Suntech Power Holdings to take action to comply with NYSE listing requirements

Monday, 1.20.2014 - 15:48 (PV-Tech)

Beleaguered Suntech Power Holdings has received notification that it has once again failed to meet criteria for listing on the New York Stock Exchange. Read more

India solar auction three times oversubcribed

Monday, 1.20.2014 - 17:59 (PV-Tech)

Bidding for the second phase of India’s national solar mission (JNNSM), which offered 750MW of solar capacity, was flooded with bids totalling 2,170MW, according to solar consultants, Bridge to India. Read more

Solar Beats Natural Gas to Unlock Middle East’s Heavy Oil, Says GlassPoint Solar

Monday, 1.20.2014 - 17:23 (Renewable Energy World)

Solar energy is cheaper than natural gas in powering enhanced oil recovery projects in the Middle East that tap heavy, viscous forms of crude, a developer of the technology said. Read more

Economics and Energy Minister Sigmar Gabriel plans to reduce German solar PV market to 2.5 GW annually

Monday, 1.20.2014 - 17:00 (Solarserver)

According to a draft paper leaked to press, German Economics and Energy Minister Sigmar Gabriel (SPD) is planning to reduce feed-in tariff levels for electricity from renewable sources to an average of EUR 0.12/kWh, and will also seek to limit the nation's PV market from 3.5 GW in 2013 to 2.5 GW annually. Read more

Silicon efficiency breakthrough awarded UK research prize

Monday, 1.20.2014 - 16:38 (PV-Tech)

An Australian engineer has been awarded £300,000 (US$493,000) by the Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET) for his work on increasing the efficiency of solar PV whilst lowering costs. Read more

Singyes Solar’s PV project pipeline reaches 320MW

Monday, 1.20.2014 - 16:05 (PV-Tech)

China-based PV project developer and manufacturer, China Singyes Solar Technologies Holdings, said in a Hong Kong financial filing that its project pipeline had reached 320MW. Read more

China imposes final tariffs on U.S., South Korean polysilicon

Monday, 1.20.2014 - 15:34 (Solarserver)

China's Ministry of Commerce (MOFCOM) has issued final rulings to confirm anti-dumping and anti-subsidy (countervailing or CVD) duties on solar-grade polysilicon from the United States and anti-dumping duties on South Korean polysilicon, effective immediately. Read more

China imposes fresh duties on US and Korean polysilicon

Monday, 1.20.2014 - 14:47 (PV-Tech)

China has slapped fresh duties on to imports of solar grade polysilicon produced in the US and South Korea, applicable for five years. Read more

Initial construction work begins on 70 MW solar PV plant in Chile

Monday, 1.20.2014 - 14:35 (Solarserver)

SunPower Corp. (San Jose, California, U.S.) has begun site preparation work on a the Project Salvador solar photovoltaic (PV) plant in Northern Chile, according to a statement by developer Etrion Corp. (Geneva). Etrion also reports that the U.S. government's Overseas Private Investment Corporation (OPIC) made its first disbursement of financing for the project in December 2013. Read more

Bosch to pay SolarWorld reported €130 million in solar divestment

Monday, 1.20.2014 - 14:34 (PV-Tech)

Bosch is to pay SolarWorld €130 million to take its German solar operations off its hands, according to a report. Read more

Silicon efficiency breakthrough awarded IET research prize

Monday, 1.20.2014 - 14:17 (Solarpowerportal)

An Australian engineer has been awarded £300,000 by the Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET) for his work on increasing the efficiency of solar PV whilst lowering costs. Read more

Phoenix Solar thwarts theft at Spanish PV plant

Monday, 1.20.2014 - 13:46 (PV-Tech)

A recent attempted burglary of equipment from a 6.5MWp photovoltaic (PV) plant operated and maintained by Phoenix Solar was thwarted by a combination of the plant’s management team and local security services, the company has revealed. Read more

Solarcube opens new Birmingham office

Monday, 1.20.2014 - 13:39 (Solarpowerportal)

PV distributor Solarcube has announced that it has opened a new sales office in Birmingham. Read more

India installed over 1GW of grid solar in 2013

Monday, 1.20.2014 - 13:07 (PV-Tech)

India’s Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) has released figures revealing more than 1GW of grid-connected solar was installed last year. Read more

Report: MENA solar to be worth US$50 billion by 2020

Monday, 1.20.2014 - 12:57 (PV-Tech)

The Middle East and North Africa could see investment in solar reach US$50 billion by 2020 as governments push to exploit the region’s huge resources, research claims. Read more

Masdar PV sells 11.7MW thin-film solar farm

Monday, 1.20.2014 - 12:14 (PV-Tech)

Thin-film module manufacturer Masdar PV has sold its 11.7MW solar farm in Thuringia, Germany to a renewable energy investor. Read more

Leicestershire County Council considering solar to combat escalating energy bills

Monday, 1.20.2014 - 12:00 (Solarpowerportal)

Leicestershire County Council has revealed that it is considering installing solar panels on County Hall to help tackle escalating energy bills. Read more

EuPD: German solar PV installers considering storage

Monday, 1.20.2014 - 9:07 (Solarserver)

A majority of German solar photovoltaic (PV) installers are considering expanding their product range to offer energy storage, according to an analysis by EuPD Research (Bonn, Germany). Only 10% of the companies surveyed have decided against this option. In findings released from the sixth edition of its European PV InstallerMonitor, the company identified SMA/Hoppecke, Nedap, E3/DC and Vartage Storage as front-runners in this market. EuPD has also found that 40% of German installers believe that the business model of PV is under threat, but remain positive that they will overcome the crisis. Read more

ReneSola supplies solar PV modules for 31.7 MW UK plant

Monday, 1.20.2014 - 8:58 (Solarserver)

ReneSola Ltd. (Jiashan, China) reports that it provided 31.7 MW of its Virtus solar photovoltaic (PV) modules to Isolux Corsán Servicios SA (Madrid) for a PV plant in the United Kingdom. The company delivered 9.7 MW of Virtus I modules and 22 MW of Virtus II modules to the project in Suffolk, England, which was completed in December 2013. This is the fifth PV plant that Isolux Corsán has built in the UK. Read more

JCM launches fund for solar PV projects in emerging markets

Monday, 1.20.2014 - 8:49 (Solarserver)

JCM Capital (Toronto) has launched a fund to provide construction and long-term equity financing for solar photovoltaic (PV) projects in emerging markets, with a target size of USD 150 million. The Clean Power Infrastructure fund has secured a lead investor and commitments of USD 15 million, and JCM anticipates that it will reach a first-close of USD 50 million in late 2014. The company has already identified utility-scale PV project opportunities in Mexico, Ecuador, Cameroon and Mali. Read more

JinkoSolar to raise USD 262 million through shares, bonds

Monday, 1.20.2014 - 8:43 (Solarserver)

JinkoSolar Holding Co. Ltd. (Shanghai) has priced its offering of 3.75 million American depository shares (ADS) at USD 32.35 per share for a total of USD 132 million, as well as offering USD 130 million in convertible bonds. JinkoSolar says that it will use the capital it raises for purposes which may ultimately include expanding manufacturing capacity, development of solar photovoltaic (PV) projects and general working capital. Initially, the company plans to place the proceeds in short-term investments. Read more

Designing and Achieving Geothermal Power Plant Performance with Confidence

Monday, 1.20.2014 - 16:07 (Renewable Energy World)

The design and the actual performance of a geothermal air-cooled power plant utilizing a supercritical refrigerant of R134a as the working fluid are discussed. A supercritical Organic Rankine Cycle (“ORC”) in many cases outperforms a sub-critical cycle, from the net kilowatt (kW) generated point of view. Additionally, the plant configuration is simpler to design and easier to operate. An additional advantage of using non-flammable working fluid in the cycle, such as R134a, eliminates the risk of fires. During the design stage, a preliminary process flow diagram is established based on the standard process engineering practices in HYSYS, a simulation software from ASPENTECH. Read more

German Energy Minister Proposes Cuts to Renewable Subsidies, Industry Reacts

Monday, 1.20.2014 - 20:22 (Renewable Energy World)

German Energy Minister Sigmar Gabriel is scheduled to propose renewable energy reform on Wednesday. In an effort to reduce government spending and slow the increase in energy costs, Gabriel proposes to cut subsides for renewable sources from €0.17 per kilowatt-hour (kWh) to €0.12 per kWh by 2015, according to several reports. Read more

Germany Energy Minister Proposes Cuts to Renewable Subsidies, Industry Reacts

Monday, 1.20.2014 - 20:22 (Renewable Energy World)

German Energy Minister Sigmar Gabriel is scheduled to propose renewable energy reform on Wednesday. In an effort to reduce government spending and slow the increase in energy costs, Gabriel proposes to cut subsides for renewable sources from €0.17 per kilowatt-hour (kWh) to €0.12 per kWh by 2015, according to several reports. Read more

EU ‘binding’ renewables target spared the axe despite UK opposition

Monday, 1.20.2014 - 17:08 (Solarpowerportal)

The possibility of a binding renewable energy target for the EU is back on the table at negotiations in Brussels. Read more

REIGA to return funds held to installers by the end of February

Monday, 1.20.2014 - 16:52 (Solarpowerportal)

The Renewable Energy Installation Guarantee Agency (REIGA) has confirmed that it will start returning funds owed to installers in February. Read more

EU ‘binding’ renewables target spared the axe

Monday, 1.20.2014 - 15:40 (PV-Tech)

The possibility of a binding renewable energy target for the EU is back on the table at negotiations in Brussels. Read more

$41 Million in Loans Announced for Renewable Energy Projects in Developing Countries

Monday, 1.20.2014 - 15:13 (Renewable Energy World)

Loans of $41 million were announced for renewable energy projects in six developing countries by the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) and the Abu Dhabi Fund for Development (ADFD). Read more

New Hampshire introduces virtual net metering of renewables for utility customers

Monday, 1.20.2014 - 12:15 (PV-Tech)

The eastern US state of New Hampshire has put in place new interim rules governing the use of virtual net metering for renewable energy generators of up to 1MW capacity. Read more

U.S. to launch manufacturing innovation institute for power electronics

Monday, 1.20.2014 - 8:38 (Solarserver)

Citing the importance of domestic manufacturing, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has chosen a consortium led by North Carolina State University to lead a new manufacturing innovation institute for power electronics. The Next Generation Power Electronics Institute will aim to make wide bandgap semiconductor technologies cost-competitive with silicon-based power electronics within five years. The DOE has awarded USD 70 million over five years to this effort, to be matched by USD 70 million in non-federal commitments. Read more