NREL study of Alta Devices module found it was five times less sensitive to increased temperature

Thursday, 6.20.2013 - 13:55 (PV-Tech)

In a paper presented at the IEEE PVSC (Photovoltaic Specialists Conference) being held this week, an NREL-supervised test and results showed that US-based start-up, Alta Devices had its proprietary materials in a PV module lost little efficiency at elevated temperatures, unlike conventional modules. Read more

PowerGuard puts solar module warranty verification service online

Thursday, 6.20.2013 - 13:27 (PV-Tech)

Insurance specialist, PowerGuard Specialty Insurance Services has created a web portal that is claimed to provide easy access for module buyers to verify the existence of extended warranty coverage of PowerGuard’s PV manufacturer customer base. Read more

Palo Alto signs three solar PV contracts at USD 0.069/kWh

Thursday, 6.20.2013 - 21:22 (Solarserver)

On June 17th, 2013 the City of Palo Alto, California approved three contracts to buy electricity from three solar photovoltaic (PV) plants in California totaling 80 MW at a cost of USD 0.069/kWh. Read more

Hampshire airfield transformed into 4.3MW solar farm

Thursday, 6.20.2013 - 18:50 (Solarpowerportal)

An old World War II airfield in Andover has undergone a dramatic facelift after a 4.3MW solar farm was installed on the site. Read more

China, EU Solar Trade Talks Get Positive

Thursday, 6.20.2013 - 17:32 (Renewable Energy World)

After a disastrous round of talks last month that broke down almost as soon as they began, China and Europe look set to try again with a new round of negotiations to resolve their dispute over the EU’s claims of unfair state-support for Chinese solar panel makers. Much has changed since the failed round of talks in late May, including a growing num Read more

What Would a Solar Asset-Backed Security Look Like?

Thursday, 6.20.2013 - 15:48 (Renewable Energy World)

Interest is building in the potential to issue asset-backed securities (ABS) collateralized by the receivables of solar energy companies. Solar ABS, along with real estate investment trusts (REIT) and master limited partnerships (MLP), are among the ideas emerging for expanding the capital available to renewable energy projects. The advantage of solar ABS over the solar REIT and MLP ideas is that solar securitizations could be issued now under existing tax law. Read more

Silevo unveils 355 watt solar PV module

Thursday, 6.20.2013 - 15:27 (Solarserver)

Silevo Inc. (Fremont, California, US) has unveiled a new 355 watt, 72-cell solar photovoltaic (PV) module, comprised of 156mm PV cells based on the company's novel Triex cell architecture at the Intersolar Europe trade show in Munich. Read more

Santerno to supply inverters to 126 MW solar PV project in Thailand

Thursday, 6.20.2013 - 14:54 (Solarserver)

Energy Absolute PCL (Bangkok) has selected Santerno (Imola, Italy) to supply inverters to a 126 MW solar photovoltaic (PV) project in Thailand. The company will provide its three-phase inverters housed in outdoor cabinets designed to withstand extreme temperatures. Read more

Intersolar EU 2013: Silevo launches 355W 72 cell module

Thursday, 6.20.2013 - 14:15 (PV-Tech)

Joining the 300W club, US based PV module manufacturer, Silevo has launched the industry’s first greater than 350 Watt-peak (Wp) solar module made with 72 of Silevo’s proprietary Triex 156mm solar cells. Read more

Martifer Solar building third PV power plant in Ukraine

Thursday, 6.20.2013 - 13:38 (PV-Tech)

PV project developer Martifer Solar is currently building a 5MWp PV power plant in Ukraine, the third constructed for Rengy Development in the country. Read more

UK companies combine for military solar energy storage solution

Thursday, 6.20.2013 - 12:37 (Solarpowerportal)

A coalition of UK companies have joined together to develop a new solar energy storage solution for military use. Read more

Welspun agrees funding for 20MW Mumbai solar project

Thursday, 6.20.2013 - 11:56 (PV-Tech)

Indian renewable energy generator Welspun Energy has finalised the financing of a 20MW solar project in Solapur, Maharashtra. Read more

PV Cycle opens dedicated UK branch

Thursday, 6.20.2013 - 11:54 (Solarpowerportal)

The pan-European solar recycling scheme, PV Cycle, has announced that it has opened a UK-based branch. Read more

Intersolar EU 2013: Intersolar AWARD winners recognised

Thursday, 6.20.2013 - 11:53 (PV-Tech)

Companies across the PV supply chain were recognised for innovation at the Intersolar AWARD’s ceremony on the first day of the Intersolar Europe exhibition. Read more

LDK Solar presents new high-power modules at Intersolar Europe

Thursday, 6.20.2013 - 10:33 (Solarserver)

LDK Solar Company Ltd. (Xinyu City, China) unveiled a new generation of solar photovoltaic (PV) modules which feature designs to withstand potentially-induced degradation (PID), lower temperature co-efficients, and higher efficiencies and power ratings at the Intersolar Europe trade show in Munich on June 19th, 2013. Among the modules the company presented were its new 270 watt, 60-cell and 310 watt, 72-cell multicrystalline silicon PV modules. LDK Solar states that these higher power ratings were made possible through its M3 wafer technology, which combined with its cell processes allows for PV cell efficiencies as high as 19%. Read more

First Solar nets USD 428 million from stock sale

Thursday, 6.20.2013 - 8:26 (Solarserver)

First Solar Inc. (Tempe, Arizona, US) has closed its public offering of 9.75 million shares of its common stock, receiving USD 428 million in proceeds. This includes 1.25 million shares issued and sold through the exercise of the underwriters' over-allotment option. First Solar plans to use the proceeds for general corporate purposes, which may include acquisition of solar photovoltaic (PV) projects and the expansion of business units. Read more

Talesun Solar PV modules receive 1000V certification

Thursday, 6.20.2013 - 8:18 (Solarserver)

Zhongli Talesun Solar (Suzhou, China) reports that its new 60-cell and 72-cell poly- and mono-crystalline silicon solar photovoltaic (PV) modules have received Underwriters Laboratories (UL, Northbrook, Illinois, US) 1000V certification. This new certification expands Zhongli Talesun's product offering, and the company notes that the higher voltage model will lower installation costs and improve the overall performance of commercial and utility-scale PV plants. Read more

Cape Wind Adds More Financing with Danish Pension Fund

Thursday, 6.20.2013 - 20:12 (Renewable Energy World)

What could be the first, and long-awaited, U.S. offshore wind energy project is one step closer to a reality with an additional investor. PensionDanmark, the largest labor market pension fund in Denmark, has pledged to invest $200 million (roughly 1.1 billion Danish krone), conditional upon the project obtaining its full financing needs and beginning construction by year's end. Read more

Indonesia Allocates $302 Million to Back Geothermal Exploration

Thursday, 6.20.2013 - 17:56 (Renewable Energy World)

Indonesia started a fund to finance the exploration of geothermal energy resources as the nation seeks to reduce its dependence on fossil fuels for electricity. Read more

What Does Cleantech Mean, Anyway?

Thursday, 6.20.2013 - 16:19 (Renewable Energy World)

How relevant is the term cleantech today? Has it had its day in the sun? It's a heretical question for someone who's spent much of the last 10 years of his career furthering the cleantech meme globally. A former managing director of an organization that gets much of the credit for coining the phrase to begin with, I've been a big proponent of the t Read more

Energy Storage Moves Wind to Baseload Power

Thursday, 6.20.2013 - 15:45 (Renewable Energy World)

The key to further wind sector success may be the ability to provide baseload power. New solutions based on lithium batteries can deliver convincing foundations to balance wind's variability. Read more

Merkel, Rösler plot changes to German energy policies after parliamentary elections

Thursday, 6.20.2013 - 10:26 (Solarserver)

German Chancellor Angela Merkel (CDU) and Federal Economics Minister Phillip Rösler (FDP) have declared that modifying Germany's feed-in tariff should be the first task of the new government following parliamentary elections in September 2013. Merkel and Rösler outlined details of their plan to revise the nation's energy policies at the annual meeting of the Federal Association of the Energy and Water Industry (BDEW), arguing for both network expansion and a “new market design”. Read more