Siemens contributes microinverters and EV charge infrastructure to ‘net zero energy’ house demo

Tuesday, 10.21.2014 - 16:54 (PV-Tech)

Siemens has installed microinverters and an electric vehicle (EV) charging station as its contribution to a ‘net zero energy’ house demonstration which is complete with solar panels fitted by 1st Light Energy. Read more

The Key to Harnessing the Power of the Sun: Minimize Risk, Maximize Return

Tuesday, 10.21.2014 - 16:21 (Renewable Energy World)

Roofing systems are valuable assets designed to perform a critical function — protect the top of a building. A building’s roof may not have been designed to become the permanent platform for a heavy photovoltaic (PV) system. But throughout the world, rooftops are being converted into solar power systems as building owners, energy advisory agencies and other decision-makers attempt to capitalize on the environmental and financial benefits of installing a rooftop PV system. Read more

Natcore Technology produces first laser-processed all-low-temperature solar cell

Tuesday, 10.21.2014 - 13:43 (Solarserver)

Incorporating its proprietary advances in laser-processing technology, scientists at Natcore Technology (Red Bank, N.J, US) have created an all-low-temperature, laser-processed solar photovoltaic (PV) cell. Their latest device does not require temperatures above 350 degrees C for any process step, Natcore emphasizes. Read more

SPI Slideshow Day One: Batteries, Policy, Awards, Oh My!

Tuesday, 10.21.2014 - 23:54 (Renewable Energy World)

The Renewable Energy World team is at Solar Power International 2014 in Las Vegas, Nevada gathering news, networking and taking in the show, which began with a flurry of excitement. Read more

LDK Files for Bankruptcy in U.S. Court on China Solar Glut

Tuesday, 10.21.2014 - 22:28 (Renewable Energy World)

LDK Solar Co., the Chinese solar- cell maker that defaulted on its bonds this year, filed for bankruptcy in the U.S. to help carry out restructurings already under way in Hong Kong and the Cayman Islands. Read more

Borrego Solar and sPower begin work on Long Island solar plant

Tuesday, 10.21.2014 - 21:13 (PV-Tech)

PV installer Borrego Solar and renewable energy provider sPower have begun construction on a solar installation in Suffolk County, Long Island, New York. Read more

ODPE breaks 50MW barrier with Kent solar farm approval; targets 100MW before April 2015

Tuesday, 10.21.2014 - 18:43 (Solarpowerportal)

Solar PV developer, ODPE has revealed that it has over 56MW of UK solar farms following the approval of its 18MW solar farm in Iwade, Kent. Read more

The Future of Solar Economics and Policy

Tuesday, 10.21.2014 - 16:25 (Renewable Energy World)

Solar power is at a unique place in history. It’s growing rapidly, its price is falling precipitously. Within the next 10 years, it will compete favorably with utilities for electricity sales, on price, and without subsidies. Given its rapid ascent, it might seem silly to talk about change.  But the continued expansion of distributed solar power ma Read more

SPI 2014: SEIA launches campaign to save ITC at show opener

Tuesday, 10.21.2014 - 16:23 (PV-Tech)

Solar Power International 2014 got off to a bang last night with the launch of a campaign to save the Investment Tax Credit (ITC). Read more

Solarcity hopes new marketing officer will increase solar energy awareness

Tuesday, 10.21.2014 - 15:37 (PV-Tech)

SolarCity, the US’s largest solar power provider, appointed a former Progressive Insurance marketing strategist as its new chief marketing officer, with hopes that he will innovatively increase promotion of the company. Read more

Investor TRIG eyes rooftops to mitigate solar farm cuts

Tuesday, 10.21.2014 - 14:03 (Solarpowerportal)

TRIG has said it is to focus on rooftop solar due to cuts in funding for solar farms. Read more

DNV GL: New financing structures and understanding risk are crucial to continuing the growth of solar

Tuesday, 10.21.2014 - 13:40 (Solarserver)

On October 21, 2104, DNV GL (Las Vegas, Nevada), a provider of classification and technical assurance along with software and independent expert advisory services to the maritime, oil and gas, and energy industries, released the new position paper “Bright Ideas: Global Trends in Solar Finance”. In “Bright Ideas”, DNV GL draws upon the front-line experience of its solar experts working on five continents across all major solar market segments. The paper describes major trends in solar financing, defining what is needed to ensure technical risks are properly assessed, and looking beyond the current horizon to reflect upon what the future holds for solar energy finance: Read more

UK investor eyes rooftops to mitigate solar farm cuts

Tuesday, 10.21.2014 - 12:58 (PV-Tech)

UK renewables investor, TRIG, has said it will give more attention to rooftop solar due to cuts in funding for solar farms. Read more

TuNur developer not phased by recent Desertec fallout

Tuesday, 10.21.2014 - 12:34 (PV-Tech)

TuNur, a 2GW concentrated solar power (CSP) project along the same lines as the original Desertec Industrial Initiative (Dii) plan, said the idea for Middle East and North African solar energy exports into Europe is still a valid and needed venture. Read more

Exclusive: Foreign CfD project will help not hinder UK solar, says TuNur

Tuesday, 10.21.2014 - 12:22 (Solarpowerportal)

The ambitious North African-based Concentrated Solar Project (CSP) TuNur said it will not discourage the success of UK-based solar developments, despite TuNur’s size or plan to apply for funding from the British government via the contracts for difference (CfDs) scheme. Read more

South America continues PV surge as ET Solar supplies 5MW plant in Suriname

Tuesday, 10.21.2014 - 11:31 (PV-Tech)

ET Solar Energy has supplied 5MW of polycrystalline photovoltaic modules to a mining operation in Suriname. Read more

New research project to work on concepts and solutions for the provision of balancing power with solar PV

Tuesday, 10.21.2014 - 11:27 (Solarserver)

SMA Solar Technology AG (SMA), the Institute for High Voltage Technology and Electrical Energy Systems (elenia) of Technische Universität Braunschweig and GEWI AG are conducting a joint research project to investigate how photovoltaic systems can provide balancing power for the stability of power grids in the future. The goal is to develop suitable technical solutions for solar photovoltaic (PV) systems ranging from small private solar power systems to large-scale PV power plants and to demonstrate their feasibility in a field test. Read more

KYOCERA, Healthy Planet Partners combine strengths to lower solar PV investment costs

Tuesday, 10.21.2014 - 11:24 (Solarserver)

Kyocera Solar Inc. (Scottsdale, Arizona) and Healthy Planet Partners (HPP, Greenwich, Connecticut), a clean energy solutions fund that finances renewable energy and efficiency projects that optimize performance in commercial buildings, on October 20th, 2014 announced a strategic collaboration that will result in lowering capital costs for solar photovoltaic (PV) developers and benefit Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) customers. Read more

NFU VP calls for ‘sober’ debate on fuel vs food

Tuesday, 10.21.2014 - 11:15 (Solarpowerportal)

The vice president of the National Farmers Union has called for a “sober” debate on fuel vs food following comments made by the environment secretary that UK farmland was being “wasted” and “blighted by solar farms”. Read more

AUO, BenQ Solar deployed PV plants in Taiwan with an installed capacity of 23.4 MW

Tuesday, 10.21.2014 - 11:10 (Solarserver)

AU Optronics Corp. (Hsinchu, Taiwan) on October 21st, 2014 announced its participation at PV Taiwan 2014 to be held from October 22nd to 24th at TWTC Exhibition Hall. AUO’s solar solution brand, BenQ Solar, will showcase a series of light-weight and high efficiency solar photovoltaic (PV) modules. The scalable energy storage system and the total solar solutions for different kinds of solar power plants will also be introduced. To meet the growing demand of solar PV plants in Taiwan, AUO has deployed more than 130 solar projects with an installed capacity of 23.4 MW, the company notes. Read more

Kyocera and Stem launch ‘intelligent’ energy storage plus solar in three US states

Tuesday, 10.21.2014 - 10:54 (PV-Tech)

Japan’s Kyocera and energy service start-up Stem have become the latest partnership to offer integrated solar-plus-storage to commercial customers in the US, beginning with sales in three states including California. Read more

Hanwha Q CELLS to supply all Astrum Solar’s modules for 2015 installs

Tuesday, 10.21.2014 - 9:40 (PV-Tech)

US PV installer Astrum Solar will source all its modules for 2015 installs from Hanwha Q CELLS, the two companies confirmed. Read more

OPDE announces approval for a 18 MWp solar PV farm in the UK; British PV projects total over 56.6 MW

Tuesday, 10.21.2014 - 8:11 (Solarserver)

The OPDE Group (Navara, Spain), a multinational solar company specialising in the development, investment and operation of solar photovoltaic (PV) plants, has obtained planning consent for a new 18 MWp solar farm located near the town of Iwade in Kent, England. It will generate enough electricity to power up to 5,400 homes in the UK. The planning consent obtained enables the OPDE to commence construction in November 2014. Read more

ET Solar supplies PV modules totalling 5 MW to a mining operation in Suriname

Tuesday, 10.21.2014 - 7:16 (Solarserver)

ET Solar Energy Corp. (Nanjing, China) on October 20th, 2014 announced that it has supplied 5 MW of polycrystalline solar photovoltaic (PV) modules to a mining operation in Suriname. Upon completion, the solar PV plant will substantially meet the demand for electricity of the facilities, the company notes. Read more

Borrego Solar, sPower break ground on 6.3 MWac PV project in Suffolk county, Long Island, New York

Tuesday, 10.21.2014 - 7:13 (Solarserver)

Borrego Solar Systems Inc. (San Diego, California, US), a designer, developer, installer and financier of grid-tied solar photovoltaic (PV) systems, and sPower (Sustainable Power Group), a renewable energy provider based in Salt Lake City (Utah, US), on October 20th, 2014 announced that they are commencing construction on a solar project located in Suffolk County, Long Island, New York. Upon completion, the PV facility, located on sPower-owned land in the Town of Riverhead, will have a generating capacity of 6.3 MWac (9.1 MWdc). Read more

Vestas Wind Plans China Push with New Models, Component Content

Tuesday, 10.21.2014 - 23:33 (Renewable Energy World)

Vestas Wind Systems A/S., the world’s biggest wind turbine maker, will extend its push into China with plans to use more component contents from Chinese suppliers while also bringing models suited for varying wind conditions to the country. Read more

Japan’s new minister for trade and industry: ‘no question’ nuclear important for baseload

Tuesday, 10.21.2014 - 12:33 (PV-Tech)

The newly appointed chief of Japan’s Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) is expected to continue efforts to restart the country’s nuclear power generation, according to reports. Read more

EPA Carbon Rules: Create Gliding Paths Instead of Cliffs

Tuesday, 10.21.2014 - 12:26 (Renewable Energy World)

The EPA’s proposed rule to regulate carbon dioxide from existing power plants emphasizes the ample flexibility it provides to states. However, careful analysis of the rule shows that it provides significant flexibility for how states can achieve the required CO2 reductions, but little flexibility on when to achieve them. In fact, most of the emission reductions it calls for are required in 2020, the rule’s first year. Read more

AREVA, Schneider Electric sign R&D cooperation agreement on flow battery energy storage

Tuesday, 10.21.2014 - 11:15 (Solarserver)

AREVA (Paris, France) and Schneider Electric SA (Reuil-Malmaison, France) have signed a research and development agreement to develop a new energy storage solution, called the flow battery in order to produce and store electricity by combining hydrobromic acid and hydrogen. Funded by the European Union, the project aims to optimize the existing 50 kW flow battery prototype designed by EnStorage (Yavne, Israel) to a 150 kW demonstration module. Read more