Report: Suntech Wuxi said to owe US$2.8 billion

Wednesday, 5.22.2013 - 15:36 (PV-Tech)

The bankrupt main manufacturing subsidiary if Suntech Power Holdings is reported to have debts of over US$2.8 billion. Read more

Conergy and Renew connect 1MW PV project in Ulmen

Wednesday, 5.22.2013 - 12:50 (PV-Tech)

Conergy and its partner Renew have connected a 1MW PV facility in Ulmen, Germany, representing the companies’ second joint solar power project. Read more

IHS: Global PV capital spending to fall to USD 2.3 billion

Wednesday, 5.22.2013 - 8:38 (Solarserver)

IHS Inc. (Englewood, Colorado, US) has released a report which forecasts that global solar industry capital spending will fall to USD 2.3 billion in 2013, its lowest level since 2006. “PV Manufacturing & Capital Spending Tool” predicts that capital spending will rebound to USD 3.0 billion in 2014. IHS also expects a strong decline in spending on concentrating solar power (CSP) and thin-film solar photovoltaic (PV) technologies. Read more

Brazil inaugurates 1.4 MW PV plant on World Cup soccer stadium

Wednesday, 5.22.2013 - 8:33 (Solarserver)

German and Brazilian officials have inaugurated a 1.4 MW solar photovoltaic (PV) plant on the roof of a soccer stadium which will participate in the 2014 World Cup in Belo Horizonte, Brazil. The series of PV plants planned for the roof of the stadium will total 2.5 MW when complete. German State Secretary Hans-Jürgen Beerfeltz, (Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development; BMZ), utility CEMIG (Belo Horizonte, Brazil) and Antonio Anastasia, the governor of the Brazilian state of Minas Gerais, participated in the inauguration. Read more

Re-Igniting America's Solar Impulse

Wednesday, 5.22.2013 - 21:37 (Renewable Energy World)

Now it is Bertrand Piccard and André Borschberg making history by flying across America in SOLAR IMPULSE, a 100 percent solar-powered plane that collects enough energy during the day to fly through the night on battery power alone. Their amazing airplane has the wingspan of a jumbo jet, yet weighs no more than a typical car. Powered solely by the s Read more

Soitec produces 43.6% efficient 4-junction solar PV cell

Wednesday, 5.22.2013 - 19:35 (Solarserver)

Soitec SA (Bernin, France) has announced the industry's first four-junction solar photovoltaic (PV) cell. This cell has achieved a peak conversion efficiency of 43.6%, as confirmed by co-developer Fraunhofer ISE (Freiburg, Germany). Read more

Rumors of US-China Trade Settlement Talks Fuel Solar Stocks

Wednesday, 5.22.2013 - 17:45 (Renewable Energy World)

If short-term traders really have hijacked the sector, which seems probable, it would mark a relatively big setback for stocks that were once popular among aggressive longer-term investors who liked the strong prospects of solar energy. Of course that doesn’t mean that serious investors will never return to the sector if it ever manages to stabiliz Read more

Solar feed-in tariff advocate Eric Garcetti elected mayor of Los Angeles

Wednesday, 5.22.2013 - 17:09 (Solarserver)

On May 21st, 2013 solar advocate and Los Angeles City Council Member Eric Garcetti was elected mayor of Los Angeles, California. He will replace current Mayor Anthony Villaraigosa, who was prevented from running by term limits. Read more

Milestone: Bentek Solar sells over 100MW of new 1000VDC BUSS

Wednesday, 5.22.2013 - 16:55 (PV-Tech)

PV power systems specialist, Bentek Solar claims to have shipped over 100MW of its new 1000VDC Breaker Universal Safety Systems (BUSS) since the product was only launched back in March, 2013. Read more

SolarWorld wants to complete creditor talks in August

Wednesday, 5.22.2013 - 16:10 (PV-Tech)

Remaining confident it can successfully restructure its debts with creditors and continue operating, SolarWorld wants to complete talks with creditor sometime in August, 2013. Read more

Solar Impulse begins second leg of US tour

Wednesday, 5.22.2013 - 15:33 (Solarserver)

On May 22nd, 2013 the solar-powered Solar Impulse plane took off from an airport in Arizona on the second leg on its trip across the United States. Read more

Federation of German Industry comes out against tariffs on Chinese solar PV products

Wednesday, 5.22.2013 - 14:55 (Solarserver)

On May 19th, 2013 the Federation of German Industry (BDI) cautioned against proposed EU tariffs on solar photovoltaic (PV) imports from China. Read more

Solar industry capital spending hits seven-year low

Wednesday, 5.22.2013 - 14:02 (Solarpowerportal)

Consolidation and oversupply in the PV industry has forced capital expenditure to their lowest levels since 2006, information and analytics company IHS said this week. Read more

US Said to Be in Talks With China, EU to Settle Solar Energy Trade Dispute

Wednesday, 5.22.2013 - 13:44 (Renewable Energy World)

The Obama administration is engaged in preliminary talks with the European Union and China to settle a dispute over trade in solar-energy equipment and avoid a conflict among the world’s largest economies, according to people familiar with the discussions. Read more

JinkoSolar PV modules pass TUV Nord desert test

Wednesday, 5.22.2013 - 13:31 (PV-Tech)

JinkoSolar’s increasing focus on emerging markets with harsh environmental conditions has been given a boost after its PV modules passed TUV Nord’s Dust & Sand Certification Test. Read more

SolarWorld losses prompt extraordinary shareholder meeting

Wednesday, 5.22.2013 - 13:20 (PV-Tech)

Struggling PV manufacturer SolarWorld will hold an extraordinary shareholders’ meeting on 11 July 2013 in Bonn, Germany, after the company revealed a 50% loss in capital stocks. Read more

Lux Research: PV market to reach US$155 billion in 2018

Wednesday, 5.22.2013 - 12:24 (PV-Tech)

The solar PV market is poised to rise from the ashes of its 2011 crisis to grow to US$155 billion in 2018, according to analysts at Lux Research. Read more

Centrosolar creditors approve €50 million debt swap

Wednesday, 5.22.2013 - 12:03 (PV-Tech)

A majority of Centrosolar’s creditors have voted in favour of restructuring the struggling German PV manufacturer’s debts. Read more

ConEdison Development buys 50% stake in 300MW of PV projects

Wednesday, 5.22.2013 - 12:00 (PV-Tech)

Consolidated Edison Development has acquired a 50% interest in two large-scale solar power plants in the US owned by utility firm Sempra US Gas & Power. Read more

Cupertino Electric completes first phase of 5.8 MW solar PV project at California schools

Wednesday, 5.22.2013 - 8:29 (Solarserver)

Cupertino Electric Inc. (San Jose, California, US) has completed the first phase of a parking lot canopy and shade structure-based solar photovoltaic (PV) system totaling for a school district in California's Central Valley. The first phase of the Clovis Unified School District solar energy system is now fully operational at five schools. Cupertino Electric expects to complete all four phases in December 2013 at which time it will span 21 sites and total 5.86 MW. Read more

Protecting Eagles While Working to Guide Wind Development

Wednesday, 5.22.2013 - 14:00 (Renewable Energy World)

Recent reports of eagles being killed by wind turbines have stirred up a lot of emotion and controversy and understandably so. Read more

Wind Potential – All About the Data

Wednesday, 5.22.2013 - 12:40 (Renewable Energy World)

Met Tower The initial planning of a wind farm begins with selection of the proper location, not surprisingly, where wind resources are abundant. Wind resource assessment is the process by which a developer estimates future energy production from a wind farm. Research often begins with maps published by government agencies. According to the U.S. Dep Read more

Warning Scotland Against Independence: Renewables Will Suffer, Says Ed Davey

Wednesday, 5.22.2013 - 15:31 (Renewable Energy World)

UK Energy Secretary Ed Davey has warned that Scotland will damage its standing as a prime mover in renewable energy if it votes to become independent. Read more

Attempt to undermine Missouri's RPS fails

Wednesday, 5.22.2013 - 12:11 (Solarserver)

A bill to substantially weaken the Renewable Energy Standard (RES) in the US state of Missouri has failed to pass by the end of the legislative session. HB 44 would have allowed utilities to count electricity from large, imported and in-state hydropower facilities in meeting the state's RES goals, thereby removing the incentive to build new renewable energy. The bill passed the Missouri House of Representatives but died in the state's Senate. Read more

Geothermal Energy Interests Growing Steadily in Japan

Wednesday, 5.22.2013 - 14:00 (Renewable Energy World)

Japanese companies are renewing their interest in geothermal energy after the March 2011 nuclear crisis shut down reactors for safety checks and the introduction of an incentive program for clean energy encouraged investment. Read more

Creating Awareness: Geothermal for a Cleaner, Sustainable Future in New York City

Wednesday, 5.22.2013 - 12:25 (Renewable Energy World)

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has called ground source heat pumps the “most energy-efficient, environmentally clean, and cost-effective space conditioning systems available.”  Geothermal heat pumps or exchangers, also known as geo-exchange, require no fossil-fuel burning on-site, use 70 percent of their energy from Earth’s renewabl Read more

Creating Awareness: Geothermal for a Sustainable Future in New York City

Wednesday, 5.22.2013 - 12:25 (Renewable Energy World)

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has called ground source heat pumps the “most energy-efficient, environmentally clean, and cost-effective space conditioning systems available.”  Geothermal heat pumps or exchangers, also known as geo-exchange, require no fossil-fuel burning on-site, use 70 percent of their energy from Earth’s renewabl Read more

SunPower to raise US$300 million

Wednesday, 5.22.2013 - 16:19 (PV-Tech)

PV energy provider (PVEP), SunPower, is to raise US$300 million to pay down some of its outstanding debentures and use the proceeds for working capital requirements. Read more

Despite Fears, New Renewables Are Not Bankrupting California

Wednesday, 5.22.2013 - 14:00 (Renewable Energy World)

Until recently, the potential rate impact of all the new contracts for renewable energy being added to meet California's Renewable Portfolio Standard since 2006 has been a matter of some concern. According to the Division of Ratepayer Advocates in early 2012, an estimated $20.8 billion will have been spent in California on contracts for new renewable generation by 2020, and the rate impact was a big unknown. Read more

Outlook for US Energy Independence Gaining Confidence

Wednesday, 5.22.2013 - 13:33 (Renewable Energy World)

A survey conducted by the KPMG Global Energy Institute shows that a majority of energy executives believe the U.S. can reach energy independence by 2030. The survey also showed a decrease in the number of executives who believe the U.S. will never gain energy independence. Read more

Yingli Green expects better first quarter shipments

Wednesday, 5.22.2013 - 13:20 (PV-Tech)

Leading module manufacturer, Yingli Green, has revised module shipment and gross margin guidance for the first quarter of 2013. Read more

DECC to use capacity market to encourage electricity demand reduction

Wednesday, 5.22.2013 - 12:11 (Solarpowerportal)

The Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) will use the proposed capacity market included in the Energy Bill to encourage electricity demand reduction in the UK. Read more

Washington DC opens renewable energy solicitation

Wednesday, 5.22.2013 - 12:06 (Solarserver)

The US city of Washington DC has issued a request for proposals (RFP) for the development of a solar photovoltaic (PV) and/or wind project to supply roughly 150 GWh annually. Under the RFP, the city's Department of General Services (DGS) would purchase both the electricity and the associated renewable energy credits on an annual basis. George Washington University (GWU, Washington DC, U.S.) has issued a companion solicitation for a 75 GWh project. Read more