Germany installs 368 MW in April 2013

Wednesday, 6.5.2013 - 15:42 (Solarserver)

Germany installed 368 MW of new solar photovoltaic (PV) capacity in April 2013, according to data released by the nation's Federal Network Agency. This represents a 27% sequential increase and a 2.4% increase over April 2012. Read more

Japanese PV shipments increase 62% year-over-year as imports boom

Wednesday, 6.5.2013 - 8:30 (Solarserver)

Japanese demand for solar photovoltaic (PV) modules reached 1.73 GW between January 1st and March 31st, 2013, 800 MW of which was met with imports, according to data from the Japanese Photovoltaic Energy Association (JPEA). This brings the nation to a total of 3.81 GW of demand during its fiscal year 2012, which ended on March 31st. This includes 2.37 GW of domestic module shipments and 1.44 GW of imports. Read more

More Insights Into Solar and Utilities: Large-Scale Integration, Self-Ownership, and Net Metering

Wednesday, 6.5.2013 - 21:01 (Renewable Energy World)

Utilities integrated nearly 2.4 GW (AC) of solar electric capacity in 2012, a 61 percent increase from the ~1.5 GW that was added in 2011 and more than triple the 781 MW added in 2010, according to the U.S. Solar Electric Power Association (SEPA). The group officially released today the full version of its sixth annual Utility Solar Rankings report, which analyzes the amount of new solar power interconnected by U.S. electric utilities. Read more

SolarCity zero’s in on US new home build market

Wednesday, 6.5.2013 - 20:33 (PV-Tech)

Offering a ‘zero-down’ solar financing program for the US home building industry is a new target market for SolarCity. Read more

Canadian Solar sells 4 PV power plants in Ontario for US$217 million

Wednesday, 6.5.2013 - 20:15 (PV-Tech)

A decent chunk of Canadian Solar’s Ontario-based PV power plant pipeline has been sold to Canada-based independent renewable power producer, BluEarth Renewables for US$217.2 million. Read more

Canadian Solar sells four PV power plants in Ontario for US$217 million

Wednesday, 6.5.2013 - 20:15 (PV-Tech)

A decent chunk of Canadian Solar’s Ontario-based PV power plant pipeline has been sold to Canada-based independent renewable power producer, BluEarth Renewables for US$217.2 million. Read more

Yingli, Trina call for negotiations over EU duties on Chinese solar PV

Wednesday, 6.5.2013 - 19:44 (Solarserver)

Yingli Green Energy Holding Company Ltd. (Baoding, China) and Trina Solar Ltd. (Changzhou, China) have both called for a negotiated solution in response to the European Commission's (EC) decision to impose provisional duties on imports of Chinese solar photvoltaic (PV) products. Read more

EU solar duties: Industry’s reaction

Wednesday, 6.5.2013 - 18:35 (Solarpowerportal)

The European Commission’s decision to impose duties on Chinese-manufactured solar products has sent shockwaves through the European solar industry. Below is a comprehensive round-up of the industry’s reaction to the news: Read more

Neo Solar Power and Delsolar merger completed

Wednesday, 6.5.2013 - 16:43 (PV-Tech)

The previously announced merger of Neo Solar Power (NSP) and Delsolar was successfully completed on May 31, according to Delta Electronics, which owned DelSolar and was a shareholder in NSP. Read more

First Solar’s general counsel to leave by mutual consent

Wednesday, 6.5.2013 - 16:29 (PV-Tech)

Mary Beth Gustafsson, executive vice president, general counsel and secretary to thin-film leader, First Solar, is to leave the company in October by mutual consent, according to an SEC filing. Read more

Solar shakeout: Bankruptcy strikes twice at Scheuten Solar

Wednesday, 6.5.2013 - 15:59 (PV-Tech)

Chinese-owned Scheuten Solar has entered bankruptcy proceedings for the second time, according to reports in Holland. Read more

SolarAid crowned Google Global Impact Award winner

Wednesday, 6.5.2013 - 15:52 (Solarpowerportal)

SolarAid has been awarded £500,000 after winning the Global Impact Award as part of Google’s Global Impact Challenge. Read more

Canadian Solar Recieves Loan from China

Wednesday, 6.5.2013 - 15:26 (Renewable Energy World)

China’s struggling solar panel makers must are slowly transforming into de facto state-owned enterprises as they take increasing loans from Beijing, with Canadian Solar (Nasdaq: CSIQ) becoming the latest to take a handout from the policy lender China Development Bank (CDB). If Beijing is trying to convince Europe and the U.S. that it’s not unfairly Read more

France announces 138 winners of national solar tender

Wednesday, 6.5.2013 - 14:56 (PV-Tech)

The French government has selected 138 PV projects totalling 30MW under the latest round of its national solar tendering programme. Read more

Estuary HA agrees solar PV performance guarantee with Ecolution Energy Services

Wednesday, 6.5.2013 - 14:44 (Solarpowerportal)

Ecolution Energy Services has launched a solar PV performance guarantee for Housing Associations. Read more

Ecolution offers 90% PV performance guarantee for housing associations

Wednesday, 6.5.2013 - 14:44 (Solarpowerportal)

Ecolution Energy Services has launched a solar PV performance guarantee for housing associations. Read more

Approval of PSE&G’s Solar Plans Reinvigorates Solar in New Jersey

Wednesday, 6.5.2013 - 14:05 (Renewable Energy World)

New Jersey’s Board of Public Utilities (BPU) on May 29 approved Public Service Electric and Gas Company’s (PSE&G’s) solar expansion proposals. Under the approval PSEG&G — the state’s largest utility — will allocate a significant amount of the $447 million it plans to spend on solar to support $193 million in distributed generation (smaller) project Read more

Canadian Solar eyes South American expansion

Wednesday, 6.5.2013 - 12:56 (PV-Tech)

PV manufacturer Canadian Solar is to expand its global reach by opening a sales and business development office in Sao Paulo, Brazil. Read more

Louisiana solar tax credit bill to go to the governor

Wednesday, 6.5.2013 - 11:58 (Solarserver)

The Louisiana House of Representatives on June 4th, 2013, voted to concur on Senate amendments to HB 705, Sierra Club (San Francisco, California, U.S.) reports. That means the bill now goes to the governor. In essence the very much discussed and amended bill leaves tax rebates for purchases of solar photovoltaic (PV) systems on single family residences in place until Dec 31st, 2017. The tax rebate sunsets as of that date. Read more

Canadian Solar signs USD 44.1 million loan agreement with China Development Bank

Wednesday, 6.5.2013 - 11:45 (Solarserver)

Canadian Solar Inc. (Guelph, Ontario) on June 3rd, 2013, announced that it has signed a RMB270 million (USD 44.1 million) loan agreement with China Development Bank. The loan facility has a fifteen-year maturity, including one year grace period and will be used to finance the construction of a 30MW solar project and its ancillary facility in the western part of China. Read more

China launches EU wine investigation as trade dispute escalates

Wednesday, 6.5.2013 - 11:44 (Solarpowerportal)

China has commenced anti-dumping and countervailing investigations into European wine, following yesterday’s announcement of preliminary duties on Chinese solar imports into the EU. Read more

SolarWorld fails to gain support for bond restructuring

Wednesday, 6.5.2013 - 11:28 (PV-Tech)

An insufficient number of investors attended meetings arranged by struggling SolarWorld to appoint representatives to negotiate the restructuring of two bonds it has outstanding, a key part of its attempts to rescue its ailing finances. Read more

China retaliates against solar duties with wine investigation

Wednesday, 6.5.2013 - 11:17 (PV-Tech)

China has commenced anti-dumping and countervailing investigations into European wine, following yesterday’s announcement of preliminary duties on Chinese solar imports into the EU. Read more

SolarAid Is a Winner in Google's Global Impact Challenge

Wednesday, 6.5.2013 - 9:32 (Renewable Energy World)

Yesterday Google unveiled the winners of its Global Impact Challenge, in which four British non-profits each received £500,000 (US$766,000) for their work in "using tech to tackle the world's toughest problems". UK-based charity SolarAid was one of the four winners with its African pico-solar sales and distribution programme, SunnyMoney. Read more

Verengo announces 8,000th residential solar PV installation

Wednesday, 6.5.2013 - 8:24 (Solarserver)

Verengo Inc. (Torrance, CA), on June 3rd, 2013, announced it has installed its 8,000th home solar system. Verengo is the first residential solar specialist to reach this milestone and has accomplished this growth in less than five years, the company emphasizes. The 4.9 KW PV system was installed this May on the roof of Sherwin Young's Bakersfield home. Mr. Young, a self-employed builder, lives there with his family of five. The Young's used Verengo's "Zero Down" financing option to have their system installed at no upfront cost. Read more

Why I Wanted to Be CEO of the American Wind Energy Association

Wednesday, 6.5.2013 - 21:29 (Renewable Energy World)

I've supported wind energy from the outside for many years, as a promising source of clean energy for America and hope for our future. Now I'm excited to get the chance to lead the U.S. industry and its campaign to make good on that promise. Read more

CSP on the rise in Middle East and North Africa as the region's renewable industry booms

Wednesday, 6.5.2013 - 15:48 (Solarserver)

The International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) and the government of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) have released a report on the status of renewable energy development in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA). Read more

The Big Question: How Should Europe Structure Its Energy Policy?

Wednesday, 6.5.2013 - 15:24 (Renewable Energy World)

"Efforts must be especially made in creating certainty for investors, reducing the administrative burden and increasing clarity in planning," said the European Commission in opening its consultation on a European climate and energy framework for 2030. We asked readers how such a framework should be structured to address their sector's current concerns, and which concerns are most important for promoting the sector's future development. Read more

Waaree Energies expanding module capacity to meet PV project pipeline

Wednesday, 6.5.2013 - 13:32 (PV-Tech)

Recent PV project completions and a pipeline of over 80MW have led India-based PV energy provider (PVEP), Waaree Energies, to expand module production from 110MW to 250MW. Read more