Lux Research: SiC and GaN PV inverter discrete devices to drive down system costs

Wednesday, 6.26.2013 - 15:41 (PV-Tech)

Wide bandgap semiconductors based on silicon carbide (SiC) and gallium nitride (GaN) substrates are set to drive down the levelised cost of electricity (LCOE) and boost margins on electricity sold, according to a new report from Lux Research. Read more

Jesse Pichel joins ROTH Capital Partners as Cleantech MD

Wednesday, 6.26.2013 - 15:32 (PV-Tech)

One of the first and most highly respected financial research analysts covering the PV sector, Jesse Pichel, has joined ROTH Capital Partners as managing director, Cleantech Investment Banking. Read more

PROINSO strengthens presence in Mexico’s PV market with NEOWATTS as new official dealer

Wednesday, 6.26.2013 - 8:58 (Solarserver)

NEOWATTS Soluciones Energéticas (Heroica Puebla de Zaragoza, PUE, México) has become PROINSO’s (Fustiñana, Spain) official dealer in Mexico by virtue of an agreement signed by the two companies. PROINSO is interested in consolidating its position in the Mexican solar photovoltaic (PV) market, where it has supplied 500kW in modules and inverters to several solar projects, the company reports. Read more

All Eyes on Gov. Cuomo as Lawmakers Miss Deadline for NY Solar Bill

Wednesday, 6.26.2013 - 21:19 (Renewable Energy World)

The New York legislative session ended this week without lawmakers enacting the long-term solar policy we worked so hard to support — but there’s still plenty of opportunity to get the job done this year. Read more

Green Party’s Caroline Lucas calls for UK solar ‘fight back’

Wednesday, 6.26.2013 - 18:15 (Solarpowerportal)

Green Party MP Caroline Lucas has called for a “fight back” against negative solar press. Read more

USAID backs $100 million of loans to India renewables sector

Wednesday, 6.26.2013 - 17:09 (PV-Tech)

Solar power producers are set to benefit from a $100 million investment in India’s clean energy sector backed by the US Agency for International Development. Read more

IEA predicts rapid growth in global solar PV, CSP capacities

Wednesday, 6.26.2013 - 15:54 (Solarserver)

The International Energy Agency (IEA, Paris) has issued a report which predicts that global solar photovoltaic (PV) capacity will more than double to 308 GW by 2018, with concentrating power (CSP) tripling to 12 GW. Read more

Econergy buys PV solar parks with assistance from Prothea in Italy

Wednesday, 6.26.2013 - 15:45 (PV-Tech)

Israeli fund, Econergy, has acquired 7MW of PV assets from Sorgenia located several regions of Italy that includes 10 PV plants that are both ground-mounted and rooftop. Read more

Wells Fargo to invest more than USD 100 million in SunEdison solar PV projects

Wednesday, 6.26.2013 - 15:04 (Solarserver)

Wells Fargo & Company (San Francisco, California, US) has announced that its subsidiaries will invest more than USD 100 million in tax equity financing in 2013 and 2014 in distributed solar photovoltaic (PV) projects developed by SunEdison Inc. (St. Peters, Missouri, US). Read more

Tentusol plans 250MW subsidy-free Spanish solar farm

Wednesday, 6.26.2013 - 14:35 (PV-Tech)

Spanish solar developer Tentusol has announced plans for a 250MW unsubsidised solar “megapark” on up to 800ha of land in north-west Cádiz, according to reports. Read more

Shanghai Aerospace Automobiles invests RMB1.3 billion in Gansu solar projects

Wednesday, 6.26.2013 - 14:33 (PV-Tech)

Shanghai Aerospace Automobiles (HT-SAAE) is investing RMB1.3 billion RMB - approximately US$211.4 million - in three PV solar projects in north-west China. Read more

Sunrun raises funding for USD 630 million in residential solar PV projects

Wednesday, 6.26.2013 - 14:26 (Solarserver)

Sunrun Inc. (San Francisco, California, US) has secured funding from new and returning investors to support more than USD 630 million worth of residential solar photovotlaic (PV) projects in the United States. “Commitments from established investors like J.P. Morgan highlight the strength of Sunrun’s business model and the excitement around residential solar,” said Sunrun co-Founder and co-CEO Edward Fenster. Read more

China ‘blackmailed’ EU countries over trade tariff vote

Wednesday, 6.26.2013 - 13:55 (PV-Tech)

EU ProSun, the body campaigning for trade duties on Chinese solar products, has alleged that China blackmailed EU member states ahead of a key vote on the proposed tariffs. Read more

EU ProSun accuses China of ‘blackmailing’ EU member states

Wednesday, 6.26.2013 - 13:31 (Solarpowerportal)

EU ProSun has alleged that China blackmailed EU member states ahead of a key EU council vote on proposed duties for Chinese solar products. Read more

SolarCity installs 10 solar systems for Walmart Maryland stores

Wednesday, 6.26.2013 - 13:24 (PV-Tech)

PV installer SolarCity has completed 10 new solar systems on top of 10 Maryland stores owned by US grocery giant, Walmart. Read more

Street Charge: Keeping Your Mobile Juiced on the Sun for Free

Wednesday, 6.26.2013 - 12:12 (Renewable Energy World)

Goal Zero’s solar chargers and battery backups have been used in some of the toughest environments on earth, places like Everest, and Eric Larsen used the company’s chargers on his recent attempt to bike across Antarctica. But they may be facing their toughest challenge yet — New York City. Goal Zero partnered with AT&T and design studio Pensa to d Read more

Street Charge: Keeping Mobile Devices Juiced on the Sun for Free

Wednesday, 6.26.2013 - 12:12 (Renewable Energy World)

Goal Zero’s solar chargers and battery backups have been used in some of the toughest environments on earth, places like Everest, and Eric Larsen used the company’s chargers on his recent attempt to bike across Antarctica. But they may be facing their toughest challenge yet — New York City. Goal Zero partnered with AT&T and design studio Pensa to d Read more

New York legislature fails to pass New York Solar Bill

Wednesday, 6.26.2013 - 12:10 (Solarserver)

The legislature in the US state of New York ended its session on June 21st, 2013 without passing key legislation to support the state's solar industry. Both the New York Assembly and New York Senate passed different versions of bills to extend the state's NY-Sun program. However, the two bills were not reconciled by the end of the session due to a larger breakdown in negotiations between the two houses over several issues. Read more

SunPower pushes solar panel to prove extreme capability

Wednesday, 6.26.2013 - 12:05 (PV-Tech)

SunPower’s E20/327 PV module has survived the rigorous ‘Atlas 5+’ PV durability testing programme and demonstrated a power degradation of less than 2%, the company has revealed. Read more

Lux Research: SiC, GaN to drive growth in solar PV inverter discrete device market

Wednesday, 6.26.2013 - 12:02 (Solarserver)

Noting the advantages of silicon carbide (SiC) and gallium nitride (GaN) devices, Lux Research Inc. (Boston, Massachusetts, US) has released a new report which predicts that the market for solar photovoltaic (PV) inverter discrete devices will grow to 7% annually to USD 1.4 billion in 2020. Lux estimates that GaN and SiC devices will offer the greatest advantage in micro-inverters and string inverters for residential and commercial PV applications. The report states that these devices will lower levelized cost of electricity (LCOE) and increase profit on electricity sales, while improving performance and reliability. Read more

ET Solar supplies PV modules to 2.3 MW school projects in Southern California

Wednesday, 6.26.2013 - 9:01 (Solarserver)

ET Solar Group Corp. (Nanjing, China) on June 24th, 2013 announced that it has completed the delivery to Apple Valley Unified School District in Southern California for its 2.3 MW solar photovoltaic (PV) projects installed by DS Energy Solutions. This solar project spans across 3 schools: Granite Hills High School’s 764.4kW DC system built as solar carports; Apple Valley High School’s, 951.6kW DC system built as carports and a ground mount array; and Sitting Bull Academy with a 558.5kW DC system built as a ground mount system. Read more

The Break-up: Solazyme and Roquette Dissolve Biofuels Joint Venture

Wednesday, 6.26.2013 - 16:20 (Renewable Energy World)

It was a terse announcement that crossed the wire early yesterday morning from Fortress SZYM, without warning except perhaps to equity analysts that hopped on a hastily-arranged call. Solazyme and Roquette Frères were announcing the dissolution of their two-year old joint venture, Solazyme Roquette Nutritionals. Read more

Report: Europe must take lead on Desertec project

Wednesday, 6.26.2013 - 14:11 (PV-Tech)

Europe needs to intensify its support for the Desertec plan to import cheap solar and wind power from desert areas or face escalating energy prices, the body behind the initiative has warned. Read more

Protecting Wind Turbines in Extreme Temperatures

Wednesday, 6.26.2013 - 14:00 (Renewable Energy World)

As renewable energy sources continue to gain momentum and drive the electrical grid to a more intelligent and reliable source of power, integrating the right components and peripheral systems are essential to reliability. As most renewable systems are located in outdoor and potentially harsh environments, critical attention must be paid to the suitability and robustness of the equipment to be installed in these environments. Since this equipment is only as reliable as its power source, backup power is often required in addition to the utility power source. Read more

Geothermal Searches for Avenues to Build Critical Steam

Wednesday, 6.26.2013 - 21:32 (Renewable Energy World)

The teams of geothermal geologists, driven executives and keen marketers assembled in Reno this week for the Third Annual National Geothermal Summit, are easily as optimistic as their counterparts in the solar and wind renewable energy industries, but they perhaps are a tad more perplexed. Read more

CCC: UK set to miss 2020 emission targets

Wednesday, 6.26.2013 - 18:13 (Solarpowerportal)

The Committee on Climate Change (CCC) has warned government that it risks missing the third and fourth carbon budgets unless there is a “significant increase in the pace of emissions reduction.” Read more

Beacon Power Emerges from Bankruptcy with New Energy Storage Project

Wednesday, 6.26.2013 - 16:46 (Renewable Energy World)

Beacon Power LLC, a company that provides energy storage capacity based on grid-scale flywheel technology is installing flywheels and full-scale construction at a new 20 MW energy storage plant in Hazle Township, Pennsylvania. Read more

Osborne confirms budget cut for DECC

Wednesday, 6.26.2013 - 16:26 (Solarpowerportal)

The Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) will have its budget reduced by 8% as part of the Chancellor of the Exchequer’s latest round of spending cuts. Read more

UK Must Do More on Renewables to Hit Carbon Targets, Warns Report

Wednesday, 6.26.2013 - 15:19 (Renewable Energy World)

There is a “significant risk” that the UK’s progress on renewable energy generation will not be sustained, according to report out today. Read more

US Agency for International Development to support USD 100 million investment in clean energy in India

Wednesday, 6.26.2013 - 14:26 (Solarserver)

The US Agency for International Development (USAID) announced that it will partner with Northern Lights Capital Group (Denver, Colorado, US) to facilitate a USD 100 million investment in India's clean energy sector through Nereus Capital (Mumbai). USAID will provide a 40% credit guarantee for a USD 100 million limited partner commitment to Nereus Capital's India Alternative Energy Fund. The fund will focus on clean energy projects including utility-scale and distributed solar projects across a range of technologies. Read more