SunPower Analyst Day: Module efficiency to reach 23% in 2015

Wednesday, 5.15.2013 - 17:17 (PV-Tech)

During SunPower’s Analyst Day, the company provided a small glimpse into its technology roadmap, highlighting that the ‘X-Series’ module platform would reach conversion efficiencies of 23% in 2015, up from 21.5% today. Read more

Emmvee PV Power to install 2MW PV project in Andhra Pradesh

Wednesday, 5.15.2013 - 16:12 (PV-Tech)

Module manufacturer and turnkey solution provider Emmvee Photovoltaic Power has been awarded a 2MW solar PV project located at Bibinagar, Nalagonda district in the state of Andhra Pradesh. Read more

SMA revenue collapse in Q1 spurs workforce reduction plans

Wednesday, 5.15.2013 - 15:34 (Solarserver)

SMA Solar Technology AG (Neistetal, Germany) has released first quarter 2013 results, reporting a 48% year-over-year fall in revenues to EUR 212 million (USD 273 million), a -4.0% operating margin and a net loss of EUR 5.8 million (USD 7.5 million). Read more

Some of Suntech’s bondholders agree to delay payment rights

Wednesday, 5.15.2013 - 14:31 (PV-Tech)

Suntech Power Holdings has been able to secure an extension on repayment of its US$541 million convertible note with a select group of bondholders it was previously negotiating with. Read more

Jürgen Dolle steps down from SMA managing board for health reasons

Wednesday, 5.15.2013 - 13:05 (PV-Tech)

Chief human resources and operations officer of SMA Solar Technology, Jürgen Dolle, has resigned from his position on the company’s managing board due to health reasons. Read more

Solar PV Inverter Giant SMA Cutting Workforce Amid Sales Slide

Wednesday, 5.15.2013 - 20:02 (Renewable Energy World)

Global inverter leader SMA AG cast a downward glance in its fiscal 1Q13 results today, and is preparing for what could be major layoffs in the face of the global PV market's first decline in many years. Read more

LDK Solar 2012 losses top US$1 billion

Wednesday, 5.15.2013 - 15:33 (PV-Tech)

Struggling LDK Solar has reported a net loss of US$1.05 billion in 2012, the starkest figure in an annual report containing volumes of negative financial figures. Read more

Scatec Solar to build two solar PV projects totaling 115 MW

Wednesday, 5.15.2013 - 14:54 (Solarserver)

On May 13th, 2013 Scatec Solar AS (Oslo, Norway) signed agreements with South Africa's Department of Energy to build two solar photovoltaic (PV) projects totaling 115 MW under the second round of the nation's Renewable Energy Independent Power Producer Program (REIPPP). Read more

SolarCity Sues Treasury Over 1603 Payments

Wednesday, 5.15.2013 - 14:00 (Renewable Energy World)

In an interesting turn of events, solar third-party ownership company SolarCity is suing the Treasury Department in Federal Claims Court, alleging that it received less than expected from the now defunct 1603 Treasury Grant Program. This follows the Treasury investigation of SolarCity over whether or not it correctly valued the solar arrays the com Read more

SolarCity Earnings: Mixed Results, Good Prospects

Wednesday, 5.15.2013 - 14:00 (Renewable Energy World)

SolarCity (SCTY) has been one of the hottest alternative energy stocks since its Initial Public Offering five short months ago. Yesterday it shot up 24% in one day, on the largest one-day volume since it opened, in anticipation of its quarterly earnings release. It is up 95% in the past three months, and has more than tripled from its initial trading price. As of this writing SCTY has given back about a third of yesterday's stratospheric gains. Read more

US Solar PV Manufacturer Suniva Plans Expansion

Wednesday, 5.15.2013 - 14:00 (Renewable Energy World)

It's been a tough several years for solar PV manufacturing. The common refrain has been that Chinese competition has undercut solar cells and modules made elsewhere to the point of market instability. That's why the U.S. laid out penalties on Chinese solar imports last year, and why Europe is positioning to do so now. Read more

Michigan college receives USD 44,000 for solar thermal, PV research

Wednesday, 5.15.2013 - 13:45 (Solarserver)

Grand Valley State University's (GVSU) Michigan Alternative and Renewable Energy Center (MAREC) received a USD 44,000 grant from the Michigan Energy Office to study solar thermal system costs and efficiency improvements for use in Michigan's climate. The grant will fund data collection over a one-year period. Read more

Latest technologies and international markets at Intersolar China 2014

Wednesday, 5.15.2013 - 13:40 (Solarserver)

From March 26th–28th, 2014, the international solar industry will flock to Peking for the third Intersolar China. This coming year for the first time, the major platform for the Asian solar markets is taking place in Beijing’s China National Agricultural Exhibition Center (CNAEC). Around 260 exhibitors are expected to present the latest developments in the fields of photovoltaics, PV production technologies, energy storage systems and solar thermal technologies on a total exhibition area of 13,000 square meters. Read more

SMA Solar confirms further job cuts on expected market decline

Wednesday, 5.15.2013 - 13:24 (PV-Tech)

SMA Solar Technology is continuing to tout the expectation that a dire PV market this year will lead to the company making further headcount reductions. Read more

Proinso expands operations to South Africa

Wednesday, 5.15.2013 - 12:32 (PV-Tech)

Spanish PV solar supplier firm Proinso has expanded its growing presence in Africa to South Africa. Read more

Hanergy expands into residential solar market through UK acquisition

Wednesday, 5.15.2013 - 11:49 (PV-Tech)

Chinese thin-film manufacturer Hanergy has acquired Engensa, a UK-based home energy systems provider, for an undisclosed purchase price. Read more

Hanergy eyes UK residential solar market through Engensa acquisition

Wednesday, 5.15.2013 - 11:44 (Solarpowerportal)

Chinese thin-film manufacturer Hanergy has acquired London-based home energy systems provider Engensa for an undisclosed fee. Read more

Rockland Capital closes on debt facility for 37 MW of solar PV projects

Wednesday, 5.15.2013 - 10:09 (Solarserver)

Rockland Capital (The Woodlands, Texas, U.S.) has closed on a debt facility to fund more than 37 MW of solar photovoltaic (PV) projects, including a project to install 24 MW in 27 PV systems throughout Cape Cod and Martha's Vineyard in the US state of Massachusetts. Broadway Electrical Company Inc. (Boston, Massachusetts, U.S.) and Rockland will jointly develop the mix of 27 rooftop and ground-mounted PV plants, and will sell the electricity generated to Cape & Vineyard Electrical Cooperative (CVEC, Barnstable, Massachusetts, U.S.) at a fixed rate under 20 year contracts. Read more

Fraunhofer ISE and the Indian Ministry of New and Renewable Energy to cooperate on PV, solar thermal research

Wednesday, 5.15.2013 - 10:01 (Solarserver)

Secretary Ratan P. Watal in the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE), Government of India, and Prof. Eicke Weber, Institute Director of the Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems ISE (Freiburg, Germany) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in Berlin in the presence of Sujata Singh, the Indian Ambassador to Germany. The cooperation focuses on research, demonstration and pilot projects in the areas of photovoltaics, solar thermal and hydrogen. Read more

Meyer Burger PERC technology used in over 1 GW of solar PV production systems

Wednesday, 5.15.2013 - 9:56 (Solarserver)

Meyer Burger Technology Ltd. (Gwatt, Switzerland) states that more than 1 GW of its passivated emitter rear cell (PERC) solar photovoltaic (PV) cell treatment technology with MAiA production tool has been installed by its customers globally. The company says that its MB-PERC technology allows for PV cell efficiencies over 20%, a 30-40% cost reduction from standard processes, and potential manufacturing cost savings up to USD 0.05 per watt. Meyer Burger also claims that MAiA makes the world's best front side layers, enhanced by AlOx back side layers. Read more

IHS: EU tariffs will price out Chinese solar PV, weaken demand

Wednesday, 5.15.2013 - 8:43 (Solarserver)

IHS (Englewood, Colorado, US) has released an analysis which concludes that expected EU tariffs will price Chinese solar photovoltaic (PV) modules out of the European market. IHS calculates that tariffs will bring the average PV module price to USD 0.97 per watt in the EU, which will bring the IRR for some PV projects to below 7%. The company expects the greatest impacts to the utility-scale PV sector, and warns that the German market alone could be reduced by nearly 2 GW. Read more

Greece retroactively cuts feed-in tariff for solar PV

Wednesday, 5.15.2013 - 8:38 (Solarserver)

Greece has cut feed-in tariff rates roughly 44% for solar photovoltaic (PV) plants installed after February 1st, 2013. Grid-tied ground-mounted PV plants smaller than 100kW installed from February 1st, 2013 through January 31st, 2014 will have their rates reduced to EUR 0.095/kWh, with plants larger than 100 kW receiving EUR 0.120/kWh. Read more

Hyundai to build 10 MW rooftop solar PV plant at auto factory

Wednesday, 5.15.2013 - 8:34 (Solarserver)

Hyundai Motor Company (Seoul, South Korea) has announced that it will build a 10 MW solar photovoltaic (PV) plant on the roof of its automobile factory in Asan, South Korea. This will be the largest rooftop PV plant in Korea when completed. Korea Midland Power Company Ltd. (Seoul, South Korea) plans to install the 40,000 PV modules by the end of 2013. Read more

IHS: Hiked module prices could result in more Chinese bankruptcies

Wednesday, 5.15.2013 - 14:48 (PV-Tech)

Preliminary anti-dumping duties could increase PV module prices by 45% in June, further dampening an already demoralised European solar industry says a new report from market analysts at IHS. Read more

Efficiency New Brunswick Cuts Geothermal Energy Incentives

Wednesday, 5.15.2013 - 16:21 (Renewable Energy World)

Throughout Canada, energy efficiency retrofit grants have helped stimulate the geothermal industry and have made geothermal heat pumps more popular than ever before. The introduction of these substantial financial incentives on both a provincial and federal level have been a boon for the geothermal industry and the energy efficiency retrofit indust Read more

The Economic Case for Divesting from Fossil Fuels

Wednesday, 5.15.2013 - 14:00 (Renewable Energy World)

Securities of fossil fuels firms, as an economic sector, may soon be on the decline. Read more

Ontario Loses WTO Appeal: What Happens Next?

Wednesday, 5.15.2013 - 14:00 (Renewable Energy World)

After a lengthy appeal process, the WTO recently ruled in favour of Japan and the European Union in a case over Ontario's domestic content requirements (DCR) for renewable energy projects under the province's FIT Program. In light of this decision, the DCR, which mandate that project developers procure 50-60 percent of the value of their installations from equipment assembled or manufactured in Ontario, are now effectively illegal under the multilateral WTO agreement. As a result, Ontario's provincial government, which oversees the administration of the FIT Program, is now in a position in which it must make a policy choice which will likely have far reaching political and Read more