Spain announces retroactive FiT cuts

Tuesday, 2.19.2013 - 18:49 (PV-Tech)

The Spanish government has published retroactive feed-in tariffs for projects installed between 2009 and 2011. Read more

Pakistan announces FiT 100MW systems

Tuesday, 2.19.2013 - 16:31 (PV-Tech)

Pakistan?s National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (NEPRA) has announced a feed-in tariff for PV projects up to 100MW. Read more

Diehl sells photovoltaics business unit to Mutares

Tuesday, 2.19.2013 - 12:35 (Solarserver)

Diehl Controls (Wangen im Allgäu, Germany) is selling its business unit photovoltaics, which produces inverters and energy management solutions, to a subsidiary of Mutares AG (Munich, Germany) effective April 2013. Diehl expects Mutares to strategically develop the PV business, which is located in Wangen, and all 82 employees will continue working under existing contracts. Manufacturing of PV products will remain with Diehl Controls, and the company states that this is part of a refocusing on its original equipment manufacturing business. Read more

SolarCity releases residential solar leasing, PPA contracts

Tuesday, 2.19.2013 - 18:19 (Solarserver)

On February 14th, 2013, SolarCity (San Mateo, California, U.S.) announced that it has released its standard residential solar photovoltaic (PV) leasing and power purchase agreement (PPA) contracts. The company states its contracts protect consumers by insuring the solar system, roofs and property. The contracts provide system warranties, guarantees for power output, Web-based monitoring, and repair services, SolarCity emphasizes. Read more

Report finds EU tariffs could reduce solar PV market demand 30-55%

Tuesday, 2.19.2013 - 16:14 (Solarserver)

The Alliance for Affordable Solar Energy (AFASE) has released a report which finds that EU tariffs on imported Chinese solar photovoltaic (PV) products would cause negative impacts to the EU PV industry far exceeding any benefit to manufacturers. The report by Prognos AG (Basel, Switzerland) finds 218,000 EU jobs and EUR 18.4 - 27.2 billion (USD 24.6 - 36.3 billion) in value at risk. The study looks primarily at Germany, Italy, Spain, France and the UK, and concludes that 20 - 60% tariffs would reduce demand by 30 - 55%. Read more

First Solar to set up Middle East PV business unit in Dubai

Tuesday, 2.19.2013 - 16:09 (Solarserver)

First Solar Inc. (Tempe, Arizona, US) will establish its first regional office in the Middle East at a business park in Dubai, United Arab Emirates dedicated to the development of the environmental and sustainable energy industries. The announcement was made during the Solar Middle East trade show, which was held February 17-19, 2013 in Dubai. First Solar has appointed Ahmed Nada to oversee this subsidiary, as VP of business development in the Middle East. Read more

EnergySage Offers One-Stop Shopping for Solar PV

Tuesday, 2.19.2013 - 15:46 (Renewable Energy World)

What do LendingTree, Kelly Blue Book, TrueCar, and Orbitz have in common? They present a single source of standardized sales quotes to consumers. That's what EnergySage says its new online platform, launching this week, does for solar PV: comparative shopping for solar PV consumers, matching them with installers bidding for their business. Read more

Don Quixote, Chasing Unicorns and Treasure Maps in the Solar Industry

Tuesday, 2.19.2013 - 15:00 (Renewable Energy World)

After over 30 years of struggle solar industry participants cannot be blamed for viewing the lucrative feed-in-tariff incentive model as the best hope for a stable market. Focusing on the photovoltaic industry, the market (in Europe) for PV systems seemed to move overnight from megawatt levels of demand to gigawatts with many believing that terawatt shipment years were soon to come. The accompanying shortage of polysilicon led to high levels of investment in thin film technologies as well as metallurgical grade silicon, CSP and CPV technologies ? all focused on answering the cost piece of the PV conundrum. Read more

CAISO and PacifiCorp Agreement Paves Way for Lower Cost Solar Integration

Tuesday, 2.19.2013 - 15:00 (Renewable Energy World)

Solar ? and renewable energy in general ? just got a step closer to mainstream with a recent announcement that the California Independent System Operator (CAISO) and PacifiCorp, a utility serving 1.7 million customers in 6 western states, entered into a memorandum of understanding to create what's known as an Energy Imbalance Market by October 2014. Read more

New incentives to spur growth in Argentine solar sector

Tuesday, 2.19.2013 - 14:47 (PV-Tech)

Argentina?s new incentives for individual solar projects will increase its solar capacity 35-fold, it has been claimed. Read more

Conergy expands into North Africa with solar plant in Tunisia

Tuesday, 2.19.2013 - 13:57 (PV-Tech)

Conergy has expanded its operation into North Africa with its first entry in the Tunisian solar market. Read more

EU tariffs against Chinese could cost European solar industry ?27.8 billion

Tuesday, 2.19.2013 - 12:42 (PV-Tech)

The imposition of European Commission tariffs of up to 60% against Chinese manufacturers could lead to 242,000 job losses in Europe during the first year, new research claims. Read more

Report: EU anti-dumping measures could cut UK solar market by 80%

Tuesday, 2.19.2013 - 12:31 (Solarpowerportal)

The potential imposition of trade duties on Chinese-manufactured solar products in the EU could cut the UK solar market by up to 80%, new research claims. Read more

CESI reveals new lab, multi-junction solar PV cells at Middle East Electricity expo

Tuesday, 2.19.2013 - 12:30 (Solarserver)

CESI Middle East (Dubai, UAE) revealed its new high current test laboratory and its latest gallium arsenide multi-junction solar photovoltaic (PV) cells at the Middle East Electricity exhibition 2013, from February 17th-19th, 2013, in Dubai. CESI notes that its new laboratory can test up to 50,000 amps at any power frequency from 15 Hz to 65 Hz. The company describes its high concentration photovoltaic (HCPV) technology as ideally suited for the Middle East. Read more

Bosch presents new solar PV modules, solar power storage and hybrid module from aleo solar at Renewable Energy Exhibition in Lyon

Tuesday, 2.19.2013 - 12:24 (Solarserver)

Bosch Group (Stuttgart, Germany) presents new solar photovoltaic (PV) modules and solar power storage systems from its subsidiaries Bosch Solar Energy, Bosch Power Tec and aleo solar at the Renewable Energy Exhibition EnR 2013 in Lyon, France, taking place from February 19th until February 22nd. Bosch Solar Energy exhibits two new performance-optimized series of modules with innovations propelling the average module output to 260Wp for the silver c-Si M60 modules and 255Wp for the black c-Si M60S modules. Read more

Joint Forces for Solar to host first branch meeting in Saudi Arabia; more than 150 experts expected

Tuesday, 2.19.2013 - 12:18 (Solarserver)

For the first time, global networking initiative Joint Forces for Solar hosts a branch meeting in Saudi Arabia. On February 20th, 2013, more than 150 decision-makers and representatives from politics, the economy and research will discuss the future market potentials for solar energy in the MENA region. Read more

Solar systems could be offered as standard in new Texas homes

Tuesday, 2.19.2013 - 11:04 (PV-Tech)

House builders in Texas will be obliged to offer customers the option of installing a solar system in new build homes under proposed legislation. Read more

Solar Frontier financials improve in 2012

Tuesday, 2.19.2013 - 9:34 (Solarserver)

Solar Frontier K.K.'s (Tokyo, Japan) financial results improved markedly in 2012, as shown by fourth quarter and full year 2012 results released by parent company Showa Shell Sekiyu KK (Tokyo, Japan). The company's Energy Solution Business, which includes both Solar Frontier and electricity sales, achieved a 0.6% operating margin in the fourth quarter, its first positive result to date. The division's sales increased 19% to USD 834 million over the full year 2012. Read more

Panasonic, Coronal to build solar PV plants in the United States

Tuesday, 2.19.2013 - 9:21 (Solarserver)

Panasonic Eco Solutions North America (Seacaucus, New Jersey, US) has signed a multi-year agreement with Coronal Management LLC (Pasadena, California, US) to build solar photovoltaic (PV) projects from 250 kW to 20 MW in capacity in the United States and Puerto Rico. Panasonic and Coronal will build PV projects for the commercial, industrial, municipal, and small utility sectors. The companies will offer a single solution that includes financing, development, engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) as well as operations and maintenance for PV projects. Read more

Western Wind & Brookfield: Time To Declare Victory and Go Home

Tuesday, 2.19.2013 - 15:00 (Renewable Energy World)

I recently tendered my shares of Western Wind Energy (TSX-V:WND, OTC:WNDEF) to Brookfield Renewable Energy Partners' (TSX:BEP.UN, OTC: BRPFF) with an extended offer for Western Wind at C$2.60 a share. This is despite the fact that I think (and was even quoted in a Western Wind press release) Western Wind is worth more than C$2.60. Read more

BMW Taps Wind to Guard Profits in Merkel's Nuclear Switch

Tuesday, 2.19.2013 - 18:30 (Renewable Energy World)

Bayerische Motoren Werke AG will harness winds whipping across eastern Germany to secure power -- and defend profits -- as costs rise due to Germany's 550 billion-euro ($740 billion) shift away from nuclear energy. Read more

Lightsource Renewable Energy to build 0.96 MW PV plant in Devon, UK

Tuesday, 2.19.2013 - 18:24 (Solarserver)

On February 15th, 2013, Lightsource Renewable Energy Ltd. (London, England) announced that it will to build a 0.96 megawatt (MW) solar photovoltaic (PV) power plant in Devon (UK). The PV system will be built at Palfreys Barton Farm in the village of Cove near Tiverton. The PV plant is expected to generate enough solar power for around 282 households. Read more

10th Annual ACORE Conference Calls for Bipartisan Support and Continued Financial Innovation for Renewable Energy

Tuesday, 2.19.2013 - 15:00 (Renewable Energy World)

"Financing stability is tied to policy stability" said Vice Admiral Dennis McGinn, ACORE President & CEO during his closing remarks at the American Council on Renewable Energy (ACORE) tenth annual conference in Washington, D.C. during the first week of February. Read more

The Rise of Green Mobile Telecom Towers

Tuesday, 2.19.2013 - 15:00 (Renewable Energy World)

Recent developments in renewable energies might overthrow the diesel generator as the technology of choice for off-grid mobile base stations.  Renewable energy has evolved considerably over the last couple of years. So much, in fact, that solutions recently deemed to be unfeasible might now warrant a second look. Take mobile telecom operators, for Read more

Ofgem warns that energy shortfall will push up bills

Tuesday, 2.19.2013 - 14:58 (Solarpowerportal)

Ofgem has warned consumers that energy bills will rise in the immediate future due to an increased reliance on the volatile gas market. Read more

K&W Natural Energy completes 2.7MW PV project on former tar acid disposal site

Tuesday, 2.19.2013 - 14:15 (PV-Tech)

K&W Natural Energy has completed its 2.7MW solar park which has been constructed on a former tar acid disposal site in Neukirchen, Germany. Read more

IdeemaSun energy completes 2MW PV facility in Romania

Tuesday, 2.19.2013 - 12:24 (PV-Tech)

IdeemaSun energy, a Germany-based specialist in large-scale solar projects, has installed and connected a 2MW PV project in Romania. Read more

India's Power Finance Corporation reduces interest rates for renewable energy projects

Tuesday, 2.19.2013 - 9:26 (Solarserver)

Power Finance Corporation Ltd. (PFC, New Delhi, India) has reduced interest rates by 0.50% for renewable energy projects that are within the purview of the nation's Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE). The new rates take effect for all new disbursements and resets made on or after February 1st, 2013. The rate reduction follows on a Climate Policy Initiative (CPI, San Francisco, California, US) report released in December 2012 which found that high interest rates and relatively short loan terms are barriers to the development of the Indian solar market. Read more