A Small Town in Germany Becomes a Testing Ground for a Smart Grid

Wednesday, 11.19.2014 - 17:03 (Renewable Energy World)

A small German town in southern Bavaria is participating in an interesting experiment proving that a high-renewables future is viable. Wildpoldsried (pop. 2,600) currently produces 500 percent more energy than it needs through renewable energy systems, and sells the surplus power back to the grid. Read more

France awards FiTs to 217 ‘medium’ PV projects

Wednesday, 11.19.2014 - 11:59 (PV-Tech)

France’s minister for ecology, sustainable development and energy, Ségolène Royal, has announced the award of 40.7MWp worth of feed-in tariffs (FiTs) across 217 PV projects, in the third phase of a national tender process. Read more

Japanese developer plans a 5.5MW project in Japan

Wednesday, 11.19.2014 - 11:49 (PV-Tech)

Japanese solar developer Tamagawa Holdings will build a 5.5MW photovoltaic power plant in southwest Japan. Read more

JA Solar to expand solar cell and module capacity by 20%; mulls overseas expansion

Wednesday, 11.19.2014 - 11:48 (PV-Tech)

Major PV manufacturer JA Solar said it was planning to expand both solar cell and PV module capacity by around 20% in order to keep in alignment with expected global market growth in 2015. Read more

Yole Développement: The inverter industry is about to change

Wednesday, 11.19.2014 - 11:36 (Solarserver)

The USD 65 billion inverter market by 2020 will be driven by multiple applications, Yole Développement (Lyon, France) announces in its new report “Inverter Technology Trends & Market Expectations”. “The largest markets in 2020 (in revenues) will be represented by motor drives, UPS, and PV”, explains Dr Pierric Gueguen, Activity Leader, Power Electronics and Compound Semi. at Yole. The strongest market growth will be featured by electric vehicles and hybrid electric vehicles with 18.3% CAGR (in revenues) between 2013. Wind and UPS markets will remain almost flat, he adds. Read more

Ingeteam commissions the second large-scale PV plant in Argentina; 1 MW installed in the province of San Luis

Wednesday, 11.19.2014 - 6:57 (Solarserver)

Ingeteam (Sarriguren, Navarra, Spain) on November 18th, 2014 announced the commissioning of the Terrazas del Portezuelo PV plant, constructed by the Argentinian company Coradir in the province of San Luis, Argentina, the first PV solar farm in the region. The photovoltaic (PV) plant is already producing solar power on a large scale. The solar farm, with a rated output power of 1 MW is delivering energy to the internal, medium voltage network supplying the Main Government Building property. Read more

3W Power/AEG Power Solutions RE sales impacted by asset sales

Wednesday, 11.19.2014 - 20:42 (PV-Tech)

3W Power the holding company of PV inverter supplier, AEG Power Solutions Group reported a 50.7% decline in its Renewable Energy Solutions (RES) business third quarter results, partially due to the sale of subsidiary, Skytron in July, 2014 to First Solar. Read more

Sky Solar makes US$46.1 million from NASDAQ IPO

Wednesday, 11.19.2014 - 19:02 (PV-Tech)

After adjustments to its IPO pricing, Hong Kong based PV project developer, Sky Solar Holdings has listed on the NASDAQ stock market, providing US$46.1 million in net proceeds. Read more

Solar Fred Marketing Tip: Clarity Trumps Everything, Even Brevity and Typos

Wednesday, 11.19.2014 - 16:36 (Renewable Energy World)

According to a recent survey of consumers, clarity trumps everything when it comes to company communications, and that’s very important information for solar marketers. Take a look a look at this graphic below. Regardless of age and demographic, clearly communicating beats brevity, design, spelling and grammar, and the customer’s ability to interac Read more

New Coalition Looks to Expand Massachusetts Solar Market

Wednesday, 11.19.2014 - 14:28 (Renewable Energy World)

Under the leadership of Governor Deval Patrick, who leaves office in early January, Massachusetts has become a national leader in the deployment of solar energy. From about 3 megawatts (MW) of installed capacity in 2007, Governor Patrick set a very ambitious target of installing 400 MW of solar – and, amazingly, reached that goal four years early. Read more

German developer expands into the British solar market

Wednesday, 11.19.2014 - 13:54 (Solarpowerportal)

German energy developer Pfalzsolar has ventured out of Germany to build its first international project, an 8.4MW solar plant in the UK. Read more

Trina Solar to build 10MW solar plant in Jordan

Wednesday, 11.19.2014 - 13:17 (PV-Tech)

Trina Solar has made an agreement with Jordan-based solar energy supplier, Shamsuna to construct a 10MW solar power plant. Read more

UK solar to be cheaper than gas by 2018

Wednesday, 11.19.2014 - 13:13 (Solarpowerportal)

Large-scale solar PV in the UK will be cheaper than gas before 2018, according to a report published by the Solar Trade Association. Read more

Mondragon Assembly acquires rival

Wednesday, 11.19.2014 - 12:41 (PV-Tech)

PV module assembly equipment specialist, Mondragon Assembly has acquired rival Spanish firm, Gorosabel Group’s solar assembly and automation business unit. Read more

SolarWorld and Enphase agree technology partnership

Wednesday, 11.19.2014 - 11:56 (PV-Tech)

Global module manufacturer, SolarWorld, and micro inverter manufacturer, Enphase Energy have formed a partnership. Read more

Canadian Solar supplies PV modules for major solar Project in Georgia

Wednesday, 11.19.2014 - 11:23 (Solarserver)

Canadian Solar Inc. (Guelph, Ontario) on November 18th, 2014 announced that its solar photovoltaic (PV) modules will power a series of projects in Georgia totaling 5.1 MW with Atlanta-based solar developer and Engineering, Procurement and Construction (EPC) provider SolAmerica Energy, LLC. As the sole provider of photovoltaic (PV) modules for these projects, Canadian Solar expects these projects to be completed in December of 2014. Each of the projects will be owned by Citizens Energy Corporation of Boston pursuant to a development and EPC Agreement with SolAmerica Energy. Read more

Solar-related fire causes evacuation at Sainsbury’s in Longbridge

Wednesday, 11.19.2014 - 10:07 (Solarpowerportal)

Sainsbury’s in Longbridge, Birmingham was evacuated on Saturday 15 November after a fire broke out on the supermarket’s roof. Read more

JA Solar announces Q3, 2014 results including increased shipments, operating profit; Full year shipments expected above 3 GW

Wednesday, 11.19.2014 - 7:10 (Solarserver)

JA Solar Holdings Co., Ltd. (Shanghai, China) on November 18th, 2014 announced its unaudited financial results for its third quarter ended September 30th, 2014. The company shipped solar photovoltaic (PV) products totaling 785.4 megawatt (MW) in Q3, 2014, an increase of 57.0% compared to Q3, 2013, and 15.2% sequentially. Shipments of PV modules and module tolling added up to 693.5 MW, +127.4% y/y and +55.6% sequentially. Shipments of solar cells and cell tolling were 91.9 MW, a decrease of 52.9% compared to Q3, 2013, and 61.1% sequentially. Read more

Canadian Solar to supply 5.1MW of modules to SolAmerica Energy

Wednesday, 11.19.2014 - 1:12 (PV-Tech)

PV energy provider Canadian Solar will supply solar developer and EPC provider SolAmerica Energy with 5.1MW of modules in order to power a group of PV projects in Georgia. Read more

Australia Residents Protest Wind Turbines as Government Upholds Fossil Use

Wednesday, 11.19.2014 - 16:49 (Renewable Energy World)

Tony Hill moved from inner-city Canberra to a tree-filled valley five years ago to find serenity in the nearby Australian bush. Now he fears his idyllic vista will soon be marred by 50-storey-high wind turbines. Read more

New study: Renewable energy commitment can improve the stock price of mining companies; solar and wind energy lower electricity costs

Wednesday, 11.19.2014 - 11:39 (Solarserver)

The mining industry faces challenges such as lower mineral and metal prices and the threat of further stigmatization. Renewable energy could be part of the solution as it improves the energy cost of mines, counters opposition from ecological movements, and above all sends a strong signal of forward orientation, progressive management and corporate governance. A study conducted by Dr. Thomas Hillig Energy Consulting (THEnergy, Munich, Germany) based on interviews with financing, mining, and energy experts shows that the indirect effects on the mining company’s market value are more significant than the pure electricity cost savings. Read more

Why Geothermal Heat Pumps Should be a Carbon Reduction Tool for Coal Plants

Wednesday, 11.19.2014 - 19:17 (Renewable Energy World)

The Geothermal Exchange Organization (GEO) is seeking a partnership with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to cut pollution that degrades our health and contributes to climate change. On Nov. 4, GEO submitted comments to EPA urging that renewable thermal energy and geothermal heat pumps be recognized in its proposed rulemaking under Section 111(d) of the U.S. Clean Air Act to cut carbon pollution from existing power plants. The proposed rule allows flexibility in meeting the agency’s desired emissions reductions across the nation, including renewable energy and energy efficiency. Read more

SunPower cutting jobs in Europe at cost of up to US$25 million

Wednesday, 11.19.2014 - 23:55 (PV-Tech)

Major PV energy provider SunPower has said it is to restructure operations with 85 to 115 jobs losses, primarily in Europe. Charges are expected to be in the range of US$15 million to US$25 million and be accounted for in the current fourth quarter. Read more

Can the Liberal Democrats translate courting of green vote into action?

Wednesday, 11.19.2014 - 15:52 (Solarpowerportal)

Andy Colthorpe with a video comment on how the Lib Dems are seeking to appeal to the ‘green vote’, talking up the benefits of investing in renewable energy and making encouraging noises about solar, while the coalition government they are part of seems less sold on the idea. Read more

SunEdison/TerraForm Power Buy First Wind For $2.4 Billion To Achieve Renewable Energy Dominance

Wednesday, 11.19.2014 - 14:15 (Renewable Energy World)

In a surprising diversification move, SunEdison has launched into the wind sector and positioned itself to be the world’s largest renewable energy development company. Yesterday morning, SunEdison announced that it is joining with its indirect subsidiary TerraForm Power to purchase First Wind for US $2.4 billion, in a “very complex but very value added deal,” said Ahmad Chatila, the president and chief executive officer of SunEdison, based in Maryland Heights, Mo. Read more

Energy Storage Emerges as an All-Purpose Grid Asset

Wednesday, 11.19.2014 - 13:12 (Renewable Energy World)

A long time in coming, advanced energy storage solutions are beginning to make their mark on the U.S. power grid and energy supplies – not only in terms of their capacity to store energy, but as “all-purpose” power grid assets. Read more

Japanese developer plans a 5.5MW project in Nagasaki

Wednesday, 11.19.2014 - 11:49 (PV-Tech)

Japanese solar developer Tamagawa Holdings will build a 5.5MW photovoltaic power plant in southwest Japan. Read more