SunPower to supply 400 kW of PV panels for American football stadium

Thursday, 2.28.2013 - 20:50 (Solarserver)

SunPower Corp. (San Jose, California, U.S.) announced that it will supply 400 kilowatts (kW) of solar photovoltaic (PV) panels for an installation at San Francisco 49ers new American football stadium in Santa Clara, California. The PV panels will be integrated in three solar array-covered bridges, a solar canopy above the green roof on the suite tower portion of the stadium and the 49ers training facility. Read more

Taiwanese PV producer Winaico opens Japan office

Thursday, 2.28.2013 - 20:42 (Solarserver)

WINAICO, a subsidiary of Win Win Precision Technology Co. Ltd. (Hsinchu County, Taiwan), announced that it has opened a new office in Tokyo, Japan. The company has appointed Loftur Thorarinsson as representative director of its Japanese office. The opening of the Japan office coincides with the start of PV EXPO 2013, where WINAICO will showcase its high-efficiency solar photovoltaic (PV) modules. Read more

Ernie Moniz: An Inspired Choice for DOE Secretary

Thursday, 2.28.2013 - 20:23 (Renewable Energy World)

Our industry should rally behind anyone who knows how to spell "photovoltaic." Especially at the DOE, which is a large, complex, slow-moving, virtually radioactive bureaucracy. Not only can Dr. Moniz spell photovoltaic, he's demonstrated the engineering, policy and management skills that it takes to succeed at the head of the DOE. And if his track record is any indication, he'll be terrific for the next stage of the solar industry's growth. Read more

Solar Photovoltaic Demand in 2012 Falls Short of 30-GW Mark

Thursday, 2.28.2013 - 18:36 (Renewable Energy World)

Solar photovoltaic (PV) demand for 2012 reached just 29.0 GW, an increase of only 5 percent year-over-year compared to 27.7 GW in 2011, according to findings within the upcoming NPD Solarbuzz Marketbuzz report. This is the first time in a decade that year-over-year market growth in the PV industry has been less than 10 percent. Read more

Order Focus: REC upgrades Singapore fab to centrotherm photovoltaics diffusion furnaces

Thursday, 2.28.2013 - 17:51 (PV-Tech)

As part of its plans to boost production at its main integrated module manufacturing plant in Singapore, REC has placed an order with centrotherm photovoltaics for its high-throughput diffusion furnaces. Read more

Fronius expands Brazil office

Thursday, 2.28.2013 - 17:14 (PV-Tech)

PV inverter supplier Fronius GmbH has opened a new subsidiary in Brazil by launching a new solar electronics division at its existing office in Diadema, in the heart of Sao Paulo. Read more

Another resignation from Sunways management board

Thursday, 2.28.2013 - 14:07 (PV-Tech)

Jörg von Strom, charged with procurement, production and supply chain management on the management board of Sunways has resigned with immediate effect. Read more

Large PV, CSP produced 4.34 TWh in the US in 2012

Thursday, 2.28.2013 - 9:53 (Solarserver)

The US Department of Energy's Energy Information Administration (EIA) has released data on electricity generation in 2012, reporting a 139% increase in generation from large solar photovoltaic (PV) and concentrating solar power (CSP) plants to 4.34 TWh. This is higher than earlier estimates of 3.28 TWh, but represents only 0.12% of demand in the nation. This figure also does not include behind-the-meter residential and commercial PV, which the EIA previously estimated at 6.74 TWh, which would bring PV and CSP to roughly 0.30% of demand. Read more

Solar3D files international patent application for 3-dimensional PV cell

Thursday, 2.28.2013 - 20:47 (Solarserver)

On February 26th, 2013 Solar3D Inc. (Santa Barbara, California, U.S.), developer of a 3-dimensional solar photovoltaic (PV) cell technology, announced that it has filed an international Patent Cooperation Treaty application for its next generation PV cell design and methods of fabrication in the United States. Read more

Amonix, Solar Junction Plot CPV Efficiency Gains, Lower Costs

Thursday, 2.28.2013 - 19:58 (Renewable Energy World)

The two current record-holders in concentrated solar PV (CPV) cell and module technology hope that combining efforts will boost performance, and lower costs, to finally fulfill CPV's promise of lower levelized cost of electricity (LCOE) compared with other solar technologies. Read more

Wagner Solar hires new Managing Director

Thursday, 2.28.2013 - 18:49 (Solarpowerportal)

Solar power and heating supplier Wagner Solar has promoted Mark Osborne as Managing Director for operations and business development of the company?s UK branch. Read more

Marston Solar Farm beats year one yield predictions

Thursday, 2.28.2013 - 18:36 (Solarpowerportal)

Marston Solar Farm has generated 6% more electricity than it was initially predicted despite the wettest year on record. Read more

Solaria Energia and AB Group to set up JV in Saudi Arabia

Thursday, 2.28.2013 - 18:33 (PV-Tech)

Spanish PV developer Solaria Energia y Medio Ambiente has inked a collaboration agreement with Saudi Arabian business conglomerate AB Group in order to establish a joint venture in Saudi Arabia. Read more

Solar shakeout: Bekaert takes ?117 million charge on restructuring PV wire sawing business

Thursday, 2.28.2013 - 18:10 (PV-Tech)

Bekaert said in its 2012 annual report that it had taken a ?117 million (US$153 million) charge on restructuring its solar wafer wire sawing business. Read more

Viewpoint: Solar Energy Finance 2013 ? Beyond Traditional Tax Equity

Thursday, 2.28.2013 - 17:35 (Renewable Energy World)

What will solar energy finance in the U.S. look like in 2013? Read more

Shell Sees Solar as Biggest Energy Source After Exiting It

Thursday, 2.28.2013 - 16:46 (Renewable Energy World)

Royal Dutch Shell Plc says solar power, a business it abandoned four years ago, may expand into the world's biggest source of energy in the next half century. Read more

IPVEA and SASIA join forces to promote PV in the MENA region

Thursday, 2.28.2013 - 16:16 (PV-Tech)

The International PV Equipment Association (IPVEA) and the Saudi Arabia Solar Industry Association (SASIA) have entered into a mutual co-operation agreement in order to promote the benefits of PV in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region which is forecast to grow to 3.5GW by 2015. Read more

Japanese solar PV market booms, led by utility-scale PV

Thursday, 2.28.2013 - 15:55 (Solarserver)

The Japanese Photovoltaic Energy Association (JPEA) has reported 1.00 GW of domestic shipments of solar cells and PV modules in the nation in October through December 2012, including 341 MW of imports. At 34% this is a slightly higher level of imports than the previous quarter, and reveals the ongoing opening of the Japanese market to foreign manufacturers. Overall demand represents a 247% growth over the prior year and a 59% growth over the previous quarter. Read more

TGC Renewables seeks planning permission for 13MW UK solar park

Thursday, 2.28.2013 - 15:23 (PV-Tech)

TGC Renewables, an independent renewable energy project developer, is seeking planning permission for its proposed 13MW solar park in Cambridgeshire, UK. Read more

Solar lanterns on the verge of mainstream acceptance in Africa

Thursday, 2.28.2013 - 15:03 (Solarpowerportal)

Solar lanterns are capable of emulating the likes of Coca-Cola and mobile phone companies by finding a route to mass markets in Africa, according to UK-based charity SolarAid. Read more

Solar Trade War: EU wants deal with China before 7 June

Thursday, 2.28.2013 - 13:58 (PV-Tech)

Deadlines for China to come to terms with the EU over anti-dumping charges before possible duties are imposed have been set for early June, according to a report from Reuters. Read more

Hareon Solar plans PV factory and solar parks in southern Mexico

Thursday, 2.28.2013 - 13:09 (PV-Tech)

Chinese solar manufacturer Hareon Solar has announced an initial investment of US$50 million for projects in Mexico, claim media reports. Read more

Solar sales at BTU International remain in winter mode

Thursday, 2.28.2013 - 12:59 (PV-Tech)

The ?solar winter endures? at PV equipment supplier BTU International, opined Paul J. van der Wansem, BTU Chairman and CEO, in a conference call that garnered no financial analyst questions. Read more

RHC: Renewables can meet all EU heat demand by 2040

Thursday, 2.28.2013 - 12:44 (Solarserver)

The European Technology Platform on Renewable Heating and Cooling (RHC) states that renewable technologies could meet over 25% of heat demand in the EU by 2020 and 100% by 2040, in a new document on the potential for technological development. ?Strategic Research Priorities? identifies solar heating and cooling as the renewable heat technology with potential for the fastest growth. RHC argues that innovation must be intensified to realize this potential, and the agency calls for an increase in research and development (R&D) activities and budgets. Read more

Ernst & Young: Capacity auctions preferred mode of adding renewables

Thursday, 2.28.2013 - 12:37 (Solarserver)

In the latest quarterly edition of its ?Renewable energy country attractiveness indices? report, Ernst & Young (London, UK) states that capacity auctions and other concession-based approaches are becoming an increasingly preferred mechanism to deploy renewables. The United States takes first place in the company's Solar Index, including the highest ranking for concentrating solar power (CSP), with China and India tied for second place in the Solar Index. The report also notes increasing geographical diversification of renewable deployment and the role of emerging markets including South Africa, Morocco and Chile. Read more

Steven Chu?s final remarks

Thursday, 2.28.2013 - 12:30 (PV-Tech)

In his final remarks as energy secretary, as reported last week, Steven Chu said that solar electricity would reach grid parity with any other form of energy within a decade and that utility companies would need to develop new business models to adapt to demand for PV. Read more

EU to impose mandatory registration of Chinese solar goods

Thursday, 2.28.2013 - 11:38 (Solarpowerportal)

The European Union is set to publish a Commission Regulation that will impose the mandatory registration of all imports of solar modules, cells and wafers that originated in China. Read more

Indian state Kerala targets 1,500MW by 2030

Thursday, 2.28.2013 - 11:36 (PV-Tech)

The government of Kerala, India, has released a draft solar policy, effective 1 April 2013, having set itself a target of 500MW to be achieved by 2017 and 1,500MW by 2030. Read more

Concentrating solar power: Masdar to inaugurate Shams 1 plant on March 17th, 2013

Thursday, 2.28.2013 - 9:54 (Solarserver)

Masdar (Abu Dhabi, UAE) has revealed that the Shams 1 concentrating solar power (CSP) plant will be inaugurated and commissioned on March 17th, 2013. At 100 MW, Shams 1 will be the first full-size pure CSP plant in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region. Hybrid natural gas/CSP plants have been built in Egypt, Algeria and Morocco, but these have much smaller CSP components. Read more

Activ Solar commissions 29 MW PV plant in Ukraine

Thursday, 2.28.2013 - 9:43 (Solarserver)

Activ Solar GmbH (Vienna, Austria) has begun commissioning the 29.3 MW Voznesensk solar photovoltaic (PV) plant in Ukraine's Mykolaiv Oblast. Mykolaiv is the third region in the Ukraine where Activ Solar has built PV plants. The plant is comprised of more than 15% Ukrainian materials, technologies and equipment, in accordance with local content requirements. Read more

Can the US Still Meet Its 2022 Biofuels Targets?

Thursday, 2.28.2013 - 15:49 (Renewable Energy World)

In Washington, the US Energy Information Administration released a map and commentary on its website this week ? indicating the spread of commercial-scale cellulosic biofuels, while cautioning that "EIA's forecasts and projections to date have proven to be too optimistic, as volumes have been below expectations." Read more

Cape Wind: Regulation, Litigation and the Struggle to Develop Offshore Wind Power in the U.S.

Thursday, 2.28.2013 - 15:00 (Renewable Energy World)

In 2001, Jim Gordon, a well-heeled developer of natural gas plants in New England, took up a long-discussed but never-pursued idea that advocates said would usher in a new era of clean energy in America: an ocean-based wind farm off the shores of Cape Cod. Read more

India Budget Revives Wind Subsidy, Introduces Low-Cost Loans

Thursday, 2.28.2013 - 14:00 (Renewable Energy World)

India today reintroduced a subsidy for wind farms and announced low-cost loans for clean energy generators in its budget for the year starting April 1. Read more

Lightsource Renewable Energy purchases 9.6MW project in Cornwall

Thursday, 2.28.2013 - 18:38 (Solarpowerportal)

Solar energy generator Lightsource Renewable Energy has purchased two solar parks totalling 9.6MW from Germany-based project developer Wirsol. Read more

Stepnell investment to create new jobs at EvoEnergy

Thursday, 2.28.2013 - 14:23 (Solarpowerportal)

Nottingham-based renewable installer, EvoEnergy, has announced that it has secured investment from UK construction and civil engineering company, Stepnell. Read more

Clenergy delivers mounting system for 20MW PV project in China

Thursday, 2.28.2013 - 13:54 (PV-Tech)

Clenergy, a manufacturer of mounting systems, has won an order to deliver its mounting system for installation at a 20MW solar project in Awati, Xinjiang Aksu, China. Read more

California governor green-lights 750MW PV project for fast-track review

Thursday, 2.28.2013 - 13:02 (PV-Tech)

Governor of California Edmund Brown has signed a certificate which confirms that the proposed 750MW McCoy Solar Project complies with the Jobs and Economic Improvement Act of 2011, enabling the project to be fast-tracked for a judicial and legislative review. Read more