European Parliament introduces resolution for more small-scale electricity generation including PV

Wednesday, 7.10.2013 - 17:37 (Solarserver)

The European Parliament (Brussels) wants more small-scale electricity generation. Members of the Committee on Industry, Research and Energy (ITRE) adopted a resolution calling for an enhanced development of micro-generation in Europe. The resolution, proposed by MEP Judith Merkies, underlines how microgeneration “can empower consumers to become more active agents in the energy sector, while (…) reducing the amount of energy they have to purchase and thus preventing energy poverty”. Read more

Asunim completes 500 kW PV system in Adana, Turkey

Wednesday, 7.10.2013 - 17:30 (Solarserver)

Asunim Turkey (Ankara) has finished the installation of a roof-mounted solar photovoltaic (PV) system with a surface area of 12.000 m2 and an installed capacity of 500 kWp. The PV plant is installed on the roof of Kıvanç Tekstil A.Ş., a company located in the Seyhan district of Adana. The complete system comprises 3.840 solar PV panels and 40 Fronius inverters. Read more

Enphase unveils fourth generation PV microinverter

Wednesday, 7.10.2013 - 16:27 (Solarserver)

Enphase Energy Inc. (Petaluma, California, US) unveiled its fourth generation of micro-inverter at the Intersolar North America Trade Show in San Francisco, California on July 9th, 2013. The company states that its Enphase M250 Micro-inverter is optimized for high-power solar photovoltaic (PV) modules, and produces 250 watts peak AC output. The company has also been named the leading residential PV inverter supplier in the Americas by IHS Research in its “PV Inverter World Market Report 2013”. Read more

Schneider Electric expands PV business with local solutions in South Africa

Wednesday, 7.10.2013 - 12:29 (Solarserver)

The Solar Business unit of Schneider Electric SA (Rueil Malmaison, France) has started to supply photovoltaic (PV) equipment on its first project in South Africa at 20MW. Thanks to a unique footprint in South Africa, Schneider Electric is able to comply with the 45% local content requirements of Round 1, the company notes. Read more

Conergy Americas not affected by German insolvency filing

Wednesday, 7.10.2013 - 12:25 (Solarserver)

Conergy Americas (Denver, Colorado, U.S.), the North American subsidiary of Conergy AG (Hamburg, Germany), will continue to operate business at full capacity following its parent company’s decision to file an application for open insolvency in Germany on July 5th, 2013. The filing decision is a formality per German law, Conergy Americas notes. “We will do everything we can to support Conergy AG through the proceedings,” said Anthony Fotopoulos, president of Conergy Americas. Read more

Conergy: Module production to ‘restart soon’

Wednesday, 7.10.2013 - 11:34 (Solarpowerportal)

Insolvent PV manufacturer and developer firm Conergy has said its module manufacturing plant will be operational again soon. Read more

Enphase unveils fourth generation PV micro-inverter

Wednesday, 7.10.2013 - 7:25 (Solarserver)

Enphase Energy Inc. (Petaluma, California, US) unveiled its fourth generation of micro-inverter at the Intersolar North America Trade Show in San Francisco, California on July 9th, 2013. The company states that its Enphase M250 Micro-inverter is optimized for high-power solar photovoltaic (PV) modules, and produces 250 watts peak AC output. The company has also been named the leading residential PV inverter supplier in the Americas by IHS Research in its “PV Inverter World Market Report 2013”. Read more

E.ON completes first US solar projects

Wednesday, 7.10.2013 - 18:13 (PV-Tech)

Energy company E.ON’s solar subsidiary, E.ON Climate and Renewables (EC&R), has completed its US first projects, in Arizona. Read more

HDPV Alliance releases solar industry standard to decrease PV inverter costs by up to 50 percent

Wednesday, 7.10.2013 - 17:43 (Solarserver)

HDPV Alliance, an industry alliance, including the companies Ampt, KACO New Energy, LTi REEnergy and REFUsol, aimed at reducing photovoltaic (PV) balance of system (BOS) costs while increasing energy production from solar PV plants on July 9th, 2013, published its HDPV Inverter Standard. As HDPV's first published standard, it contains the protocols to help PV inverter manufacturers optimize product functionality to deliver up to twice the rated output power to reduce inverter costs by up to 50 percent. Several inverter manufacturers have put HDPV standard specifications into practice since the Alliance launched in September 2012, HDPV Alliance notes. Read more

NPD Solarbuzz: US reaches milestone of 10 GW solar PV capacity

Wednesday, 7.10.2013 - 17:23 (Solarserver)

Solar photovoltaic (PV) installations in the US have now broken through the 10 gigawatt (GW) barrier, following strong market deployment since the start of 2010. During the first half of 2013, more than 1.8 GW of new solar PV capacity was installed in the US, according to the NPD Solarbuzz (Santa Clara, Calif.) North America PV Market Quarterly report. Read more

Swiss investor to acquire Nanosolar GmbH, workforce expansion planned

Wednesday, 7.10.2013 - 17:06 (Solarserver)

An un-named Swiss investor has signed a deal to acquire Nanosolar GmbH (Luckenwalde, Germany) and its automated factory in Luckenwalde, according to the company. Read more

Schneider expands solar production in South Africa

Wednesday, 7.10.2013 - 16:40 (PV-Tech)

Schneider Electric is to expand its production capacity in South Africa to include inverters, array boxes and monitoring and control systems. Read more

US Joins 10-GW Solar PV Club, Prepares For Liftoff

Wednesday, 7.10.2013 - 15:45 (Renewable Energy World)

The U.S. now has more than 10 gigawatts (GW) of installed solar PV capacity, joining Germany, Italy, and China — and it's just getting warmed up, according to new calculations from NPD SolarBuzz. And watch for the next 10-GW Club member that's fast approaching. Read more

Nanosolar’s German CIGS module plant sold; plans c-Si module production

Wednesday, 7.10.2013 - 15:31 (PV-Tech)

An unidentified Swiss investor, involved in the downstream PV power plant business, has acquired the German manufacturing operations of US-based CIGS thin-film producer Nanosolar. Read more

Nanosolar’s German GIGS module plant sold; plans c-Si module production

Wednesday, 7.10.2013 - 15:31 (PV-Tech)

An unidentified Swiss investor, involved in the downstream PV power plant business, has acquired the German manufacturing operations of bankrupt US-based CIGS thin-film producer Nanosolar. Read more

Important Georgia Power Generation Ruling This Week

Wednesday, 7.10.2013 - 14:51 (Renewable Energy World)

On Thursday, July 11th the state of Georgia Public Service Commission (PSC) will take a vote on Georgia Power’s proposed Integrated Resource Plan (IRP) which lays the road map for providing electricity to Georgians over the next 20 years. While Georgia Power has already agreed to add 270 megawatts (MW) of solar energy to its system, its latest plan Read more

500,000 households to be solar powered in Peru

Wednesday, 7.10.2013 - 14:43 (PV-Tech)

500,000 households are to be provided with solar panels via Peru’s National Photovoltaic Household Electrification Program (NPHEP), which aims to provide 95% of Peru with energy, by 2016. Read more

Ascent to build CIGS thin-film plant in China

Wednesday, 7.10.2013 - 14:26 (PV-Tech)

Colorado-based thin-film PV manufacturer Ascent Solar is to build a new factory in China after agreeing a joint venture with the municipal authority of Suqian, a city in Jiangsu Province. Read more

Mission reboot and managerial shakeup for beleagured Desertec consortium

Wednesday, 7.10.2013 - 13:12 (PV-Tech)

Dii, the industrial body behind ambitious plans to build massive solar plants in the deserts of North Africa and the Middle East, has vowed to press on despite losing the backing of a key partner. Read more

New York solar programme announces latest US$54 million investment

Wednesday, 7.10.2013 - 12:25 (PV-Tech)

New York Governor Mark Cuomo has announced the state’s latest US$54 million investment in solar energy. Read more

Intersolar North America roundup: cost reduction wins the day

Wednesday, 7.10.2013 - 12:21 (Solarserver)

Intersolar North America 2013 is a smaller and less animated trade show than years past, which reflects the painful transitions that the global solar industry is undergoing, but still the trade show still fills three levels of San Francisco's Moscone Center. Exhibitors seem to be showing a different mood as well. And while many seem to be content with just holding on in the roller coaster ride that has become the global solar industry, the show has its high points that speak to better days in the future of the industry. Read more

Cheapest Panel No Longer Best in Solar Market, SunPower CEO Says

Wednesday, 7.10.2013 - 12:21 (Renewable Energy World)

Chinese solar manufacturers that are still trying to sell the cheapest panels have failed to adapt to an industry seeking more efficient products, said SunPower Corp. Chief Executive Officer Tom Werner. Read more

Third party solar financing, project bonds dominate Q2 2013 solar industry transactions

Wednesday, 7.10.2013 - 12:07 (Solarserver)

Mercom Capital Group LLC (Austin, Texas, U.S.) has released its 2nd quarter 2013 “Solar Funding and M&A” report, which finds that the largest capital inputs were funding for third party solar finance arrangements and MidAmerican's USD 1 billion bond offering for the Solar Star Projects. Third party solar companies raised a record USD 1.33 billion in disclosed residential and commercial project funds during the quarter. Mercom also notes that while venture capital funding rebounded somewhat to USD 189 million, it expects these relatively low levels to be the norm for the future. Read more

India Risks Europe-Like Solar Slump With 28% Cut in Subsidies

Wednesday, 7.10.2013 - 9:01 (Renewable Energy World)

India’s biggest solar power-producing state is seeking to cut the subsidized rate it pays to plants by 28 percent, joining governments from Spain to Greece backtracking on clean-energy support to lower costs. Read more

Are Beer and Cigarettes the New Bioenergy?

Wednesday, 7.10.2013 - 15:06 (Renewable Energy World)

Tobacco, which has suffered declining market share and price yields for decades in the U.S., could reinvent itself as a genetically-altered biomass for production of biodiesel, bio-gasoline, or bio-jet fuels. Read more

Coalition for Renewable Heating and Cooling Forms in Massachusetts

Wednesday, 7.10.2013 - 18:00 (Renewable Energy World)

While most incentives focus on renewable energy electricity and fuels, the Northeastern part of the United States has slowly been making inroads to include renewable heating as part of state Renewable Portfolio Standards. Now, a Coalition has formed in Massachusetts to include biomass, solar and geothermal heating in the Massachusetts Alternative Energy Portfolio Standard. SB 1593 was filed in early January 2013 by Sen. Finegold of Andover, Mass. Read more

Celebrating our Declaration of (Energy) Independence

Wednesday, 7.10.2013 - 17:00 (Renewable Energy World)

This month, we witnessed the Nation's 237th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence.  Last week, I celebrated by signing my own declaration of independence, a contract to install PV on our newly purchased home!  This got me thinking about the role that our founding documents still play in the regulation, governance, and market Read more

Delivering Stability in the Renewable Energy Transition

Wednesday, 7.10.2013 - 13:03 (Renewable Energy World)

Troubled German utility group Energie Baden-Württemberg AG (EnBW) has announced that it intends to shut down a total of four fossil-fuelled power plants as a result of the increasing volumes of renewable energy capacity in the country’s energy market. With renewable energy given priority in the despatch merit order, this, the company argues, means Read more

sPower acquires assets of Tioga Energy

Wednesday, 7.10.2013 - 7:21 (Solarserver)

Sustainable Power Group (sPower, Salt Lake City, Utah, US) has acquired the solar photovoltaic (PV) plants owned by Tioga Energy, as well as all of its intellectual property including its SurePath Solar Power Purchase Agreement. This acquisition includes PV plants in seven states, installed on schools, municipal buildings, commercial and industrial facilities, parking lots and rooftops. Read more

Desertec Industrial Initiative reaffirms strategy, resets management organisation with Paul van Son as sole CEO

Wednesday, 7.10.2013 - 6:29 (Solarserver)

The shareholders of the Industrial Initiative Dii (Munich) on July 9th, 2013 decided to reinvigorate Dii by revalidating the company’s strategy. Dii also resets its organisation under the single leadership of CEO Paul van Son. Co-Managing Director Aglaia Wieland will leave the company. The shareholders take this opportunity to thank Aglaia Wieland for playing a key role in advancing a sustainable energy future for EUMENA over the last 3 years. Read more