German Scientists Break Thin-Film PV Solar Cell Record

Monday, 9.29.2014 - 15:12 (Renewable Energy World)

Everybody loves a new world record, even more so when that record hints at the possibility of enormous strides in solar power energy generation. According to information coming out of the Centre for Solar Energy and Hydrogen Research (ZSW) in Baden-Württemberg, Germany, scientists there have once again snatched up the title as creators of the highest performing thin-film PV cell in the world. Read more

EU PVSEC: Sharp mulling production of hybrid HBC solar cells with 25% plus efficiency

Monday, 9.29.2014 - 12:15 (PV-Tech)

Sharp Corporation’s next-generation solar cell technology that enters volume production is expected to be based on its long-term development of both c-Si and a-Si thin-film cells with efficiencies touted to be over 25%. Read more

Indian IT provider opens 60MW module factory

Monday, 9.29.2014 - 11:43 (PV-Tech)

An Indian IT provider has opened a solar module manufacturing facility with a nameplate capacity of 60MW in Mumbai, according to reports in local media. Read more

SEUK: Fronius focuses on energy storage at Birmingham

Monday, 9.29.2014 - 11:28 (Solarpowerportal)

The UK arm of Austrian inverter manufacturer, Fronius, will be demonstrating its new range of energy storage devices at Solar Energy UK (SEUK). Read more

SMA offers ‘complete package’ to help UK developers meet subsidy deadline

Monday, 9.29.2014 - 10:49 (PV-Tech)

German inverter manufacturer, SMA has released a new ‘complete package’ designed to help UK solar farm developers meet the upcoming April 2015 deadline for subsidy change. Read more

WINAICO PV modules pass the toughest PID test in the world with ease

Monday, 9.29.2014 - 10:28 (Solarserver)

WINAICO (Hsinchu, Taiwan) reports that their PV modules have passed the harshest PID test offered by TUV Rheinland (Cologne, Germany) with minimal degradation. The 85° C temperature, 85% relative humidity, and -1000 V bias voltage made it the most challenging reliability test in the world, not to mention the survival criteria of 250 hours pushed the boundaries of module craftsmanship. WINAICO’s modules were able to survive TUV Rheinland’s test with significantly less power degradation than the required threshold of 5%. Read more

Panasonic, Coronal complete nine PV projects totalling 16.2 MW in Central California

Monday, 9.29.2014 - 7:23 (Solarserver)

Panasonic Enterprise Solutions Company (Newark, New Jersey, US) and Coronal Group LLC (Pasadena, California, US) on September 26th, 2014 announced the completion of nine solar photovoltaic (PV) projects in Tulare and Kings Counties in Central California totalling 16.2 MW. The PV plants provide solar power to Southern California Edison's grid for approximately 14,500 homes Read more

New York To Spend $23 Million for Solar Panels on 24 Schools

Monday, 9.29.2014 - 21:26 (Renewable Energy World)

New York City will spend $23 million to install solar-paneled roofs on 24 public schools, Mayor Bill de Blasio said. Read more

Tool Order: US start-up SolarTech selects Meyer Burger’s SmartWire technology

Monday, 9.29.2014 - 18:24 (PV-Tech)

US-based PV module manufacturing start-up, SolarTech Universal LLC has selected Meyer Burger’s ‘SmartWire’ Connection Technology (SWCT) for its first production facility in Riviera Beach, Florida. Read more

IEA plots path for solar to be world’s largest source of electricity by 2050

Monday, 9.29.2014 - 16:38 (Solarpowerportal)

PV and CSP to account for 27% of world’s electricity supply in 2050 under stable policy conditions, according to the IEA. Read more

SPI Solar targeting Japanese market with project acquisitions

Monday, 9.29.2014 - 16:04 (PV-Tech)

SPI Solar has said that it had acquired three PV power plant projects totalling around 19.8MW to be developed in Japan as part of bigger plans to grow its business in the country. Read more

The Untapped Potential of Solar Schools in Massachusetts

Monday, 9.29.2014 - 15:34 (Renewable Energy World)

School districts across America are beginning to see the light, as they realize the potential of solar energy. From providing learning opportunities for students to safeguarding teachers’ jobs, solar is proving to be a valuable addition to any school district. Prepared by The Solar Foundation with data from the Solar Energy Industries Association ( Read more

1GW of PV projects in Latin America and Caribbean region under construction – NPD Solarbuzz

Monday, 9.29.2014 - 15:08 (PV-Tech)

According to market research firm NPD Solarbuzz, the Latin America and Caribbean (LAC) region has around 1GW of PV projects currently under construction with a pipeline of projects totalling over 22GW at all phases of development. Read more

NPD Solarbuzz: Latin America, Caribbean Region to install 9 GW of solar PV within five years

Monday, 9.29.2014 - 14:29 (Solarserver)

Solar photovoltaic (PV) technology is poised to play a substantial role in fulfilling the need for increased power generation capacity across the Latin America and Caribbean (LAC) region. According to the latest NPD Solarbuzz (Santa Clara, Calif.) “Emerging PV Markets Report: Latin America & Caribbean”, the total solar photovoltaic (PV) project pipeline is growing throughout the region and now exceeds 22 GW across all phases of development. Over the next five years, approximately 9 gigawatts (GW) of projects will be installed: PV projects totaling 1 GW are already under construction, and 5 GW of projects have received approval to proceed and could begin construction soon. Read more

First Solar targets Germany’s 600MW large-scale solar revival

Monday, 9.29.2014 - 13:19 (PV-Tech)

US thin-film manufacturer First Solar is targeting a proposed tender to build 600MW of new large-scale solar projects in Germany which is expected to be implemented early next year. Read more

IEA plots path for solar to be world’s largest source of electricity by 2050

Monday, 9.29.2014 - 12:33 (PV-Tech)

Solar energy could be the largest single source of electricity in the world by 2050, according to a new report by the International Energy Agency (IEA). Read more

Scatec Solar lowers IPO price and delays stock exchange launch

Monday, 9.29.2014 - 12:17 (PV-Tech)

Norway’s Scatec Solar has revised the indicative share price for its imminent IPO from NOK28-36 to NOK19-20 (US$2.94-3.25). Read more

Hareon Solar planning 200MW of PV project collaboration in Xinjiang, China

Monday, 9.29.2014 - 12:12 (PV-Tech)

Hareon Solar Technology has signed a new framework cooperation agreement to build a total of 200MW of PV projects in Hami (Kumul), Xinjiang, China. Read more

JA Solar multi-silicon solar PV cells achieve 20% conversion efficiency

Monday, 9.29.2014 - 11:45 (Solarserver)

JA Solar Holdings Co., Ltd. (Shanghai, China) on September 26th, 2014 announced that it achieved 20% solar energy conversion efficiency in its multi-crystalline silicon (multi-Si) solar cell. By using advanced proprietary light trapping and surface passivation technologies, the JA Solar research team attained this absolute 1% increase in conversion efficiency only nine months after announcing the realization of 19% efficiency in its multi-Si cells. Read more

Solarpack cuts ribbon on 25MW Chile plant

Monday, 9.29.2014 - 11:32 (PV-Tech)

Spanish PV developer Solarpack has inaugurated a 25MW project in Chile that will provide power for a mining company. Read more

Complete Solar study finds huge disparities across Californian cities’ PV adoption

Monday, 9.29.2014 - 11:08 (Solarserver)

A new study shows how cities across California rank in making the switch to solar photovoltaics (PV) easy for homeowners. The “Solar Ease Index”, released by Complete Solar (San Mateo, Calif., US), reviewed permitting fees and wait times and shows a huge disparity across the state. Read more

Solarcentury to build the largest carport solar PV system in Africa at Garden City, Nairobi

Monday, 9.29.2014 - 11:02 (Solarserver)

Solarcentury (London, UK) is to design and construct Africa’s largest solar photovoltaic (PV) carport on the uppermost storey of a car park at Garden CityMall, part of the new 32-acre integrated residential, retail park, hotel and office development on Nairobi’s Thika Superhighway. Solar power generated by the 858 kWp PV system will be used by the retail tenants. Read more

EnergyTrend: High-efficiency solar PV producers to expand mono-silicon cell production capacity as profits rise

Monday, 9.29.2014 - 10:39 (Solarserver)

Although supply and demand are fluctuating heavily in the global solar photovoltaic (PV) market, the market’s preference for high-efficiency products has remained consistent, with Taiwan manufacturers leading the way, according to EnergyTrend, a subsidiary of the Taiwan-based market intelligence firm TrendForce. Read more

OPIC issues first Green Guaranties, supporting cleantech, solar PV investments

Monday, 9.29.2014 - 10:33 (Solarserver)

The Overseas Private Investment Corporation (OPIC), the U.S. Government’s development finance institution, last week issued its first-ever Green Guaranties to eligible U.S. investors in domestic debt capital markets. These U.S. government-guaranteed obligations adhere to the Green Bond Principles of 2014, developed in collaboration with leading capital markets issuers, investors, underwriters and environmental groups. Read more

Trina Solar ships 11.7 MW of PV modules to Turkey and Ecuador

Monday, 9.29.2014 - 7:14 (Solarserver)

Trina Solar Limited (Changzhou, China) on September 26th, 2014 announced it was selected to supply 11.7 MW of solar photovoltaic (PV) modules to customers' ground-mounted PV plants in the emerging solar markets of Turkey and Ecuador. "We are excited to announce these two supply agreements to projects in Turkey and Ecuador, both of which are rich in solar resources and offer prime conditions for solar power plants," said Ben Hill, Head of EU and Africa at Trina Solar. Read more

Residential U.S. solar PV company Sunrun announces further expansion, plans to hire more than 800 workers

Monday, 9.29.2014 - 7:06 (Solarserver)

SunRun Inc. (San Francisco, California, U.S.), the largest dedicated residential solar photovoltaic (PV) company in the United States, on September 26th, 2014 announced its plans to hire more than 800 additional employees and to expand or open 10 new offices across Arizona, California, Nevada and Hawaii by the end of 2014. The company’s rapid expansion is being fueled by increasing consumer demand, with home solar installations already up 45 percent industry-wide last quarter over Q2 2013 and a yearly growth projection of nearly 50 percent – more than any other segment of the market, according to the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA). Read more

Why Local Energy Ownership Matters

Monday, 9.29.2014 - 19:53 (Renewable Energy World)

Solar and wind projects can mean big bucks for communities – but only if they keep them local! Why does ownership of renewable energy matter? Because the number of jobs and economic returns for communities are substantially higher when electricity generation from wind and sun can be captured by local hands. This economic self-interest motivates rap Read more

Japan Installs 11 GW of Renewable Energy in Two Years

Monday, 9.29.2014 - 15:40 (Renewable Energy World)

Japan has added 11,090 megawatts of clean energy capacity since July 2012, when it began an incentive program to encourage investment in renewables, according to the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry. Read more

The Next 25: Energy Storage Crossing the Rubicon in Texas

Monday, 9.29.2014 - 15:31 (Renewable Energy World)

The Energy Storage Association (ESA) is the forum for energy storage stakeholder engagement, and has been an active and tireless proponent for the advancement of the energy storage industry for the last 25 years.  And what a change those years have brought.   From humble beginnings, when eight pioneering U.S. power utilities sent their executives t Read more