PV inverter producer Mastervolt closes sales office in Germany due to consolidation

Friday, 2.1.2013 - 19:17 (Solarserver)

Solar photovoltaic (PV) inverter manufacturer Mastervolt International BV (Amsterdam, Netherlands) is carrying out an organizational consolidation affecting Germany and Italy. Mastervolt henceforth will provide sales and service activities for Germany from its headquarter office in Amsterdam. Italian customers will still be served via the distributor Mastervolt Italia Srl. The local sales offices in Cologne (Germany) and Gallarate (Italy) will be closed by the end of February, 2013. Read more

Ontario's Small FIT Application Process: How Was It for Developers?

Friday, 2.1.2013 - 16:31 (Renewable Energy World)

The window for small FIT applications in Ontario closed on January 18th and this week we asked David Cork, Vice President of Sales and Marketing at iSolara, about how the process went and the next steps for Ontario?s solar industry. Canadian Clean: How did the application process for the Small FIT go ? what were the challenges, was it more simplifi Read more

New Mexico Solar Deal Details Point to Parity -- and Pain

Friday, 2.1.2013 - 21:00 (Renewable Energy World)

Unusually public details about a newly signed solar project deal in New Mexico raise some interesting questions about the purchasing power of solar energy, how close it's getting to grid parity -- and just how much pressure is on upstream suppliers to fulfill that objective. Read more

PanelClaw unveils new ground solar PV mounting system; names general manager of North America ground mount business unit

Friday, 2.1.2013 - 19:30 (Solarserver)

On January 30th, 2013, PanelClaw (North Andover, Massachusetts, US) announced that it has introduced Sun Bear, a new penetrating ground-mount system for large-scale solar photovoltaic (PV) plants. The new product features simplified construction, including pre-assembled components and zero loose fasteners, the company states. Read more

SolarCity installs 2.3MW of PV capacity for Californian school district

Friday, 2.1.2013 - 16:28 (PV-Tech)

US energy provider SolarCity has installed PV systems with a total capacity of 2.3MW at all 19 district schools and a district support centre which make up the Murrieta Valley Unified School District in California. Read more

#SolarChat LIVE at PV America East to Benefit Heather Andrews Scholarship Fund

Friday, 2.1.2013 - 16:00 (Renewable Energy World)

Step away from your TweetDeck, because the next #SolarChat will be held live at PV America East on Wednesday evening, February 6, in Philadelphia, PA. This forum will offer a unique opportunity for solar experts and enthusiasts to network and meet-and-greet industry mavens and colleagues at the Field House Sports and Beer Hall inside the PA Convent Read more

TSMC Solar touts new CIGS thin-film module efficiency

Friday, 2.1.2013 - 15:47 (PV-Tech)

CIGS thin-film module manufacturer, TSMC Solar has boosted its champion module efficiencies to 15.1%, a 0.9% increase barely five-months after reporting efficiencies of 14.2% in September, 2012. Read more

DelSolar claims to be first Taiwan producer to gain 1000 volt UL certification

Friday, 2.1.2013 - 15:43 (PV-Tech)

Taiwan-based module manufacturer, DelSolar has received 1000V UL certification for a range of its modules, the first to do so as a Taiwanese producer, according to the company. Read more

LDK, Canadian Solar Get New Loans in China

Friday, 2.1.2013 - 15:41 (Renewable Energy World)

A couple of items from the struggling solar panel sector are showing how the industry is limping forward, receiving minor rescue loans to continue funding operations while manufacturers await a bigger rescue package from Beijing. I can only guess that the bigger package, which has been talked about for much of the last half year, will finally be ro Read more

Nationwide Solar to fit 1,000 homes across South Wales with PV

Friday, 2.1.2013 - 15:03 (Solarpowerportal)

One thousand council homes across Rhondda Cynon Taf Council in South Wales will benefit from the installation of solar PV in a bid to reduce the region?s fuel poverty numbers. Read more

1366 Technologies Opens New Factory, Paves Road to Cheaper Solar PV

Friday, 2.1.2013 - 15:00 (Renewable Energy World)

Continuing the crusade to lower solar manufacturing costs, this week 1366 Technologies officially opened its new manufacturing site in Bedford, Mass., a 42,000 square foot facility with 25-megawatt capacity. The site just across the road from fellow solar company Spire, is part of the company's ambitious plans to remove a major chunk of costs and processes out of the solar manufacturing chain, beginning at the very start of the process: the wafer itself. Read more

First Solar acquires 50MW New Mexico plant

Friday, 2.1.2013 - 12:58 (PV-Tech)

Thin-film manufacturer First Solar has announced the acquisition of the 50MW Macho Springs Solar project from developer Element Power in Luna County. Read more

China increases solar target by 67% ? yet again

Friday, 2.1.2013 - 12:24 (PV-Tech)

For the fourth time in two years China has increased its solar energy target from 21GW by 2015 to 35GW. Read more

Cencorp acquires Sunweb solar PV module business, plans Finnish PV manufacturing

Friday, 2.1.2013 - 12:24 (Solarserver)

Cencorp Corporation (Virkkala, Finland) has completed the acquisition of Sunweb Solar Energy Holding BV's (Geldorp, The Netherlands) solar photovoltaic (PV) module business, for a price of EUR 930,000 (USD 1.3 million). The purchase includes Sunweb's pilot PV production line, the Sunweb trademark, as well as patents and other intellectual property rights. Cencorp states that the acquisition strengthens its plans to develop PV module manufacturing in Finland. Read more

NPD Solarbuzz: PV modules not yet fully commoditized

Friday, 2.1.2013 - 12:18 (Solarserver)

NPD Solarbuzz Senior Analyst Michael Barker has published an analysis of the global solar photovoltaic (PV) market which looks at the variation in PV module prices, with variations by technology, origin, brand and other factors. Barker notes that while true technology differentiation has been minimal in the crystalline silicon PV module space over the past few years, some manufacturers have been successful in commanding premium pricing during 2012 based on perceptions of brand quality. He notes that such differentiation is stronger in the thin film space. Read more

Magnolia Solar makes progress with AR coatings

Friday, 2.1.2013 - 12:13 (Solarserver)

Magnolia Solar Corporation (Albany, New York, U.S.) reports achieving high-quality 6-inch growth of nanostructured anti-reflective coatings on glass for solar photovoltaic (PV) cell applications. The company describes this as an important step in bringing its technology closer to commercial solar photovoltaic (PV) market viability. Magnolia Solar notes that it is currently working with the College of Nanoscale Science and Engineering (CNSE) at the University of Albany through its research and development center to further improve its process. Read more

SunEdison to build 100 MW solar PV plant for Chilean mining company

Friday, 2.1.2013 - 10:11 (Solarserver)

SunEdison LLC (Beltsville, Maryland, US) has signed an agreement with mining and steel company CAP SA (Santiago, Chile) to build a 100 MW solar photovoltaic (PV) plant in Chile's Atacama Desert. The plant will comprise more than 300,000 MEMC Silvantis monocrystalline PV modules mounted on SunEdison trackers, and produce an estimated 15% of the CAP Group's energy needs. SunEdison expects to complete the first phase of the plant by the end of 2013. Read more

Kyocera's solar business booms

Friday, 2.1.2013 - 10:04 (Solarserver)

Revenues in Kyocera Corporation's (Kyoto, Japan) Applied Ceramics Group, which includes its solar photovoltaic (PV) business, increased 2.3% to EUR to USD 1.49 billion in the nine months ending December 31st, 2012. The company credits growth in its solar energy business, and notes that operating profit for this division increased. While PV demand was focused in Japan, European PV sales actually fell. Read more

MEMC, Flextronics reach 1 million solar PV modules produced in Malaysia

Friday, 2.1.2013 - 9:59 (Solarserver)

On January 29th, 2013 MEMC Electronic Materials Inc.'s (St. Peters, Missouri, US) Singapore subsidiary celebrated the production of its one-millionth MEMC Silvantis solar photovoltaics (PV) module at a Flextronics facility in Malaysia. Flextronics began manufacturing PV modules for MEMC at its facility in Port of Tanjung Pelepas, Malaysia in May 2011, following the establishment of a strategic relationship between the two companies. These modules have been installed globally in commercial and utility-scale PV installations by MEMC's SunEdison subsidiary. Read more

Regulators Working to Fix Scam-Ridden U.S. Biofuel Program

Friday, 2.1.2013 - 14:00 (Renewable Energy World)

The Environmental Protection Agency is proposing rules to expand the use of renewable fuels and thwart scams in a program hit by fraud and facing increasing criticisms from U.S. refiners. Read more

GE Sees U.S. Wind PTC Tempering Slump in Turbine Demand

Friday, 2.1.2013 - 15:00 (Renewable Energy World)

The extension of a U.S. wind-power tax credit will temper a plunge in demand for turbines over the next two years, according to the chief of General Electric Co.'s renewable energy unit. Read more

Norway May Boost Hydro Output 12% by 2020, Survey Shows

Friday, 2.1.2013 - 16:30 (Renewable Energy World)

Norway, Europe's biggest producer of hydropower, may increase annual production by 12 percent through 2020 as the country strives to meet EU targets for higher renewable energy output, an investor survey showed. Read more

End of an era: Dr. Steven Chu to step down as US Energy Secretary

Friday, 2.1.2013 - 19:49 (Solarserver)

On February 1st, 2013 Dr. Steven Chu announced that he will not serve a second term as head of US Department of Energy. Dr. Chu plans to remain as Energy Secretary past the ARPA-E Summit on February 25th-27th, 2013, and may remain longer to allow for a new Secretary to be chosen. Read more

NREL seeks applications for National Executive Energy Academy

Friday, 2.1.2013 - 19:36 (Solarserver)

On January 30th, 2013, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) announced that applications are currently being accepted for the DOE's National Renewable Energy Laboratory's (NREL) 2013 Executive Energy Leadership Academy. The Executive Energy Leadership Academy, also known as Energy Execs, is a leadership program for non-technical decision-makers throughout the country to learn about renewable energy and energy efficiency technologies, analytical tools and financing. Read more

US DOE announces funding for data-driven projects through SunShot Initiative

Friday, 2.1.2013 - 19:22 (Solarserver)

On January 30th, 2013 the US Department of Energy (DOE) announced USD 9 million in funding for seven new projects through its SunShot Initiative which focus on using data and analytical tools in new ways. This includes USD 7 million to research teams led by Sandia National Laboratories, the DOE's National Renewable Energy Laboratories (NREL), Yale University and the University of Texas - Austin to partner with public and private actors to apply statistical and computational tools to solve industry problems. Read more

Secretary Steven Chu Announces Departure, Accomplishments in a Letter to Energy Department Employees

Friday, 2.1.2013 - 18:54 (Renewable Energy World)

Energy Secretary Steven Chu announced his departure from Department of Energy (DOE) today in a letter addressed to DOE employees. He highlights the many DOE accomplishments over the past four years, with a heavy emphasis on renewable energy developments, energy efficiency and addressing climate change. Read the entire letter below: Read more

The 2013 Renewable Fuel Standard: A 10-Minute Guide

Friday, 2.1.2013 - 17:32 (Renewable Energy World)

In Washington, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issued its proposed 2013 Renewable Fuel Standards (RFS2).??The proposal will be open for a 45-day public comment period and EPA will consider feedback from a range of stakeholders before the proposal is finalized. Read more

Obama's Inaugural Invitation: Will Renewable Energy Leaders Respond?

Friday, 2.1.2013 - 15:00 (Renewable Energy World)

President Obama surprised a lot of people by elevating the climate threat into the top tier of his second-term priorities during his recent inaugural address: Read more

Shifting into a Higher Clean Energy Gear ? New Training Safeguards Aligned with Jobs

Friday, 2.1.2013 - 13:00 (Renewable Energy World)

Welcome to the confusing and somewhat chaotic world of credentialing! Last month, the result of a marathon endeavor, the Interstate Renewable Energy Council (IREC) reached two national milestones in our commitment to credentialing in renewable energy and energy efficiency. Our goal ? standardized quality training matched with employer needs ? train Read more