Photovoltaics in Hawaii: Pacific Energy Solutions announces USD 334.1 million solar energy contract with U.S. Navy

Tuesday, 8.5.2014 - 11:00 (Solarserver)

On August 4th, 2014, Pacific Energy Solutions (PES, Boca Raton, FL), announced that on July 11th, 2014, they entered into a binding contract with the U.S. Navy to supply approximately 30,400 MWh of solar power annually to the Navy for use by Navy, Marine Corps and Air Force activities in the State of Hawaii. PES will supply this electricity to the Navy over a 25-year Power Purchase Agreement (PPA). In support of its deliveries under this contract, PES will install 68,645 solar photovoltaic (PV) modules at 14 project sites at military installations on the Island of Oahu. Read more

TerniEnergia subsidiary signs contracts for the construction of two PV plants in South Africa totalling 148.5 MWp

Tuesday, 8.5.2014 - 8:57 (Solarserver)

TerniEnergia SpA (Narni, Italy) as part of the process of its internationalization of solar photovoltaic (PV) EPC business has announced two definitive agreements with a primary European utility. The contracts refer on EPC (engineering, procurement and construction) and O&M (operation and maintenance) activities for the construction of two utility-scale PV plants with a total power generation capacity of 148.5 MWp in South Africa. Read more

EMCORE awarded long-term solar cell supply contract by Lockheed Martin

Tuesday, 8.5.2014 - 8:53 (Solarserver)

EMCORE Corporation (Albuquerque, N.M., U.S) has entered into a new, long-term supply agreement with Lockheed Martin Space Systems to design and manufacture high-efficiency, multi-junction Coverglass Interconnected Cells (CICs) for Lockheed Martin's satellite program requirements. The solar photovoltaic (PV) cells will be produced at EMCORE's state-of-the-art manufacturing facility located in Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA. Read more

Photovoltaik-Institut Berlin presents research results on PV module quality inspection at EU PVSEC

Tuesday, 8.5.2014 - 8:43 (Solarserver)

The PI Photovoltaik-Institut Berlin (Germany) will be presenting new testing procedures as well as new research results for the quality control of solar photovoltaic (PV) modules at the European Photovoltaic Solar Energy Conference and Exhibition EU PVSEC in Amsterdam in September 2014. As a part of the research project FutureFab, in which five partners worked for three years, PI-Berlin was responsible, in particular, for investigating durability, safety and reliability of innovative materials and bonding techniques, using its accredited test laboratory. Read more

Trade Case Backlash: 3 GW of US Utility-scale Solar at Risk

Tuesday, 8.5.2014 - 19:40 (Renewable Energy World)

More than 3 gigawatts (GW) of the projects currently in the U.S. photovoltaic (PV) project pipeline had been set to use Chinese modules, according to the latest NPD Solarbuzz United States Deal Tracker; however, with the recent anti-subsidy and anti-dumping rulings proposed by the U.S. Department of Commerce, companies may have to find other suppliers or potentially pay higher prices for those modules. Read more

‘Aggressive’ solar policies needed in lagging US states, says report

Tuesday, 8.5.2014 - 19:15 (PV-Tech)

All states in the US should emulate the country’s solar top performers and adopt “aggressive” policies to drive PV deployment, according to a report. Read more

SPI Solar and Wircon partner to develop UK solar projects

Tuesday, 8.5.2014 - 18:15 (Solarpowerportal)

American solar developer SPI Solar has joined forces with German renewable energy company Wircon to develop solar projects across the UK. Read more

Areva Posts Loss, Announces Close of Solar Business

Tuesday, 8.5.2014 - 17:12 (Renewable Energy World)

Shares in Areva closed 20 percent lower on Friday as the French nuclear group posted a first-half loss and announced it was dropping its solar business. Read more

China sets 13GW solar target for 2014

Tuesday, 8.5.2014 - 16:15 (PV-Tech)

The Chinese government has announced a target of 13GW of installed solar power capacity for 2014, according to the state news agency. Read more

SMA Solar Technology AG launches production of PV inverters in South Africa

Tuesday, 8.5.2014 - 14:20 (Solarserver)

After the successful early commissioning of the Kalkbult PV power plant in fall 2013, the Linde 40-MW solar photovoltaic (PV) project with technology from SMA Solar Technology AG (SMA) has now been completed. At the end of July 2014, SMA also commissioned a factory for Sunny Central inverters in Cape Town, South Africa. With this, the company meets the local content requirements under South Africa’s Renewable Energy Independent Power Producer Procurement Programme (REIPPP). Read more

Solar Frontier reports buoyant Q2 results and splits from Showa Shell

Tuesday, 8.5.2014 - 14:14 (PV-Tech)

Solar Frontier has announced its second quarter financial results, reporting a year-on-year improvement in ordinary profit and reduction in production costs, while parent company Showa Shell has approved a plan for the two entities to split. Read more

Massachusetts extends net metering but hits snooze on wider reforms

Tuesday, 8.5.2014 - 14:00 (PV-Tech)

The Massachusetts state legislature broke for the summer without approving a raft of new solar policies. An extension to the state’s net metering programme offered scant consolation. Read more

Anti-dumping duties to raise solar project costs by 18-75%, says India Chamber of Commerce

Tuesday, 8.5.2014 - 13:53 (PV-Tech)

Solar project costs would inflate by as much as 75% if anti-dumping duties are introduced, according to the Associated Chamber of Commerce and Industry of India (ASSOCHAM) Read more

Jinko Solar set to open 120MW Cape Town factory, South African minister claims

Tuesday, 8.5.2014 - 13:07 (PV-Tech)

Jinko Solar is on the brink of opening a 120MW PV module factory in Cape Town, according to South Africa’s minister for trade and industry Rob Davies. Read more

Japanese ‘megabank’ to offer loans for PV projects under 2MW

Tuesday, 8.5.2014 - 12:28 (PV-Tech)

One of Japan’s three largest banks, Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corp, has announced that it will offer a ‘Solar Loan’ to speed up the process of building PV plant projects under 2MW capacity. Read more

Good Energy sells 49.9MW Norfolk solar site to Trina Solar

Tuesday, 8.5.2014 - 12:08 (Solarpowerportal)

Renewable energy provider, Good Energy has announced that it has agreed to sell its 49.9MW solar site in Norfolk to Chinese module manufacturer, Trina Solar. Read more

FRV announces financial close on 70 MW Moree solar PV project in Australia

Tuesday, 8.5.2014 - 11:07 (Solarserver)

Fotowatio Renewable Ventures (FRV, Madrid, Spain), on August 4th, 2014 announced that the 70 megawatt (MWp) Moree Solar Farm, the first large-scale solar photovoltaic (PV) project tracking the sun in Australia, has reached financial close. Construction of the project will begin immediately, FRV notes. Read more

GCL, Singyes Solar announce cooperation on PV projects totaling 500 MW

Tuesday, 8.5.2014 - 11:00 (Solarserver)

Hong Kong based China Singyes Solar Technologies, GCL-Poly, and GCL New Energy on August 4th, 2014 announced that they have entered into a legally binding strategic cooperation. Singyes Solar and GCL New Energy agreed that they will cooperate on solar photovoltaic (PV) projects mainly in relation to distributed generation with a target aggregate of no less than 500 MW. Read more

PV in Jordan: First Solar to build, operate and maintain 52.5 MW Shams Ma’an power plant

Tuesday, 8.5.2014 - 9:52 (Solarserver)

First Solar, Inc. (Tempe, Arizona, U.S.) on August 4th, 2014 announced that it has signed an agreement to provide engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) services for the 52.5 megawatt (MWac) Shams Ma’an photovoltaic (PV) power plant, in the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan. The company has also finalized a long-term operations and maintenance (O&M) contract for the project. Read more

Fotowatio closes financing on 70MW PV plant in Australia

Tuesday, 8.5.2014 - 9:33 (PV-Tech)

Solar developer Fotowatio Renewable Ventures – backed by Denham Capital Management LP – has closed financing on a 70MW project in Australia, according to Bloomberg New Energy Finance. Read more

NPD Solarbuzz report: 3GW of US PV projects in jeopardy due to US anti-dumping case

Tuesday, 8.5.2014 - 4:45 (PV-Tech)

Over 3GW of US-based PV projects could be at risk due to fallout from the US Department of Commerce’s (DoC) rulings on anti-subsidy and anti-dumping cases regarding Chinese modules, according to a new report from NPD Solarbuzz. Read more

NPD Solarbuzz: 3GW of US PV projects in jeopardy due to anti-dumping case

Tuesday, 8.5.2014 - 4:45 (PV-Tech)

Over 3GW of US-based PV projects could be at risk due to fallout from the US Department of Commerce’s (DoC) rulings on anti-subsidy and anti-dumping cases regarding Chinese modules, according to a new report from NPD Solarbuzz. Read more

Siemens Eyeing Mexican Wind Market

Tuesday, 8.5.2014 - 16:31 (Renewable Energy World)

Siemens AG, the biggest European engineering company, is considering opportunities in Mexican oil, gas and renewables industries after efforts by President Enrique Pena Nieto to open up the country’s energy markets. Read more

Obama Delay on Biofuel Rule Puts Intended Beneficiaries in Bind

Tuesday, 8.5.2014 - 13:41 (Renewable Energy World)

In the arid Imperial Valley of California, Tim Brummels is trying to turn an agricultural cousin of sugarcane into low-carbon ethanol. Read more

Les Cedres, Stevens Creek hydropower projects join Hydro Hall of Fame

Tuesday, 8.5.2014 - 21:32 (Renewable Energy World)

Two additional plants were added to the Hydro Hall of Fame at this year’s HydroVision International closing awards luncheon and finale in Nashville, Tenn. Read more

SCE to purchase more than 1500MW of renewable power from PV and geothermal projects

Tuesday, 8.5.2014 - 4:15 (PV-Tech)

Renewable energy leader Southern California Edison (SCE) has agreed to deals with various solar and geothermal producers that will see SCE acquire more than 1500MW of renewable energy. Read more

Countdown Begins to Projects of the Year Deadline!

Tuesday, 8.5.2014 - 19:59 (Renewable Energy World)

August 31 is the last day to apply for the Projects of the Year and Woman of the Year awards, which you can do by clicking here. The awards are given for Best Renewable Energy, Best Coal, Best Nuclear and Best Natural Gas project. Finalists will be selected in all five renewable energy categories as well as the other categories.  A Readers' Choice Read more

Greening or Greenwashing? Illinois Cities’ Use of RECs Shows Challenges with Local Energy Choice

Tuesday, 8.5.2014 - 17:09 (Renewable Energy World)

A recent report from the World Wildlife Fund (and others) touts how city energy aggregation is “unleashing” renewable energy in Illinois. Buying electricity on behalf of their residential and small business customers, nearly 100 Midwestern cities have purchased renewable energy credits (RECs) along with their energy supply, giving their electrons a Read more

A Requiem for Today’s Grid

Tuesday, 8.5.2014 - 15:26 (Renewable Energy World)

People speak reverentially about the electricity grid, and rightly so. The U.S.’ electricity grid is an awesome technical, operational, and public policy accomplishment. Who can deny the matchless service it delivers, occasional weather-related breakdowns notwithstanding? In fact, acts of Mother Nature — Hurricane Sandy, say — only highlight its otherwise stellar reliability. And rural electrification, like rural telephony, is a triumph of public policy with foresight. Read more

DECC considers non-UK contracts for difference

Tuesday, 8.5.2014 - 13:26 (Solarpowerportal)

The Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) is considering opening up the contracts for difference mechanism to projects located outside the UK. Read more