The UK Smart Meter Rollout Delay: Let's Get It Right

Friday, 12.20.2013 - 15:50 (Renewable Energy World)

Earlier this year, the U.K. Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) decided to delay the smart meter rollout. Despite some early frustration, many believe it was a smart move. The government recently announced that 53 million smart meters will be rolled out by 2020, one year later than its original goal. Read more

Shunfeng pays off majority of Wuxi Suntech acquisition

Friday, 12.20.2013 - 15:06 (Solarserver)

Shunfeng Photovoltaic International Ltd. (Changzhou, China) reports that real estate magnate Cheng Kin-ming has paid USD 410 million to secure Shunfeng's acquisition of solar photovoltaic (PV) cell and module maker Wuxi Suntech (Wuxi, China). Read more

IHS: record 10GW of inverter shipments expected in Q4 2013

Friday, 12.20.2013 - 13:14 (PV-Tech)

Solar inverter shipments for the fourth quarter of 2013 are forecast to exceed 10GW for the first time, according to a new report by research firm IHS. Read more

Spire Corp. to supply test and metrology equipment to Korean PV maker

Friday, 12.20.2013 - 8:42 (Solarserver)

Spire Corp. (Bedford, Massachusetts, U.S.) has sold its Advanced Test and Metrology equipment including Simulator and Electroluminescence Test equipment to a Korean company for its solar photovoltaic (PV) module factory. Spire will provide the process and technical expertise to integrate the multiple pieces of equipment. The factory has an initial capacity to produce 100 MW of crystalline silicon PV modules annually beginning in early 2014, and through a phased production plan the company expects to expand to 400 MW. Read more

Vaisala increases focus on PV sector weather forecasting with 3TIER acquisition

Friday, 12.20.2013 - 22:58 (PV-Tech)

Having recently collaborated with IRENA to support plans for its Africa Clean Energy Corridor solar installation initiative, environmental and industrial measurement firm, 3TIER has been acquired by Vaisala for €10.7 million. Read more

SolarWorld’s restructuring reveals greater than expected losses

Friday, 12.20.2013 - 22:08 (PV-Tech)

Accounts being audited due to SolarWorld’s financial restructuring activities have revealed the company will have to make extra non-cash impairment charges of around €140 million for its 2012 fiscal year. Read more

Check Out the New Solar Happy Holidays Video from SolarEdge

Friday, 12.20.2013 - 18:15 (Renewable Energy World)

SolarEdge is at it again with a new solar-themed holiday video. Check it out below, along with some "making the video" employee reflections.     Day one started very early in the morning with the SolarEdge musical ensemble sporting solar paneled musical instruments.  The first surprise of the shoot-when SolarEdge employees found themselves pushing Read more

NPD Solarbuzz: Asia-Pacific solar PV markets to rise to 23 GW in 2014

Friday, 12.20.2013 - 15:29 (Solarserver)

NPD Solarbuzz Inc. (Santa Clara, California, U.S.) has issued a new analysis which finds that the Asia-Pacific (APAC) region will represent 50% of all new solar photovoltaic (PV) demand in 2014 at 23 GW. This will set a new record for PV installed annually within any region, and represent a 35% growth over 2012. Read more

PVA TePla lowers revenue forecast on delayed processing of solar related order

Friday, 12.20.2013 - 13:47 (PV-Tech)

Crystal-growing equipment specialist, PVA TePla, has lowered its sales forecast for the year after experiencing a delay in a PV equipment order processing. Read more

Trina Solar awarded 25MW module supply contract in Thailand

Friday, 12.20.2013 - 13:39 (PV-Tech)

Chinese manufacturer Trina Solar has been awarded a contract to supply 25MW of PV modules to the third phase of a 75MW solar power station, Bangchak Solar Energy Project, in Thailand. Read more

EDF fined US$18.4 million for anti-competitive behaviour in solar market

Friday, 12.20.2013 - 13:10 (PV-Tech)

The French competition watchdog has fined EDF €13.5 million (US$18.4 million) for anti-competitive behaviour in the solar energy market. Read more

Spanish module manufacturer Tamesol to ship 36MW to UK

Friday, 12.20.2013 - 12:23 (Solarpowerportal)

Spanish manufacturer Tamesol has announced that it will be shipping 36MW of modules to the UK for a solar farm project in Rushden, Northamptonshire. Read more

Asia-Pacific to dominate global PV installs in 2014, predicts Solarbuzz

Friday, 12.20.2013 - 11:59 (PV-Tech)

The Asia-Pacific region will account for half of all new demand for solar photovoltaic energy in 2014, according to NPD Solarbuzz. Read more

India solar: Slight fall in performance of PV plants in November 2013

Friday, 12.20.2013 - 8:45 (Solarserver)

India's Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) has released performance data for solar photovoltaic (PV) plants commissioned under phase 1 of India's National Solar Mission (NSM) in November 2013, showing a slight fall in output. Utility-scale plants under phase 1 batch 1 and phase 1 batch 2 of the JNNSM generally reported capacity utilization factors (CUFs or capacity factors) of 16-23%, with only two lower-performing plants out of 41 reporting. This is a slight drop from the 18-24% reported in October 2013, and a further decline from September 2013. Read more

First Solar supplies 48 MW of thin film solar PV to French projects

Friday, 12.20.2013 - 8:40 (Solarserver)

First Solar Inc. (Tempe, Arizona, U.S.) has announced that it will supply its cadmium telluride thin film solar photovoltaic (PV) modules to four PV plants in France with a combined capacity of 48 MW. Photosol (Paris) is the owner and developer of the four plants, which are located in the regions of Auvergne and Midi-Pyrénées. Photosol partner Jayme da Costa Energie SARL (Paris) will provide engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) services. Read more

GTM Research: Mexico to build 240 MW of solar PV in 2014

Friday, 12.20.2013 - 2:34 (Solarserver)

GTM Research (Boston, Massachusetts, U.S.) has released a new report which predicts that Mexico's new solar photovoltaic (PV) installations will quadruple to 240 MW in 2014, as the most attractive near-term market in Latin America. Read more

Geothermal Energy 2013 Year-in-Review: An Awakening Global Market

Friday, 12.20.2013 - 14:00 (Renewable Energy World)

As the thousands of people in the geothermal energy industry wrap up an exciting and challenging year, they are united by some recurring themes. Investigative geologists, problem-solving engineers, and pioneering international business leaders are some of the players who worked this year to bring together the heat of the Earth with the cities, customers, and other industries that need its unique environmental and economic benefits. Read more

Renewable Energy Provides 100% of All New US Electrical Generating Capacity in 2013

Friday, 12.20.2013 - 15:33 (Renewable Energy World)

According to the latest "Energy Infrastructure Update" report from the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission's Office of Energy Projects, solar, biomass, wind, geothermal, and hydropower "units" provided 394 MW — or 100 percent — of all new electrical generation placed in-service in November 2013. There was no new capacity during the month from natural gas, coal, oil, or nuclear power. Renewable energy sources also provided 99 percent of all new electrical generating capacity in October. Read more

Renewable Energy Provides 100% of All New US Electrical Generating Capacity in November 2013

Friday, 12.20.2013 - 15:33 (Renewable Energy World)

According to the latest "Energy Infrastructure Update" report from the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission's Office of Energy Projects, solar, biomass, wind, geothermal, and hydropower "units" provided 394 MW — or 100 percent — of all new electrical generation placed in-service in November 2013. There was no new capacity during the month from natural gas, coal, oil, or nuclear power. Renewable energy sources also provided 99 percent of all new electrical generating capacity in October. Read more

IHS: Puerto Rico energy storage requirement to boost energy storage market

Friday, 12.20.2013 - 8:48 (Solarserver)

The U.S. territory of Puerto Rico has introduced a regulation that energy storage be integrated with all new utility-scale solar photovoltaic (PV) plants on the island, which IHS Inc. (Englewood, Colorado, U.S.) says will help drive the growth of the global energy storage market. The company expects a 90% annual growth in the global market for energy storage to accompany renewable energy, to reach 1.5 GW in 2017. One factor will be other jurisdictions adopting regulations similar to Puerto Rico's. Read more