Solar Frontier produces record 20.9% CIS thin-film solar cell

Wednesday, 4.2.2014 - 11:55 (PV-Tech)

Thin-film producer, Solar Frontier has produced a CIS solar cell with a record conversion efficiency of 20.9% at the Atsugi Research Center, Japan in collaboration with the New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization (NEDO). Read more

Hanergy acquires majority share in massive African solar PV project

Wednesday, 4.2.2014 - 19:53 (Solarserver)

A subsidiary of Hanergy Solar (Hong Kong) has acquired 70% of the equity in Savanna Solar (Tamale, Ghana), which is developing a 400 MW solar photovoltaic (PV) project in the Northern Region of Ghana. The project is much larger than any that have been built to date in Africa. Read more

Solar Frontier Sets Another PV Efficiency Record

Wednesday, 4.2.2014 - 18:20 (Renewable Energy World)

Being able to increase the amount of electricity generated by a single PV module is an important facet of the work that solar PV manufacturers undertake in their R&D efforts. The greater the efficiency of the panel, the less panels are needed to produce a certain amount of energy. This in turn then lowers installed costs for solar PV developers. Read more

No reprieve for solar as Merkel softens wind cuts

Wednesday, 4.2.2014 - 17:38 (PV-Tech)

There was no reprieve for the German solar industry following last ditch talks between Chancellor Angela Merkel and the county’s regional leaders. Read more

China Solar Default Signs Grow as LDK Melts Down

Wednesday, 4.2.2014 - 16:44 (Renewable Energy World)

One of China’s 2 major meltdowns in the solar panel sector has taken a big step forward with word that trading in shares of LDK (NYSE: LDK) has been suspended and the de-listing process formally begun as the company liquidates. Meantime, word of a missed interest payment by a building materials maker is sending the latest signal that China will let Read more

Scatec Solar gets final approval for 80 MW-AC solar PV plant in Utah

Wednesday, 4.2.2014 - 15:26 (Solarserver)

Scatec Solar AS (Oslo) reports that it has received the final approvals to build an 80 MW-AC solar photovoltaic (PV) plant in the U.S. state of Utah. The company plans to begin construction in the third quarter of 2014, and when complete this will be the state's first large utility-scale PV project. Read more

Global PV demand to exceed 50GW in next 12 months, says NPD Solarbuzz

Wednesday, 4.2.2014 - 15:15 (PV-Tech)

According to NPD Solarbuzz, global PV demand in the first quarter of 2014 set a new record high, the fifth year in a row that a quarterly record was set in the first quarter. Read more

CPUC Adopts Net-Metering Transition Period

Wednesday, 4.2.2014 - 15:12 (Renewable Energy World)

In a previous blog post titled Update on Assembly Bill 327 from February 26, 2014, Cenergy reported on the CPUC’s proposed decision to establish a 20-year transition period for existing net energy metering (NEM) customers to continue to receive full retail credit for their solar production. Now it’s official. On Thursday, March 27, 2014, the CPUC h Read more

India To Award 1 Gigawatt of Solar Permits by 2015

Wednesday, 4.2.2014 - 15:01 (Renewable Energy World)

India plans to award licenses for an additional 1,000 megawatts of solar power plants in the next year, about 30 percent more than originally targeted and equivalent to about half the capacity built so far. Read more

April FiT deadline triggers 77MW solar rush in March

Wednesday, 4.2.2014 - 14:54 (Solarpowerportal)

The latest deployment figures published by the Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) reveal that over 77MW of new capacity was added in the Read more

Recurrent sells 139 MW of California solar PV projects to Dominion

Wednesday, 4.2.2014 - 14:41 (Solarserver)

Dominion (Richmond, Virginia, U.S.) has acquired six solar photovoltaic (PV) projects totaling 139 MW from Recurrent Energy (San Francisco, California, U.S.). Construction began on all six in the first quarter of 2014, and the companies expect the projects to be completed in late 2014 or early 2015. Read more

Foresight acquires additional 12MW solar farm

Wednesday, 4.2.2014 - 14:32 (Solarpowerportal)

The Foresight Solar Fund has announced that it has acquired an additional 12MW solar farm and will be unaffected by another project that missed the 1.6ROC cut-off. Read more

Low Carbon commissions 20.9MW Suffolk solar park as part of 73MW portfolio

Wednesday, 4.2.2014 - 14:17 (Solarpowerportal)

UK-based PV investor and operator Low Carbon has announced the Lackford Estate Solar Park, a 20.9MW PV facility located in Suffolk, has officially been commissioned. The farm is now the seventh solar park commissioned by Low Carbon in 2014. Read more

Solar set for ‘disruptive’ future as costs fall, says McKinsey

Wednesday, 4.2.2014 - 14:15 (PV-Tech)

A report by influential consultancy McKinsey has painted an upbeat assessment of solar’s future prospects despite recent problems from overcapacity, subsidy cuts and a global financial crash. Read more

Solar Frontier sets new world record for thin-film solar PV with 20.9% efficient CIGS cell

Wednesday, 4.2.2014 - 14:09 (Solarserver)

Solar Frontier KK (Tokyo) has achieved a 20.9% conversion efficiency with a 0.5 square centimeter copper indium gallium diselenide (CIGS or CIS) solar photovoltaic (PV) cell, as verified by the Fraunhofer Institute. This narrowly beats the CIGS PV record of 20.8% efficiency set by the Center for Solar Energy and Hydrogen Research Baden – Württemberg (ZSW) in October 2013. Read more

Supplying Reliable Power to Off-Grid Industrial Sites

Wednesday, 4.2.2014 - 14:00 (Renewable Energy World)

When considering off-grid, renewable sources of energy to power sensors, meters, pumps, controllers and communication links at remote industrial sites, the options typically come down to two: solar or wind. Read more

Utility Dominion acquires 139MW of PV projects in California

Wednesday, 4.2.2014 - 13:15 (PV-Tech)

US electricity and natural gas utility company Dominion Resources (Dominion) has announced the acquisition of six solar power projects in California totalling 139MW, from project developer Recurrent Energy. Read more

Hanergy Solar planning 400MW PV power plant in Ghana

Wednesday, 4.2.2014 - 13:05 (PV-Tech)

Hanergy Solar said it was in the early stages of developing a 400MW PV power plant in the Northern Region of Ghana at an estimated cost of approximately US$1.1 billion. Read more

Solar less capacity hungry than thought, DNO study finds

Wednesday, 4.2.2014 - 13:04 (Solarpowerportal)

Following Europe’s largest monitoring project of the electricity network, Western Power Distribution (WPD) has revealed that the capacity used by low-carbon technologies is actually 20% less than assumed. Read more

Canadian Solar draws US$45.8 million investment from Manulife

Wednesday, 4.2.2014 - 12:55 (PV-Tech)

Canadian Solar has received a C$50.5 million investment from pension and insurance firm Manulife for a 10MW plant in Ontario. Read more

Scatec Solar receives final approval to build 80MW PV plant in Utah

Wednesday, 4.2.2014 - 11:25 (PV-Tech)

PV provider Scatec Solar has been given final approval on its plans to construct an 80MW PV plant in Iron County, Utah. The project, known as the Utah Red Hills Renewable Energy Park, was approved by the state’s Public Service Commission and the Iron County Community Development and Renewal Agency. Read more

Singulus reports flat growth, reduced losses in its Solar segment in 2013

Wednesday, 4.2.2014 - 9:26 (Solarserver)

Singulus Technologies AG (Kahl am Main, Germany) has released financial results for 2013, reporting flat growth at EUR 29.0 million (USD 40 million) and a -39% operating margin in its Solar segment. While this is a significant improvement on the very heavy losses reported in the division in 2012, the company notes that the global market for solar photovoltaic (PV) equipment remained weak in 2013. Singulus also notes that more than half the division's revenue at EUR 18.7 million came from a single customer. Read more

EnergyTrend: Silicon solar wafer prices fell in March 2014

Wednesday, 4.2.2014 - 9:00 (Solarserver)

TrendForce's (Taipei) EnergyTrend division reports weaker demand for solar photovoltaic (PV) products in March 2014, which has led to a fall in prices. The company states that this is most pronounced for silicon wafers, with prices falling 1–3% over the course of the month. EnergyTrend also notes “substantially” lower utilization rates for lower-tier wafer makers. The company says that wafer makers still see some uncertainties in the market and face quote pressures. Read more

U.S. DOE identifies initiatives to advance solar technologies for reducing building energy use

Wednesday, 4.2.2014 - 7:20 (Solarserver)

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has released a report which lists 15 priority initiatives to advance solar thermal and other building-integrated solar technologies, in an effort to support its goals for reducing energy consumption in residential and commercial buildings. Many of the research and development needs identified by DOE's Building Technology Office (BTO) involve controls and software, including tools to compare the benefits of solar thermal and other renewable energy technologies in a given installation. BTO also is looking to evaluate optimal configurations for solar photovoltaic (PV)-driven electric water heating. Read more

China Singyes' solar PV EPC business nearly doubles in 2013

Wednesday, 4.2.2014 - 7:15 (Solarserver)

China Singyes Solar Technology Company Ltd. (Hong Kong) has released 2013 results, reporting a 76% increase in revenues from its solar photovoltaic (PV) engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) business to around USD 300 million. The company estimates that commercial and industrial projects represented 95% of total revenue in the business, and also reports a rush to complete projects in Northwestern China before the end of the year. By the end of 2013 China Singyes had completed roughly 195 MW of PV projects which it owns, as well as 115 MW of PV projects under China's Golden Sun Program which it can either sell or hold. Read more

50MW solar farm approved at Lincolnshire airbase

Wednesday, 4.2.2014 - 7:15 (Solarpowerportal)

West Lindsey District Council has granted planning permission for a 50MW solar park on the site of a former RAF base in Lincolnshire. Read more

Ukraine’s 2014 PV forecast slashed 75% following political strife

Wednesday, 4.2.2014 - 13:36 (PV-Tech)

Analyst firm IHS has revised down its 2014 PV project forecast for Ukraine from 430MW to 100MW following the recent political turmoil in the Eastern European country. Read more

Advancements in Wind Turbine Technology: Improving Efficiency and Reducing Cost

Wednesday, 4.2.2014 - 14:00 (Renewable Energy World)

Wind power capacity has increased dramatically in the U.S. recently — and accompanying that, the turbines that produce it have become more powerful, more efficient and more affordable for power producers. Read more

Greenpeace Praises Apple's Increased Commitment to Renewable Energy

Wednesday, 4.2.2014 - 17:06 (Renewable Energy World)

Greenpeace issued its annual report on the energy efficiency of Internet companies, praising Apple Inc., Facebook Inc. and other major providers of online services for improved use of energy resources. Read more

SunEdison secures US$250 million from first yield co

Wednesday, 4.2.2014 - 15:36 (PV-Tech)

Major PV energy provider (PVEP) SunEdison has completed its first yield co securitisation with Goldman Sachs Bank USA, acting as the single lead arranger. Read more

EU Prosun condemns EU for “moving backward” on renewable energy policy

Wednesday, 4.2.2014 - 7:10 (Solarserver)

In light of recent findings by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), EU Prosun has issued a statement calling on the EU and member state governments to cease retroactive attacks on renewable energy support and take action to advance renewable energy adoption. The organization has been known until now for its role in organizing European manufacturers to call for EU tariffs on imported Chinese solar photovoltaic (PV) products. However, with this move the SolarWorld AG (Bonn, Germany)-led industrial initiative is taking on a broader policy role. Read more

‘Standardisation critical for storage to flourish’

Wednesday, 4.2.2014 - 3:07 (PV-Tech)

Representatives of battery and energy storage companies including AES Corporation and FIAMM believe the priority for the nascent energy storage industry should be to standardise technologies, along with developing a regulatory framework that recognises the value of storage. Read more