Microinverter sales at Enphase Energy keep growing

Wednesday, 8.7.2013 - 17:29 (PV-Tech)

Microinverter market leader, Enphase Energy continues to gain traction in international markets, reporting second quarter 2013 sales up 28% sequentially. Read more

Enphase shipments show flat growth, as margins improve in Q2 2013

Wednesday, 8.7.2013 - 17:00 (Solarserver)

Enphase Energy Inc. (Petaluma, California, U.S.) has released financial results for the second quarter of 2013, reporting a% year-over-year increased in revenues to USD 58.2 million and a -9.4% operating margin. The company is moving towards profitability, but microinverter sales volumes have stagnated year-over-year. Read more

Solar Makes Strong Case in Senate Tax Debate

Wednesday, 8.7.2013 - 19:23 (Renewable Energy World)

For the first time in decades, Congress appears serious about tackling the issue of comprehensive tax reform.  But for the solar industry, there’s a real risk is that some members of Congress will try to eliminate all renewable energy tax credits in order to reduce corporate tax rates — and that could roll back the tremendous progress solar has mad Read more

First Solar Absorbs GE's CdTe Tech, But Outcome Unclear

Wednesday, 8.7.2013 - 19:08 (Renewable Energy World)

Flexing its muscles yet again, thin-film solar PV leader First Solar has quietly acquired GE's similar solar intellectual property portfolio, but questions linger about whether and when the company will see the benefits. Read more

Largest PV plant in Israel officially opens

Wednesday, 8.7.2013 - 16:59 (PV-Tech)

Sunpower Israel inaugurated the commercial operation of the largest solar power plant in Israel on Tuesday 6 August. Read more

First Solar sales hit by PV project slump

Wednesday, 8.7.2013 - 16:54 (PV-Tech)

Despite warning that revenue for the second quarter 2013 could impacted by timelines for PV project sales, leading PV energy provider (PVEP) First Solar reported worse than expected sales while downgrading full-year revenue guidance. Read more

SunEdison losses grow to US$102.9 million in second quarter

Wednesday, 8.7.2013 - 16:00 (PV-Tech)

US solar manufacturer and developer SunEdison has announced increased quarterly losses of US$102.9 million in the second quarter of 2013 following a drop in sales. Read more

SunEdison shows ramping of solar PV project business, alterations to business model in Q2 2013 results

Wednesday, 8.7.2013 - 15:46 (Solarserver)

While SunEdison Inc. (St. Peters, Missouri, U.S.) showed a low level of solar business revenues in its second quarter 2013 results at USD 162 million, the company is rapidly ramping its project development business, as it makes changes to its business model. Read more

Suntech rides solar sector share price rally to regain NYSE compliance

Wednesday, 8.7.2013 - 14:54 (PV-Tech)

Suntech Power Holdings has regained compliance with the New York Stock Exchange’s (NYSE) minimum share price listing requirement, having fallen below the US$1.00 mark after defaulting on a US bond and its manufacturing division entering bankruptcy proceedings in China. Read more

Lightsource Renewable Energy launches online solar farm portal

Wednesday, 8.7.2013 - 14:02 (Solarpowerportal)

Lightsource Renewable Energy has launched an online portal designed to help local communities easily access and view proposals of planned solar farms. Read more

First Solar’s Series 3 Black CdTe module passes ‘Thresher’ test

Wednesday, 8.7.2013 - 13:49 (PV-Tech)

Leading PV energy provider (PVEP), First Solar, has claimed to be the first thin-film module manufacturer to have received ‘Thresher’ test certification from TÜV Rheinland. Read more

ReneSola to provide PV modules for unsubsidised utility-scale plant in Chile

Wednesday, 8.7.2013 - 13:39 (PV-Tech)

Chinese PV module manufacturer ReneSola is to provide solar plant installer Saferay with 29.1MW of its modules for use in construction of La Huayca II solar power plant, Chile. Read more

PPA Partners confirms partnership with Texan Center for Solar Energy

Wednesday, 8.7.2013 - 13:10 (PV-Tech)

Solar business and finance advisor, PPA Partners, is to lead the development of a 50MW PV array planned as part of Texas A&M University’s ambitious US$600 million Center for Solar Energy (CSE). Read more

First Solar acquires 1.5GW project pipeline from Element Power

Wednesday, 8.7.2013 - 12:29 (PV-Tech)

First Solar has announced that it has purchased Element Power’s 1.5GW project pipeline for the US and Mexico. Read more

Vivint Solar secures US$200 million in PV third-party finance deal

Wednesday, 8.7.2013 - 12:27 (PV-Tech)

US-based third-party ownership (TPO) PV installer Vivint Solar has secured US$200 million in two separate tax equity funds. Read more

China Reacts to Europe Solar Trade Deal

Wednesday, 8.7.2013 - 12:09 (Renewable Energy World)

China has largely welcomed the recently concluded solar trade agreement with Europe, according to reports. Shen Danyang, spokesman for the Ministry of Commerce, said in a statement that the conclusion of procedures to resolve the solar case within the EU are welcome in China. Read more

Schneider shoots for 100MW in Thailand

Wednesday, 8.7.2013 - 12:06 (PV-Tech)

Schneider Electric has set its sights on having 100MW of its solar power conversion systems operating in Thailand by the end of 2013. Read more

PPA Partners to work on 50+ MW solar PV test and deployment site in Central Texas

Wednesday, 8.7.2013 - 11:33 (Solarserver)

PPA Partners (Morgan Hill, California, U.S.) has announced that it will collaborate with the Center for Solar Energy (CSE) and Texas A&M University-Central Texas (TAMUCT) on a multi-technology solar photovoltaic (PV) demonstration/deployment project. This includes a demonstration field with 100 different products representing all major PV technologies, totaling at least 50 MW. PPA Partners will be responsible for complete development of the site in Central Texas, working with CSE and its advisory board to choose participating technologies, balance of systems, layout, contractors and support services. Read more

Solar Energy Battery Backup Under Attack in California?

Wednesday, 8.7.2013 - 11:00 (Renewable Energy World)

California is no stranger to rolling blackouts. When Charles and Elke Hewitt installed a solar electric system with batteries for emergency backup power on their home this April, they were shocked when Southern California Edison rejected their application for grid connection under their net metering program. And the Hewitt family was not alone. Soon all homeowners with solar electric systems with battery backup in California could be affected by Edison’s stance on backup power. Read more

First Solar buys GE's intellectual thin-film solar PV property, as quarterly results fall on project delays

Wednesday, 8.7.2013 - 8:52 (Solarserver)

First Solar Inc. (Tempe, Arizona, U.S.) has announced a thin-film solar photovoltaic (PV) technology and commercial collaboration agreement with GE (Schenectady, New York, U.S.) as well as the acquisition of Element Power's (Portland, Oregon, U.S.) 1.5 GW PV project portfolio in the United States and Mexico. These announcements were made concurrent with the company's second quarter 2013 financial results. During the quarter the company's revenues fell 46% year-over-year to USD 520 million on lower project revenue, with a 7.5% operating margin a net income of USD 33.6 million. Read more

JA Solar to supply solar PV modules for landmark project in Georgia

Wednesday, 8.7.2013 - 8:49 (Solarserver)

JA Solar Holdings Co. Ltd. (Shanghai) has announced that it will supply 38.6 MW of solar photovoltaic (PV) modules to Phoenix Solar AG's (Sulzemoos, Germany) U.S. subsidiary for a PV project in the U.S. state of Georgia. Silicon Ranch Corp. (Nashville, Tennessee, U.S.) will develop the Simon Solar Farm, and Phoenix Solar Inc. will provide engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) services. The project is larger than any currently operational PV project in the Eastern United States. Read more

Vivint Solar raises USD 200 million to support third-party PV

Wednesday, 8.7.2013 - 8:46 (Solarserver)

Vivint Solar (Provo, Utah, U.S.) has secured two new tax equity funds totaling USD 200 million to support its third-party solar photovoltaic (PV) offerings. Vivint sells electricity from customer-mounted PV systems to its customers through power purchase agreements, in a service that includes design, installation, monitoring and service of the systems. The company currently offers this service in six U.S. states and Washington D.C. Read more

Paint it Black – Novel Wind Turbine Scheme to Curb Bird Strike

Wednesday, 8.7.2013 - 15:04 (Renewable Energy World)

Research into contrast painting patterns and their potential influence on bird strikes by wind turbine rotors is underway at Norway’s largest wind farm. Read more

EU Wind Industry Faces Critical Worker Shortage

Wednesday, 8.7.2013 - 12:13 (Renewable Energy World)

The European wind industry has grown so rapidly over the past decade that it is facing a critical shortage of skilled personnel, a new report reveals. There is currently a shortage of 7,000 qualified personnel required by the European wind energy sector each year, a figure that could increase to 15,000 by 2030 if the number of graduates taking cour Read more

DECC reveals Contracts for Difference details

Wednesday, 8.7.2013 - 18:00 (Solarpowerportal)

The Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) has published further details on how Contracts for Difference (CfDs) will work when they are introduced in 2014. Read more

Uncovering the Cultural Barriers to Sustainability: A Eulogy for Jim Farrell

Wednesday, 8.7.2013 - 16:42 (Renewable Energy World)

I spent the past two weeks saying goodbye to my father, Jim Farrell, so instead of my usual discussion of good policy and practices for distributed renewable energy, I’m taking time to explore how my dad’s work on sustainability fits with how I approach it in this blog and elsewhere in my work for the Institute for Local Self-Reliance. My dad was a Read more

Energy Storage: Rural Electrification’s Backup

Wednesday, 8.7.2013 - 12:00 (Renewable Energy World)

The Alliance for Rural Electrification (ARE)’s objective is to stimulate economic development through the promotion of off-grid renewable energy technologies for rural electrification in developing countries and emerging markets. While often grid extension is not a feasible option, decentralised solutions are often the better alternative to alleviate energy poverty: they are cost-effective over the system’s lifetime, easy-to-deploy, install and maintain and their design can be tailored to demand needs. Plus, these regions offer abundant renewable energy resources. Read more

Enel finalizes USD 100 million loan agreement to support Chilean investments

Wednesday, 8.7.2013 - 11:30 (Solarserver)

Enel Green Power SpA's (Rome) Chilean subsidiary has finalized a USD 100 million loan agreement with Banco de Credito e Inversiones (Santiago, Chile) to support its investments in Chile. The five-year loan carries an interest rate in line with the market benchmark and will be disbursed by the end of 2013. Enel says that the loan will cover a portion of its investments in the nation, and the company notes that it is exploring several concessions for a total renewable energy generation capacity greater than 100 MW, but did not provide further details. Read more