ET Solar modules receive 1000V DC UL certification for US market

Tuesday, 1.22.2013 - 18:00 (PV-Tech)

Designed for the US market, ET Solar has received 1000V DC UL certification by the US-based Electrical Testing Laboratories Inc. Read more

China Consumes 33% of Global Photovoltaic Panel Shipments in Q4'12, According to NPD Solarbuzz

Tuesday, 1.22.2013 - 17:18 (Renewable Energy World)

The Chinese end-market dominated shipments of solar photovoltaic (PV) panels during the final quarter of 2012 with 33% of global end-market demand, according to new research released in the NPD Solarbuzz Quarterly report. Read more

Ex-Suntech employee joins Winaico

Tuesday, 1.22.2013 - 16:52 (PV-Tech)

PV module manufacturer Winaico has appointed ex-Suntech employee Jeff Shubert as Managing Director for Sales and Marketing for Winaico Americas, effective 1 January 2013. Read more

NPD Solarbuzz: Huge Chinese consumption of solar modules lead to year-low inventory levels

Tuesday, 1.22.2013 - 14:00 (PV-Tech)

China?s domestic demand for solar modules soared in the fourth quarter of 2012, according to the latest findings from NPD Solarbuzz, resulting in China becoming the main demand driver globally for the first time. Read more

TAG Smart Energy Society names PV producer Suniva "company of the year"

Tuesday, 1.22.2013 - 12:22 (Solarserver)

The Technology Association of Georgia (TAG) Smart Energy Society announced the winners of its Smart Energy Annual Awards. TAG has named Suniva Inc. (Norcross, Georgia) as "company of the year". In addition, James Marlow, chief executive officer (CEO) of Radiant Solar, was named "professional of the year?. Read more

First Solar changing long-standing module encapsulant supplier

Tuesday, 1.22.2013 - 23:23 (PV-Tech)

PV module encapsulant material supplier, STR Holdings warned that its business would be significantly impacted by an expected and imminent transition by First Solar to using an unidentified alternative supplier. Read more

Gehrlicher Solar completes PV off-grid installation in Cañada Lentisco, Spain

Tuesday, 1.22.2013 - 17:27 (PV-Tech)

Gehrlicher Solar Spain has completed a PV off-grid installation for a residential development of nine houses in a rural area of Cañada Lentisco, Spain,  that is not connected to the Murcia public grid. Read more

Canadian Solar offers 250W integrated microinverter AC module

Tuesday, 1.22.2013 - 16:59 (PV-Tech)

Having only launched its first AC module with its in-house developed microinverter at last October?s Solar Power International expo in the US, Canadian Solar has released its next generation offering employing higher performing modules. Read more

Japan's Solar Tariff May Drop 12% as Costs Sink, BNEF Estimates

Tuesday, 1.22.2013 - 16:08 (Renewable Energy World)

Japan will cut its tariff for purchases of solar power by as much as 12 percent as costs to install systems to generate energy from the sun decline, according to an estimate by Bloomberg New Energy Finance. Read more

Solarbuzz: Chinese demand boosts 4Q 2012 solar PV shipments

Tuesday, 1.22.2013 - 15:54 (Solarserver)

NPD Solarbuzz (Santa Clara, California, US) reports that the Chinese solar photovoltaic (PV) module market represented 33% of global shipments in the fourth quarter of 2012. The company's latest "Solarbuzz Quarterly" report estimates that this surge in Chinese demand has brought fourth quarter global shipments to 8.3 GW. NPD Solarbuzz also notes that a shift in demand from Europe to Asia is bringing new challenges to the industry. Read more

Dow Corning, Crystal Solar join forces on epitaxial wafer process

Tuesday, 1.22.2013 - 15:50 (Solarserver)

Dow Corning Corporation (Midland, Michigan, US) has announced plans to collaborate with start-up Crystal Solar (Santa Clara, California, US) to support its epitaxial deposition approach to the production of ultra-thin silicon wafers for solar photovoltaic (PV) cells and modules. Dow Corning will supply access to trichlorosilane, silicon-based materials and supply chain consultancy. The two companies are also looking at options for developing high-performance building integrated photovoltaic (BIPV) solutions for both commercial and residential PV markets. Read more

New Ways to Invest in Solar Like Buffett

Tuesday, 1.22.2013 - 15:00 (Renewable Energy World)

Over the last couple of years, investors who were hoping to do well by doing good have gotten bad sunburns. Since the start of 2011, the two ETFs which track the solar sector, Guggenheim Solar (NYSE:TAN) and Market Vectors Solar Energy (KWT) are down 74% and 75%, respectively, even after the large jumps up in the first week of the year. Read more

SolarCity launches Homebuilder Partner Program

Tuesday, 1.22.2013 - 14:06 (PV-Tech)

US energy provider SolarCity has launched a new initiative designed to help builders incorporate solar installations in new residential constructions. Read more

9REN Group installs 600kW rooftop PV system in Tenerife

Tuesday, 1.22.2013 - 12:58 (PV-Tech)

9REN Group, an Italy-based provider of turnkey solar solutions, has installed and connected a 600kW rooftop PV system in Tenerife in the Canary Islands. Read more

Nautilus Solar completes 1.1 MW rooftop PV project in New Jersey

Tuesday, 1.22.2013 - 12:26 (Solarserver)

On January 18th, 2013, Nautilus Solar Energy (Summit, New Jersey) announced that it completed a 1.1 megawatt (MW) roof mounted, solar photovoltaic (PV) project in Gibbstown, New Jersey. The PV plant was installed by Advanced Green Technologies on the rooftop of Raymour & Flanigan's distribution center. Read more

JinkoSolar introduces PID-free PV module

Tuesday, 1.22.2013 - 12:18 (Solarserver)

On January 18th, 2013, JinkoSolar Holding Co. Ltd. (Shanghai, China) announced that it has unveiled its new series of Eagle solar photovoltaic (PV) modules. The Eagle series modules represent a new standard for high performance and reliability and are the world's first potential induced degradation (PID) free modules to be certified under weather conditions of 85 Degrees Celsius 85% relative humidity, the company states. Read more

Tata Power Solar looks to combat Chinese competition

Tuesday, 1.22.2013 - 12:15 (PV-Tech)

India?s third largest solar panel manufacturer Tata Power Solar will shift focus from an export-oriented firm to a domestic engineering, procurement and construction service provider. Read more

Solidiance on key growth sectors in Chinese renewable energy industry: China is now the world's fastest growing solar PV market

Tuesday, 1.22.2013 - 11:20 (Solarserver)

On January 20th, 2013, Solidiance (Singapore), a strategy and marketing consultancy firm, announced that it has released the free white paper China's Renewable Energy. China due to Solidiance is currently the world's fastest growing solar photovoltaic (PV) market ? the nation targets 21 gigawatts (GW) of installed PV generation capacity by 2015, and 50 GW by 2020. Read more

US Army dedicates 4.1 MW solar LCPV plant in New Mexico

Tuesday, 1.22.2013 - 10:52 (Solarserver)

The US Army has dedicated a 4.1 MW low-concentration solar photovoltaic (LCPV) plant at its White Sands Missile Range in the US state of New Mexico, as the largest LCPV installation globally. The White Sands plant utilizes modules by Solaria Corporation (Fremont, California, U.S.), which incorporate an optical front cover to magnify light onto "singulated" strips of silicon solar photovoltaic (PV) cells. These modules are mounted on tracking systems. Read more

SMA tops IMS Research survey of solar PV inverter brands

Tuesday, 1.22.2013 - 10:12 (Solarserver)

IMS Research (Wellingborough, UK) has released results of a survey of global inverter purchasers, revealing SMA Solar Technology AG (Niestetal, Germany) as the most preferred inverter brand to accompany solar photovoltaic (PV) generation. "PV Inverter Customer Survey - World - 2013" also highlighted the importance of warranty and after-sales service plans for customers, with more than 90% of respondents indicating that they are 'important for most projects' or 'critical for all projects'. Read more

NanoMarkets: Market for energy storage to accompany solar to reach USD 2 billion by 2018

Tuesday, 1.22.2013 - 10:08 (Solarserver)

NanoMarkets LLC (Glen Allen, Virginia, US) has released a new report which predicts that the market for energy storage solutions to accompany solar photovoltaic (PV) generation will reach almost USD 2 billion in revenues by 2018. "Solar Storage Markets - 2013" forecasts that lead-acid batteries will remain the most popular technology, accounting for more than USD 950 million in 2018 revenues. The report also notes an increase in interest in the use of lithium batteries, sales of which it expects to reach USD 235 million by 2018. Read more

Wind Working for Charity

Tuesday, 1.22.2013 - 18:00 (Renewable Energy World)

An opportunity to visit one of Europe's highest wind parks and do your bit for a great charity awaits in the run-up to the European Wind Energy Association's EWEA 2013 show, taking place in Vienna, Austria, from 4-7 February. Read more

Taller Wind Turbines Boost State Energy Self-Reliance

Tuesday, 1.22.2013 - 17:18 (Renewable Energy World)

A story in the Minneapolis Star Tribune highlights the increasingly common use of 100-meter wind turbines for new wind power projects, up from the previous 80-meter standard.  The technological change grabs more wind energy, with consistently higher wind speeds at higher altitudes, meaning states can get even more power from a similar number of tur Read more

?Big Six? lose out to green energy suppliers in company satisfaction survey

Tuesday, 1.22.2013 - 18:31 (Solarpowerportal)

Despite holding 98% of the market share, the Big Six energy companies have been roundly beaten by smaller suppliers offering green energy in this year?s Which? energy company satisfaction survey. Read more

Obama Gives "Sustainable Energy" Top Billing in Inaugural Address

Tuesday, 1.22.2013 - 16:31 (Renewable Energy World)

In a wide-ranging inaugural address that touched on themes from income inequality to gay marriage to Medicare, President Obama devoted a substantial segment to reaffirming his commitment to combating climate change and investing in the development of what he termed "sustainable" sources of energy. Read more

How a Startup Helps Utilities Spot Energy Theft

Tuesday, 1.22.2013 - 16:00 (Renewable Energy World)

Stealing electricity costs not only utilities but also the consumers who help to pay for the costs of producing and transporting power. A startup called Awesense is using sensors and data analytics to help utilities detect energy theft and improve the efficiency of the grid. Read more

Jamaica receives strong response to 115MW renewable energy tender

Tuesday, 1.22.2013 - 15:45 (PV-Tech)

The Jamaican Office of Utilities Regulation (OUR) has received a positive response to its call for renewable energy projects following the issuing of a 115MW renewable energy tender. Read more

Asia Report: Reacting to China's Goal of 49 GW of Renewables in 2013

Tuesday, 1.22.2013 - 15:00 (Renewable Energy World)

Information coming out of China about its renewable energy plans, and prospects for both domestic and international suppliers hoping to continue riding one of the world's most optimistic growth markets, have commanded headlines in the early weeks of 2013. Read more

UBS launches clean energy investment solution in Switzerland

Tuesday, 1.22.2013 - 12:29 (Solarserver)

On January 16th, 2013, UBS Global Asset Management announced that it has launched the UBS Clean Energy Infrastructure Switzerland in a partnership with Fontavis and Schweizerische Mobiliar. UBS Clean Energy Infrastructure Switzerland will offer institutional investors unprecedented access to a diversified portfolio of Swiss infrastructure facilities and companies in the field of renewable energies and energy efficiency. Read more

Welspun Energy commissions its first JNNSM PV project in Rajasthan

Tuesday, 1.22.2013 - 11:49 (PV-Tech)

Welspun Energy, an Indian solar project developer, has commissioned a 15MW PV project in Phalodi Tehsil, Jodhpur district in Rajasthan, India. Read more

Masdar signs renewable energy cooperation agreement with Morocco

Tuesday, 1.22.2013 - 11:14 (Solarserver)

Masdar (Abu Dhabi, UAE) signed a framework agreement with Morocco's Ministry of Energy, Mines, Water and Environment for collaboration in the field of renewable energy during the World Future Energy Summit (WFES) in Abu Dhabi. Masdar notes Morocco's aim of reaching 42% of its total power capacity from renewable sources by 2020. During WFES the company signed similar agreements with the governments of Jordan and France. Read more

US President Obama: US must lead transition to sustainable energy

Tuesday, 1.22.2013 - 10:03 (Solarserver)

US President Barack Obama pledged to respond to the threat of climate change and declared that the United States must lead the transition to sustainable energy in remarks during his second inauguration on January 21st, 2013. This is stronger rhetoric than Obama's mixed record of action on climate change and renewable energy, and stands in contrast to Obama's silence on climate issues during the presidential campaign. Read more