Morgan Stanley-Backed Atlantis Raises $33 Million for Tidal Plan

Tuesday, 2.25.2014 - 13:15 (Renewable Energy World)

Atlantis Resources Corp., a Morgan Stanley-backed maker of tidal turbines, raised 20 million pounds ($33 million) with a European grant, funds from a government institution and an initial public offering in London. Read more

First Solar achieves new world record for CdTe efficiency, reports dip in Q4 revenues but solid profitability

Tuesday, 2.25.2014 - 23:51 (Solarserver)

Overshadowing its fourth quarter 2013 results, First Solar Inc. (Tempe, Arizona, U.S.) reports that its researchers have developed a world record 20.4% efficient cadmium telluride (CdTe) thin film solar photovoltaic (PV) cell. This beats the previous record of 19.6% set by GE Global Research (Schenectady, NY) in 2013. Read more

First Solar surpasses GE’s CdTe cell efficiency record

Tuesday, 2.25.2014 - 23:09 (PV-Tech)

Certified at Newport Corp’s Technology and Applications Center (TAC) PV Lab and confirmed by NREL, First Solar has reported a world record for a CdTe solar cell with a conversion efficiency of 20.4%. Read more

North Carolina’s Duke Energy Plans Attack on Solar

Tuesday, 2.25.2014 - 21:10 (Renewable Energy World)

In a sign it will seek to maintain its monopolistic control of North Carolina’s energy generation, Duke Energy CEO Lynn Good criticized solar net metering in a meeting with local reporters on January 22. According to the Charlotte News & Observer’s John Murawski, the utility will push for “reducing how much North Carolina households are paid for ge Read more

Chinese companies dominate list of world's largest solar EPCs, First Solar still on top

Tuesday, 2.25.2014 - 17:29 (Solarserver)

IHS Inc. (Englewood, California, U.S.) has released an analysis of engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contractors in the solar photovoltaic (PV) industry, finding that 30 EPCs installed 9.1 GW of non-residential PV in 2013. This represented 30% of the world market for this segment. Read more

SolarCity considering alternative PV module supply

Tuesday, 2.25.2014 - 16:59 (PV-Tech)

SolarCity has reiterated plans to significantly increase PV installations in 2014, despite the potential impact on PV module costs should the latest US anti-dumping case lead to higher module prices or supply constraints. Read more

From Donuts to Doing: Forging Strong Ties with Industry

Tuesday, 2.25.2014 - 16:20 (Renewable Energy World)

Rumor has it that "green" jobs have faded into the sunset.  After all, enrollment for some renewable energy training is down and new topics are nudging "green" off the hit parade list.  But wait, not so fast.  Don't believe the unfounded rumor mill.  The Solar Foundation just released their Job Census and look, as of November 2013, the solar indust Read more

REC Q4 results: Solar PV factory running at full capacity, expansions planned

Tuesday, 2.25.2014 - 15:39 (Solarserver)

REC Solar ASA (Sandvika, Norway) has released results for the fourth quarter of 2013, reporting a 14% year-over-year growth to USD 182 million in revenues, a 7.5% operating margin and a profit of USD 10.8 million. The company is running its Singapore factory at full capacity, and produced 228 MW of solar photovoltaic (PV) modules during the quarter. Read more

Mercom: Flat growth in Indian solar market, only 1 GW forecast for 2014

Tuesday, 2.25.2014 - 14:40 (Solarserver)

Mercom Capital LLC (Austin, Texas, U.S.) has released a new forecast of the Indian solar market, predicting that the nation will install only 1 GW of solar in 2014. India installed 1.004 GW in 2013 and 986 MW in 2012, meaning that 2014 will be the second consecutive year of flat growth. Read more

Minnesota judge accused of unfair ‘solar vs gas’ project ruling

Tuesday, 2.25.2014 - 14:15 (PV-Tech)

Natural gas firms that lost against a solar project in a competitive bidding process have accused the overseeing judge of handling the process unfairly. Read more

SolarCity: 2013 an ‘amazing year’

Tuesday, 2.25.2014 - 14:10 (PV-Tech)

SolarCity chief executive officer Lyndon Rive has described 2013 as “an amazing year” for the company in a conference call to discuss fourth quarter operating metrics and preliminary financial results. Read more

Canadian Solar continues Japanese and North Carolina focus with 48MW order total

Tuesday, 2.25.2014 - 13:26 (PV-Tech)

Canadian Solar is to supply 18MW of its modules to a PV project being built by Hitachi in Japan and 30MW to Strata Solar in North Carolina. Read more

Restructured SolarWorld reveals slashed debt, targets 2015 profit

Tuesday, 2.25.2014 - 12:25 (PV-Tech)

Beleaguered module manufacturer SolarWorld has announced the conclusion of its financial restructuring and confirmed that its debt now stands at €427 million (US$587 million). Read more

BenQ launches ‘earthquake-safe’ module for Japanese market

Tuesday, 2.25.2014 - 12:21 (PV-Tech)

BenQ Solar, the solar power division of Taiwan-based technology company AU Optronics, is preparing to launch a new lightweight module specifically aimed at the Japanese residential market. Read more

BenQ Solar launches ‘earthquake-safe’ module for Japanese market

Tuesday, 2.25.2014 - 12:21 (PV-Tech)

BenQ Solar, the solar power division of Taiwan-based technology company AU Optronics, is preparing to launch a new lightweight module specifically aimed at the Japanese residential market. Read more

Ingenious Media to Funnel Half of IPO Proceeds Into UK Solar Assets

Tuesday, 2.25.2014 - 12:17 (Renewable Energy World)

Ingenious Media Holdings Plc, an investor in films such as “Life of Pi” and “Avatar,” plans to channel more than half of its planned 160 million-pound ($266 million) fundraising into U.K. solar assets. Read more

REC Solar plans module capacity expansion to 1.3GW

Tuesday, 2.25.2014 - 10:15 (PV-Tech)

Running at full-capacity and benefiting from the weakness of remaining European module manufacturing competitors in Europe, REC Solar ASA is planning to expand capacity 1GW in 2014 and a further 300MW in 2015 to meet demand. Read more

SolarWorld completes restructuring

Tuesday, 2.25.2014 - 8:44 (Solarserver)

SolarWorld AG (Bonn, Germany) reports that it has successfully closed on its financial restructuring with the implementation of the capital increase against contributions in kind in a German district court. Through the restructuring, the company was able to reduce its financial liabilities by an estimated 57%. Remaining financial liabilities total EUR 427 million (USD 590 million), and a part of these have been converted into two new five-year bonds. Read more

U.S. military chooses 16 more companies to bid on solar projects

Tuesday, 2.25.2014 - 8:38 (Solarserver)

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (ACE) has selected an additional 21 companies to bid for projects under a USD 7 billion purchase order for large-scale renewable energy installations. 16 of the 21 will provide solar technology. The 21 companies awarded “base contracts” include two subsidiaries of SunEdison Inc. (St. Peters, Missouri, U.S.), EDF Energies Nouvelles' (Paris), U.S. subsidiary, and Constellation Energy's (Baltimore, Maryland, U.S.) renewable energy subsidiary. Ameresco Inc. (Framingham, Massachusetts, U.S.) was approved to supply solar, wind and biomass solutions. Read more

Singulus reports 23% increase in revenues, return to profitability in 2013

Tuesday, 2.25.2014 - 8:30 (Solarserver)

Singulus Technologies AG (Kahl am Main, Germany) has released selected, preliminary 2013 results, reporting a 23% increase in revenues to EUR 134 million (USD 180 million) and a 1.5% operating margin. This is a reversal of the loss experienced in 2012. The company also reported a 5.7% fall in orders to EUR 115 million (USD 160 million), and closed 2013 with a backlog of around EUR 20 million (USD 27 million). Singulus notes that order intake and backlog were impacted by delayed contract conclusions in both its Solar and Semiconductor segments. Read more

Solar-Induced Hybrid Fuel Cell Produces Electricity Directly from Biomass

Tuesday, 2.25.2014 - 22:03 (Renewable Energy World)

Although low temperature fuel cells powered by methanol or hydrogen have been well studied, existing low temperature fuel cell technologies cannot directly use biomass as a fuel because of the lack of an effective catalyst system for polymeric materials. Read more

Beech Ridge Energy Plans Battery Storage System at West Virginia Wind Farm

Tuesday, 2.25.2014 - 16:11 (Renewable Energy World)

Beech Ridge Energy LLC applied recently at the West Virginia Public Service Commission for approval to install battery storage systems at its wind farm in Nicholas and Greenbrier counties. Read more

New markets to boost clean energy investment in 2014: Ernst & Young

Tuesday, 2.25.2014 - 18:06 (PV-Tech)

EY’s quarterly renewable energy country attractiveness index report reflects on a disappointing 2013 while looking forward to a very promising year ahead. Read more

Readers Respond Day 4: Can We Reach 100 Percent Renewable Energy?

Tuesday, 2.25.2014 - 14:00 (Renewable Energy World)

Several countries have announced ambitious goals to be powered completely by renewable energy, while other nations set smaller, incremental goals. These high aspirations have sparked quite a debate amongst industry experts, and we here at Renewable Energy World are curious to hear what you, our readers, have to say. Read more

Yingli wins 54MW UK module order

Tuesday, 2.25.2014 - 12:53 (Solarpowerportal)

Chinese manufacturer Yingli Green is to supply 54MW of its modules for seven PV projects in the UK. Read more

Yingli seals 54MW UK PV order

Tuesday, 2.25.2014 - 12:39 (PV-Tech)

Chinese manufacturer Yingli Green is to supply 54MW of its modules for seven PV projects in the UK. Read more