports, this is part of Belgium's plan to wean itself off of nuclear energy by 2025, which as of 2011 accounts for more than half of its energy production. Read more

U.S. Wind Power Accounted for 6% of Generation Capacity in 2012

Monday, 1.21.2013 - 16:35 (Renewable Energy World)

U.S. wind power accounted for 6 percent of the nation's total electricity generation capacity after developers rushed to finish projects before expiration of a subsidy, Bloomberg New Energy Finance said. Read more

PV, CSP supply 4.3% of Spanish electricity generation in 2012

Monday, 1.21.2013 - 16:56 (Solarserver)

The Electricity Network of Spain (REE) reports that solar photovoltaic (PV) technology supplied 3.0% of electricity generated in the nation over the course of 2012, with an additional 1.3% supplied by concentrating solar power (CSP). This is the highest percentage of CSP generation in any nation to date. Together, solar electric technologies supplied a total of 4.3% of Spanish electricity in 2012, second only to Germany and Italy. Read more

World Future Energy Summit concludes in Abu Dhabi

Monday, 1.21.2013 - 16:54 (Solarserver)

On January 17th, 2013 the World Future Energy Summit (WFES) concluded in Abu Dhabi, UAE, following three days of high-level meetings, agreements and announcements by various nations and companies. Organizers state that the summit showed increased interest over the previous year, citing 91 official delegations and attendees from 150 nations as well as greater numbers of exhibitors. Read more

Goldpoly goes downstream with acquisition of China Merchants New Energy

Monday, 1.21.2013 - 14:25 (PV-Tech)

In an rather incestuous deal and conformation that consolidation along with capitulation is occurring in the Chinese PV market, tier 2 PV manufacturer, Goldpoly New Energy Holding has acquired China Merchants New Energy (CMNEG) in a deal valued at HK$2.12 billion (US$273 million). Read more

US DOI sets aside land for renewable energy development in Arizona, Secretary Salazar to resign

Monday, 1.21.2013 - 12:44 (Solarserver)

The US Department of the interior (DOI) has designated 780 square kilometers in the US state of Arizona as potentially suitable for large-scale solar and wind energy development. This announcement came two days after US Interior Secretary Ken Salazar revealed that he will resign by the end of March 2013. Salazar has presided over a number of initiatives to advance renewable energy development on US public lands, which has been noted by developers including NextEra Energy Resources LLC (Juno Beach, Florida, US). Read more

Fuel poverty campaign warns PM that current policies are ?doomed to fail?

Monday, 1.21.2013 - 12:27 (Solarpowerportal)

A coalition of businesses, unions and charities have come together to urge the Prime Minister to raise attempts at tackling fuel poverty. Read more

US clean energy economy needs comprehensive policies, warns report

Monday, 1.21.2013 - 12:10 (PV-Tech)

America?s competitive position in the global clean energy market is at risk because of increased competition abroad and uncertain policies at home, warns a report by the Pew Charitable Trusts. Read more