Japanese PV exports fall as domestic demand booms

Monday, 12.2.2013 - 12:35 (PV-Tech)

Domestic shipments of solar cells and modules in Japan showed consistent growth again in the second fiscal quarter of 2013, according to the Japan Photovoltaic Energy Association (JPEA). Read more

Shunfeng Photovoltaic raising over US$461 million for Wuxi Suntech acquisition

Monday, 12.2.2013 - 9:44 (PV-Tech)

Shunfeng Photovoltaic is planning to place a 10-year convertible bond valued at HK$3,580,000,000 (US$461.77 million) with selected investors to pay for the acquisition of Wuxi Suntech via court administrators in China for US$492.3 million. Read more

Astronergy to aquire Conergy PV module factory in Frankfurt (Oder); 200 jobs will be secured

Monday, 12.2.2013 - 9:14 (Solarserver)

Conergy AG (Hamburg, Germany) has announced that 80 positions in its solar photovoltaic (PV) module factory in Frankfurt (Oder), Germany will be eliminated during the acquisition of the factory by Astronergy (Hangzhou, China). The remaining 200 jobs will be secured. Astronergy will acquire Conergy's production unit, in an agreement which the companies expect to sign by the end of 2013. The company also says that it anticipates an agreement by that time with potential investors for the sale of its mounting systems subsidiary in Rangsdorf, Germany. Read more

Shunfeng Photovoltaic International to pay for Wuxi Suntech purchase with USD 460 million convertible bond issue

Monday, 12.2.2013 - 9:09 (Solarserver)

Shunfeng Photovoltaic International Ltd. (Changzhou, China) has agreed to issue USD 460 million in convertible bonds to support its acquisition of Wuxi Suntech (Wuxi, China) and its associated solar photovoltaic (PV) cell and module manufacturing capacity. This is near the purchase price of USD 490 million for Wuxi Suntech, which formerly served as the main operating subsidiary of Suntech Power Holdings Co. Ltd. (Wuxi, China). The majority of the convertible bonds at USD 280 million will be purchased by Peace Link Services Ltd. (British Virgin Islands), on of the main current shareholders in Shunfeng. Read more

Quarterly Japanese solar PV module demand rises above 2 GW, imports more than half

Monday, 12.2.2013 - 21:41 (Solarserver)

Demand for solar photovoltaic (PV) modules in Japan rose 27% sequentially to 2.07 GW from July through September 2013, according to figures released by the Japan Photovoltaic Energy Association (JPEA). This represents a more than four-fold increase from a year ago. Read more

EU, China Agree to End Solar Panel Trade Dispute

Monday, 12.2.2013 - 16:11 (Renewable Energy World)

European Union countries approved an agreement with China to curb imports of Chinese solar panels, ending the EU’s biggest commercial dispute of its kind. Read more

Solar Christmas: LDK Gets Coal, Trina Gets a Joint Venture

Monday, 12.2.2013 - 15:58 (Renewable Energy World)

I thought I’d get into the Christmas spirit in this first work day after Thanksgiving in the US, so let’s take a look at what solar panel makers LDK (NYSE: LDK) and Trina (NYSE: TSL) are getting in their holiday stockings with the latest company news reports. It seems the struggling LDK won’t be getting much, with word that a Chinese court has adde Read more

National Bank of Canada provides Canadian Solar with CAD$35 million in project finance

Monday, 12.2.2013 - 15:53 (PV-Tech)

The National Bank of Canada will provide Canadian Solar with short-term project financing for one its PV power plant projects to be built in Ontario, Canada. Read more

EU member states approve “price undertaking” solar trade deal with China

Monday, 12.2.2013 - 15:30 (Solarserver)

Member states of the European Union have approved the “price undertaking” agreement regarding imports of Chinese solar photovoltaic (PV) cells and modules. Concurrently, the Council of the European Union also approved anti-dumping and anti-subsidy duties on PV products which fall outside of the deal. Read more

Listen Up: Solar Energy for Non-profits

Monday, 12.2.2013 - 15:17 (Renewable Energy World)

Gift-giving is a tradition during this holiday season, and what could be a better gift than clean energy? But many of the organizations that need solar the most just simply cannot afford the up-front cost. And ironically, since they are non-profits, they are not eligible for the 30 percent Investment Tax Credit. Read more

Bank of Beijing to provide Hanwha SolarOne with US$574 million credit facility

Monday, 12.2.2013 - 15:10 (PV-Tech)

In it efforts to move downstream and become a photovoltaic energy provider (PVEP), Hanwha SolarOne has struck a deal the Bank of Beijing for a three-year US$574 million credit facility. Read more

JinkoSolar developing 200 MW solar PV project in Ningxia, China

Monday, 12.2.2013 - 14:38 (Solarserver)

JinkoSolar Holding Co. Ltd. (Shanghai) has signed a strategic cooperation agreement with a local government in Northwest China to develop a 200 MW ground-mounted solar photovoltaic (PV) project. In addition to the PV project, JinkoSolar plans to build a number of “PV related supporting facilities” in the city of Lingwu in Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region. Read more

Return to solar wafer supply contracting possible, says TrendForce

Monday, 12.2.2013 - 14:15 (PV-Tech)

Tightening supply of quality solar wafers due to booming demand for PV modules could see the return of contract trading by wafer producers, according to market research firm, EnergyTrend. Read more

EU governments approve China solar trade spat solution

Monday, 12.2.2013 - 13:57 (PV-Tech)

EU governments have approved the anti-dumping measures on solar imports from China set out in August and confirmed that they will also form the basis of the resolution to the parallel anti-subsidy investigation. Read more

Jinko Solar to build 200MW plant in north China

Monday, 12.2.2013 - 13:50 (PV-Tech)

PV cell manufacturer, Jinko Solar has signed a strategic cooperation agreement with Lingwu City government for a 200MW solar plant. Read more

Forrest agrees £120 million residential ‘free solar’ deal

Monday, 12.2.2013 - 13:28 (Solarpowerportal)

Housing contractor, Forrest, has announced that it has agreed a £120 million residential solar PV scheme with global investment bank Macquarie. Read more

‘Positive’ outlook prompts REC Solar to cancel credit facility

Monday, 12.2.2013 - 12:53 (PV-Tech)

REC Solar has cancelled its NOK200 million (US$32 million) revolving credit facility with sister company REC Silicon, citing a “positive outlook on business”. Read more

Hanergy to make payouts to thin-film subsidiary

Monday, 12.2.2013 - 12:44 (PV-Tech)

Hanergy Solar is set to receive significant investment from its parent company as it prepares to ramp up its thin-film production capacity. Read more

Minnesota launches 10-year PV incentive

Monday, 12.2.2013 - 11:35 (PV-Tech)

Minnesota’s Department of Commerce has launched a PV incentive programme aimed at boosting the proportion of solar-generated electricity in the state. Read more

MNRE: Indian Solar PV installations dip to zero in October 2013

Monday, 12.2.2013 - 9:34 (Solarserver)

India's Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) reports that no new solar photovoltaic (PV) plants were commissioned in October 2013. This follows installations of roughly 100 MW per month for the previous three months. This is the second time in the last six months that new PV plants have dipped to zero, the previous time being in June 2013. Additionally, MNRE reports no off-grid PV systems smaller than 1 kW installed, but the installation of 40,000 square meters of solar water heating collectors. Read more

Solar PV, CSP represent 3.6% of Spanish electricity in November 2013

Monday, 12.2.2013 - 9:28 (Solarserver)

Solar photovoltaics (PV) provided 2.5% of Spain's electricity generation with concentrating solar power (CSP) providing another 1.1% in November 2013, according to grid operator REE. These figures show PV and CSP supplementing Spanish electricity generation even in the winter months. Over the first 11 months of the year, Spain's PV and CSP plants together represented 5.1% of electricity generation, with all renewables together at 43% of generation. Read more

U.K. Wind Turbines Generate Record Power as Gas Plants Halt

Monday, 12.2.2013 - 16:18 (Renewable Energy World)

Wind power in the U.K. rose to a record, leading operators from RWE AG to SSE Plc to halt more expensive gas-fired power generation plants. Read more

DECC announces plans to ‘streamline and improve’ Green Deal

Monday, 12.2.2013 - 17:05 (Solarpowerportal)

The Department of Energy and Climate Change has announced a range of reforms intended to ‘streamline and improve’ the flailing Green Deal. Read more

Renewable Energy Regulation: Follow the Leader

Monday, 12.2.2013 - 15:55 (Renewable Energy World)

The success of the renewable energy market is partly illustrated by the rapidly increasing number of small renewable energy systems connecting directly to the distribution grid.  For this changing market to continue to thrive, we must ensure that these systems can access the grid in a safe, efficient and cost-effective manner. And this means acknow Read more

Ocean Energy Development: Now Is Not the Time to Be Faint-hearted

Monday, 12.2.2013 - 15:33 (Renewable Energy World)

Last month the European Ocean Energy Association hosted its first conference outside Brussels at Dynamic Earth in Edinburgh. It was a great event. Read more

Government outlines plans to cut £50 from energy bills

Monday, 12.2.2013 - 11:50 (Solarpowerportal)

The Department of Energy and Climate Change has confirmed what measures it will take to reduce energy bills after the Prime Minister’s pledge to rollback ‘green levies’. Read more