Applied’s Baccini tool upgrades enable China’s CECEP to reach 18.3% cell efficiencies

Wednesday, 1.15.2014 - 19:22 (PV-Tech)

Chinese state-owned PV manufacturer, CECEP Solar Energy Technology has used upgrades for Applied Materials ‘Baccini Esatto’ screen printers to produce average multicrystalline solar cell conversion efficiencies of 18.32%. Read more

Enphase guides higher quarterly sales as microinverter shipments surpass 1GW

Wednesday, 1.15.2014 - 16:36 (PV-Tech)

Microinverter market leader, Enphase Energy, said shipments and revenue in the fourth quarter of 2013 would exceed previous guidance as demand was stronger than expected. Read more

German R&D project reports record PERC solar module performance

Wednesday, 1.15.2014 - 14:39 (PV-Tech)

The first R&D project that took three years to complete as part of the German Photovoltaics Innovation Alliance has reported a world record for a PERC (Passivated Emitter and Rear Cell) solar module of 306 watts (60-cell format) and verified by TÜV Rheinland. Read more

Combined PV plant and battery storage project planned for Reunion island

Wednesday, 1.15.2014 - 12:41 (PV-Tech)

French battery company Saft will lead a consortium building a photovoltaic (PV) power plant combined with a lithium-ion (Li-ion) battery energy storage system on the island of La Réunion, Indian Ocean. Read more

TrendForce: Taiwanese silicon wafer prices on the rise

Wednesday, 1.15.2014 - 9:30 (Solarserver)

TrendForce's (Taipei, Taiwan) EnergyTrend division reports that an ongoing shortage of silicon wafers for high-efficiency solar photovoltaic (PV) cells is causing price increases, particularly for Taiwanese products. The company forecasts that Taiwanese wafer prices to rise 3–5% to USD 1.01–1.05 per piece in February 2014. TrendForce says that these price increases will allow Taiwanese wafer makers to turn around losses, and notes that both buyers and sellers have begun to plan their February orders ahead of time. Read more

California gives the green light for switch of Blythe solar CSP project to PV

Wednesday, 1.15.2014 - 21:52 (Solarserver)

The California Energy Commission (CEC) has approved NextEra Energy's (Juno Beach, Florida, U.S.) plans to convert the Blythe Solar Power project in Southern California from concentrating solar power (CSP) technology to solar photovoltaic (PV) technology. Read more

Solar PV scheme helps protect 350 Scottish homes from fuel poverty

Wednesday, 1.15.2014 - 18:47 (Solarpowerportal)

A total of 350 homes at risk of fuel poverty have been given a helping hand by Knowes Housing Association after installing solar PV on houses in Clydebank, Scotland. Read more

SolarCity to launch crowd-funding platform for groups of solar PV assets

Wednesday, 1.15.2014 - 18:12 (Solarserver)

SolarCity Corp. (San Mateo, California, U.S.) has announced that it will launch a web-based investment platform which will allow individuals and institutions to invest in portfolios of solar photovoltaic (PV) assets for the first time. This is SolarCity's latest financing innovation for its distributed PV assets, following its introduction of asset-backed securities in November 2013. Read more

SolarCity Expanding Asset-Backed Debt Offerings to Retail Investors

Wednesday, 1.15.2014 - 17:20 (Renewable Energy World)

SolarCity Corp., the first U.S. company to sell bonds backed by rooftop solar panels, plans to offer similar products to individual investors. Read more

SolarCity to start online investment platform for the public

Wednesday, 1.15.2014 - 17:18 (PV-Tech)

The largest solar installer in the US, SolarCity, is to launch an online platform that will allow individuals and businesses to invest in its solar. Read more

German researchers produce world record 306 watt 60-cell PERC solar PV module

Wednesday, 1.15.2014 - 16:31 (Solarserver)

The German SUN research and development (R&D) project has produced a 306 watt, 60-cell solar photovoltaic (PV) module using passivated emitter rear contact (PERC) technology, as the first project supported by the Photovoltaic Innovation Alliance (Berlin). This output sets a new world record for a 60-cell PERC PV module, and has been confirmed by TÜV Rheinland (Cologne, Germany). Read more

German researchers produce world record 306 watt 60-cell solar PV module

Wednesday, 1.15.2014 - 15:44 (Solarserver)

The German SUN research and development (R&D) project has produced a 306 watt, 60-cell solar photovoltaic (PV) module using passivated emitter rear contact (PERC) technology, as the first project supported by the Photovoltaic Innovation Alliance (Berlin). This output sets a new world record for a 60-cell PERC PV module, and has been confirmed by TÜV Rheinland (Cologne, Germany). Read more

IREC’s Top 10 List: Solar Accomplishments of 2013

Wednesday, 1.15.2014 - 15:31 (Renewable Energy World)

The turn of the calendar year is always a good time to reflect on the past year’s accomplishments so we can gauge how far we’ve come (and where we’re headed). Despite a few setbacks in the regulatory sphere, it seems the general direction of policy across the country has been trending in a positive direction, helping the renewable energy community Read more

Hanwha SolarOne, Shanghai HuiTianRan Investment plan 700 MW of solar PV projects

Wednesday, 1.15.2014 - 15:06 (Solarserver)

Hanwha SolarOne Co. Ltd. (Shanghai) has signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Shanghai HuiTianRan Investment Holding Group Co. Ltd. (HTR, Shanghai) to establish a joint venture with the aim of building 700 MW of solar photovoltaic (PV) projects. Read more

Frank Asbeck’s shareholding in SolarWorld falls below 20% mark

Wednesday, 1.15.2014 - 14:02 (PV-Tech)

SolarWorld’s chairman and chief executive, Frank Asbeck, has sold five tranches of shares in the company in the last week, taking his shareholding to 19.72%, according to financial filings. Read more

Report: Chinese solar companies lead clean-tech investment success

Wednesday, 1.15.2014 - 13:58 (PV-Tech)

Chinese solar companies were among the leading performers within the clean-tech sector in securing venture investment during 2013, a report reveals. Read more

UK utility solar continues to grow and create jobs

Wednesday, 1.15.2014 - 13:55 (Solarpowerportal)

Utility solar plant operator, Lightsource Renewable Energy is doubling its capacity this year, spurring a recruitment drive to fill 100 jobs. Read more

JinkoSolar funding round could raise US$200 million

Wednesday, 1.15.2014 - 13:43 (PV-Tech)

A bond issue and share offering is likely to net JinkoSolar more than US$200 million. Read more

UK solar homes hit half a million milestone

Wednesday, 1.15.2014 - 12:36 (PV-Tech)

The number of solar installations in the UK registered for the government’s feed-in tariff has topped half a million for the first time, according to official statistics. Read more

UK solar homes hit half a million milestone

Wednesday, 1.15.2014 - 12:11 (Solarpowerportal)

The number of solar installations in the UK registered for the government’s feed-in tariff has topped half a million for the first time, according to official statistics. Read more

Hanwha SolarOne’s PV project pipeline in China near 1GW with planned JV

Wednesday, 1.15.2014 - 12:01 (PV-Tech)

Hanwha SolarOne intends to partner with a Chinese state-owned utility and investment firm, HuiTianRan Investment Holding Group, to develop 700MW of PV projects in the country. Read more

Viridian Solar launches new solar thermal panel ahead of domestic RHI launch

Wednesday, 1.15.2014 - 10:57 (Solarpowerportal)

Viridian Solar is looking to take advantage of the upcoming domestic renewable heat incentive (RHI) with the launch of its new Highline solar thermal panel for pitched roofs. Read more

Viridian Solar is looking to take advantage of the upcoming domestic renewable heat incentive (RHI)

Wednesday, 1.15.2014 - 10:57 (Solarpowerportal)

Viridian Solar is looking to take advantage of the upcoming domestic renewable heat incentive (RHI) with the launch of its new Highline solar thermal panel for pitched roofs. Read more

QBotix to supply 45 MW of robot tracking systems to UK solar PV projects

Wednesday, 1.15.2014 - 9:16 (Solarserver)

QBotix (Menlo Park, California, U.S.), has signed a contract to supply 45 MW of its robotic tracking systems (RTS) to Castillium (Edinburgh, UK) for use in solar photovoltaic (PV) projects in the UK. The company says that its tracking system allows for 45% more electricity generation than fixed-tilt modules, resulting in up to 20% project cost savings. The first projects are expected to begin construction in the middle of 2014. Read more

Bulgarian President takes solar, wind tax to Constitutional Court

Wednesday, 1.15.2014 - 8:59 (Solarserver)

Citing violations of constitutional principles of free enterprise, Bulgarian President Rosen Plevneliev has referred the nation's new 20% tax on solar photovoltaic (PV) and wind output to Bulgaria's Constitutional Court. President Plevneliev states that the different fee on wind and solar power producers is a form of discrimination, and will put current and new investments and jobs at risk. Plevneliev also notes the lack of transparency that accompanied the passage of the law through parliament. Read more

REC Solar increases U.S. residential PV market share by 65%

Wednesday, 1.15.2014 - 8:48 (Solarserver)

REC Solar Inc. (San Luis Obispo, California, U.S.) reports that it has grown its market share in the U.S. residential solar photovoltaic (PV) sector by 65% in 2013. The company says that several factors contributed to this growth rate, including expanding business in parts of Southern California, New York and Hawaii. REC Solar also stresses the importance of customer service, and a low customer cancellation rate as a result. Read more

Principal Solar files to register distributed solar utility with SEC

Wednesday, 1.15.2014 - 8:41 (Solarserver)

Principal Solar Inc. (PSI, Dallas, Texas, U.S.) has filed a registration with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) to create what it calls the world's first distributed solar utility. When PSI comments clear with the SEC, this will allow it to become a fully reporting company, which will acquire projects and aggregate electricity from solar plants across the United States. Read more

Can Grass Be a New Biofuel?

Wednesday, 1.15.2014 - 14:00 (Renewable Energy World)

Grass could be used to produce biofuels. The advantage of using grass crops is that they can be grown in marginal lands that would otherwise not be used. Marginal lands is a wide definition, admits Susanne Barth, research Officer at Teagasc, the agriculture and food development authority research centre, in Carlow, Ireland. “This can be soils that can be in bad physical condition or prone to flooding, extreme drought or which suffer from salt stress.” Barth coordinates an EU-funded research project, called GrassMargins, which is testing out whether grasses could be used as biofuels. Read more

Google On a Cleantech Investment Binge Again

Wednesday, 1.15.2014 - 21:34 (Renewable Energy World)

Once again flexing its investment muscles in renewable energy, Google is taking a stake in another a Texas wind farm. Oh, and it's also buying some home energy automation startup called Nest Labs. Read more

Northern Exposure: Canadian Hydro in the Spotlight

Wednesday, 1.15.2014 - 14:40 (Renewable Energy World)

Thomas Edison received his patent for the incandescent light bulb mere months before the Ottawa Electric Light Company completed Canada's first hydropower project, but the plant still preceded the modern vacuum cleaner, radio receiver and air conditioner by two decades. Not even the double-edged safety razor, Teddy bear or crayon had been invented by the time the Chaudiere Falls facility began generating power in 1881. While electricity in its infancy was primarily reserved as a novelty for the rich and a resource for captains of industry, Canada was quick to see hydro's potential. Read more

It’s Cold and My Car is Buried in Snow; Is Global Warming Really Happening?

Wednesday, 1.15.2014 - 15:28 (Renewable Energy World)

For years, climate contrarians have pointed to snowfall and cold weather to question the scientific reality of human-induced climate change. Read more

PV estimated to cover% of German electricity production in 2013

Wednesday, 1.15.2014 - 13:41 (PV-Tech)

Power generated by photovoltaics systems covered% of Germany’s total electricity production last year, according to estimates released by the German Association of Energy and Water Industries (BDEW). Read more