SunPower lifts lid on new record 21.5% efficient X-Series solar modules

Wednesday, 4.3.2013 - 16:28 (PV-Tech)

SunPower has made its new record performance modules available in the US today and across Europe in May. Read more

Risk and Finance in the PV Industry

Wednesday, 4.3.2013 - 14:00 (Renewable Energy World)

Emerging from the 2008 financial crisis with new incentives, innovative business models, and rapidly declining costs, photovoltaics (PV) have gone on to achieve installation at rates unprecedented in their 40 year-long U.S. commercial history. And, despite some headwinds, PV deployment will likely see sustained levels of investment and deployment in the near term. Read more

Lightsource to build 5 MW PV plant on Bentley factory roof in the UK

Wednesday, 4.3.2013 - 12:32 (Solarserver)

On March 28th, 2013, Lightsource Renewable Energy Ltd. (London, England) announced that it will install a 5 megawatt (MW) roof-mounted solar photovoltaic (PV) system at Bentley Motors' factory in Crewe (England). The PV array, which the company claims to become the largest roof-mounted solar PV system in the UK, will be owned and operated by Lightsource. Read more

Toshiba plans to build 6.5 MW of PV plants in Japan in 2013

Wednesday, 4.3.2013 - 12:15 (Solarserver)

On March 28th, 2013, Toshiba Corp. announced that it will build 6.5 megawatts (MW) of solar photovoltaic (PV) power plants in Japan in fiscal year 2013. Read more

Solectria Renewables to install 2.5MW PV System in New Mexico

Wednesday, 4.3.2013 - 11:21 (PV-Tech)

US manufacturer Solectria Renewables is to supply its inverters to a 2.5MW ground-mounted PV system in Roswell, New Mexico. Read more

Germany installs 211 MW of PV in February 2013

Wednesday, 4.3.2013 - 8:43 (Solarserver)

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Vivint Solar names Alex Dunn interim CEO

Wednesday, 4.3.2013 - 17:11 (PV-Tech)

Solar solutions provider Vivint Solar has announced the resignation of its chief executive Tanguy Serra and the appointment of Alex Dunn as his interim replacement. Read more

NADB finances 5MW solar project at San Diego university

Wednesday, 4.3.2013 - 16:05 (PV-Tech)

NRG Solar has secured a US$19.2 million loan from North American Development Bank (NADB) to fund the development of a 5MW PV system at a university in San Diego. Read more

Government of New South Wales approves 53 MW solar PV plant

Wednesday, 4.3.2013 - 15:58 (Solarserver)

The government of the Australian state of New South Wales has approved AGL Energy Ltd.'s (North Sydney, Australia) plan to build a 53 MW solar photovoltaic (PV) plant near Broken Hill, New South Wales. Read more

SunPower launches 21.5% efficient solar PV module

Wednesday, 4.3.2013 - 15:53 (Solarserver)

SunPower Corporation (San Jose, California, US) has introduced a new line of crystalline silicon solar photovoltaic (PV) modules that offer 21.5% conversion efficiency, as verified by the US Department of Energy's National Renewable Energy Laboratories (NREL, Golden, Colorado, US). The company states that its X-Series modules deliver more energy as well as higher reliability and superior aesthetics compared to competing modules. The modules are currently available in a 250 watt small format and a 345 watt standard format in North America, and will be available in Europe later in April 2013. Read more

Solarcentury launches international expansion with senior appointments

Wednesday, 4.3.2013 - 15:38 (Solarpowerportal)

Solarcentury has announced a series of international appointments as part of its plan to expand into new markets. Read more

EU China trade war undermines UK PV industry’s stability

Wednesday, 4.3.2013 - 15:28 (Solarpowerportal)

Key members of the UK solar industry have expressed serious concerns over the ongoing uncertainty and potential impact of EU investigations into alleged Chinese dumping and illegal subsidies. Read more

Solar shakeout: Chinese banking commission adds PV sector to credit risk list

Wednesday, 4.3.2013 - 15:12 (PV-Tech)

The China Banking Regulatory Commission (CBRC) has warned Chinese banks that the country’s PV industry represents a credit risk, according to reports. Read more

Alan Bartlett and Sons install 1.2MW roof-mounted solar array

Wednesday, 4.3.2013 - 14:48 (Solarpowerportal)

Alan Bartlett and Sons’ 1,456-acre carrot and parsnip farm is now benefiting two-fold from the power of the sun after installing a 1.2MW solar PV array to harvest electricity. Read more

Order Focus: JinkoSolar to supply 115MW to two South African projects

Wednesday, 4.3.2013 - 14:48 (PV-Tech)

JinkoSolar has been selected to supply two PV power plant projects in South Africa with a total of around 115MW of modules. Read more

Taiwan increases 2013 solar PV target

Wednesday, 4.3.2013 - 14:23 (PV-Tech)

Taiwan has announced its intention to increase its 2013 solar PV target to 130MW from 100MW. Read more

Bill Gates gives boost to renewables storage

Wednesday, 4.3.2013 - 13:21 (PV-Tech)

Bill Gates has given financial backing to the development of a new energy storage system aimed at cutting the intermittency of renewable energy technologies such as solar. Read more

Balochistan government and CK Solar Korea ink MoU for 300MW solar project

Wednesday, 4.3.2013 - 13:05 (PV-Tech)

The government of Balochistan and CK Solar Korea have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to develop a 300MW PV project near Quetta, Pakistan. Read more

Draker boosts overseas expansion with first Japan project

Wednesday, 4.3.2013 - 12:42 (PV-Tech)

Monitoring and solar system company Draker has completed the installation of its first panel-to-grid monitoring solution in Japan. Read more

Gallup poll: Americans want more solar, wind

Wednesday, 4.3.2013 - 12:36 (Solarserver)

According to a survey conducted by Gallup Inc., Americans want more domestic production of solar power and wind energy. The poll finds that two out of three Americans want the U.S. to put more emphasis on producing domestic energy using solar power (76%), wind (71%), and natural gas (65%). Far less want to emphasize the production of oil (46%) and the use of nuclear power (37%). Least favored is coal, with about one out of three Americans wanting to prioritize its domestic production, according Gallup. Read more

Martifer Solar reshuffles executive team in North America

Wednesday, 4.3.2013 - 12:27 (Solarserver)

On March 28th, 2013, Martifer Solar USA (Los Angeles, California, U.S.) announced that it has made several changes in the executive leadership "to position itself for further development and alignment with its long-term growth strategy." Martifer states its board of directors has named Roland Kiser as new chief executive officer (CEO), effective March 13th, 2013. Read more

Solar Impulse to cross the United States in 2013

Wednesday, 4.3.2013 - 12:08 (Solarserver)

The pilots and founders of Solar Impulse have announced that they will attempt to fly their solar photovoltaic (PV)-powered airplane across the United States in the Spring of 2013. If successful, this will be the first time that an exclusively solar-powered plane flies across the nation. Pilots and founders Betrand Piccard and André Borschberg plan to leave San Francisco (California, U.S.) in early May 2013 and stop in four US cities before reaching JFK airport in New York in early July 2013. Read more

Molten salt receiver completed at Crescent Dunes CSP plant

Wednesday, 4.3.2013 - 12:00 (Solarserver)

SolarReserve LLC (Santa Monica, California, U.S.) has announced the completion of the assembly of the molten salt receiver panel on the solar tower at its Crescent Dunes Solar Energy Plant in the US state of Nevada. Solar Reserve notes that the 110 MW concentrating solar power (CSP) plant will be the United States' first commercial-scale solar power tower CSP plant to incorporate thermal energy storage and the largest plant of this design in the world. The company plans to commission the Crescent Dunes plant by the end of 2013. Read more

Why Africa is Missing the Solar Power Boat

Wednesday, 4.3.2013 - 10:30 (Renewable Energy World)

Despite having one of the best solar regimes in the world, Africa is still a trivial player in the global solar market. Less than 1.5 percent of the trade in solar came to Africa last year, and most of those solar panels were bound for South Africa. Read more

Phoenix Solar sales, revenues collapse in 2012

Wednesday, 4.3.2013 - 8:38 (Solarserver)

Phoenix Solar AG (Sulzemoos, Germany) has released 2012 results, reporting a 60% decline in revenues to EUR 155 million (USD 198 million), driven by a 49% decline in sales volume to 130 MW. Phoenix Solar also reported a -20% operating margin, a slight improvement over 2011, and a net loss of EUR 37.6 million (USD 48.1 million). The company has stressed recent changes in strategy and its financial restructuring. Read more

Solar engineering start-up GreenLancer secures USD 275,000 in funding

Wednesday, 4.3.2013 - 8:35 (Solarserver)

Web-based solar energy engineering start-up GreenLancer (Detroit, Michigan, US) has secured USD 275,000 in an initial funding round, and has added five full-time staff. GreenLancer's business model involves sourcing engineering solutions regardless of geography. The company notes that this initial funding round was over-subscribed, with additional investors still hoping to come aboard. Read more

GE's New "Brilliant" Wind Turbine Put to the Test

Wednesday, 4.3.2013 - 11:27 (Renewable Energy World)

Earlier this year GE launched its new 2.5-120 wind turbine targeting low-wind-speed sites (7.5 m/s average wind speed, for IEC Class III and DiBT WZ2 environments), offering what it says will be better efficiency (25 percent) and power output (15 percent) than its current model, the 2.85-103. Read more

BP Selling US Wind Unit, Pares Renewable Energy Interests to Fuels

Wednesday, 4.3.2013 - 17:18 (Renewable Energy World)

BP is getting out of the wind industry in the U.S., following its exit from solar barely a year ago, in a broader shift back to its oil and gas roots. BP spokesperson Mark Salt characterized the move as "a continuing effort to become a more focused oil and gas company and re-position the company for sustainable growth into the future." Read more

Renewables to Exceed Fossil Fuels in European Generation by 2020

Wednesday, 4.3.2013 - 15:38 (Renewable Energy World)

Europe's share of generation capacity using renewable sources will rise to at least 40 percent by 2020, exceeding capacity fueled by coal, natural gas and oil, according to the region's grid operators group Entsoe. Read more

Blue Oak Energy installs 4.2MW PV plant in California

Wednesday, 4.3.2013 - 14:48 (PV-Tech)

PV installer Blue Oak Energy has completed the installation of a 4.2MW PV system in Gridley in the US state of California. Read more

Local Development through Community-Led Renewable Energy

Wednesday, 4.3.2013 - 14:00 (Renewable Energy World)

Many people who consider themselves supporters of renewables still doubt the feasibility of 100 percent in the near future. In times of economic crisis and budget cuts in most parliaments, people are mainly concerned about jobs and price increases in their daily lives. But the evidence shows that investments in renewable energy actually tackle these issues. The deployment of renewable energies results in local development and the energy transition is indeed the best response strategy to many of today's challenges. Read more

Mobile storage solution using connection technology by Multi-Contact receives “Clean Energy Innovation” award; company launches PV-specific website

Wednesday, 4.3.2013 - 12:21 (Solarserver)

The idea of a mobile storage solution using connection technology by Multi-Contact (Allschwil, Switzerland) was granted the “Clean Energy Innovation” Award by the DCTI (German CleanTech Institute). The concept presents an alternative to the network expansion, which may help relieve the power grid in a simple, fast and flexible way. Read more

Japan green-lights 400MW island PV project

Wednesday, 4.3.2013 - 11:53 (PV-Tech)

Plans for a 400MW PV project on a remote Japanese island have been approved, according to various media reports. Read more

Energy Efficiency Finds Its Cell Phone

Wednesday, 4.3.2013 - 9:43 (Renewable Energy World)

Energy efficiency insiders have envied the telecommunications industry for years. After all, it produced the iPhone, Android and other products that American consumers can’t seem to live without. The telecom industry achieved this level of innovation after it deregulated. The electricity industry deregulated too, but no killer product followed, no Read more