PV Production: SCHMID Group delivers first TinPad systems for rear side solar cell contacts

Thursday, 7.11.2013 - 22:57 (Solarserver)

SCHMID Group (Freudenstadt, Germany) announces the delivery of the first TinPad systems for the application of tin contacts on the cell rear side in photovoltaics (PV) mass production to an un-named customer. Certification of PV modules with the silver-free contacts has already been passed successfully, SCHMID notes. Read more

Enphase Energy announces first PV installation with its micro-inverter in Queensland, Australia

Thursday, 7.11.2013 - 22:50 (Solarserver)

Enphase Energy, Inc. (Petaluma, California, US) on July 10th, 2013 announced that Wondai Electrical Service (South Burnett, Australia) has completed the first Enphase installation in Queensland. The self-installed solar photovoltaic (PV) system utilizes the Enphase micro-inverter System to power the site’s offices, training room and combined electrical warehouse and workshop. Read more

Apple Announces 18-20-MW CPV Plant for Reno Data Center

Thursday, 7.11.2013 - 19:42 (Renewable Energy World)

Continuing its quest to use 100 percent renewable energy, Apple announced that it is building an 18-20 megawatt (MW) solar array at its upcoming Reno, NV data center. Apple will work with Nevada utility NV Energy and again partner with SunPower, but this time it will use SunPower’s low-concentrating photovoltaic (CPV) technology. Read more

Soitec completes California’s largest CPV plant

Thursday, 7.11.2013 - 16:26 (PV-Tech)

Soitec Solar Development has completed construction of the 1.5MW AC Newberry Solar 1 concentrator photovoltaic (CPV) project in San Bernardino County, California. Read more

Most of Yingli Green’s solar modules gain Japan’s JET certification

Thursday, 7.11.2013 - 14:58 (PV-Tech)

The majority of Yingli Green’s PV modules have achieved Japan’s JET certification, enabling the module manufacturer to supply its multi- and monocrystalline products to the commercial market in the country. Read more

HDPV Alliance release first industry standard to halve inverter costs

Thursday, 7.11.2013 - 14:37 (PV-Tech)

High Definition Photovoltaic (HDPV) Alliance has published its first standard: the HDPV inverter standard in the hope of halving inverter costs and doubling output power. Read more

Soitec completes 1.5 MW CPV plant in California

Thursday, 7.11.2013 - 10:49 (Solarserver)

Soitec SA (Bernin, France) on July 10th, 2013, announced at the Intersolar North America Conference that Soitec Solar Development LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary, has completed construction of the 1.5 MW Newberry Solar 1 project in San Bernardino County, California. Newberry Solar 1 is the largest concentrator photovoltaic (CPV) power plant in California, featuring Soitec's latest and most efficient technology with modules manufactured in the company’s San Diego manufacturing facility. Read more

MNRE: India installs 73 MW of PV in May 2013

Thursday, 7.11.2013 - 9:00 (Solarserver)

India's Ministry of New and Renewable Energy reports that only 73 MW of solar photovoltaic generation capacity (PV) were installed in May 2013, a sharp decline from the more than 200 MW installed in both February and March 2013. The ministry did not report any off-grid PV, or any solar thermal installations during the month. India has a target to install 1.1 GW of PV during its fiscal year 2013-2014. Read more

Dyesol, EPFL hit 15% efficiency with dye-sensitized PV cells

Thursday, 7.11.2013 - 8:47 (Solarserver)

On July 11th, 2013 Dyesol Ltd. (Queanbeyan, Australia) announced that a team led by the ‘Father of DSC’, Professor Michael Graetzel (EPFL Institute of Microengineering, Lausanne, Switzerland), has established a new world record efficiency of 15% for a solid-state Dye Solar Cell (DSC), using a new deposition process to create the light harvesting pigment for solid-state dye solar cells. The cells fabricated are using a new deposition process to create the light harvesting pigment and incorporating Dyesol’s key DSC input materials and specially formulated 18NR-T Titania Paste. Read more

Solar Impulse Lifts Solar Industry to New Heights

Thursday, 7.11.2013 - 22:37 (Renewable Energy World)

Someone once said: “Your vocation in life is where your greatest joy meets the world’s greatest need.”    Without question, the pilots of Solar Impulse, Dr. Bertrand Piccard and Andre Borschberg, are living proof of that.  These two great adventurers made solar and aviation history last weekend when Solar Impulse touched down at New York’s JFK Airp Read more

Another Banner Year for CA Rooftop Solar as Successful Rebate Program Winds Down

Thursday, 7.11.2013 - 21:07 (Renewable Energy World)

Yesterday, the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) released its annual progress report for the California Solar Initiative, and it’s more good news for solar in the Golden State. Some key takeaways include: Read more

Trina Solar supplies 7MW of PV modules to Ikaros Solar for UK project

Thursday, 7.11.2013 - 16:25 (PV-Tech)

Trina Solar has supplied 7MW of PV modules to installers Ikaros Solar for a large agriculture project in Abingdon, UK. Read more

EU-China Solar Trade Dispute Cools Down, China Decides Against Polysilicon Tariffs

Thursday, 7.11.2013 - 15:56 (Renewable Energy World)

After months of heated rhetoric, the voice of reason is growing between Europe and China as they seek to end their dispute over Beijing’s state support for its solar panel sector. In the latest sign that a potential agreement to resolve the dispute could be near, Beijing has decided not to levy punitive tariffs against European polysilicon, the mai Read more

Hanwha merges US-based project development arms

Thursday, 7.11.2013 - 15:43 (PV-Tech)

The former project development arm of Q-Cells, Q-Cells International, located in San Francisco has been merged with the previously established project arm of Hanwha Group, Hanwha Solar Energy America to become Hanwha Q CELLS USA. Read more

Macquarie Capital offloads five California solar farms

Thursday, 7.11.2013 - 14:25 (PV-Tech)

DE Shaw Renewable Investments (DESRI) and Bright Plain Renewable Energy BPRE) have bought five solar farms in Tulare County, California from Macquarie Capital. Read more

Solar arrays help to power Lincolnshire recycling centres

Thursday, 7.11.2013 - 14:01 (Solarpowerportal)

Lincolnshire County Council’s waste facilities are now generating their own power thanks to a £300,000 solar project. Read more

Aviva makes further investment in rooftop solar

Thursday, 7.11.2013 - 13:53 (Solarpowerportal)

Aviva Investors has completed the purchase of a 12.3MW portfolio of domestic rooftop PV systems from Ecovision Renewable Energy. Read more

Assurant partners with Aleo Solar to protect residential solar

Thursday, 7.11.2013 - 13:23 (PV-Tech)

Assurant insurers and Aleo Solar have teamed up to make warranty claims for residential solar system owners easier. Read more

Solar subject to revised planning guidance

Thursday, 7.11.2013 - 12:47 (Solarpowerportal)

The government will release revised planning guidance for renewables intended to give local communities more power over proposed developments. Read more

Solarbridge partners with Hareon for international ACPV shipment

Thursday, 7.11.2013 - 12:10 (PV-Tech)

Solarbridge has teamed up its microinverters with Hareon modules to bring ACPV technology to international markets. Read more

Intersolar North America 2013: AWARD winners announced

Thursday, 7.11.2013 - 11:37 (PV-Tech)

Businesses from across the spectrum of the US solar industry have been recognised by the Intersolar NA AWARD programme. Read more

JinkoSolar supplies 304 kW of PV modules to large roof-mounted PV plant in South Africa

Thursday, 7.11.2013 - 11:01 (Solarserver)

JinkoSolar Holding Co., Ltd. (Shanghai, China) on July 10th, 2013, announced that it has supplied 304 kW of high-efficient solar photovoltaic (PV) modules to one of the largest roof-mounted PV plants in South Africa. The power plant comprising over 1,200 high-efficient JinkoSolar PV modules will produce approximately 443,840 kWh of solar power per year and save emission by nearly 72 tons of CO2 annually. Read more

Intersolar North America roundup day 2: Energy storage and financing

Thursday, 7.11.2013 - 9:10 (Solarserver)

On July 10th, 2013 the Intersolar North America conference again directly addressed energy storage to accompany solar photovoltaics (PV), which has become a pressing issue for European PV markets and is beginning to attract attention in North America as well. During a press breakfast, Marcus Hoehner of EuPD Research (Bonn, Germany) and Dr. Matthias Vetter of Fraunhofer ISE (Freiburg, Germany) gave presentations on the fundamental market dynamics and technologies of energy storage, with a focus on Germany. Read more

Ascent Solar to build CIGS solar PV module factory in Jiangsu Province, China

Thursday, 7.11.2013 - 8:53 (Solarserver)

Ascent Solar Technologies Inc. (Thornton, Colorado, US) has signed a framework agreement with the city of Suqian in China's Jiangsu Province, which will include the building of a copper indium gallium diselenide (CIGS) thin-film solar photovoltaic (PV) module factory in Suqian through a joint venture. The company will provide the technology, USD 1.6 million and equipment from its factory in the US state of Colorado. Suqian will provide USD 32.5 million as well as use of a 25,000 square meter facility, rent-free. Read more

Department of Interior Approves 520 MW of Solar and Geothermal

Thursday, 7.11.2013 - 10:10 (Renewable Energy World)

The U.S. approved two solar projects and one geothermal plant that will total 520 MW of capacity in Arizona and Nevada. The 100-MW Quartsize Solar Energy project will be located in Arizona, while the 350-MW Midland Solar Project and 70-MW New York Canyon Geothermal Project will be located in Nevada. Read more

Energy Storage Opportunities Opening Up in US and Europe

Thursday, 7.11.2013 - 18:04 (Renewable Energy World)

According to Marcus Elsässer and other executives at Intersolar North America 2013, Energy Storage + PV is the next big thing and we should all prepare ourselves to see more of it. Three years ago, Intersolar decided to focus a bit on the technology and signed up about 10 battery manufacturers to exhibit at its European show — the largest solar power show in the world. This year, there were more than 200 energy storage companies exhibiting. Read more

Shoals Technologies Group supplies 2.5MW mounting system to Green States Energy

Thursday, 7.11.2013 - 17:08 (PV-Tech)

Shoals Technologies Group, manufacturers of PV balance of systems (BOS), has supplied 2.5MW of fixed-tilt, ground mount PV mounting structures and DC electrical components for the Green states Energy PV power plant, in Roswell, New Mexico. Read more

Shoals Technologies Group supplies 2.5MW Mounting System to Green States Energy

Thursday, 7.11.2013 - 17:08 (PV-Tech)

Shoals Technologies Group, supplied 2.5MW of PV mounting structures and DC electrical components for the Green states Energy PV power plant in Roswell, New Mexico. Read more

Balls outlines Labour policy on green investment

Thursday, 7.11.2013 - 15:57 (Solarpowerportal)

Shadow chancellor Ed Balls last night said that green investment would be at the centre of any future Labour government’s economic policy agenda. Read more

Scientists Go Eye to Eye with Renewable Energy Research at ESIF

Thursday, 7.11.2013 - 15:25 (Renewable Energy World)

Joysticks, 3-D glasses, and room-sized stereoscopic views of some of the tiniest things in the universe — scientists at the Energy Department's National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) now have a new way to view and interact with their data. Read more

Can Climate Bonds Advance Renewable Energy Finance?

Thursday, 7.11.2013 - 11:06 (Renewable Energy World)

Victor Hugo once wrote that “there is nothing more powerful than an idea whose time has come.” This little piece of wisdom, penned in the aftermath of the French Revolution, applies well to the emerging topic of climate bonds. Read more

Japan’s “Third Arrow” Aims for Renewables, Energy Storage

Thursday, 7.11.2013 - 11:01 (Renewable Energy World)

Japanese prime minister Shinzo Abe’s latest speech detailing the “third arrow” of his three-pronged economic policy included a pledge of ¥30 trillion (US $302 billion) aimed at boosting competition in the electricity sector and encouraging renewable energy development. Read more

Australia unveils new renewable energy investment plan

Thursday, 7.11.2013 - 10:54 (Solarserver)

Exploring opportunities for renewable energy hybrid power plants is a major focus of the Australian Renewable Energy Agency’s (ARENA) three-year Investment Plan, released on July 10th, 2013. Australian Resources and Energy Minister Gary Gray welcomed the release of the agency’s second General Funding Strategy and Investment Plan, covering the years 2013/14 to 2015/16, which will continue to drive Australia towards a clean energy economy. Read more