News of the year 2014

Date: 14.07.2014



Photovoltaics

Fraunhofer ISE announces world record for concentrator photovoltaics: 36.7 conversion efficiency with CPV module using multi-junction solar cells

Monday, 7.14.2014 - 18:13 (Solarserver)

The Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems ISE (Freiburg Germany) has been successfully developing concentrator photovoltaic (CPV) technology for many years. In this technology Fresnel lenses are used to bundle sunlight and focus it onto miniature, highly efficient solar cells. The “FLATCON” CPV module technology originates from Fraunhofer ISE and is continually under further development at the Institute. Now with their newest CPV module technology, the Freiburg researchers announce a world record module efficiency of 36.7 %, achieved by adapting the concentrating lens to a new solar cell structure. Read more

Sharp to restructure its PV business in Europe and exit thin-film activities with Enel

Monday, 7.14.2014 - 15:41 (Solarserver)

Sharp Corporation (Osaka, Japan) on July 14th, 2014 announced an agreement with Enel Green Power S.p.A (EGP, Rome, Italy) on the joint a-Si thin-film venture 3Sun, based in Catania, Italy. Under the agreement EGP will repurchase the complete volume of solar photovoltaic (PV) cells and modules which Sharp is supposed to purchase in the future according to a long-term supply contract on thin-film solar cells and modules which will be produced by 3Sun S.r.l. Read more

Sharp takes US$141 million hit on exiting 3Sun thin-film JV with Enel

Monday, 7.14.2014 - 12:15 (PV-Tech)

Sharp Corporation is exiting its a-Si thin-film joint venture in Europe with Enel at a cost of around US$141 million. Read more


Thermal Power/Heating

Fraunhofer ISE reports record 36.7% efficiency for Soitec’s CPV module

Monday, 7.14.2014 - 19:10 (PV-Tech)

A newly developed Fresnel lens by Fraunhofer ISE and produced by ORAFOL Fresnel Optics have been combined into Soitec’s ‘FLATCON’ CPV module and record efficiency multi-junction solar sells to provide a record module conversion efficiency of 36.7%. Read more

India Pledges Funds for Grid Reform, Solar Energy to Curb Blackouts

Monday, 7.14.2014 - 17:33 (Renewable Energy World)

Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government plans to spend 15 billion rupees ($250 million) on programs to boost solar power and reform electricity supply to farmers to end blackouts in India. Read more

PV Innovations Highlight Intersolar 2014

Monday, 7.14.2014 - 17:02 (Renewable Energy World)

The refreshingly upbeat tone of the Intersolar 2014 conference and show in San Francisco this year was broadly supported by company announcements of advances in technology, new strategic partnerships, and expectations of more business as the PV industry evolves into maturity. Read more

The Good, the Bad, and the Oops! of Intersolar 2014's Event Marketing

Monday, 7.14.2014 - 15:21 (Renewable Energy World)

Last week I wrote about the kind of event marketing that I'd hope I'd see at Intersolar 2014. Well, I'm back, and I was pleasantly surprised in some cases, not so much in others. Here are my highlights of the good, the bad, and the oops!  Hands down, Solar Edge wins the most creative engagement award for hiring a vaudevillian act that was more than Read more

Foresight Solar Fund acquires seventh UK solar farm

Monday, 7.14.2014 - 14:58 (Solarpowerportal)

Foresight Solar Fund has announced that it has acquired its seventh solar farm in the UK. Read more

First Solar Abandons Plans for World’s Biggest Solar PV Plant in China

Monday, 7.14.2014 - 14:52 (Renewable Energy World)

First Solar Inc. won’t be building the world’s largest solar plant in China after more than four years of negotiations on pricing failed to produce an agreement. Read more

Welspun breaks ground on 50MW Maharashtra PV plant

Monday, 7.14.2014 - 14:15 (PV-Tech)

One of India’s largest solar developers, Welspun Energy, has begun construction of a 50MW solar power plant in the state of Maharashtra. Read more

Thumbs down for India solar budget

Monday, 7.14.2014 - 13:15 (PV-Tech)

Solar analysts Bridge to India have given a downbeat analysis of the help given to the Indian PV industry in last week’s national budget, claiming it missed key opportunities. Read more

Neo Solar Power raises US$120 million in bond issue

Monday, 7.14.2014 - 13:15 (PV-Tech)

The largest merchant solar cell producer, Neo Solar Power (NSP), has raised approximately US$120 million in a bond issue. Read more

Belectric reports success from inaugural Solar Independence Day

Monday, 7.14.2014 - 13:10 (Solarpowerportal)

Tours of its solar farms as part of the inaugural Solar Independence Day were extremely well received by the public, according to Belectric UK. Read more

SolarWorld AG announces agreement with another important silicon supplier

Monday, 7.14.2014 - 11:12 (Solarserver)

After negotiations with another unnamed supplier of raw materials, SolarWorld AG (Bonn) has been able to place its long-term business relationship with this partner on a new contractual basis, strengthening the Group's silicon supply security under competitive conditions, the company reports. Read more

Solar Trade Association urges U.K. grid operator to revise solar PV figures not reflecting reality

Monday, 7.14.2014 - 9:33 (Solarserver)

The British Solar Trade Association (STA) is calling for the National Grid to look again at its predictions for solar power in coming decades. In forecasts published by the grid operator on July 10th, 2014 the National Grid’s statistics on current and future solar photovoltaic (PV) arrays are said to fall far below other estimates and need to be revised upwards, STA emphasizes. Read more

Solar in India: Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar lays foundation stone of Maharashtra's largest solar PV project in Baramati

Monday, 7.14.2014 - 9:27 (Solarserver)

Welspun Energy Pvt. Ltd. (WEPL, Mumbai, India), developer of renewable energy projects, will soon commence construction of a 50 MW solar photovoltaic (PV) project in Maharashtra. Honorable Shri Ajit Pawarji, Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra and one of India’s statesmen, on July 13th, 2014 laid the foundation stone in Baramati, Pune district. The PV plant’s location is one of the most favorable locations in state for setting up a solar project, Welspun emphasizes. Read more

SunEdison to install solar PV micro-grids for six remote Indian villages, 4,875 off-grid people

Monday, 7.14.2014 - 9:18 (Solarserver)

SunEdison, Inc. (St. Peters, Missouri, U.S.) on July 10th, 2014 announced a new project that will install 159 kilowatts (kW) of solar photovoltaic (PV) micro-grids with battery storage in six remote Indian villages, which will bring electricity to, and thereby improve health and education for 4,875 off-grid people. Working with the Government of India's Rural Electrification Corporation (REC) and the Madhya Pradesh Urja Vikas Nigam state agency, SunEdison will build, operate and then transfer the facilities to a public entity after five years, giving the freedom of renewable, reliable energy to those who need it the most. Read more


Biomass/Pellets

There are no news available

 



Wind Energy

There are no news available

 



Hydropower

There are no news available

 



Hydrogen/Fuel Cell

There are no news available

 



Geo Thermal/Heat Pump

Geothermal Project in Colombia Succeeds Through Participatory Development

Monday, 7.14.2014 - 15:06 (Renewable Energy World)

Anyone involved with infrastructure development knows all too well the effects that projects have on local communities. These effects can be positive or negative, but experience tells us that social and political conflict seems to be an inevitable part of the development process. In places with existing social, political, and economic turmoil, the risk of conflict is high and begins at the earliest stages of exploration and planning. Read more


Energy Policy/Climate/CO2

Germany’s ‘mixed bag’ energy law reforms pass final parliamentary hurdle

Monday, 7.14.2014 - 13:53 (PV-Tech)

Controversial reforms to German energy law have passed another parliamentary hurdle, having been approved by the country’s upper house, the Bundesrat (federal council) and now stand to become law on 1 August. Read more

June Bloom: Ten Clean Energy Stocks for 2014, Q2 Update

Monday, 7.14.2014 - 13:39 (Renewable Energy World)

After two weak months, June brought a strong recovery to clean energy stocks and the market in general. The broad market benchmark IWM put on 7.2 percent, reversing its previous loss for the year to enter the 4th of July holiday up 4.7 percent. My clean energy benchmark PBW shot up 8.6 percent, for year to date gains of 9.9 percent. Read more

RGS Energy subsidiary Sunetric deploys PV systems totalling 324.6 kW for golf course on the Island of O'ahu, Hawaii

Monday, 7.14.2014 - 11:09 (Solarserver)

Sunetric, a wholly-owned subsidiary of RGS Energy (Louisville, Colorado, U.S.) has completed a multiple solar photovoltaic (PV) system project totaling 324.6 kilowatts (kW) for Coral Creek Golf Course in Ewa Beach, Hawaii. Coral Creek is the first public golf course on O'ahu to 'go solar'. The facilities at Coral Creek are now powered by three PV systems: a 108 kW roof-mounted array on the maintenance building, a 108 kW ground-mounted trellis system at the irrigation wells, and a 108 kW solar carport structure at the driving range. Read more


Solar-/Electromobil

China Requires Electric Vehicles to Make Up 30 Percent of State Purchases

Monday, 7.14.2014 - 16:55 (Renewable Energy World)

China is mandating that electric cars make up at least 30 percent of government vehicle purchases by 2016, the latest measure to fight pollution and cut energy use after exempting the autos from a purchase tax. Read more


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