IHS: Falling prices putting pressure on inverter makers in 2013

Tuesday, 7.30.2013 - 15:48 (Solarserver)

IHS Inc. (Englewood, Colorado, U.S.) has released a new report which predicts that the global market for inverters to accompany solar photovoltaic (PV) generation will decrease 5% to USD 6.7 billion in 2013. Read more

Renesola gains approval for international inverter market expansion

Tuesday, 7.30.2013 - 12:21 (PV-Tech)

PV manufacturer Renesola has received certification across three continents for its string inverter ‘Replus’ opening up a wave of market expansion. Read more

ReneSola's PV inverters certified in eight more nations

Tuesday, 7.30.2013 - 12:07 (Solarserver)

ReneSola Ltd.'s (Jiashan, China) Replus string inverter has obtained certification in eight new nations: the United States, Canada, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Italy, Slovakia, Sri Lanka, and Thailand. The 1.5-5 kW single-phase and 10-20 kW three-phase string inverters have received a number of certifications, including UL1741, CSA C22.2 and IEEE1547 certifications from Intertek Group plc (London), and CE and CEI 0-21 certification from EuroTest Laboratori (Padova, Italy). Read more

Wacker Chemie predicts return to solar PV industry stability, reports trade war impacts in Q2 results

Tuesday, 7.30.2013 - 21:00 (Solarserver)

Wacker Chemie AG (Munich, Germany) has released results for the second quarter of 2013, reporting a 29% year-over-year decrease in revenues to EUR 203 million (USD 269 million) and a 2.2% operating margin in its polysilicon division. Read more

More shareholders to join new REC consortium

Tuesday, 7.30.2013 - 20:57 (Solarserver)

With reference to a press release of July 18th, 2013, the guarantee consortium for the separation of REC Solar from REC Silicon has been expanded to include 19 additional shareholders as sub-underwriters in addition to the six original members of the guarantee syndicate, REC ASA (Sandvika, Norway) reports. All additional underwriters are shareholders of REC as of July 17th, and have been allocated the minimum NOK 4 million (USD 0.67 million) underwriting commitment as well as additional underwriting based on their subscription and their relative shareholding in REC ASA. Read more

Solar programme aims to install 50MW across 170 schools

Tuesday, 7.30.2013 - 16:38 (Solarpowerportal)

The newly-formed ‘Power Your Future’ programme is aiming to install 5MW of solar on school roofs across the UK. Read more

Solar programme aims to install 5MW across 170 schools

Tuesday, 7.30.2013 - 16:38 (Solarpowerportal)

The newly-formed ‘Power Your Future’ programme is aiming to install 5MW of solar on school roofs across the UK. Read more

Solarpack finances PV plants in Chile with investment from development institutions

Tuesday, 7.30.2013 - 15:45 (PV-Tech)

A deal has been struck between Spanish solar developer Solarpack and the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) and Institution Financière de Développment (PROPARCO), to finance the construction of two large-scale solar parks in Chile. Read more

Peru Pursues Solar for the Masses

Tuesday, 7.30.2013 - 15:26 (Renewable Energy World)

Peru may be best known for Machu Picchu and other Incan and Aztec treasures, but the nation is looking to its future with new plans to use solar to provide electricity for about 2 million of its poorest residents by the end of 2016. Considering that Peru is the third largest county in South America and has a population of 24 million that’s bringing Read more

STA calls for changes to either EU-China trade deal or UK solar PV policy

Tuesday, 7.30.2013 - 15:10 (Solarserver)

The Solar Trade Association (STA, Milton Keynes, UK) has released a statement warning that the EU-China trade deal could result to real damage to the nation's downstream sector and installation levels, given current UK solar policy. Read more

Rank 'Em: The Most Solar-Friendly States in the U.S.

Tuesday, 7.30.2013 - 14:00 (Renewable Energy World)

A new report from the Environment America Research & Policy Center acknowledges what it deems are the top 12 U.S. states for solar energy ranked by several criteria, from new and cumulative installed capacity to actual electrical generation to a variety of solar energy-friendly policies. Most are unsurprising, but there are some worthy comparisons — and criticisms — to be made. Read more

Rank 'Em: The Most Solar-Friendly States in the US

Tuesday, 7.30.2013 - 14:00 (Renewable Energy World)

A new report from the Environment America Research & Policy Center acknowledges what it deems are the top 12 U.S. states for solar energy ranked by several criteria, from new and cumulative installed capacity to actual electrical generation to a variety of solar energy-friendly policies. Most are unsurprising, but there are some worthy comparisons — and criticisms — to be made. Read more

State Bank of India warns tariff cut will stifle investment

Tuesday, 7.30.2013 - 12:15 (PV-Tech)

The State Bank of India (SBI), the largest lender in the country, has warned against plans to cut the price paid to solar electricity producers in the state of Gujarat. Read more

Kyocera JV commissions first solar PV plant in Japan at 2.4 MW

Tuesday, 7.30.2013 - 12:03 (Solarserver)

A joint venture between Kyocera Corporation (Kyoto, Japan) and Century Tokyo Leasing Corporation (Tokyo) has commissioned a 2.4 MW solar photovoltaic (PV) plant in Kagawa Prefecture, Japan. The Takamatsu Ikushima Mega Solar Plant is the first to be completed under Kyocera TCL Solar LLC's plan to operate up to 35 utility-scale PV plants in the nation within two years, totaling 60-70 MW. Under the collaboration between the two companies, Century Tokyo provides financing for the PV plants, and Kyocera supplies PV modules, system construction and maintenance. Read more

Solarworld installs rooftop PV at Rooibos and Ceres Fruit Growers in South Africa

Tuesday, 7.30.2013 - 11:58 (PV-Tech)

SolarWorld Africa has begun installing rooftop solar systems for two major agricultural firms in South Africa, Ceres Fruit Growers and Rooibos. Read more

Deutsche Bank: China-EU agreement to benefit Chinese solar PV makers

Tuesday, 7.30.2013 - 9:09 (Solarserver)

Deutsche Bank AG (Frankfurt, Germany) has released a research note on the recent deal reached between the EU Trade Office and Chinese officials, which it describes as “incremental positive” for Chinese solar photovoltaic (PV) producers. The note finds that the minimum price of EUR 0.56 (USD 0.74) per watt will allow Chinese companies to improve margins, and that the cap of 7 GW to participate without tariffs will be insignificant, given reduced 2013 EU demand. Deutsche Bank also predicts that the policy will not disrupt demand in most EU markets including Germany and Italy. Read more

Greenpeace India calls on Delhi government to support more solar PV, estimates 2 GW rooftop PV potential by 2020

Tuesday, 7.30.2013 - 8:56 (Solarserver)

Greenpeace India (Bangalore, India) has launched a campaign to urge the government of Delhi, India to develop a policy to support renewable energy, including rooftop solar photovoltaic (PV) systems. As part of this campaign, Greenpeace has created a site, Switch on the Sun, for National Capital Region residents to pledge to install solar systems. The organization has also partnered with Bridge to India (New Delhi) to publish a report which finds that Delhi could install 2 GW of rooftop PV by 2020. Read more

Commercial Geothermal Growing in Netherlands

Tuesday, 7.30.2013 - 12:19 (Renewable Energy World)

Dutch banking group Rabobank has highlighted the growing use of geothermal energy to heat commercial greenhouses in the Netherlands. In a new analysis, the bank sees increasing geothermal energy use as a major and relatively cheap way to improve the financials and the stability of the Dutch greenhouse industry. Read more

Growth in renewable energy to benefit insurance industry

Tuesday, 7.30.2013 - 20:53 (Solarserver)

The renewable energy industry could be spending three times as much on insurance every year by 2020 to mitigate risks to projects, says a new report by Bloomberg New Energy Finance. The report, commissioned by Swiss Re, looked at six of the world’s leading markets for solar and wind, namely Australia, China, France, Germany, the United Kingdom and the United States. Depending on the scenario, insurance premium volumes in these markets could increase from USD 850 million today to anywhere between USD 1.5 billion and USD 2.8 billion by the end of this decade. Read more

Younicos, Samsung SDI and partners to collaborate on intelligent 6MW/10MWh energy storage project

Tuesday, 7.30.2013 - 20:48 (Solarserver)

S&C Electric Europe (Swansea, Wales, UK) Korea based battery maunfacturer Samsung SDI and Younicos (Berlin) have signed a joint agreement to deploy Europe’s largest intelligent network storage project, onto a UK Power Networks substation, saving over GBP 6 million on traditional network reinforcement methods.  By providing frequency regulation as well as load shifting, the project will also stabilise the grid much more effectively than traditional thermal generators, providing more space on the grid for clean, but intermittent renewable energies. Read more

Rip Up the Mortgage: Sapphire Energy Pays Off USDA Loan Guarantee in Full

Tuesday, 7.30.2013 - 16:40 (Renewable Energy World)

In California, Sapphire Energy announced it has paid off the loan guarantee awarded to the company by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. In Dec. 2009, the company was awarded a $54.5 million loan guarantee through the Biorefinery Assistance Program, administered by the USDA Rural Development-Cooperative Service, to build a fully integrated, algae-to-crude oil commercial demonstration facility in Columbus, New Mexico. Read more

Government strengthens building energy efficiency standards

Tuesday, 7.30.2013 - 15:55 (Solarpowerportal)

The government has bolstered energy efficiency standards for new homes and non-residential buildings amid criticism that the changes don’t go far enough. Read more

A Lesson in Renewable Energy Development from Spain

Tuesday, 7.30.2013 - 14:00 (Renewable Energy World)

The most recent energy sector reforms passed in Spain represent the fourth time that a sweeping set of retroactive changes has rocked the country’s renewable energy (RE) industry. This new Royal Decree Law modifies billions of Euros worth of renewable energy contracts in a move that, when added to previous retroactive measures, will almost undoubtedly trigger insolvencies across the sector. Read more

The Lesson in Renewable Energy Development from Spain

Tuesday, 7.30.2013 - 14:00 (Renewable Energy World)

The most recent energy sector reforms passed in Spain represent the fourth time that a sweeping set of retroactive changes has rocked the country’s renewable energy (RE) industry. This new Royal Decree Law modifies billions of Euros worth of renewable energy contracts in a move that, when added to previous retroactive measures, will almost undoubtedly trigger insolvencies across the sector. Read more