Dominion acquires 7.7 MW PV project in Georgia

Tuesday, 3.5.2013 - 17:07 (Solarserver)

On March 1st, 2013, Dominion (Richmond, Virginia, U.S.) announced that it has acquired a 7.7 MW solar photovoltaic (PV) power project in Georgia from Smart Energy Capital and Jacoby Development. The newly-acquired Azalea solar plant is being constructed near Augusta in east-central Georgia. The 40-acre project is located on 100 acres of farm and forest land about 60 miles southwest of Augusta. Read more

Report looks at future technical, market changes needed under Germany's Energiewende

Tuesday, 3.5.2013 - 9:18 (Solarserver)

Agora Energiewende (Berlin, Germany) has published a paper examining the future of Germany's transition to renewable energy (Energiewende), which stresses the central role of wind and solar photovoltaic (PV) generation. Among its multiple conclusions, ?12 Insights on Germany's Energiewende? states that base-load power plants will disappear altogether. Agora also argues that a new Energiewende power market will be required. Read more

EU registration rule on Chinese solar products prompts cancelled UK orders

Tuesday, 3.5.2013 - 18:01 (Solarpowerportal)

UK solar suppliers are facing cancelled orders because of European Commission moves to require the registration of all solar products imported from China. Read more

Welspun Energy completes financing for India?s ?largest? solar project

Tuesday, 3.5.2013 - 17:58 (PV-Tech)

Indian solar project developer Welspun Energy has closed a 130MW deal in Mandsaur, a district in Madhya Pradesh, having obtained financing of Rs.885 crores (US$161 million). Read more

Signal Energy named EPC contractor for Nevada solar farm

Tuesday, 3.5.2013 - 17:55 (PV-Tech)

US construction firm Signal Energy has been chosen to provide EPC services for a solar farm in Clark County, Nevada. Read more

Mandatory registration for Chinese solar imports to Europe

Tuesday, 3.5.2013 - 17:06 (PV-Tech)

The European Commission has initiated the registration of all solar products imported from China with immediate effect. Read more

Chevron plans concentrating solar power plant for process heat at Hawaii refinery

Tuesday, 3.5.2013 - 17:02 (Solarserver)

Chevron USA Inc. will to construct and operate a concentrating solar thermal power plant (CSP) at the Chevron Kapolei Refinery in Oahu, Hawaii, the company reports. The project will be utilized to offset burning of fossil fuels used to generate heat and steam for internal use. Read more

Mainstream Entertainment announces acquisition of solar installer First Power and Light

Tuesday, 3.5.2013 - 16:54 (Solarserver)

Mainstream Entertainment Inc. (Bridgeport, Pennsylvania, U.S.) is planning to acquire First Power and Light LLC. "First Power is a fast-growth solar installation firm that will bring a banner year for Mainstream. The number and quality of First Power's contracts, which are part of the acquisition, is impressive," National Sales Director Lindsay Hertzog stated. Read more

Innotech Solar: Anticipation of anti-dumping duties triggers growing demand for European PV modules from wholesalers and project planners

Tuesday, 3.5.2013 - 16:47 (Solarserver)

Wholesalers and project planners are increasingly demanding European solar photovoltaic (PV) modules to avoid paying backdated anti-dumping duties for modules made in China, German-Scandinavian manufacturer Innotech Solar (ITS) reports. This development has already started to create a significant rise in demand for European-made modules, the company notes. Read more

MIT Researchers Develop Solar-to-Fuel Roadmap for Crystalline Silicon

Tuesday, 3.5.2013 - 16:06 (Renewable Energy World)

Bringing the concept of an "artificial leaf" closer to reality, a team of researchers at MIT has published a detailed analysis of all the factors that could limit the efficiency of such a system. The new analysis lays out a roadmap for a research program to improve the efficiency of these systems, and could quickly lead to the production of a practical, inexpensive and commercially viable prototype. Read more

Germany installs 275 MW of solar PV in January 2013

Tuesday, 3.5.2013 - 15:53 (Solarserver)

Germany's Federal Network Agency has reported that the nation added 275 MW of new solar photovoltaic (PV) plants under the feed-in tariff in January 2013, which represents a 17% decline sequentially and a 47% fall year-over-year. This brings the nation to 32.7 GW of installed PV. For the last three years Germany has installed 7.4 ? 7.6 GW of PV annually, however EuPD Research (Bonn Germany) has predicted a 2013 market of only 3.9 GW. Read more

EU orders registration of solar PV imports from China

Tuesday, 3.5.2013 - 15:48 (Solarserver)

On March 5th, 2013 the European Commission ordered registration of imported Chinese solar photovoltaic (PV) products, in anticipation of potential anti-dumping and countervailing duties. This order applies to silicon wafers and PV cells and modules, which must be registered at customs. A preliminary decision on the anti-dumping case will be made in June 2013, and may be retroactive to March 2013. Read more

JinkoSolar opens new office in Japan

Tuesday, 3.5.2013 - 15:39 (Solarserver)

On March 1st, 2013, JinkoSolar Holding Co. Ltd. (Shanghai, China) announced that it has opened its first sales office in Tokyo, Japan.The newly-opened office will serve as a centralized sales and service hub for JinkoSolar's Japanese customer base, the company states. Read more

Ecobuild: Phono Solar introduces three new products to the UK

Tuesday, 3.5.2013 - 15:02 (Solarpowerportal)

Chinese solar manufacturer, Phono Solar, is showcasing three new products for the UK market at Ecobuild 2013. On display at the company?s stand are the Phono Solar AC Frame-Attached Module, the Solar Freedom and the Smart Cube. Read more

Phono Solar develops news AC Frame-Attached Module

Tuesday, 3.5.2013 - 14:56 (PV-Tech)

Chinese PV manufacturer Phono Solar has developed the AC Frame-Attached Module, a module which has a microinverter attached to the frame. Read more

Showa Shell and Ube industries planning 21MW Japan PV plant

Tuesday, 3.5.2013 - 13:44 (PV-Tech)

Shell?s Japanese refining operation Showa Shell Sekiyu and chemicals-to-energy conglomerate Ube Industries have announced plans to build and operate a 21MW solar power plant. Read more

Mecasolar supplies screws to Martifer Solar 2.8MWp project

Tuesday, 3.5.2013 - 13:22 (PV-Tech)

Solar tracker manufacturer Mecasolar has supplied over 3,400 foundation Mecascrews to Martifer Solar?s 2.8MWp ground-mount installation in Lorca, Murcia, Spain. Read more

David Maloney named President and COO of Equity Solar

Tuesday, 3.5.2013 - 13:07 (PV-Tech)

PV supplier Equity Solar has appointed David Maloney to the position of President and Chief Operating Officer. Read more

David Maloney named President and CFO of Equity Solar

Tuesday, 3.5.2013 - 13:07 (PV-Tech)

PV supplier Equity Solar has appointed David Maloney to the position of President and Chief Operating Officer. Read more

12 Things You Can Do in One Day to Market Solar

Tuesday, 3.5.2013 - 13:00 (Renewable Energy World)

This Solar Fred marketing post is inspired by a recent Seth Godin blog post. I really think Godin captures the spirit of how small but consistent efforts can make a difference ? without having a million dollar ad budget. Below is my adaptation of Godin?s one-day-effort bullet points for solar marketing and innovation. Each of these 12 ideas can be Read more

Work set to begin on Alamo 1

Tuesday, 3.5.2013 - 12:50 (PV-Tech)

OCI Solar Power has received the green light to begin constructing a 41MW solar project in San Antonio, Texas. Read more

Solar industry backs US Energy Secretary nomination

Tuesday, 3.5.2013 - 12:23 (PV-Tech)

The US solar industry has welcomed the nomination of physicist Ernest Moniz as the country?s new Energy Secretary. Read more

Oerlikon announces 6.4% increase in sales for 2012

Tuesday, 3.5.2013 - 12:15 (PV-Tech)

Silicon thin film equipment supplier Oerlikon?s exit from the solar industry has resulted in sales of approximately US$3.1 million in 2012 up from US$2.9 million in 2011. Read more

SolarCity installs 4.7MW of PV capacity for Walmart in Ohio

Tuesday, 3.5.2013 - 9:52 (PV-Tech)

US retail giant Walmart has expanded its solar presence in the US with its first solar installations in the state of Ohio. Read more

Indian SRECs remain a seller's market in February

Tuesday, 3.5.2013 - 9:27 (Solarserver)

During the month of February 2013, prices for solar renewable energy credits (SRECs) remained at INR 12,500 (USD 228) on the India Energy Exchange (IEX) and rose to INR 13,000 (USD 237) on the Power Exchange India (PXIL), according to an analysis by RESolve Energy Consultants (Chennai, India). A total of 2,105 SRECs were traded on the IEX, with 310 traded on PXIL. In both cases trading was constrained by a limited number of sell bids, which were outnumbered by buy bids at a roughly 12:1 ratio on the IEX and 7:1 ratio on the PXIL. Read more

California Governor Brown ?fast-tracks? McCoy Solar Project

Tuesday, 3.5.2013 - 9:22 (Solarserver)

California Governor Jerry Brown has chosen the McCoy Solar Project for ?fast-track? judicial and legislative review, which will enable a rapid decision on environmental compliance. NextEra Energy Inc. (Juno Beach, California, US) is developing the 750 MW solar photovoltaic (PV) project in Riverside County. Under the fast-track process created by the Jobs and Economic Improvement Act of 2011, litigation through the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) for large projects is sent directly to the court of appeal. Read more

Armenian Roadmap for Renewables Addresses Development Challenges

Tuesday, 3.5.2013 - 15:52 (Renewable Energy World)

Surrounded by countries with significant hydrocarbon stores, Armenia's own fossil fuel reserves are limited to a small number of lignite or brown coal mines. Some oil reserves exist, but they are too deep to be economically viable. As a result, electricity generation depends on imported nuclear fuel (44%) for the country's Metsamor nuclear plant, due for decommissioning between 2017 and 2021, and natural gas (29%). Hydropower contributes around one third of the total power generation, with large hydro adding 24% and small hydro making up 3%. Read more

Vattenfall Says French Plan for EDF, GDF Hydropower Dams May Contradict Law

Tuesday, 3.5.2013 - 14:00 (Renewable Energy World)

A French proposal to allow GDF Suez SA and Electricite de France SA to extend their concessions to run hydropower plants by 25 years may contradict national laws on allotting contracts for public services, Vattenfall AB said. Read more

What the Sequester Means for the Clean Energy Workforce

Tuesday, 3.5.2013 - 17:15 (Renewable Energy World)

Now that the Sequester has officially begun, people are wondering what the impacts will be, both long term and short term. The message from the two sides of the political spectrum could not be more opposite. Republicans are confident that the concern is overstated, and the wasteful federal government needs the motivation to start effectively managi Read more

China Boosts Energy, Emissions Goals After Record Pollution

Tuesday, 3.5.2013 - 16:21 (Renewable Energy World)

China will step up efforts to cut its emissions and improve energy efficiency this year after record air pollution in Beijing, where the national legislature opened its annual meeting today. Read more

German Energy Storage Association records leap in membership

Tuesday, 3.5.2013 - 15:44 (Solarserver)

The German Energy Storage Association (BVES) founded in Berlin in late September 2012 reports that over the recent weeks, more than 30 institutions and companies have joined the umbrella association for the further development of energy storage. New members include companies and research institutes such as Fraunhofer IWS Dresden, NEC Europe, Gildemeister Energy Solutions, Hochtief Solutions AG, SMA Solar Technology AG, Clariant, GP Joule, Power One and Utility Vattenfall. Read more

Ecobuild: DulasMHH to launch LG Mono X NeoN module on 6 March

Tuesday, 3.5.2013 - 13:33 (Solarpowerportal)

Solar PV wholesaler, DulasMHH, is hosting the UK launch event for the South Korean consumer electronic giant LG?s new Mono X NeoN module at Ecobuild 2013. Read more