Bondholders working with Suntech urge others to join talks

Friday, 3.15.2013 - 23:47 (PV-Tech)

An ad hoc group of bondholders that together own more than 63% of Suntech Power Holdings overdue US$541 million convertible note have urged the remaining bondholders to join them in talks with the PV module manufacturer to restructure the loan. Read more

PVMC and NREL join forces to improve thin film manufacturing

Friday, 3.15.2013 - 15:11 (PV-Tech)

The New York-based US Photovoltaic Manufacturing Consortium (PVMC) has formed a partnership with the Department of Energy?s National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) to improve manufacturing processes for thin film CIGS PV cells and modules. Read more

Suntech Plunges As Reckoning Day Comes

Friday, 3.15.2013 - 15:10 (Renewable Energy World)

I rarely write about the same company 3 times in a single week, but in this case the developments are coming so quickly at plunging solar panel pioneer Suntech (NYSE: STP) that an update to this fast developing story is really necessary. Company watchers will know that today, Friday, is the official deadline for Suntech to repay some $540 million i Read more

Suntech defaults on US$541 million bond; shares plummet

Friday, 3.15.2013 - 12:40 (PV-Tech)

Suntech Power Holdings officially said for the first time that it would not pay holders of its US$541 million convertible bonds due today. Read more

ReneSola shipments, revenues exceed expectations in Q4 2012

Friday, 3.15.2013 - 9:12 (Solarserver)

ReneSola Ltd. (Jiashan, China) has released financial results for the fourth quarter of 2012, reporting a 63% year-over-year increase in revenues to USD 306 million, a -7.8% operating margin, and a net loss of USD 49.8 million. ReneSola exceeded its guidance, shipping 713 MW of silicon wafers and solar photovoltaic (PV) modules during the quarter. The company also reduced its polysilicon production by 72% during the quarter due to an upgrade, producing only 327 metric tons. Read more

GCL-Poly posts significant loss from polysilicon and solar wafer sales

Friday, 3.15.2013 - 17:02 (PV-Tech)

GCL-Poly Energy Holdings reported around a US$432 million loss from its solar materials business in 2012, which includes polysilicon and solar wafers. Read more

London solar projects could benefit from better market rates

Friday, 3.15.2013 - 15:15 (Solarpowerportal)

London-based solar installations could soon benefit from selling electricity at a higher market rate following London?s application for a ?Licence Lite?. Read more

Chilean Solar Center begins research

Friday, 3.15.2013 - 14:38 (Solarserver)

The Chilean Solar Energy Research Center (SERC-Chile) has begun research on solar energy development in the region of Antofagasta. Resarch will be performed in six research lines assigned to each of the colleges that make up the center: solar energy industry / mining, high power electrical systems with penetration of solar energy systems, solar power coordination for rural communities and urban, solar energy storage, solar water treatment, and economic, social and regulatory development of solar energy. Read more

Solar wafer producer 1366 Technologies adds Yasheng Huang to board of directors

Friday, 3.15.2013 - 14:34 (Solarserver)

On March 13th, 2013, 1366 Technologies (Bedford, Massachusetts, US) announced that it has appointed China expert and MIT Sloan School of Management Professor Yasheng Huang to the company's board of directors. In January 2013 the company opened a new production facility based on its Direct Wafer technology in the US state of Massachusetts, with the ability to reach up to 25 MW of annual production capacity. Read more

ReneSola sold out until July; posts record quarterly results

Friday, 3.15.2013 - 14:23 (PV-Tech)

China-based solar wafer and module manufacturer ReneSola has revealed it is sold out of modules until June 2013 as it reported record quarterly and annual shipment results. Read more

BioSolar receives first commercial order for BioBacksheets

Friday, 3.15.2013 - 14:02 (Solarserver)

BioSolar Inc. (Santa Clarita, California, US) has received its first commercial order for its BioBacksheet product, for use in the manufacture of specialty solar photovoltaic (PV) modules for electric utility vehicles. BioSolar states that the customer's PV modules are lightweight, feature high-power-to-weight ratios, and are highly durable in customizable shapes and sizes. The company states that it anticipates further orders by makers of PV modules for military and other mobile applications. Read more

Solar Amplified, Benefits Maximized

Friday, 3.15.2013 - 14:00 (Renewable Energy World)

Cloud cover and inconsistent winds are natural assumptions when it comes to integrating renewable energy. Their variable and non-dispatchable nature requires utilities to take a number of precautions when integrating some types of renewable energy. Utilities take precautions because they are required to ensure the safety, reliability and power qual Read more

REC Solar installs 3.5MW of PV for Arizona schools

Friday, 3.15.2013 - 13:57 (PV-Tech)

REC Solar, a solar power developer and a subsidiary of Mainstream Energy Corporation, has developed and installed 3.5MW of PV capacity for 12 public schools in Arizona, US. Read more

Uncertainty looms over JNNSM Phase II bids

Friday, 3.15.2013 - 13:48 (PV-Tech)

The Indian government is considering postponing bids for the second phase of the Jawaharlal Nehru National Solar Mission (JNNSM) to the end of April or beginning of May. Read more

Abengoa and BrightSource join forces on 500MW solar plant in California

Friday, 3.15.2013 - 13:12 (PV-Tech)

Spanish energy developer Abengoa and the concentrating solar specialist BrightSource Energy have inked a partnership to construct and operate a 500MW solar tower project in California. Read more

Sonnedix completes 9.5 MW solar PV plant in Thailand

Friday, 3.15.2013 - 12:44 (Solarserver)

Sonnedix BV (Amsterdam, The Netherlands) has completed a 9.5 MW solar photovoltaic (PV) plant in Northern Thailand, which brings the company to over 100 MW of operating PV capacity. Assyce Fotovoltaica SL (Padul, Spain) and Ch. Karnchang Group (Bangkok, Thailand) constructed the plant in Chiang Rai using 41,000 REC PV modules and 16 ABB inverters. Krung Thai Bank (Bangkok, Thailand) provided long-term bank debt financing. Read more

Aquatherm's Ultrasun sets efficiency record for unglazed solar thermal pool collectors

Friday, 3.15.2013 - 12:39 (Solarserver)

Aquatherm Industries Inc.'s (Lakewood, New Jersey, US) Ultrasun solar pool heating collector has achieved a performance rating of over 92% on the intercept efficiency curve, a world record for unglazed solar pool collectors. The collector achieved this rating during a test by TÜV Rheinland PTL (Tempe, Arizona, US) to ISO standard 9806. The collector has been certified by the International Association of Plumbing & Mechanical Officials (IAPMO). Read more

SRECTrade releases results of March 2013 auction

Friday, 3.15.2013 - 12:35 (Solarserver)

SRECTrade (San Francisco, California, US) has held its March 2013 solar renewable energy credit (SREC) auction, reporting clearing prices between USD 5.99 for Ohio Out-of-State SRECs and USD 386 for 2012 Washington DC SRECs. The auction closed on February 28th, 2013 and included SRECs from seven states and Washington DC. Prices for Massachusetts and New Jersey SRECs increased, with Maryland SREC prices falling. Read more

Government of Uruguay inaugurates country?s first solar power plant

Friday, 3.15.2013 - 12:06 (PV-Tech)

The government of Uruguay will celebrate the country?s first solar power plant at an inauguration ceremony due to be held later today. Read more

Mexico to promote rooftop solar PV for rural communities

Friday, 3.15.2013 - 11:23 (PV-Tech)

The lower house of the Mexican government has approved amendments to the country?s renewable energy bill aimed at promoting rooftop PV at public schools. Read more

France launches 400 MW tender for large solar PV plants

Friday, 3.15.2013 - 9:18 (Solarserver)

The French Ministry of Energy, Ecology & Sustainable Development has announced the launch of a tender for 400 MW of solar photovoltaic (PV) plants 250 kW and larger. The tender is part of a doubling of French PV targets to 1 GW of annual installations, and follows on two tenders for PV plants smaller than 250 kW. The tender will favor PV plants developed on sites with degraded sites including brownfields. Read more

California solar PV, CSP generation reaches 1.65 GW on March 10th

Friday, 3.15.2013 - 9:08 (Solarserver)

Data from the California Independent System Operator (ISO, Folsom, California, US) shows that on March 10th, 2013, solar photovoltaic (PV) plants in the state produced a peak of more than 1.4 GW of electricity between 1 PM and 3 PM. Concentrating solar power (CSP) plants also supplied up to 273 MW of electricity, peaking between 5 PM and 6 PM. Combined PV and CSP generation reached a peak of 1.65 GW between 1 PM and 2 PM. Read more

Obama calls for $2bn from oil and gas revenues to fund clean energy research

Friday, 3.15.2013 - 21:46 (PV-Tech)

President Barack Obama today called on Congress to direct $2bn in revenues generated by oil and gas development into clean energy research as part of a strategy that aims to double renewable electricity generation by 2020. Read more

Big Oil's 100-Year Incentive Birthday Bash Hosted by...Biofuels?

Friday, 3.15.2013 - 19:56 (Renewable Energy World)

Happy birthday, Big Oil! A group gathered in Washington D.C. this week to celebrate 100 years of tax subsidies for the oil industry ? but attendees certainly weren?t oil-industry insiders ? quite the opposite, in fact. The party consisted of more than 50 members of the American Coalition of Ethanol (ACE) and the Iowa Renewable Fuels Association (IR Read more

Geothermal Industry in Uganda Reaching Out to Developed Markets

Friday, 3.15.2013 - 13:00 (Renewable Energy World)

U.S. geothermal companies are beginning to see East Africa as an area for industry activity that is fruitful in almost every sense: enormous geothermal resource potential, areas in need of significant energy infrastructure development, and increased demand for U.S. expertise at the local level. Read more

For Renewable Energy, Hands-on Learning Can't Be Beat

Friday, 3.15.2013 - 20:16 (Renewable Energy World)

I?m a reader.  I love sitting down with a great book or an in-depth report full of charts and graphs and really digging in.  SEIA and GTM Research just released their Solar Market Insight Report with staggering figures about solar installations in the U.S. in 2012. If you, like me, love to learn about the global growth of renewable energy, you shou Read more

US Senators Urge Wind PTC Clarification, But Is It Time To Look Beyond?

Friday, 3.15.2013 - 18:51 (Renewable Energy World)

A bipartisan group of US Senators, led by Michael Bennet (D-CO) and Jerry Moran (R-KS), have sent an open letter to the US Treasury and IRS asking them to speed up their clarification of new language in the renewable energy production tax credit (PTC). Read more

Microgrids by Mail Can Contribute to Rural Electrification

Friday, 3.15.2013 - 14:00 (Renewable Energy World)

With policy focus, creative use of technology, and good management, minigrids can deliver 100 percent electrification for the ~1.5 billion mostly rural people worldwide ? affordably, without global warming emissions, and within ten years. In urban deployments, renewables-powered minigrids will de-stress the electricity infrastructure. A whole new business is poised to launch. The time to begin is now. Read more

U.K. Offers Renewables Support Ahead of Reforms to Stem Delays

Friday, 3.15.2013 - 14:00 (Renewable Energy World)

Britain will offer renewable energy developers contracts for the power they generate ahead of electricity market reforms due to go into force next year to avoid delays that may threaten the U.K.'s low-carbon ambitions. Read more

A Safe Haven in a Carbon Price Storm: Securing Value with Voluntary Offsets

Friday, 3.15.2013 - 13:00 (Renewable Energy World)

Voluntary emission reductions (VERs) focus on sustainability rather than just carbon reduction and allow renewables projects to produce truly game-changing results. So says Tom Morton of ClimateCare, a developer and marketer of this type of offset internationally. 'It's important to intervene early in a country's development to introduce sustainable, low-carbon practice rather than wait until unsustainable practices develop,' he said, suggesting that, for example, micro-renewable energy technology funded by VERs could avoid the need for a centralised grid fuelled by large-scale coal. Read more

Obama to Press Congress on $2 Billion Clean Energy Research Fund

Friday, 3.15.2013 - 13:00 (Renewable Energy World)

President Barack Obama is pressing Congress to create a $2 billion clean-energy research fund with fees paid by oil and gas producers to help lower U.S. dependence on oil. Read more