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Solar Magazine

Solar News


 

Fotowatio Renewable Ventures to finance and develop Rome’s largest solar power plant

Expanding its solar power business in Italy, FRV (Fotowatio Renewable Ventures, Turin, Italy), a global independent solar power producer, in February 2010 announced that it will develop a 10-megawatt photovoltaic power plant in Fiumicino, Rome. Developed in partnership with Turin-based Solesa Green Power, a company specializing in renewable energy engineering, installation and services, the facility will be the largest solar power plant in the Rome province - and one of the largest in Italy.  FRV and Solesa Green Power have secured project financing for the deal from some of the most important international financial institutions in the renewable energy sector, FRV reports in a press release. "Our investment in what will be the largest solar project in Rome province demonstrates our long-term commitment to Italy", said Andrea Fontana, country manager of FRV in Italy. "In addition to our five 1-megawatt solar power plants we successfully completed in Puglia, this new deal strengthens our position in Italy as a major solar project developer. It also will help Italy increase its energy production from carbon-free sources."


Solar power for approximately 2,700 Italian homes

FRV and Solesa Green Power expect to begin construction of the plant, commissioned to Siliken, by April. The plant is scheduled to be operational by the end of this year, with an expected production of 14 million kWh of electricity, enough to power approximately 2,700 Italian homes. This solar installation will avoid approximately 16,000 tons a year in greenhouse gas emissions.


Dynamic growth of the Italian photovoltaic market

The Italian photovoltaic market has experienced remarkable growth in the last few years. During the first six months of 2007, the cumulative photovoltaic power installed in Italy was 19 MW [1,773 installations]; by the end of that year, this sector had registered a record 300% growth. This rally continued in 2008, with a growth rate of 110% compared to the previous years. A total of 146 MW (11,800 new installations) were installed in 2008. As of December 31st, 2009, there were more than 50,000 solar installations in Italy, with an installed capacity of more than 700 MW.

2010-02-28   Courtesy: FRV   Solarserver.de   © Heindl Server GmbH

 

Fraunhofer ISE and VDE expand cooperation: New Test Center for photovoltaic modules inaugurated in Singapore

The boom in the photovoltaic industry, triggered by the adoption of the German Renewable Energy Law and other European and international market incentive programs, is continuing to spread. An increasing amount of Asian countries are joining in on the production. Often they first concentrate on export, since no appreciable national market exists. With the increasing competition, manufacturers are under more pressure to ensure the quality of their products through accredited testing and certification procedures. The VDE Institute and the Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems ISE have realized this demand. In cooperation with the Solar Energy Research Institute of Singapore SERIS, they have opened up the first testing and certification center for photovoltaic modules in South East Asia.  The festive opening ceremony took place this year in January in Singapore.



VDE-ISE Pte is responsible for the customer service, certification and safety tests, Solar Energy Research Institute of Singapore carries out performance tests


"Together with our partners, we are now able to offer the photovoltaic industry in South East Asia a Center in their region where modules can be tested and accredited according to the established international standards", says Dr. Hans-Martin Henning, coordinator of the Joint Venture from the Fraunhofer side and Deputy Director of Fraunhofer ISE. In the cooperation, the new Joint Venture company VDE-ISE Pte. Ltd., founded by VDE and Fraunhofer ISE, is under the leadership of Henry Paetz. The company is responsible for the customer service, certification and safety tests according to IEC 61730, while the Solar Energy Research Institute of Singapore SERIS under the leadership of Prof. Joachim Luther carries out the various performance tests.

Fraunhofer ISE has many years of experience in the calibration of solar modules. Since almost 20 years, module manufacturers worldwide have been making use of theprecision measurements carried out at the CalLab PV Modules at Fraunhofer ISE. The researchers in Freiburg are also leading in the field of life cycle analyses for photovoltaic modules. For more than three years now, Fraunhofer ISE is operating its own test center for photovoltaic modules, where various tests based on accepted international standards are offered to customers for product testing and certification. Through the partnership with VDE, the certifications according to IEC 61215 for PV modules based on crystalline silicon cells and according to IEC 61646 for modules based on thin film solar cells are offered.

The VDE – the Association for Electrical, Electronic and Information Technologies – is an independent institution which is nationally and internationally accredited. Under the leadership of Wilfried Jäger, Managing Director, the VDE is responsible for testing and certifying the safety and performance of electronic devices, components and systems for the consumer and the general public using the highest standards of quality.

Both partners, Fraunhofer ISE and VDE, are intensively working on further developing the international testing standards within the International Electrotechnical Commission (Technical Committee 82, Working Group 2: Modules) and the DKE (Deutsches Kommission Elektrotechnik Elektronik Informationstechnik in the DIN and VDE). The Solar Energy Research Institute of Singapore SERIS, whose director Prof. Joachim Luther is the former Director of Fraunhofer ISE, exists since April 2008. It carries out research on the industrial level in the areas of solar cells, module development and energy efficient building.

2010-02-28   Courtesy: Fraunhofer ISE   Solarserver.de   © Heindl Server GmbH

 

PROINSO to supply 1 MW of MECASOLAR trackers for solar photovoltaic plant California

Mecasolar trackers.
Mecasolar trackers.

The Spanish company PROINSO- part of Group OPDE and specialists in the distribution of modules, inverters, trackers and fixed structures for photovoltaic systems, will supply 1 MW of MECASOLAR 2-axis solar trackers for a solar photovoltaic (PV) plant located in the California district of Madera. The 2-axis trackers supplied for the project will be manufactured entirely in the new MECASOLAR factory in West Sacramento (California), using local suppliers and labour. The components of the trackers due to PROINSO are American UL certified (Underwriters Laboratories), making it easier for MECASOLAR products to obtain the UL certification, and is the only company in its sector acquiring this type of product. 


2,317 kWh / kWp power output to be obtained

The solar power plant, which will become the largest 2-axis project undertaken by the company in the State of California, will be completed with the addition of REC 220 modules, and SATCON model 500 inverters for the start-up. The calculations estimated by the SOLAR PV TRACKER-Program for calculating energy- with MECASOLAR trackers- estimates that in the district of Madera and with an annual average radiation at 0 ° of 1,850 kWh/m2 year, 2,317 kWh / kWp power output will be obtained for a Ratio Performance of 86 %. The above calculation programme can be found on the website of PROINSO (www.proinso.net).

With the order for this project, the Spanish company has started to manufacture their trackers entirely in the 6,000 m2 Mecasolar factory in Sacramento. This will facilitate and increase the entry of their products within the Obama Plan to support investment in renewable energy power products manufactured in the United States ("Manufactured by USA"). According to PROINSO, the company will close in coming weeks a distribution agreement for another project with similar features and output, also in California.

The forecasts are that MECASOLAR will reach the 30 MW figure for trackers manufactured in the new MECASOLAR plant in West Sacramento, employing over 70 people in the two-year period from 2010-2011 in the four companies of the group established in the United States.


2010-02-28   Courtesy: PROINSO   Solarserver.de   © Heindl Server GmbH
Picture Courtesy: PROINSO

 

Oerlikon’s Sven Jarby new President of the International PV Equipment Association

Hans-Juergen Stangl of Stangl Semiconductor Equipment AG, Fürstenfeldbruck, Germany, due to personal reasons, has stepped down as President from the IPVEA Board of Directors. Current Vice President of the Board of the Directors, Sven Jarby from Oerlikon, Pfäffikon, Switzerland, has been appointed to serve as president until next elections planned for September 7th, 2010 during the 25th EU PVSEC in Valencia, Spain.  The International Photovoltaic Equipment Association (IPVEA) is a non-profit organization of manufacturers and suppliers of photovoltaic (PV) fabrication equipment and related raw materials used in PV ingot, wafer, cell (crystalline and thin-film), and panel manufacturing.
Sven Jarby also noted that the IPVEA Board would soon be inviting members to apply as candidates for the open Board position. Interested members can apply by contacting the Association’s Managing Director, Bryan Ekus (ekus@ipvea.com). Jarby along with the other members of the IPVEA Board expressed their sincere gratitude for Stangl’s involvement and guidance since the foundation the Association in early 2008.

2010-02-27   Courtesy: International Photovoltaic Equipment Association – IPVEA   Solarserver.de   © Heindl Server GmbH

 

Enerqos Group announces the construction of two photovoltaic roofs in Italy using new Solyndra technology

Enerquos focuses on innovative Solyndra cylindrical PV panels.
Enerquos focuses on innovative Solyndra
cylindrical PV panels.

The Enerqos Group (Milan, Italy) has begun the construction of two photovoltaic (PV) roofs, with a maximum output power of 200kWp and 400kWp respectively, to cover the shopping centres of Nova Coop, one of the largest distribution chains in Piedmont. They will be among the first Italian solar plants to be built with the innovative Solyndra cylindrical panels. The installation work will be undertaken by the Piedmont-based company Photovoltaic Systems, under the supervision of Enerqos’ Industrial Roofs Business Unit. The company, which is part of the Enerqos Group, is specialised in photovoltaic roofs. 

"The Enerqos Group has always focused on researching and making full use of new technologies, so as to maximise the return on investment of our clients", commented Mauro Marcucci, CEO of Enerqos. "The Solyndra technology seemed to us to be the most competitive solution for this specific application: we are pleased to be able to integrate it into these two initial projects and we hope to use it again soon in future installations."


More and more companies installing photovoltaic plants in order to reduce their energy costs, often exploiting unused roofs

The Solyndra panels use thin-film technology and cylindrical modules which capture sunlight across a 360-degree photovoltaic surface capable of directly converting, diffusing and reflecting sunlight into electricity. Using these panels in an industrial photovoltaic installation allows energy to be generated much more effectively and efficiently than would be the case with conventional flat modules, and significantly reduces installation costs at the same time. "More and more companies today are choosing to install photovoltaic plants in order to reduce their energy costs, often exploiting unused spaces such as roofs, warehouses, allotments or car-parks for the project: industrial photovoltaic plants represent a very attractive form of investment and a potentially huge resource for the production of renewable energy", added Giovanni Landi, head of Enerqos’ Industrial Roofs Business Unit. "This is one of the reasons why we have created a dedicated business unit which is able to take advantage of innovative technologies and consistently offer high-performance solutions with a competitive edge: we are convinced that this is where the future of the photovoltaic market lies."

The new plants will be fully operational by the summer and will produce over 600,000kWh of clean energy per year, reducing annual CO2 emissions by 360 tons, Enerqos announces in a press release.

2010-02-26   Courtesy: Enerqos   Solarserver.de   © Heindl Server GmbH
Picture Courtesy: Solyndra Inc.

 

Scheuten Solar opens two megawatt solar photovoltaic plants in Italy

PV plant by Scheuten in Italy.
PV plant by Scheuten in Italy.

At the end of February 2010 two 1 MW photovoltaic (PV) power plants realized by Scheuten Solar at Palo del Colle, in Bari province, Italy, were opened, the company reports in a press release. The Italian companies Molino Casillo S.p.A. and Ascopiave S.p.a. (daughter company Ascoenergy S.r.l.) have teamed up as investors in these sustainable energy projects in Italy’s Apulia region. Additionally Scheuten Solar is realizing another four 1 MW projects in Italy with the same partners.  The latter projects with a combined power of 4 MW are under construction in the same Southern Italy region. Scheuten Solar is EPC and Operations & Maintenance contractor. Ascopiave S.p.a. and Molino Casillo S.p.A. each have established a business unit for alternative energy and have chosen Scheuten Solar as their long-term partner, Scheuten emphasizes in the press release.



Creating an additional footprint in the Italian market

As an EPC-contractor Scheuten Solar develops and realizes solar projects worldwide, the company reports in the press release. "With the opening of these successful projects and the new projects of 4 MW we create an additional foot print in the Italian market. We are very pleased with our partners Molino Casillo S.p.A. and Ascopiave S.p.a. and are happy to jointly deliver clean and reliable solar power to the rapidly expanding Italian market", stated Evert Vlaswinkel, Chief Commercial Officer Scheuten Solar. Scheuten is a high volume manufacturer of total solutions in glass and solar energy systems with its head office in Venlo, The Netherlands.



2010-02-26   Courtesy: Scheuten Solar   Solarserver.de   © Heindl Server GmbH
Picture Courtesy: Scheuten Solar

 

PV production: Ticket shop for solarpeq conference now open

"Size matters: producing solar at large scale" - the theme for the solarpeq conference is finalised. Interested parties can now register online at www.solarpeq.de/conferenceticket. The conference runs all day on September 27th, 2010 and until noon on September 28th, the first day of solarpeq - International Trade Fair for Solar Production Equipment. The event takes place at the Congress Centre Düsseldorf Ost (CCD Ost), which has a direct connection to the exhibition halls. The conference targets decision-makers and practitioners from the entire photovoltaic production chain who are interested in practical concepts and solutions to current industry issues. 

Presented in English, the solarpeq conference is organised in cooperation with the well-known technical journal Photovoltaics International. Conference chairman Eddie Blokken, former Director of Technology and Standards at the PV Group of the international association SEMI, has already been successful in acquiring speakers from leading photovoltaic companies. Representatives from PPG Industries, Applied Materials, CM2H HILL, for example, will contribute lectures on topic blocks such as "Large Facility Requirements", "Materials Management", "Manufacturing Excellence" and "Does Size Matter? - How to Keep Capacity and Utilization in Balance". The selection of speakers takes both the supplier's and the customer's concerns into consideration in order to effectively address the current issues from both angles. The conference programme in its current form can be downloaded at www.solarpeq.com.


Early bird discount by May 15th

The attendance fee for the solarpeq conference amounts to €325 (plus VAT). This fee includes conference materials, daytime meals, admission to the solarpeq trade fair including a trade fair catalogue as well as admission to the concurrent glasstec, which is the world’s leading glass industry trade fair. At the end of the second day, participants will have the opportunity to enjoy a guided tour of solarpeq. Anyone registering for the solarpeq conference by 15th May can take advantage of the early bird discount, paying only €250 (plus VAT). A credit card (VISA or Mastercard) is required for registration.

2010-02-26   Courtesy: solarpeq 2010   Solarserver.de   © Heindl Server GmbH

 

PV production: ACI-ecotec wafer singularization system with a throughput up to 4,300 wafers per hour

By fitting the ecoSplit with three loading stations, a throughput of 4,300 wafers/h can be achieved.
By fitting the ecoSplit with three
loading stations, a throughput of 4,300
wafers/h can be achieved.

When it comes to separating solar wafers fully automatically before final cleaning, the ecoSplit IXL really defines the standards set by ACI-ecotec. One reason for this is the extremely high throughput – a customized system designed by ACI-ecotec separates 4,300 wafers per hour. Other factors which convince wafer manufacturers to purchase the system include the low breakage rate which has been reduced up to 0.1 percent and the compact plug-and-play construction.  
When deciding which singularization system to buy, over recent months more and more wafer manufacturers have opted for the ecoSplit IXL made by ACI-ecotec GmbH & CO KG based in Zimmern ob Rottweil in Germany. Among other buyers, these include a major German manufacturer in Thüringen and an East European concern.


Continuous operation with over 3,600 wafers/h

The wafer manufacturer in Thüringen decided to purchase the ecoSplit IXL after completing a trial phase in which the company tested not only the singularization system made by ACI-ecotec but also two other competitive products. The main reason for choosing the solution from Zimmern was the high throughput. Running normally, the system splits over 3,000 wafers per hour and at peak times the company is capable of separating over 3,600 wafers/h. To achieve this, the system has two loading stations which can each be fed with stacks of up to 250 sawn wafers once they have been pre-cleaned and manually checked. The feeding solution makes this system unique throughout the world because it can be loaded during operation and thus avoid stopping times. This was another factor influencing the manufacturer’s decision to invest in the ecoSplit system. A further reason was the worldwide patented separation technology developed by ACI-ecotec which functions without the need for costly gripper or handling systems. With the so-called “dealing” technique (in the sense of dealing playing cards), in each case the bottommost wafer is removed from the stack by a special roller system. As has been proved, this process is so gentle that no marks are made on the surface of the sensitive solar wafers. The technology also permits wafers to be removed from the stacks one at a time, thus ensuring absolutely reliable singularization. Working in series operation, the both “simple” and gentle separating technology has enabled the company in Thüringen to attain a breakage rate below 0.4 percent.

Once they have been separated, the wafers are transported by individually-adapted units to a cleaning station. The ecoSplit can be combined with any common cleaning system worldwide. During singularization, wafers are kept constantly moist to prevent them from drying out. The complete singularization process – from loading the wafers right up until they are cleaned – is monitored and controlled by sensors as well as visualized on screen.

Other advantages include the low space requirement, the fact that the singularization system is made completely from stainless steel and also the plug-and-play construction with integrated switching cabinet. Among other things, the latter permits the system to be put into operation and staff to be trained how to use it within just five days. As a result of the high throughput, low breakage rate and a process stability of almost 100 percent, the Thüringen-based wafer manufacturer has now ordered its third singularization system from ACI-ecotec.


Customized solution with 4,300 wafers/h

For its production location in Spain, an East European wafer manufacturer was looking for a singularization system which could guarantee a minimum throughput of at least 3,600 wafers/h. By supplying a specially designed version of the modularly constructed ecoSplit, ACI-ecotec was able to provide an optimum solution. Feeding was extended to include a third loading station and the number of transportation units to the cleaning system increased accordingly. This modification now enables a throughput of 4,300 wafers/h, thus creating further company benefit.

For further information: ACI-ecotec GmbH & Co. KG, Albring 18, 78658 Zimmern ob Rottweil, Germany, Telephone +49 (0)741 175115-0, http://www.aci-ecotec.com, info@aci-ecotec.com.

2010-02-26   Courtesy:   Solarserver.de   © Heindl Server GmbH
Picture Courtesy: ACI-ecotec GmbH & Co. KG

 

Concentrator photovoltaics: Concentrix Solar enters US Market with megawatt CPV deployment at a Chevron facility

CPV tracker by Concentrix Solar.
CPV tracker by Concentrix Solar.

Concentrix Solar (Freiburg im Breisgau, Germany), a leading supplier of Concentrator Photovoltaic (CPV) systems and a new division of the Soitec Group (Euronext Paris), the world’s leading supplier of engineered substrates, on February 24th, 2009 announced that it has signed a contract with Chevron Technology Ventures for the deployment of a one megawatt (MW) CPV power plant to be installed at a Chevron Mining facility in Questa, New Mexico, USA. With this announcement, Concentrix Solar confirms full commercial readiness for worldwide deployment, and is paving the way to utility-scale CPV projects.  A FLATCON CPV tracking system has a nominal power output of 6 kilowatts. One megawatt consists of approximately 175 systems, which can be placed in an area of 7 acres. Concentrix Solar recently announced that the company has received IEC certification 62108 for its CX-75 FLATCON module generation.



Chevron facility to become the largest CPV installation in the U.S. and one of the largest CPV power plants in the world

Chevron announced this week that the company will install a one megawatt CPV solar power plant using Concentrix Solar’s "FLATCON" technology. This will be the largest CPV installation in the U.S. and one of the largest CPV power plants in the world. The power produced will be sold through a power purchase agreement to the Kit Carson Electric Cooperative, Chevron stated in their press release (February 23, 2010).


High direct normal irradiance and energy demand in the Southwestern states of the USA

"This commercial deployment is a key milestone for us and our U.S. strategy. It is an important reference for our technology, and the next logical step considering the outstanding performance demonstrated at our Spanish power plants", said Concentrix Solar CEO, Hansjörg Lerchenmüller. "With their high direct normal irradiance and their high energy demand, the Southwestern states of the USA are perfectly suited for our CPV technology. Our FLATCON technology's high-precision, two-axis tracking system helps utilities to match U.S. peak power demands. We are excited to prove our technology with Chevron on the Questa site and are planning new investments to further expand our business in the Southwest of the USA in the near future."


Demo system in San Diego, megawatt production facility in Freiburg

In the USA, Concentrix Solar already installed a demo system on the University of California San Diego campus. This demonstration tracker, installed in July 2009, confirmed system efficiencies (AC) of 25 percent under full field operating conditions.
Concentrix Solar operates a fully-automated manufacturing line in Freiburg, Germany, which produces high quality, durable CPV modules. The facility has a current capacity of 25 megawatts; further expansion is planned.


2010-02-25   Courtesy: Concentrix Solar GmbH   Solarserver.de   © Heindl Server GmbH
Picture Courtesy: Concentrix Solar GmbH

 

First groundbreaking in Italy: COLEXON realizes 993 kWp solar photovoltaic power plant in Imola

2,1 MWp reference system by COLEXON in Ronda, Spain.
2,1 MWp reference system by COLEXON in
Ronda, Spain.

COLEXON Energy AG (Hamburg, Germany), a leading project developer and operator of highly profitable solar power plants, scores another success in the international competition. The company is starting to erect a solar photovoltaic (PV) power plant with a total capacity of 993.3 kilowatt peak (kWp) in the North Italian community Imola. At the end of last year, COLEXON secured the property and project rights for the construction of a solar power plant in Imola. After having completed the formalities in December, the company broke ground and started the realization.  Thorsten Preugschas, CEO of COLEXON Energy AG, sees the complete package as another milestone for the company. "Establishing our international commitments with the solar power plant in Imola, allows us to continue our growth trend consistently despite of possible upcoming changes in the feed-in compensation in Germany. As Italy is one of the most significant growth markets, it is of great importance."


Successful market entry with strong partner network

The project in Imola is expected to be completed in the first half of the year 2010. Within this process, COLEXON emphasizes on a strong incorporation of local subcontractors that were engaged for the establishment of the company in the Italian market. COLEXON has teamed up with Cleantech in planning and developing the solar power plant. The erection of the solar park and its commissioning has been arranged in close cooperation with several local partner companies.


COLEXON and Imola present prestige project

At the celebration, the mayor Daniele Manca emphasized the positive signal for the city due to COLEXON’s investment in times of the financial crisis. CEO Thorsten Preugschas highlighted the location as an optimal starting point for further activities. COLEXON’s new partners, the Imola community, the local subcontractors as well as the energy supplier, set the ideal basis for a long-term cooperation by showing extraordinary commitment.


Economically and ecologically very attractive

It is planned to use a total of 4,620 polycrystalline modules of the manufacturer Moser Baer on an area of 2.35 hectares for this project. In addition to this, SMA inverters will convert the yearly 1.1 million generated kilowatt-hours into grid-compliant alternating current. The plant is economically attractive as the feed-in tariff in Italy is remarkable and guaranteed for 20 years. For the city of Imola, this solar power plant means a reduction in CO2 emissions of about 80 tons per year. Furthermore, it will be able to supply about 500 households with environmentally friendly electricity. The Imola community and COLEXON are pursuing the common objective of realizing further economically and ecologically interesting projects in that region like the one mentioned above, to build up a long-term partnership.

2010-02-25   Courtesy: COLEXON Energy AG   Solarserver.de   © Heindl Server GmbH
Picture Courtesy: COLEXON Energy AG

 

Peruvian government awards Solarpack with two 20 MW PV power plants

Solarpack (Gexto, Spain) along with a major Spanish developer, in February 2010 announced that the companies had been awarded a 20 year contract by the Government of Peru. According to the agreement, the companies are to produce 98 gigawatt hours (GWh) of solar photovoltaic (PV) electricity per year. Solarpack reports that it plans to generate this energy with two 20 megawatt (MW) PV plants, to be located in two southern regions of the Andean country.  This contract is said to enable Solarpack to consolidate its operations in South America, where the company is reportedly already one of the biggest developers specializing in PV solar energy with a project portfolio of about 90 MW. Solarpack's Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Paul Burgos, remarked that the company's "upfront, innovative wager on this market is bearing fruit even earlier than we expected." Solarpack plans to spearhead the implementation of projects from its subsidiary in Chile. The company's first multi-megawatt solar plant, dubbed 'Calama Solar 1', is reportedly being developed with an environmental license for the South-American continent.

2010-02-25   Courtesy: Solarpack   Solarserver.de   © Heindl Server GmbH

 

U.S. solar advocacy group releases statement on passing of bill to raise California's solar net metering cap

On February 18th, 2010 the California State Assembly passed AB 510, a bill to raise the cap on a key solar policy called 'net metering.' In the wake of this event, the national grassroots advocacy organization Vote Solar Initiative (Vote Solar) issued a press release detailing the events and celebrated what it considers a major policy win in the United States' largest photovoltaic (PV) market.  Vote Solar explains that net metering is a simple billing arrangement that allows solar customers to get fair retail credit for the excess electricity their systems generate during daytime hours. Having passed the Senate in the previous week, the bill now only needs the signature of California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger to become law, Vote Solar reports.


Bill raises utilities' net metering cap from 2.5 to 5 % of peak demand

Vote Solar explains that existing law requires California's major electric utilities to make net metering available to customers on a first-come, first-served basis, but only until the total program capacity exceeds 2.5 % of the utility's peak demand. AB 510 doubles the net metering program capacity to 5 %, ensuring that Californians continue to have fair access to this critical solar program for the near term. Assemblymember Nancy Skinner (D-Berkeley), the bill's author, said: "California leads the nation in solar energy, accounting for more than 65 % of the all the solar installed in the U.S. Net metering has been absolutely fundamental to that success. The passage of this bill means continued green job growth, further energy bill savings, progress in the fight against climate change, and a brighter future for California."


More than 50,000 California utility customers currently take advantage of net metering

Sara Birmingham, western policy director for the Solar Alliance, a state-level trade association, commented: "AB 510 will ensure that participants in the state's highly successful California Solar Initiative (CSI) will continue to have access to net metering benefits through the program's completion. Its passage sends a clear signal to the growing solar industry that California intends to be open for business tomorrow and for years to come." Adam Browning, Executive Director of the Vote Solar Initiative, added: "Net metering makes solar more affordable for those who want to make the investment in clean energy. And because solar produces reliable power during peak hours when we all need it most, that same investment in solar helps lower costs for all ratepayers. Today, Assembly member Skinner and the legislature took a bold step to make solar a significant part of our energy future." More than 50,000 California homes, schools and businesses currently take advantage of the state's net metering program to lower their utility bills, Vote Solar reports. With federal stimulus funds committed to support the state's switch to solar, this legislation is believed to be a critical component of a fiscally and environmentally responsible energy future in California.

2010-02-25   Courtesy: Vote Solar Initiative   Solarserver.de   © Heindl Server GmbH

 

U.S. renewable energy training provider Boots on the Roof announces 'Master Certificate in Renewable Energy' program

Boots on the Roof offers a six-day solar boot-camp.
Boots on the Roof offers a
six-day solar boot-camp.

Boots on the Roof (Fremont, California), a U.S. provider of renewable energy training and education, on February 19th, 2010 announced that it is now offering a 'Master Certificate in Renewable Energy' program. According to the press release, the program will focus on three main areas in renewable energy, providing attendees with a well-rounded training experience.  Boots on the Roof reports that this program will include a 6-day 'Solar Thermal Boot Camp' that focuses on the fundamentals of design and installation of solar water-heating systems. The second part of the program is a 6-day 'Solar PV Boot Camp' which reportedly covers solar-electric system design, installation, and safety procedures, as well as business and industry topics. Finally, a 5-day 'Wind Energy Boot Camp' which concentrates on the design and installation of wind energy systems, including assessment, safety, installation, and troubleshooting concludes the course requirements for the Master Certificate.


Intensive training program said to help attendees steer their career in a 'green' direction

"More jobs now focus on the green sector, and those with the right skills and training will find it easier to compete and succeed in that market", explained Navraj Bawa, Executive Vice President of Boots on the Roof. "Our Master Certificate program helps prepare someone to steer their career in a green direction." According to the press release, this program is ideal for anyone interested in adding renewable energy sources to their list of specialties, or those wanting to learn more about the field, including general contractors, plumbers, builders, business owners, environmentalists, electricians, construction workers, engineers, and green-energy educators. "This intense training program offers people a chance to become specialists in a field that is rapidly growing and may very well dominate in the future," said Bawa. "Renewable energy is where it's at, and this program helps you get there."

2010-02-25   Courtesy: Boots on the Roof   Solarserver.de   © Heindl Server GmbH
Picture Courtesy: Boots on the Roof

 

Monosilane technology: M+W Group acquires shares in the Schmid Silicon Technology Holding GmbH

Effective from January 1st, 2010 the M+W Group GmbH, Stuttgart, Germay, acquired shares in Schmid Silicon Technology Holding GmbH, Freudenstadt, Germany. With this acquisition, M+W Group partners with Schmid Silicon Technology Holding GmbH in its worldwide activities for engineering and construction of Polysilicon plants based on the Monosilane technology. No further details of the contract conditions have been released by the involved parties due to their agreement to treat such details confidentially.  "With our new partner M+W Group we are able to enforce our worldwide presence on the future markets to offer our customers joint expertise and service excellence for successful realization of projects. With our future orientated technology and the partner M+W Group we decisively strengthen our competitiveness and we see this as a further essential step on the way to establishing ourselves as the leading technology supplier for Polysilicon solutions", stated Christian Schmid, Shareholder of the Schmid Silicon Technology Holding GmbH and Jürgen Wild, CEO M+W Group.

"Contract negotiations have been concluded in a purposeful manner within a very short time frame, due to similar perception of the market, the customers and the company philosophy. This makes the realization of future projects easier. Both parties are looking forward to a successful cooperation. Right after the contract conclusion we have started working on the coming tasks closely together", Alexander Berg, CEO of the Schmid Silicon Technology Holding GmbH confirmed.



Technology provider for high-end solar grade Polysilicon and Monosilane

The Schmid Silicon Technology Holding GmbH (SSTH), founded in September of 2009, headquartered in Freudenstadt, Germany is a Holding organization with its related parties the Schmid Silicon Technology GmbH (SST), the Schmid Pilot Production GmbH (SPP) and the Schmid Silicon Engineering GmbH (SSE). Schmid Silicon Technology a technology provider with respect to high-end solar (and, if demanded, electronic) grade Polysilicon and Monosilane gas production as well as plant engineering (turnkey). In addition to the patented technology SST supplies the overall know how for planning and realization of Turnkey Plants for the Polysilicon and Monosilane production.

2010-02-25   Courtesy: Schmid Silicon Technology Holding GmbH; M+W Group   Solarserver.de   © Heindl Server GmbH

 

Gartner: California to double net-metering cap to 5 %; new bill to raise retail credits for photovoltaic (PV) solar power

The U.S. information technology research and advisory company Gartner, Inc. (Stamford, Connecticut) on February 22nd, 2010 released a comment on the California State Assembly's February 18th, 2010 passing of AB 510. The bill is to raise the cap on what is believed to be the key solar policy, net-metering. Gartner reports that the bill is now only awaiting Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger's signature. As part of existing California law, net-metering is the policy that mandates that the state's major electric utilities must provide electricity customers operating solar photovoltaic (PV) power systems with a relatively simple mechanism to get retail credit for their excess solar electricity production, Gartner explains.  This is seen to be a fundamental mechanism to make most PV solar systems economical in California. The current net-metering law is capped when total program capacity exceeds 2.5 % of each utility's peak demand. AB 510 would double the net-metering program capacity to 5 %, and is to be available to customers on a first come, first served basis.


California's core PV demand expected to buttress overall demand in the United States

Gartner views this government support as critical to maintaining PV solar market demand in California in the near term. This is believed to be especially important in the significant market of Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E, San Francisco), because it was estimated that this utility's territory could reach the 2.5 % limit in 2010. Gartner expects California to remain the most-attractive market for commercial and residential PV projects once AB 510 becomes law. California's core demand is expected to buttress market demand in the United States, leading Gartner to issue a midpoint forecast expectation for the U.S. market of 0.8 gigawatts (GW) of new PV solar power plants installed in 2010. With this residential and commercial foundation element for the forecast locked in, the uncertainty in the forecast moves to the midsize to large-scale projects for the utilities, Gartner reports. This part of the pipeline for 2010 continues to reflect the uncertainty in the permit process and environmental analysis for these projects. If all the projects slated for completion in 2010 are actually completed, this could increase Gartner's forecast potential for the U.S. PV solar market by 25 %.

2010-02-24   Courtesy: Gartner Inc.   Solarserver.de   © Heindl Server GmbH

 

German PV producer SOLON SE presents preliminary figures for fiscal 2009 - net income impacted by extraordinary expenses

SOLON: Planning and construction of large-scale solar power plants fell behind expectations.
SOLON: Planning and construction of
large-scale solar power plants fell
behind expectations.

SOLON SE, Berlin, Germany, on February 23rd, 2010 presented its preliminary figures for fiscal year 2009. The past fiscal year was determined by stagnation in global demand for solar technology, which was allocated with extreme fluctuations over the year. While the first three quarters remained significantly behind the previous year, the fourth quarter experienced a surge in year-end business. The increase was driven primarily by strong demand in the German PV market, which was limited almost entirely to the end customer market.  By contrast, the solar power plant business - which in 2007 and 2008 had made a significant contribution to the strong growth of the solar industry - drastically declined in fiscal 2009 as a consequence of the global financial crisis, which brought financing for major solar projects to a near standstill.




Planning and construction of turnkey, large-scale power plants fell behind expectations

The market trend described was also reflected in the performance of the SOLON Group and its individual segments in fiscal year 2009. The Components segment - manufacture of standard solar modules and sale to wholesalers and solar installers - performed solidly, reaching the unit sales level of the previous year. The System Technology segment, however - manufacture of solar power plant systems and planning and construction of turnkey, large-scale power plants all over the world – fell behind expectations. Although a number of major contracts were acquired in the second half, these will not affect revenue or earnings until 2010 due to the necessary lead time.

According to preliminary calculations, Group sales reached EUR 354 million, a drop of 57% compared to the extremely strong prior year (2008: EUR 815 million). Earnings before interest and tax (EBIT) dropped to a loss of EUR195 million (2008: positive EBIT of EUR 58 million). The net loss after minority interests amounted to EUR 276 million (2008: net income of EUR 33 million). Earnings per share fell to a loss of EUR 22.00 (2008: positive EPS of EUR 2.61). EBIT and net income were massively impacted by extraordinary expenses, particularly impairment losses on financial assets and assets of subsidiaries amounting to EUR 122 million as well as devaluation on inventory of EUR 60 million due to a 30-percent decline in unit sales prices in fiscal 2009.

A net cash inflow of approximately EUR 90 million was generated in fiscal year 2009. Net debt was reduced slightly to EUR 345 million as of the reporting date (2008: EUR 379 million). The negotiations with lenders on restructuring medium-term Group financing are still underway, but are expected to be completed by the end of the first quarter of 2010.


Some 52% of Group sales generated in Germany in 2009, all in all, photovoltaic installations with a total output of 132 MW manufactured

The restructuring program initiated in fiscal 2009, which includes strategic measures along with SOLON SE projects to improve the Company's cost structure, has already shown initial successes, as can be seen in the improved liquidity situation, for instance. The extreme differences in performance of the two operating segments Components and System Technology resulted in a corresponding shift in their share of total sales. In 2009, the Components segment accounted for 73% of Group sales (2008: 45%), while the System Technology segment fell back to 27% (2008: 55%). Some 52% of Group sales were generated in Germany in 2009. All in all, photovoltaic installations with a total output of 132 MW were manufactured in fiscal 2009, a decline of 25 percent on the prior year (2008: 176 MW).

The SOLON Group maintains five production sites in Germany, Austria, Italy, Switzerland and the United States. The number of employees at all Group locations amounted to 899 at year end. For the current fiscal year, the Management Board expects global demand for solar technology to pick up considerably, with the decrease in sales prices slowing compared to 2009. The goal is to return to sales growth in the double-digit percentage range and to break even in terms of operating earnings.

The complete 2009 Annual Report of SOLON SE will be published on 31 March 2010 and will be available for download from the Company's website.



2010-02-24   Courtesy: SOLON SE   Solarserver.de   © Heindl Server GmbH
Picture Courtesy: SOLON SE

 

2BG to deliver 15 MW automatic PV module production line to Algeria

Solar photovoltaic module production line by 2BG.
Solar photovoltaic module production line
by 2BG.

2BG s.r.l. (San Martino di Lupari, Padova, Italy) and SOPREC Solar on February 19th, 2010 announced the signing of a contract under which 2BG is to deliver a 15 MW solar photovoltaic (PV) module production line. This turn-key plant is scheduled to be delivered and installed in a new Algerian facility at the beginning of May, 2010.  According to the press release, 2BG was chosen after a careful analysis of several competitors by SOPREC Group, a building construction company with 4 different sites. The Group reportedly considered 2BG the ideal partner for the realization of the current and future project. 2BG reports that this investment plan is currently in its first phase and anticipates doing the line upgrade of further 30 MW by the end of 2010, reaching a total production capacity of 45 MW. SOPREC Solar anticipates to becoming a leading PV company in Algeria.

2010-02-24   Courtesy: 2BG s.r.l.   Solarserver.de   © Heindl Server GmbH
Picture Courtesy: 2BG s.r.l.

 

New Feed-in Tariffs: German PV promotion decreases significantly

Drastic promotion cutbacks for rooftop PV systems in Germany
Drastic promotion cutbacks for rooftop
PV systems in Germany

After heated debates, the coalition of CDU/CSU and FDP on February 23rd, 2010 presented the latest decision of the cabinet regarding further cuts of the German feed-in tariffs for solar electricity. Despite huge concessions on part of the PV branch, many experts believe the targeted cuts are too drastic while the relief for electricity customers is actually only marginal, the market research and consulting institute EuPD Research reports in a press release.  For several weeks now, Berlin has been struggling over the amendment of the feed-in tariffs for solar electricity as defined in the Renewable Energy Act (EEG). On the one hand, the debate came to the forefront once again after consumer advocates called on politics to relieve electricity customers. On the other hand, the debate was aggravated by the necessary industrial political adjustments of the feed-in tariffs to the latest state of development of the PV industry. A decision by the cabinet now determines the corner points of new promotion regulations. Experts expect that the cuts made public today will be stipulated into German law without any amendments and will come into effect - after consultation in the German Bundestag and the bill in the German Federal Assembly - just in time for the cut-off date.


The corner points of the newly adjusted incentives for PV anticipate the following:

- As of July 1, the feed-in tariffs for solar electricity from rooftop systems will be cut back by a further 16 percent. Taking into account the cuts that were already made at the beginning of January, the electricity from rooftop systems of up to 100 kWp will receive an over cut of 23.56 percent in promotional funding. At the same time, electricity from rooftop systems larger than 100 kWp face a 24.40 percent cut altogether.

- As of July 1, the tariffs for solar electricity for open-space systems, such as on conversion areas, will be reduced by a further 11 percent. Open space plants on other surfaces will receive a cut of 15 percent. Taking into account the cuts that were already made at the beginning of January, promotional funding for large-scale systems will cut by 24.35 percent overall.

- In the future, large-scale systems on agricultural fields will receive no funding whatsoever.

- For investors having received a building permission for the construction of a solar park by January 1, 2010, a transitional period is currently under discussion.

- Additionally, there will be a growth corridor for 2011. If the newly-installed capacity in 2010 exceeds 3.5 GW, there will be a further 2.5 percent degression along with the degression that is already planned. If more than 4.5 GW is installed, the planned degression will increase by a further 5 percent.


Finally a clear picture: "However, the promotion cutbacks are drastic"

"Following primary speculations and various statements concerning the issue of solar incentives, there is now a clarity towards the future of the incentive rates", according to Markus A.W. Hoehner, CEO of the market research and consulting institute EuPD Research. In principle, Mr. Hoehner has approved a rotational adaptation of the PV incentives to the market forces, but the extent of this reduction is "incredibly ambitious," says the industry expert. In his point of view, such drastic promotional cutbacks cannot be justified with the current situation of the PV market and the rise in electricity prices. In fact, the additional charges were not caused by the promotion of solar electricity but by other factors such as the continuously rising electricity production costs, higher transport costs and higher tax burdens. According to EuPD Research, the additional cost for the promotion of solar electricity accounted for only 24 cents per head and month in 2009.


Fluctuating System Costs: "Not ideal" as a basis for calculation

It is clear to see that the purchase prices for solar plants and their amortization period have reduced significantly in the past few months, due to technological improvements, higher efficiency rates and higher levels of market penetration. "It is not advisable to calculate political incentives solely on the basis of a short-term price decline, but on the basis of long-term trends and forecasts. Actual system prices, which serve as a foundation for calculations by the federal government, reflect a distorted image", according to Markus A.W. Hoehner, whose company on own account provides the only representative price surveys of this branch.

On a quarterly basis, the analysts in Bonn conduct national and international surveys on module and system prices, and compile the "Photovoltaic Price Index." In this context, the prices reflect a much more realistic price level than similar methods used to evaluate purchasing prices, EuPD Research emphasizes. The price margin of solar systems is enormous, and the severe price reductions in the last quarter are not revealing for the long term. It is unclear as to what extent the amended incentives will impact the German solar market and the German-based industry. In any case, solar expects expect strong cuts on all steps of the solar value chain in Germany.

2010-02-24   Courtesy: EuPD Research   Solarserver.de   © Heindl Server GmbH
Picture Courtesy: Bausparkasse Schwäbisch Hall AG

 

PV certification: Improving the quality of technology by adoption of IEC standards

A workshop at TÜV Rheinland's Photovoltaic Testing Laboratory, Tempe, Arizona
A workshop at TÜV Rheinland's Photovoltaic
Testing Laboratory, Tempe, Arizona

In an important decision, the Solar America Board for Codes and Standards (Solar ABCs) recommended the adoption of IEC quality standards for all solar photovoltaic (PV) modules purchased in the U.S. marketplace, TÜV Rheinland Photovoltaic Testing Laboratory, LLC (TÜV PTL; Tempe, Arizona) on February 12th, 2010 reported in a press release.  The aim of Solar ABCs initiative is to improve the quality and reliability of the PV technology in the U.S. marketplace, and it aims to protect consumers and businesses alike from unknowingly buying poor quality modules, including those rejected by testing and certification officials in other countries. Both the European Union and Asia already require this testing on all PV technology being sold in their marketplace, TÜV PTL reports.



Quality standards for solar PV modules to raise overall quality levels

To take basic steps that help keep poor-quality solar energy equipment from flooding the U.S. market is believed to be in the solar PV market's long-term best interest. Independent third-party testing and certification of basic quality helps provide an important consumer protection safeguard to build a sustainable technological base, according to Matthias Heinze, Director of Technology of TÜV PTL, North America's largest solar PV testing center. Heinze encourages PV manufacturers to embrace the new policy, designed to positively affect the quality and longevity of the U.S. solar market. "TÜV Rheinland PTL vigorously supports and endorses Solar ABCs' recommendation to establish minimum quality and reliability requirements in the U.S.", said Heinze. "Third-party, independent testing and certification helps remove substandard PV modules from the market, effectively raising the overall quality levels of equipment being sold."


Solar advocates request adoption of European and Asian standards in the United States

Solar ABCs, which is funded by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), recently released policy recommendations for standard PV modules and systems, dubbed "Recommended Standards for PV Modules and Systems." The group advocates PV manufacturers to have their modules independently tested and certified for minimum quality and reliability according to the international qualification standards, which are reportedly considered minimum requirements in Europe. TÜV PTL reports that the U.S. marketplace currently does not require solar panels or PV modules to undergo independent testing for durability, quality or reliability claims. Heinze said he expects the new recommendation to promote widespread adoption of minimum standards for quality and reliability among solar technologies. "Without this policy", explained Heinze, "the quality of solar equipment could continue to decline, negatively impacting the U.S. PV market and increasing the levelized cost of electricity." Currently, a segment of PV manufacturers request third-party testing. Heinze believes that the demand for independent testing and certification will shift to consumer-oriented businesses that are involved in power purchase agreements (PPA), banking, insurance, and system integration, as well as homeowners and business owners.

2010-02-24   Courtesy: TÜV Rheinland Photovoltaic Testing Laboratory, LLC   Solarserver.de   © Heindl Server GmbH
Picture Courtesy: TÜV Rheinland Photovoltaic Testing Laboratory, LLC

 

3TIER launches next generation wind and solar prospecting tools

Solar prospecting tool by 3TIER.
Solar prospecting tool by 3TIER.

3TIER Environmental Forecast Group, Inc. (Seattle, Washington), a global renewable energy information services provider, in February 2010 announced the release of a new suite of global wind and solar prospecting tools that are said to help renewable energy professionals decide where to develop renewable resources by providing immediate access to seasonal variability data.   Such data is deemed critical to understanding a site's energy potential. "3TIER has delivered the next generation of prospecting tools,", said Kenneth Westrick, Founder and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of 3TIER. "These tools provide, for the first time ever, instant and unlimited access to seasonal variability data for wind and solar resources, around the world. It is a smarter, faster and more cost-effective way for the industry to identify and prioritize potential sites for more in-depth assessment."




Highest resolution global datasets detail seasonal variability

3TIER reports that the company's wind and solar prospecting tools use a dynamic, point-and-click web-based interface. According to the press release, information about any location worldwide can be instantly accessed by renewable energy developers, financiers, and manufacturers, who are now able to compare-and-contrast sites by a click of a mouse. Westrick explained that these tools empower better and faster decisions concerning the site selection for renewable energy projects. "They are easy to use and provide direct access to the most advanced global wind and solar datasets that have ever been developed", Westrick said. Based on what the company describes as sophisticated and globally consistent methodologies, the datasets are said to provide more detail than any on-demand renewable energy information service currently available. 3TIER's wind and solar prospecting tools are subscription-based products that provide map-based, point-and-click access to wind speed and direction data or solar irradiance information. According to the press release, the suite provides access to the company's 5 km resolution global wind dataset and its 3 km resolution solar irradiance dataset. Coverage of the solar dataset currently includes North America, India, Japan, South Korea, and Australia, the company reports. Global solar coverage is to be achieved in the coming months as data is validated.



2010-02-24   Courtesy: 3TIER Environmental Forecast Group, Inc.   Solarserver.de   © Heindl Server GmbH
Picture Courtesy: 3TIER Environmental Forecast Group, Inc.

 

WMECo selects first solar energy site, up to 1.8 MW to be built in Pittsfield, Massachusetts

Western Massachusetts Electric Company (WMECo; West Springfield, Massachusetts) on February 17th, 2010 announced its plan to develop the first of several large-scale solar photovoltaic (PV) plants. The selected site on Silver Lake Boulevard in the city of Pittsfield reportedly combines two parcels of land owned by WMECo and the Pittsfield Economic Development Authority (PEDA) at the William Stanley Business Park.  The eight-acre site is to accommodate up to 1.8 megawatts (MW) of solar electric capacity, the company reports. WMECo officials joined local officials and PEDA representatives in announcing the agreement to combine these brownfield properties into one of the largest solar facilities in New England. The company reports that its solar program focuses on larger-scale facilities (1 MW or greater), emphasizing landfill, brownfield and utility-owned properties as ideal locations. Such properties typically have few alternative uses and are believed to be very compatible with the construction of solar energy facilities.



Solar power plants to demonstrate that renewable energy can play a viable role in meeting energy needs of the Commonwealth

"Today's announcement provides tangible evidence that large-scale solar is becoming a reality in the Commonwealth", said Peter Clarke, WMECo President and Chief Operating Officer (COO). "We're delighted to be working in partnership with Pittsfield on this exciting project", he added. He expects solar energy facilities to provide the platform necessary to demonstrate that solar can play a viable role in meeting the renewable energy needs of the Commonwealth, while at the same time contributing to the economic development of the region. According to the press release, the Commonwealth has a goal to install 250 MW of solar by 2017. Under the Green Communities Act (GCA), each Massachusetts electric utility may own up to 50 MW of solar generation, subject to approval by the Department of Public Utilities (DPU).


Project to bring investment to the state, generate tax revenue to the city of Pittsfield

WMECo reports that it was the first utility to receive DPU approval, and that it is currently authorized to install a total of 6 MW of solar capacity. The company's Silver Lake Boulevard project allows for an efficient connection to the utility's local distribution grid because of its proximity to a substation. WMECo reports that large-scale solar energy facilities are still relatively new to Massachusetts and New England. Approximately 10 MW of solar generation is currently on-line in the Commonwealth. The company's first solar project is to be as large as 1.8 MW, and it is expected to cost considerably less than existing PV systems. The project is to bring 10 -12 million US-dollars of construction investment to the region and is expected to contribute more than 200,000 US-dollars of annual property tax revenue to the city of Pittsfield. According to the press release, the local permitting for the project is underway, and WMECo expects to begin construction in the second quarter of 2010. The company continues to evaluate 25 other sites owned by municipalities and private developers located in WMECo's service territory for the remaining scope of its 6 MW solar program, which is scheduled for completion by 2012.




2010-02-24   Courtesy: Western Massachusetts Electric Company   Solarserver.de   © Heindl Server GmbH

 

Gartner: First Solar's revenue confirms it leads a commoditizing PV market, manufacturing costs declined 1 % to 84 US-cents per watt

First Solar's revenue from Q1 2007 to Q4 2009.
First Solar's revenue from Q1 2007
to Q4 2009.

The U.S. information technology research and advisory company Gartner, Inc. (Stamford, Connecticut) on February 22nd, 2010 released an analysis of U.S. solar photovoltaic (PV) manufacturer First Solar's financial statement. On February 18th, 2010, First Solar had announced its financial results for the fourth quarter that had ended on December 26th, 2009. Key financial and operational highlights for this quarter included an increase of revenue from 481 million US-dollars in the third quarter to 641 million US-dollars in Q4 2009.  About 14 % of this revenue, namely 90 million US-dollars, was derived from project development. First Solar reported a total revenue increase for the year 2009 to 2,066 million US-dollars, up from 1,246 million US-dollars the company had earned in 2008. Of note according to Gartner was that the PV manufacturer had reached 1.1 gigawatts (GW) total production for the year, with an annualized manufacturing capacity per line in the fourth quarter of 53.4 megawatts (MW) and PV module conversion efficiency of 11.1 %.



Success in 2009 reflects "old" solar market, emerging industry trends need to be considered

In its financial report, First Solar further highlighted a North American project development pipeline of 1.1 GW for large-scale projects and 0.3 GW for small or midsize projects. According to the announcement, the company's manufacturing costs declined 1 % sequentially to 84 US-cents per watt. For 2010, First Solar provided a midpoint forecast for net sales of 2.8 billion US-dollars. Of importance is that this includes a midpoint forecast for project development revenue of 0.7 billion US-dollars, or 25 %, of its projected 2010 revenue, Gartner reports. Market researchers believe that First Solar continues to execute very well. The company continues to improve the yield for its manufacturing facilities, improves the energy conversion efficiency of its solar modules, and was at the same time able to double the amount of MW sold. Yet all this is becoming irrelevant, Gartner cautions, because it is a picture of the 'old' PV solar industry. Even though First Solar's example may reflect the foundation for a lot of work in the PV industry, one needs to consider other trends in the solar PV sector.


Excess manufacturing capacity in solar PV market, uncertainty about U.S. and European incentive programs deemed worrisome

One of the major trends Gartner sees for the PV industry as a whole is excess capacity across the entire supply chain. For example, on the crystalline silicon side of the PV industry there is excess manufacturing capacity for silicon, solar cells and solar modules. On the thin-film side, it's not as drastic yet, but analysts point out that there are a variety of startups aiming to compete with the established thin-film PV solar vendors, such as First Solar and United Solar Ovonic. Also of note is that the electronics manufacturing services (EMS) firms, such as Jabil Circuit, Flextronics and Foxconn, continue to expand their manufacturing services for crystalline silicon module assembly. "This situation is complicated by increasing uncertainty surrounding government incentives", explained Al Velosa, Gartner Research Director for Semiconductors and Solar. "The core German market is in the process of changing its incentives, and there is a very low probability that the United States will pass a national RPS. If the economic uncertainty affecting core European markets such as Italy and Spain continues, there may be modifications to their feed-in-tariff structures. Further, the need by various European governments to obtain more loans to cover their fiscal deficits is so great that it may have a ripple effect and increase interest rates on the continent", Velosa cautioned.

PV solar vendors migrate to project development and project financing segments to ensure demand for solar products

Because of these circumstances in the solar industry, many PV solar vendors have reportedly been migrating to the increasingly critical project development and project financing segments of the PV solar pipeline. First Solar's activity in this regard is seen as a critical strategic move to ensure it finds buyers for its systems, especially as the U.S. utility market takes off. According to Gartner, this is the same market that many other PV firms have migrated into. Analysts expect to see increasing levels of channel conflict between First Solar and some of its core European partners, both in the U.S. and in Europe. Gartner also expects more competition between the large PV module vendors, as vendors such as Q-Cells International, BP Solar and SunPower continue to build their project development capabilities. "The new PV solar industry will be increasingly determined not only by module manufacturing capacity and price, but also by whose project development arm is the most effective and who has access to the lowest-cost capital", Velosa concluded.

2010-02-23   Courtesy: Garnter Inc., Al Velosa   Solarserver.de   © Heindl Server GmbH
Picture Courtesy: Gartner Inc.

 

Arizona: Tessera Solar to develop major solar thermal plant at Phoenix community landfill

A rendering of the solar thermal power plant at Phoenix.
A rendering of the solar thermal power plant
at Phoenix.

The Phoenix City Council on February 17th, 2010 voted to award the city's largest ever solar project to Tessera Solar (Houston, Texas and London, United Kingdom), an international developer of solar thermal power plants. The utility-scale solar plant is to be constructed at the city's only active landfill "SR 85" in Buckeye (Arizona), and it is expected to result in nearly 1 billion US-dollars in private investment, 300 construction jobs and more than 60 permanent jobs.   The plant is scheduled to be operational by the end of 2012 and is projected to provide power to 50,000 homes. The city of Phoenix reports that it plans to work closely with Tessera Solar and the town of Buckeye, and that it will partner with local educational institutions to promote renewable energy education and research and development (R&D) opportunities.


Phoenix to become first U.S. city to deploy large-scale solar thermal power plant

The solar project is to complement Phoenix's policy goals of a renewable energy target of 15 % by 2025, and the Greenhouse Gas emissions reduction goal for city operations to 5 % below the 2005 levels by 2015. "This innovative project is part of the city's 17-point 'Green Phoenix' plan", said Mayor Phil Gordon. "It will promote clean energy and create hundreds of local jobs." The project is expected to generate up to 250 megawatts (MW) of power. According to the press release, Phoenix will be the first city in the country to implement a concentrated solar thermal system of this scale. The project is also to incorporate a component that converts landfill gas to energy. The project's lifetime is estimated to be at least 25 years.


Solar power plant uses underutilized land

"Tessera Solar is pleased to have been selected by the city of Phoenix to develop 250 MW of solar and landfill gas conversion energy on the SR 85 site", said Tessera Solar Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Robert Lukefahr. "We commend the city for its forward-thinking leadership and its decision to pursue renewable energy on underutilized land." Tessera Solar's "SunCatcher" system uses precision mirrors attached to a parabolic dish to concentrate the sun's energy onto a high efficiency Stirling Engine, which converts the sun's heat into electricity. According to Tessera Solar, the SunCatcher requires no water for heating or cooling, and only a minimal amount to wash the mirrors and for on-site personnel. Both Buckeye's Mayor Jackie Meck and Rick Naimark, Phoenix Deputy City Manager, expressed their support for the combined solar and landfill gas power project.

2010-02-23   Courtesy: Phoenix City   Solarserver.de   © Heindl Server GmbH
Picture Courtesy: Tessera Solar

 

PV production: Jiangxi Sornid orders GT Solar's ingot growth furnaces

GT Solar International's "GT-DSS450"
ingot growth furnaces.

GT Solar International, Inc. (Merrimack, New Hampshire), a global provider of specialized production equipment, process technology and turnkey manufacturing services for the solar power industry, and Jiangxi Sornid Hi-Tech Co., Ltd. (Jiujiang Industrial Development Zone, China), a PV manufacturer in China's Jiangxi province, in February 2010 announced that they had signed a contract totaling more than 20 million US-dollars for GT Solar's "GT-DSS450" ingot growth furnaces and ancillary equipment and services.   The order was reportedly booked in GT Solar's current fourth fiscal quarter and revenue is expected to be recognized in subsequent periods. Lou Hong, Chairman of Jiangxi Sornid, said: "We are committed to becoming a leading supplier of high quality multi-crystalline silicon wafers to the solar industry. GT Solar is a valued partner and their ingot growth furnaces produce high quality ingots that meet our customers' expectations."




Growing customer base for ingot growth furnaces in China

According to Tom Gutierrez, GT Solar's President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO), the company has experienced an increase in bookings for the GT-DSS450 furnaces in China. He believes that customers are beginning to add new production capacity to position themselves for the next phase of growth in the worldwide solar industry. "Over the past year we have significantly expanded our service and support capabilities in China to better serve our growing base of customers in this key strategic market", Gutierrez said. "We are pleased to have this repeat order from Sornid." With over 1,300 systems in the field, GT Solar reports that the company's DSS ingot growth furnaces are widely used in the solar industry and that they offer reliability in the production of high quality crystal.


2010-02-23   Courtesy: GT Solar International, Inc.   Solarserver.de   © Heindl Server GmbH
Picture Courtesy: GT Solar International, Inc.

 

Chinese PV producer Jiangxi Sornid orders GT Solar's ingot growth furnaces

GT-DSS450 ingot growth furnaces.
GT-DSS450 ingot growth furnaces.

GT Solar International, Inc. (Merrimack, New Hampshire), a global provider of specialized production equipment, process technology and turnkey manufacturing services for the solar power industry, and Jiangxi Sornid Hi-Tech Co., Ltd. (Jiangxi Sornid; Jiujiang Industrial Development Zone, China), a PV manufacturer in China's Jiangxi province, on February 17th, 2010 announced that they had signed a contract totaling more than 20 million US-dollars for GT Solar's "GT-DSS450" ingot growth furnaces and ancillary equipment and services.  The order was reportedly booked in GT Solar's current fourth fiscal quarter and revenue is expected to be recognized in subsequent periods. Lou Hong, Chairman of Jiangxi Sornid, said: "We are committed to becoming a leading supplier of high quality multi-crystalline silicon wafers to the solar industry. GT Solar is a valued partner and their ingot growth furnaces produce high quality ingots that meet our customers' expectations."



Growing customer base for ingot growth furnaces in China

According to Tom Gutierrez, GT Solar's President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO), the company has experienced an increase in bookings for the GT-DSS450 furnaces in China. He believes that customers are beginning to add new production capacity to position themselves for the next phase of growth in the worldwide solar industry. "Over the past year we have significantly expanded our service and support capabilities in China to better serve our growing base of customers in this key strategic market", Gutierrez said. "We are pleased to have this repeat order from Sornid." With over 1,300 systems in the field, GT Solar reports that the company's DSS ingot growth furnaces are widely used in the solar industry and that they offer reliability in the production of high quality crystal.


2010-02-23   Courtesy: SEIA   Solarserver.de   © Heindl Server GmbH
Picture Courtesy: GT Solar International, Inc.

 

Honeywell completes stimulus-backed solar project for the city of Wilmington

Honeywell (Minneapolis) on February 18th, 2010 announced it has installed the first of two solar photovoltaic arrays for the City of Wilmington, Del. The work was highlighted during a commemoration event showcasing successful projects backed by the American Reinvestment and Recovery Act (ARRA) signed by President Obama in February 2009. The solar installations, which will consist of almost 3,400 panels, are part of a broader .5-million energy retrofit and renewable energy program that will decrease utility costs and greenhouse gas emissions tied to city-owned facilities and infrastructure.  The program will help the city meet the environmental commitments it adopted as part of the U.S. Conference of Mayors Climate Protection Agreement. It is also expected to create or sustain more than 80 jobs; this includes work for several local contractors Honeywell hired to help complete the upgrades.


.5 million low-interest ARRA stimulus loan for Wilmington

The energy improvements will reduce electricity consumption by an estimated 2.8-million kilowatt-hours per year - enough energy to power more than 260 homes annually. The program will also decrease carbon dioxide emissions by nearly 4.4-million pounds each year. According to figures from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, this is equivalent to removing more than 380 cars from the road. The city will pay for the entire program from the energy savings the upgrades produce. Honeywell guarantees approximately .14 million in savings per year under a 20-year performance contract so the work will not increase city operating budgets or require additional taxpayer dollars. In addition, the improvements are expected to generate million in savings above the guaranteed amount over the course of the contract. Wilmington will use more than .5 million from a low-interest ARRA stimulus loan through the Delaware Division of Public Health's Office of Drinking Water and an Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant from the Department of Energy to help finance the program at the outset.

"This program enables our city to move forward more rapidly with our environmental commitments, improve critical infrastructure and create jobs with no impact on our budget", said Wilmington Mayor James Baker. "Working with Honeywell, we were able to extend our stimulus funds and develop a comprehensive program that will reduce utility bills and carbon emissions, and benefit residents for years to come."


Solar arrays at the city’s Porter Reservoir Filtration Plant

The first solar array, one of several additions to the city’s Porter Reservoir Filtration Plant, is expected to generate 650,000 kilowatt-hours of electricity annually and cover nearly 25 percent of the load at the plant. Honeywell will construct a second, roof-mounted array at the Public Works Yard and Municipal Complex, which will add 300,000 kilowatt-hours of renewable energy. This array will be financed by a Clean Renewable Energy Bond from the Department of Treasury.

Along with the solar installations, Honeywell put in a booster pumping station that increases the available capacity of the Porter Reservoir from 4-million to 30-million gallons. The increased capacity will allow the city to draw from the reservoir during the day and shift most of its raw water pumping to off-peak hours when utility rates are low. Honeywell also helped the city negotiate new rates to drive further savings.

Additional work under the program included converting city traffic lights to more efficient and luminous light-emitting diode (LED) technology, and upgrading lighting and heating, ventilation and air-conditioning (HVAC) controls and equipment in eleven Public Works and Public Safety Department facilities.

"Maximizing stimulus funding through performance contracts can be a powerful tool in meeting environmental goals and reducing long-term costs", said Paul Orzeske, president of Honeywell Building Solutions. "Honeywell has a long track record of helping municipalities like Wilmington find the right mix of energy supply and conservation measures that will not only deliver environmental benefits, but also improve the bottom line."

Honeywell expects to complete all the conservation measures this year. The company and city officials are also planning a second phase of improvements and are currently developing a renewable energy and bio-solids facility for Wilmington’s wastewater treatment plant.

2010-02-23   Courtesy: Honeywell International   Solarserver.de   © Heindl Server GmbH

 

SEIA statement on anniversary of American Recovery and Reinvestment Act: ARRA helped the solar industry create 18,000 new jobs in 2009

The Solar Energy Industries Association's (SEIA) President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Rhone Resch on February 17th, 2010 released a statement on the one-year anniversary of President Barack Obama signing the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) into law: "One year ago today, President Obama visited a solar installation to sign the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act", Resch said. "The purpose of the bill was to stimulate immediate job growth with a strong emphasis on clean energy technologies like solar. And that is exactly what happened."  According to SEIA, ARRA helped the solar industry create 18,000 new American jobs in 2009. More than 50 new solar energy manufacturing plants are reportedly currently under construction with the support of the legislation. "Now Congress needs to keep that momentum going by passing a jobs bill that extends provisions for solar from last year's stimulus bill, which will create more than 20,000 additional jobs in the solar industry in 2010", Resch said.



Industry association urges U.S. Congress to pass jobs bill

SEIA's top policy priorities for the jobs bill are a two-year extension of the Treasury Grant Program, the return of 2 billion US-dollars to the Department of Energy Loan Guarantee Program which had been used instead for the extension of the "Cash for Clunkers" program, and the extension of the Manufacturing Tax Credit. SEIA also urges Congress to help the establishment of the "Clean Energy Deployment Administration", commonly called the "Clean Energy Bank". SEIA was established in 1974 and is the United States' national solar trade association. The organization is working with 1,000 member companies as the voice of the solar industry.

2010-02-23   Courtesy: SEIA   Solarserver.de   © Heindl Server GmbH

 

Satcon to deliver 2.5 MW inverter solutions for 25 solar installations on Greek island

"PowerGate Plus" solar photovoltaic inverter.

Satcon Technology Corporation (Boston, Massachusetts), a leading provider of utility scale power solutions for the renewable energy market, in February 2010 announced that it had been selected by EasyPower S.A. (Greece) to supply 2.5 megawatts (MW) of its "PowerGate Plus" 100 kilowatt (kW) solar photovoltaic (PV) inverter solutions for 25 installations on the island of Rhodes, Greece. According to the press release, the solar power plants will be developed and constructed by EasyPower S.A., and they are expected to generate enough solar energy to cover 1.2 % of the islands electricity demand.  The installations are to be owned by EasySolar S.A., RNA Power S.A., and Diachrisi Iliakis Energeias S.A. as part of a 2.5 MW project.


Solar power plants to complement diesel generators, ensure grid stability during peak summer electricity demand

At present, the island Rhodes is powered by diesel generators with a capacity of up to 194.4 MW during peak demand periods. Rhodes' energy consumption surges during the summer months as the population of the island swells by 300 %, Satcon reports. The solar installations are to provide critical peak demand support, enhancing grid stability while delivering cost-effective renewable energy for the population in addition to supporting the island's year round base load demands. "The project in Rhodes presents unique design challenges that require we develop a complete solution that can be scaled across 25 distributed locations", said Nikos Savouris of EasyPower. "Each power plant can directly contribute to the stability of the entire island's power grid. With this in mind, and with the responsibility of providing reliable and cost effective energy for [the] community of the island, we designed a system that will enhance each plant's performance, along with its stability and durability, while reducing the carbon footprint from electricity production on the island throughout the years."


Solar power plants to demonstrate increasing deployment of renewable energy projects in urban and island environments

Satcon reports that it will deliver its PowerGate Plus solutions for each of the proposed solar power plants, which are to be equipped with two-axis trackers and high efficiency monocrystalline PV modules. These plants are expected to generate in excess of 225,000 kilowatt hours (kWh) of clean, renewable electricity per year. "Satcon's proven technology, their innovative features, and their ability to address the particular requirements of the local grid made their PowerGate Plus solutions the obvious choice for us", continued Savouris. "We expect that, based on our previous experience with other Satcon projects, we will maximize the performance and durability of these power stations and exceed investor expectations." Peter Deege, Satcon's General Manager for Europe, believes that these installations demonstrate the increased penetration of large scale solar power generation into today's island and urban energy grids. "Our experience in utility scale and island grid solar solutions combined with EasyPower's design, engineering and construction expertise will ensure that these solar plants are a secure and cost effective renewable energy source for the island", Deege said.


2010-02-22   Courtesy: Satcon Technology Corp.   Solarserver.de   © Heindl Server GmbH
Picture Courtesy: Satcon Technology Corp.

 

Hoku resumes engineering and procurement work on polysilicon plant with Shaw subsidiary

Hoku Materials, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Hoku Scientific, Inc. (Hoku; Honolulu, Hawaii), a manufacturer of polysilicon for the solar photovoltaic (PV) market, in February 2010 announced that it had entered into a change order agreement under its engineering and procurement contract with Stone & Webster, Inc. to resume work on Hoku's planned polysilicon production plant in Pocatello, Idaho.  Stone & Webster is a subsidiary of the Shaw Group Inc. (Shaw). Hoku reports that it had suspended all work under the contract in July 2009. The change order agreement to resume work is based on Hoku's anticipated receipt of the second tranche of 30 million US-dollars in loan proceeds from Tianwei New Energy Holdings Co., Ltd. (Tianwei; Chengdu, Sichuan, China), a subsidiary of Baoding Tianwei Group Co., Ltd., in February of 2010. Tianwei, a leading provider of silicon wafers, PV cells, and modules, which recently became Hoku's majority shareholder, is reportedly providing funds towards the completion of construction and development of the plant.


Polysilicon manufacturing plant expected to start production in the coming months

Based on the new funding and the signing of the change order, Stone & Webster has agreed to immediately resume work on certain critical path items to enable the expeditious start-up of the plant. "We are very pleased that Stone & Webster is getting back to work", said Dustin Shindo, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Hoku Scientific. "Their full support and reengagement will be instrumental in getting our plant up and running in the coming months." Lou Pucher, President of Shaw Energy & Chemicals, said: "Hoku has done an admirable job continuing to move its project forward during these difficult economic times. We look forward to completing our work and seeing Hoku's first production runs."

2010-02-22   Courtesy: Hoku Materials, Inc.   Solarserver.de   © Heindl Server GmbH

 

NV Energy and NextLight Renewable Power announce 25-year power purchase agreement for solar project

Visual rendering of the Silver State Solar Power plant
Visual rendering of the Silver State
Solar Power plant

NV Energy (Las Vegas, Nevada) and the independent utility-scale solar power development company NextLight Renewable Power, LLC (San Francisco, California), in February 2010 announced a 25-year contract for the purchase and sale of energy to be produced at NextLight's 50 megawatt (MW) "Silver State Solar Power" photovoltaic (PV) facility near Primm, Nevada. The specific terms of the NextLight power purchase agreement (PPA) were not disclosed, except for that it stems from NV Energy's 2009 Request for Proposals for renewable energy. The company reports that the project still requires approval by the Public Utilities Commission of Nevada.  According to the press release, Silver State Solar Power is located on Bureau of Land Management (BLM) land, and is to use solar PV technology to generate clean, emissions-free energy. Slated to commence construction as early as December 2010, the project is to employ up to 230 workers during construction. NV Energy reports that the project is scheduled to start energy deliveries in May 2011.



Southern Nevada deemed excellent location for solar PV plant

NV Energy's President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Michael Yackira said that the addition of a significant amount of solar resources is very important to the company and its customers, as it complies with the Nevada Renewable Energy Act. This legislation requires 6 % of the total renewable energy credits (RECs) to come from solar resources. "We are pleased to be part of NextLight's project and taking another step forward in utilizing the abundant solar resources in our state for the benefit of our customers", Yackira said. Frank De Rosa, CEO of NextLight also expressed his satisfaction with the project. "Southern Nevada has all of the attributes necessary to make this a successful solar project: suitable land, superior insolation, ready access to transmission, a skilled workforce and a business-friendly climate," De Rosa said. NV Energy reports that the Silver State Solar Power project is one of the company's more than 41 proposed or existing renewable energy facilities in Nevada. According to the press release, the company currently has more than 1,200 MW of geothermal, solar, biomass, waste-heat recovery and wind energy under contract that are either in commercial operation or in the project development stage.

2010-02-22   Courtesy: NV Energy   Solarserver.de   © Heindl Server GmbH
Picture Courtesy: NextLight

 

Mitsubishi Electric achieves 14.8% conversion efficiency in thin-film silicon solar cell

Mitsubishi Electric Corporation (Tokyo) on Februrary 16th, 2010 announced that it has achieved a very high photoelectric conversion efficiency of 14.8% in a 5mm x 5mm thin-film silicon photovoltaic (PV) cell. Photoelectric conversion efficiency is the rate at which sunlight energy is converted into electric current, with higher rates meaning more output. The thin-film silicon PV cell developed by Mitsubishi Electric has a triple junction structure that utilizes a majority of the solar spectrum for higher efficiency.   At present, crystalline silicon is used commonly for PV cells. Due to their relatively high photoelectric conversion efficiency, crystalline silicon PV modules are widely used in applications with limited surfaces, such as on the roofs of residential houses. The price of silicon wafers can fluctuate greatly, however, due to changes in market demand.



Lower product costs offer benefits for midsized and large industrial PV systems

Thin-film silicon PV cells are garnering attention because they use just 1% the amount of silicon material required for crystalline silicon PV cells, which helps to save resources as well as reduce costs. Although thin-film silicon PV cells are lower in photoelectric conversion efficiency than crystalline silicon PV cells, their lower product costs offer benefits for midsized and large industrial PV systems, such as those used in factories, electric power utilities and municipalities. In addition to expected growth in these fields, there is great upside potential in other fields if their efficiency can be improved in the coming years.

Multi-junction layers offer an efficient way of raising conversion efficiency in thin-film silicon PV cells because each layer absorbs different wavelengths of sunlight. It is extremely difficult, however, to adjust the characteristics of each layer in the multi-junction structure, so most thin-film silicon PV cells today are only single or double layered.



Triple-junction configuration enabling the use of a wide solar spectrum

Mitsubishi Electric, however, has met a technological breakthrough to achieve 14.8% photoelectric conversion efficiency, according to its own evaluation, by using a triple-junction configuration in which the first layer absorbs short wavelengths and the third layer absorbs long wavelengths, thereby enabling the use of a wide solar spectrum from visible light to infrared rays. Key technologies that help to make this possible include semiconductor materials that tune to a particular frequency of the spectrum; high-quality film-deposition processing for each layer and texture fabrication applied to transparent electrodes for optimal confinement of sunlight.

Mitsubishi Electric intends to further continue its research and development with aims to raise the photoelectric conversion efficiency of its thin-film PV cells by improving cell structure, materials, processing and other factors, aiming to develop advanced PV systems that contribute to sustainable, low-carbon societies.

2010-02-22   Courtesy: Mitsubishi Electric   Solarserver.de   © Heindl Server GmbH

 

Sustainable Energy Technologies starts deliveries to Tejados Industriales, system architecture to power 2.5 MW solar plant in Spain

Sustainable Energy's PARALEX parallel system architecture uses SUNERGY inverters
Sustainable Energy's PARALEX parallel
system architecture uses SUNERGY inverters

Sustainable Energy Technologies Ltd. (Calgary, Alberta, Canada) announced that it will deliver 500 of the company's "SUNERGY" solar power inverters to Tejados Industriales de Fotovoltaica, S.L. (Tejados; Benissa, Spain), an engineering procurement and construction (EPC) company affiliated with Signet Solar GmbH (Mochau, Germany), for a 2.5 megawatt (MW) solar power plant in El Pinòs, Alicante (Spain). According to the press release, this project marks the first deliveries under Sustainable Energy's previously announced 10 MW supply contract with Tejados.   The ground-based solar plant, which is being developed by Tejados using Signet Solar thin film photovoltaic (PV) modules, is scheduled for grid-connection in early May of 2010. "We are excited to continue our partnership with Tejados, and through Tejados, with the Signet Solar product line, which is one of only a few that have been accepted as 'bankable' in European markets", said Robert Bucher, President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Sustainable Energy.


Solar system architecture to power 2.5 MW massively parallel ground-based solar plant in Alicante, Spain

Sustainable Energy reports that its patented "PARALEX" system architecture was selected for the Alicante project because of its contribution to superior total system performance and easier installation and maintenance. "Sustainable Energy's PARALEX massively parallel system architecture using SUNERGY inverters is the ideal solution for thin film solar power plants", said Klaus Müller, CEO of Tejados. "These systems trump all other solutions available, thanks to their simple design, superior performance advantages and ease of installation." The company reports that its PARALEX system architecture allows most thin film solar PV modules to be wired in a "massively" parallel array, eliminating module mismatch losses, and mitigating the impact of dirt and debris on total system performance. In ground based systems, multiple SUNERGY inverters are said to be capable to further enhance project economics by reducing installation costs, increasing system availability and lowering long-term maintenance costs.

2010-02-22   Courtesy: Sustainable Energy Technologies Ltd.   Solarserver.de   © Heindl Server GmbH
Picture Courtesy: Sunergy

 

Constellation Energy announces 90 million US-dollar solar capital commitment, receives engineering award

Constellation Energy (Baltimore, Maryland), a leading supplier of energy products and services to wholesale and retail electric and natural gas customers, on February 16th, 2010 announced that it will support the development of commercial photovoltaic (PV) power systems with a 90 million US-dollar solar capital commitment. To maximize the value of government renewable incentives, the 90 million US-dollar set-aside is to be available for customer-sited solar installations of 500 kilowatts (kW) or larger, which are scheduled to begin construction before mid-year 2010.   According to the press release, the capital commitment will enable Constellation Energy to finance, design, construct and own solar installations for customers and supply the power generated on-site to the customer. This structure makes it possible for customers to deploy on-site solar and meet sustainability goals without incurring upfront costs.


Company offers services covering every step of solar power projects

Approximately 18 million US-dollars of the capital commitment have already been committed to projects soon to begin development in Maryland and New Jersey, the company reports. "Constellation Energy's solar capital commitment provides the resources to make photovoltaic power a simple and economical proposition for commercial and governmental customers who want to support clean, renewable energy at their facilities", said Michael D. Smith, Senior Vice President of green initiatives for Constellation NewEnergy. "Our solar business model gives customers a single source for every step of the process, from financing to planning and permitting, construction and long-term maintenance of the system." Constellation Energy reports that the company currently has approximately 25 megawatts (MW) of solar power systems installed or under way in the U.S.


Two of the company's projects named "Best in New England" by Association of Energy Engineers

Constellation Energy also announced that the Association of Energy Engineers New England Chapter (AEE-NE) had named two of the company's energy projects as the "Best in New England" in 2010. The 525 kW rooftop solar installation at Patriot Place was reportedly named the best renewable energy project in New England, and the energy conservation program implemented by Constellation Energy for Bristol Community College topped the list of energy projects at colleges in this region. "Constellation Energy is honored that our energy projects have been recognized by the Association of Energy Engineers, New England Chapter", said Marc Aronson, New England Business Development Manager for Constellation Energy's Projects & Services Group. "We're particularly pleased that the AEE-NE chose to highlight a solar installation and an energy efficiency project because they are indicative of our approach to sustainability that includes both conservation and deployment of renewable power sources."

2010-02-22   Courtesy: Constellation Energy   Solarserver.de   © Heindl Server GmbH
Picture Courtesy: Constellation Energy

 

Caltech researchers create highly absorbing, flexible solar cells with silicon wire arrays

A photomicrograph of a silicon wire array embedded within a transparent, flexible polymer film
A photomicrograph of a silicon wire array
embedded within a transparent, flexible
polymer film

Using arrays of long, thin silicon wires embedded in a polymer substrate, a team of scientists from the California Institute of Technology (Caltech; Pasadena, California) has created a new type of flexible solar cells. According to a February 16th, 2010 press release, these cells are able to enhance the absorption of sunlight and can efficiently convert its photons into electrons. These solar cells due to Caltech are using only a fraction of the expensive semiconductor materials required by conventional solar cells.   "These solar cells have, for the first time, surpassed the conventional light-trapping limit for absorbing materials", said Harry Atwater, Howard Hughes Professor of applied physics and materials science, and Director of Caltech's Resnick Institute, which focuses on sustainability research. The light-trapping limit of a material refers to how much sunlight it is able to absorb. The silicon-wire arrays are said to absorb up to 96 % of incident sunlight at a single wavelength and 85 % of total collectible sunlight. "We've surpassed previous optical microstructures developed to trap light", Atwater said.



High absorption and efficiency allows for high-quality solar cells

Atwater and his colleagues, including Nathan Lewis, the George L. Argyros Professor and professor of chemistry at Caltech, and graduate student Michael Kelzenberg assessed the performance of these arrays in a paper appearing in the February 14 advance online edition of the journal Nature Materials. Atwater notes that the solar cells' enhanced absorption is 'useful absorption.' He went on to explain: "Many materials can absorb light quite well but not generate electricity, like, for instance, black paint. What's most important in a solar cell is whether that absorption leads to the creation of charge carriers." According to the press release, the silicon wire arrays created by Atwater and his colleagues are able to convert between 90 and 100 % of the photons they absorb into electrons. In technical terms, the wires have a nearly perfect internal quantum efficiency. "High absorption plus good conversion makes for a high-quality solar cell", said Atwater. "It's an important advance."


Silicone wires absorb and scatter light, resulting in high overall absorption

The key to the success of these solar cells lies in their silicon wires, each of which is independently a high-efficiency, high-quality solar cell. When brought together in an array, however, they're even more effective, because they interact to increase the cell's ability to absorb light. "Light comes into each wire, and a portion is absorbed and another portion scatters. The collective scattering interactions between the wires make the array very absorbing", Atwater explained. This effect occurs despite the sparseness of the wires in the array, they cover only between 2 and 10 % of the cell's surface area. "When we first considered silicon wire-array solar cells, we assumed that sunlight would be wasted on the space between wires", explained Kelzenberg. "So our initial plan was to grow the wires as close together as possible. But when we started quantifying their absorption, we realized that more light could be absorbed than predicted by the wire-packing fraction alone. By developing light-trapping techniques for relatively sparse wire arrays, not only did we achieve suitable absorption, we also demonstrated effective optical concentration, an exciting prospect for further enhancing the efficiency of silicon-wire-array solar cells."


Solar cells contain only 2 % silicon, 98 % polymer materials

Each wire measures between 30 and 100 microns in length and only one micron in diameter. "The entire thickness of the array is the length of the wire", noted Atwater. "But in terms of area or volume, just 2 % of it is silicon, and 98 % is polymer." In other words, while these arrays have the thickness of a conventional crystalline solar cell, their volume is equivalent to that of a two-micron-thick film. Since the silicon material is an expensive component of a conventional solar cell, a cell that requires just one-fiftieth of the amount of this semiconductor could be much cheaper to produce. The composite nature of these solar cells, Atwater added, means that they are also flexible. According to the press release, complete flexible thin films can be manufactured in a roll-to-roll process, an inherently lower-cost process than one that involves brittle wafers, like those used to make conventional solar cells.


Research to create larger solar cells underway

The next steps, according to Atwater, are to increase the operating voltage and the overall size of the solar cell. "The structures we've made are square centimeters in size", he explained. "We're now scaling up to make cells that will be hundreds of square centimeters, the size of a normal cell." Atwater said that the team is already "on its way" to showing that large-area cells work just as well as these smaller versions. In addition to Atwater, Lewis, and Kelzenberg, the all-Caltech coauthors on the Nature Materials paper, "Enhanced absorption and carrier collection in Si wire arrays for photovoltaic applications", are Shannon Boettcher, Joshua Spurgeon, Jan Petykiewicz, Daniel Turner-Evans, Morgan Putnam, Emily Warren, and Ryan Briggs. Their research was reportedly supported by BP and the 'Energy Frontier Research Center' program of the Department of Energy (DOE).

2010-02-21   Courtesy: California Institute of Technology   Solarserver.de   © Heindl Server GmbH
Picture Courtesy: Caltech/Michael Kelzenberg

 

RES Americas receives 2009 Governor's Excellence in Renewable Energy Award, announces completion of pilot project Canada

Craig Mataczynski accepting award
Craig Mataczynski accepting award

Renewable Energy Systems Americas Inc. (RES Americas; Broomfield, Colorado), a fully-integrated renewable energy company that develops, constructs, owns, and operates projects across the United States, Canada, Mexico and the Caribbean, on February 16th, 2010 announced that the company had been awarded the '2009 Governor's Excellence in Renewable Energy Award' for the large business category by Colorado Governor Bill Ritter.   Established in 2007, the annual award honors individuals, businesses, institutions and nonprofits that are advancing renewable energy in exemplary ways while making outstanding contributions to protecting the environment through the promotion, usage, implementation and technology development of renewable energy in Colorado.


Colorado-based company recognized as industry leader

"RES Americas is honored to be recognized as a leader in Colorado for the efforts our company has made in the renewable energy industry", said Craig Mataczynski, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of RES Americas. "This recognition of our efforts to do the right things through involvement in the community, innovation, protection of personal and public safety, building quality and environmentally compatible projects provides validation of our employees' efforts to make a positive impact on our industry and the state of Colorado." Governor Bill Ritter congratulated RES Americas and recognized the company's "outstanding contributions to protect our environment and provide clean power" in the state.
RES Americas reports that it was selected for this award for its businesses achievements and for its role in leading the renewable energy industry forward. The company's activities include membership and participation in industry associations and 'green' initiatives, education, research, job creation and solar power projects in Colorado.

Company announces completion of pilot wind energy project in Québec, Canada

RES America's wholly owned subsidiary Renewable Energy Systems Canada Inc. (RES Canada), on February 12th, 2010 announced what it refers to as "substantial completion" of the 'Site Nordique Expérimental en Eolien Corus' (SNEEC), a pilot wind energy project that was constructed to study the effect of Québec's climate on wind turbine performance. Located in the Gaspé region of Québec, SNEEC reportedly consists of two 2.05 megawatt (MW) REpower "MM92 CCV" wind turbines and it is expected to generate 4.1 MW of operating capacity. RES Canada reports that it managed the project and served as the Balance of Plant (BOP) construction contractor. The Wind Energy TechnoCentre, a not-for-profit organization whose mission is to contribute to the development of an industrial wind energy network in Québec, developed and owns SNEEC, RES Americas reports. Peter Clibbon, Vice-President of RES Canada, commented: "We have learned much from SNEEC that will allow us to construct safe and environmentally friendly projects in Québec." According to the press release, RES Canada hired and supervised a wide range of local and provincial subcontractors for various specialized construction services.

2010-02-21   Courtesy: RES Americas   Solarserver.de   © Heindl Server GmbH
Picture Courtesy: RES Americas

 

Chinese PV producer Suntech energizes Schools in Lebanon's Largest Solar Initiative

Suntech Power Holdings Co. (Wuxi, China), the world's largest producer of crystalline silicon photovoltaic modules, recently supplied solar panels for 19 remote schools in Lebanon working with local partner and Lebanese integrator Asaco General Trade & Contracting, Suntech reports in a press release. Sponsored and facilitated by the Country Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Demonstration Project for the Recovery of Lebanon (CEDRO), established through the United Nations Development Program (UNDP), the combined systems reportedly represent the largest solar initiative in Lebanon.   "Suntech is proud to support this initiative", said Nader Jandaghi, Suntech's Director of Middle East. "CEDRO's adoption of solar power for these schools will brighten the lives and enhance the learning of children who will define Lebanon's future. Together, we want to power a world where everyone has direct and dependable access to nature's most abundant energy resource."


Sunlight to provide classroom and library lighting and access to a computer or fax/copy machine

Because of the locations of the schools in rural villages spread across the Bekaa Valley and Northern Lebanon, grid power can be intermittent and unreliable. In the past, teachers and administrators at these 19 schools have persevered through the blackouts; now they will be able to rely on the sun to provide classroom and library lighting as well as reliable access to a computer or fax/copy machine. Integrator Asaco designed custom systems using Suntech solar modules for each of the 19 schools, with power outputs ranging from 1.2kWp to 1.8kWp, Suntech reports.

"This is the largest set of solar projects in Lebanon to date -- not only in terms of power output but also because of the large number of sites spread across the country", said Mr. Ramzi AbuSaid, CEO of Asaco. "CEDRO set reasonable and challenging system design objectives. We had to integrate several power sources at each site, including grid power, the solar systems, and even diesel generators in some cases, and leverage each of their attributes to ensure that the schools have dependable power at all times. Each power system is very efficient and takes maximum advantage of the clean electricity generated through Suntech's high-performing solar modules."

Electrical power failure chronic problem in Lebanon

"For more than 20 years, and ever since the war, electrical power failure in the public grid has been a chronic problem for us", explained Joseph Nakleh, Principal of the Anna Intermediate Public School. "We experienced blackouts on average for six to twelve hours each day. As a public school, we didn't have the budget to fund an alternative power source, so over time we adapted to the frequent grid power failures. Unfortunately, this was affecting the quality of educational services that we strive to provide our students. The new system is not only an excellent solution since it finally solved our electricity issues, but it will serve as a tangible, everlasting example for our students about the good uses of green power."

2010-02-20   Courtesy: Suntech Power Holdings Co., Ltd.   Solarserver.de   © Heindl Server GmbH

 

Standard Solar employees appeal to Maryland lawmakers not to pull the plug on solar

Standard Solar engineer Marcus Joyner and installer Amanda Braeuniger (yellow T-shirts); Maryland State Sen. Paul Pinsky; Standard Solar CEO Tony Clifford; Maryland State Delegate Sue Hecht
Standard Solar engineer Marcus Joyner and
installer Amanda Braeuniger (yellow T-shirts);
Maryland State Sen. Paul Pinsky; Standard
Solar CEO Tony Clifford; Maryland State
Delegate Sue Hecht

A new residential installer and a new system engineer of Gaithersburg-based Standard Solar (Maryland) joined Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Tony Clifford on February 16th, 2010 in asserting the economic benefits of the state's solar industry and asking the Maryland General Assembly to improve incentives that are creating new clean energy jobs and growth in this US state's tax base.   During a press conference organized by Environment Maryland, Amanda Braeuniger told attendees she is grateful to have found a job installing residential solar panel systems. "The thought of losing the momentum that we in Maryland have built with the help of state and other incentives is troubling", she said. "Why give up on what we're achieving not just energy-wise but with new jobs like mine that are putting people back to work with the benefits and peace-of-mind that comes with it?"




Company calls for more aggressive solar energy targets

Clifford, who was one of Standard Solar's first employees and as CEO now heads the 70-plus person solar system developer and installer, said it was a bad time to pull the plug on the growth of Maryland's solar industry. "We have come a long way since the renewable electricity requirement the General Assembly passed and Governor O'Malley signed into law began taking effect in the summer of 2008", he said. With the help of the state's and other incentives, Standard Solar reports that it was able to create more than 60 jobs since the renewables requirement went into effect. Marcus Joyner, who designs commercial solar energy systems for Standard Solar, acknowledged the pressure on lawmakers to be doubly careful of the state's finances. He cautioned: "Solar represents our future and the new jobs needed to meet the growing demand for clean electricity. New jobs mean more tax revenues to the state which are what Maryland needs to grow out of the recession." Clifford added that he supports Governor O'Malley's efforts in asking the General Assembly to set a more aggressive schedule for increasing solar electric output in the state and to require energy providers to pay higher penalties if they are late on meeting solar targets.

2010-02-20   Courtesy: Standard Solar   Solarserver.de   © Heindl Server GmbH
Picture Courtesy: Standard Solar

 

Austin Energy completes solar power systems at six more schools in service area

Solar installation by Austin Energy
Solar installation by Austin Energy

The U.S. utility Austin Energy (Texas) on February 16th, 2010 announced that the company set a goal of completing nearly 50 solar installations at schools in the Austin Energy service area by the end of 2010 through its "Solar for Schools Program". The company reports that it had recently completed solar power plants at an additional six schools, bringing the total number to 28 so far. The estimated savings for those 28 schools is said to amount to 120,744 kilowatt hours (kWh) annually, and is expected to reduce Austin Energy's peak demand by 17 kilowatt (kW). The company anticipates installing another 20 solar systems at schools throughout the year.   The Solar for Schools Program began in 2006 as a way to promote the use of solar energy and educate students about the benefits. It is reportedly funded by Austin Energy, the State Energy Conservation Office, and the Department of Energy (DOE). Since the program's inception, Austin Energy says it contributed more than 800,000 US-dollars to help build the solar systems which average 2.7 kW in size. That's enough power to provide electricity for up to four months for an average-sized home in Austin.



Solar energy curriculum underway for students

Generally speaking, each of the solar installations at schools costs around 32,000 US-dollars, of which Austin Energy contributes 80 % of the total costs. According to the press release, Austin Energy paid for all of the cost in some instances. The Austin Independent School District (AISD) is in the process of developing a solar energy curriculum for grades pre-k through 12 that is to be available to all districts. Currently, 16 AISD schools have solar installations. Austin Energy reports that the "Commercial Solar Rebate Program" helped three private schools to retrofit their facilities with solar. The Trinity Episcopal School received the largest rebate of 200,000 US-dollars after installing two 22.6 kW systems in 2008 and 2009. Those rebates covered almost 70 % of the solar system's total cost, Austin Energy reports. The company's rebates are said to have covered around 80 % of the installation costs at St. Gabriel's Catholic School (19.7 kW system) and at the St. Andrew's Episcopal School (20.5 kW system).

2010-02-20   Courtesy: Austin Energy   Solarserver.de   © Heindl Server GmbH
Picture Courtesy: Austin Energy

 

Mitsubishi Electric sets two world records in solar cell conversion efficiency

Flexible, ultra-thin poly- crystalline silicon PV cell with 18.1% conversion- efficiency rating
Flexible, ultra-thin poly-
crystalline silicon PV cell
with 18.1% conversion-
efficiency rating

Mitsubishi Electric Corporation (Tokyo) on February 16th, 2010 announced it has set two world records for photoelectric conversion efficiency in polycrystalline silicon photovoltaic (PV) cells, achieved by reducing resistive loss in the cells. Photoelectric conversion efficiency is the rate at which sunlight energy is converted into electricity, with higher rates meaning more output.   In response to the growing demand for PV systems that help tackle global warming, the global production of PV cells has reached 5,500 megawatts (MW) in the fiscal year ending March 2009 (FY2009), and is expected to reach 8,000 MW in FY2012.

With the use of crystalline silicon PV cells continuing to increase, PV cell manufacturers are looking for ways to improve the conversion efficiency of these cells to gain more output power from limited surfaces. At the same time, PV cell manufacturers are trying to achieve more output power while reducing the thickness of PV cells, thereby reducing their dependence on silicon and the related risk of sharply fluctuating prices for this material.


19.3-percent efficiency of a practically-sized polycrystalline silicon PV cell, 18.1 percent in an ultra-thin polycrystalline silicon PV cell

One of the world records, which Mitsubishi Electric has now renewed for the third consecutive year, is a 19.3-percent efficiency rating for photoelectric conversion of a practically-sized polycrystalline silicon PV cell of 100 squared centimeters or larger, with the PV cell measuring approximately 15 cm x 15 cm x 200 micrometers. The rating is 0.2 points higher than the company’s previous record of 19.1 percent.


The second world record, achieved with the same technologies in an ultra-thin polycrystalline silicon PV cell measuring approximately 15 cm x 15 cm x 100 micrometers, is an efficiency rating of 18.1 percent, a 0.7-point improvement over the company’s previous record of 17.4 percent. The conversion efficiency rates have been confirmed by the National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), in Japan.

Mitsubishi Electric will be developing mass-production technology to deliver these high conversion rates in commercial PV modules. The company also aims to increase the output of its PV systems by combining this technology with PV inverters capable of high-efficiency conversion of DC current to AC. By improving the efficiency of its PV systems, Mitsubishi Electric expects to contribute to environmental preservation as well as sustainable societies.

2010-02-19   Courtesy: Mitsubishi Electric   Solarserver.de   © Heindl Server GmbH
Picture Courtesy: Mitsubishi Electric

 

Fluor secures solar power contract in Spain on engineering services for Elecnor's 50 MW CSP plant

Fluor Corporation (Irving, Texas) on February 16th, 2010 announced an engineering services contract with Elecnor S.A. (Madrid, Spain) for a new 50 megawatt (MW) concentrating solar power (CSP) plant in Badajoz, Spain. The company is to provide detailed engineering and other associated services for the project. When completed, the 50 MW CSP generating facility is to capture solar energy using parabolic trough mirrors and to ultimately convert the energy into electricity through a steam turbine generator.   According to the press release, the project is underway with engineering expected to be complete by the second quarter of 2011. Fluor's Asturias and Madrid, Spain, operations are to lead the engineering effort with support from the company's southern California operations center. Fluor has been providing front-end support work to Elecnor for this project since early in 2009.


CSP technology has gained momentum in Spain and throughout the world

"With the increasing demand to supplement the world's energy supply with solar and other renewable forms of energy, we believe we are well positioned to meet the needs of clients like Elecnor", said Dave Dunning, President of Fluor's Power Group. "Concentrating solar power technology has gained momentum in Spain and throughout the world, and we believe our global engineering expertise and resource base for clean energy projects adds exceptional value." Fluor reports that the company's experience in the renewables sector has been ongoing over the last three decades and dates back to the mid-1980s, when the company provided engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) services for what was then the world's largest photovoltaic (PV) power facility in Carrisa Plain, California. "We've been active in Europe for more than 50 years including ongoing operations in Spain since 1989", said Brad Friesen, Vice President of Fluor's renewables business line. "In addition, we have nearly 30 years of related renewable and thermal power plant experience and will bring that expertise to Elecnor's solar power portfolio." Fluor is currently building the world's largest polysilicon production plant in China, a solar panel manufacturing plant in Singapore and is responsible to lead the design and construction efforts for what is believed to become the world's largest offshore wind farm in the United Kingdom.

2010-02-19   Courtesy: Fluor Corp.   Solarserver.de   © Heindl Server GmbH

 

Florida Governor Crist announces 10 million US-dollars for solar energy in schools and emergency shelters

Florida Governor Crist: SunSmart School and E-Shelters program will help protect our environment for future generations
Florida Governor Crist: SunSmart
School and E-Shelters program will
help protect our environment for
future generations

Florida Governor Charlie Crist on February 15th, 2010 announced the award of 10 million US-dollars in American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) grants to the Florida 'Solar Energy Center' in Cocoa Beach. The grant, known as the "SunSmart School and E-Shelters" (Emergency Shelters) program, is a portion of the 126 million US-dollars the state received in "State Energy Program" funding for energy-related initiatives under the ARRA.   The State Energy Program provides opportunities for state agencies, local governments and businesses to deploy renewable energy and energy-efficient technologies. It is believed to have resulted in economic development and job growth in Florida's clean technology sector. "The SunSmart School and E-Shelters program will help protect our environment for future generations", said Governor Crist. "Educating Floridians and utilizing energy efficient technologies will strengthen our economy by increasing Florida's energy independence and reducing greenhouse gas emissions."



Solar-powered facilities to serve as shelters in emergency situations

The SunSmart School and E-Shelters program was reportedly designed to advance the use of renewable energy through the installation of solar photovoltaic (PV) systems. According to the Florida Governor press release, the program also supports solar-energy education initiatives for students and renewable energy curriculum training for teachers. In addition to helping reduce greenhouse gas emissions, the SunSmart School and E-Shelters program is said to also provide power during outages through the program's PV systems at the schools and shelters where the program is administered. At least 90 schools selected to serve as emergency shelters are to be supported by the SunSmart School and E-Shelters program. These strategically located schools are to be assisted with their installation of PV systems with battery back-up.

2010-02-19   Courtesy: flgov.com   Solarserver.de   © Heindl Server GmbH
Picture Courtesy: flgov.com

 

PV producer Solyndra, Inc. signs distribution agreement with Advanced Green Technologies

Cylindrical photovoltaic system by Solyndra
Cylindrical photovoltaic system
by Solyndra

Solyndra, Inc. (Fremont, California) a manufacturer of innovative cylindrical photovoltaic (PV) systems for commercial rooftops, announced it has signed a distribution agreement with Advanced Green Technologies, a worldwide renewable energy solutions and building-integrated solar energy products provider, headquartered in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. "Advanced Green Technologies offers innovative rooftop solar technology and are known for their strong, solutions-based service team", says Chris Gronet, Solyndra CEO and founder.   "Their comprehensive support capabilities are a great addition to our North America distribution network." "Advanced Green Technologies has built our reputation by providing building-integrated renewable energy products and working through the value chain to create efficiency that offers our customers the highest returns from renewable sources", said Michael Kornahrens, President of Advanced Green Technologies. "Solyndra’s rooftop solar energy systems are a great solution that offers our customers the benefits of low levelized costs of electricity, especially when coupled with energy saving cool roofs."

2010-02-19   Courtesy: Solyndra Inc.   Solarserver.de   © Heindl Server GmbH
Picture Courtesy: Solyndra Inc.

 

Torresol Energy solar power plant financing receives Project Finance 'Deal of the Year' award 2009

Building site for the solar power plants
Building site for the solar power plants "Valle 1"
and "Valle 2", in Andalucía, Spain

Torresol Energy, the joint venture between Masdar (Abu Dhabi, UAE), and engineering company SENER (Madrid, Spain), on February 12th, 2010 announced that the company had received an award for the financing of the Valle 1 and Valle 2 Concentrating Solar Power (CSP) plants in Cadiz, Andalusia. The company reports that it had received the award in the 'Clean Technology' category as part of the journal Project Finance's 'Deal of the Year' competition given by its publisher Euromoney Institutional Investor plc (London, United Kingdom).   This is believed to be one of the most important prizes in the field of structured financing in Europe. The award, which was presented in London on February 11th, 2010, is reportedly in recognition of the work of Torresol Energy as the project sponsor and of its senior lenders. According to the press release these include Banco Santander, La Caixa, BBVA, Instituto de Crédito Oficial (ICO), Caja Madrid, Banco Español de Crédito and Banco Popular Español, as well as the law firm Latham & Watkins, which acted as legal advisor to Torresol on the transaction.


Twin solar power plants to generate clean energy for 80,000 households

Torresol reports that the financing obtained totaled 540 million Euros (737 million US-dollars) over 20 years. According to the press release, the construction of the twin Valle 1 and Valle 2 CSP plants represents a total investment of 700 million Euros (955 million US-dollars) and is expected to be completed by 2011. Once operational, the plants are to have a thermal storage system with a capacity of over 7.5 hours. They are said to be capable to supply safe, clean energy to 80,000 households, reducing CO2 emissions by 90,000 metric tons annually. According to the press release, about 300-350 of the best deals for a given year are entered into the Project Finance awards. The best in each of the different industrial sectors are then being selected. Torresol Energy won the award in the 'Clean Technology' category.

2010-02-19   Courtesy: Torresol Energy   Solarserver.de   © Heindl Server GmbH
Picture Courtesy: SENER

 

Partners release SolarHub website, a free industry resource with detailed solar product information

SolarTech, SolarPro Magazine, and SolarNexus in February 2010 announced the launch of a new, free resource for solar professionals called SolarHub (www.solarhub.com). According to the press release, the site provides a one-stop shop, aggregating detailed product specifications and allowing users to search listed products by a variety of attributes specific to each product type. Data in the site maintained directly by manufacturers and the SolarHub team.   "SolarHub directly supports SolarTech's mission of accelerating the solar industry's growth by removing market barriers", said Doug Payne, Executive Director for SolarTech. "SolarHub reduces time to market by identifying and addressing one of the key inefficiencies inherent in the delivery of solar PV systems: timely access to accurate technical information."


Industry consortium, leading professional magazine, and software developer collaborate to publish solar product specification data.

By using SolarHub professionals are believed to be able to save a significant amount of time compared to accessing the same data via manufacturer websites, datasheets, or printed distributor catalogs. Consistent format and data further facilitates comparisons. "Our industry needs more standardized and centralized data repositories if we're going to accelerate the adoption of solar energy", said Shawn Murphy, Principal Engineer of Solar Technologies, Inc., a solar installation company based in Santa Cruz (California). "SolarHub provides this for equipment specifications, giving us one place to go to gather critical information during the product selection process." Data on the site is said to come from a variety of sources, and includes a significant amount that has been reviewed and approved directly by the manufacturers. Much of the data was reportedly gathered by SolarPro Magazine in the regular coverage of the equipment market. "We are happy to partner with SolarTech and SolarNexus on the launch of SolarHub", said Joe Schwartz, Publisher and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of SolarPro Magazine. "SolarHub provides a live, constantly updated database of product specifications, and directly supports SolarPro's mission to provide engineers and integrators with technical information that helps them streamline design decisions and component selection."


Website to help installers and distributers automate business workflow, enhance industry collaboration and remove friction

According to the press release, the site functionality will be enhanced over time with features such as side-by-side comparisons and user comments. SolarNexus Inc., developer of the site, is focused on adding features that will add direct value to its users and streamline the product introduction lifecycle, benefiting the entire solar industry. "SolarNexus is hard at work building comprehensive software tools that help installers and distributors automate their business workflow, collaborate with their key partners, and remove unnecessary friction throughout the process", said Eric Alderman, CEO of SolarNexus. "We are proud to partner with industry leaders SolarPro and SolarTech in releasing SolarHub, and look forward to providing professionals with more useful tools in the near future."

2010-02-19   Courtesy: solartech.org   Solarserver.de   © Heindl Server GmbH

 

Concentrating solar power: eSolar and Ferrostaal partner to provide turnkey solar thermal plants

Solar tower plant by eSolar
Solar tower plant by eSolar

eSolar (Pasadena, California), a leading producer of modular, scalable concentrating solar thermal power technology (CSP), and Ferrostaal (Essen, Germany), one of the world’s largest power plant developers, on February 18th, 2010 announced today a partnership to deploy turnkey solar power plants in countries including Spain, the United Arab Emirates, and South Africa. Under the agreement, eSolar will provide solar field and receiver technology, while Ferrostaal will provide the power block as well as manage the overall realization as general contractor, including financing activities.   "This partnership with Ferrostaal is a real coup for eSolar", said John Van Scoter, CEO of eSolar. "Ferrostaal’s extensive construction capacity and expertise - particularly in the concentrated solar thermal field - together with eSolar’s award-winning technology, offers us the opportunity to rapidly construct solar power projects across the globe in coming years."


Sierra SunTower in operation since summer of 2009

eSolar unveiled "Sierra SunTower", a 5 MW commercial-scale solar power plant, in the summer of 2009. Located in Lancaster, California, Sierra SunTower is the only power tower facility currently operating in North America. eSolar has continued the momentum of its international development with three licensing partnerships across three continents. In eSolar’s tower technology, mirrors reflect sunlight onto a receiver mounted atop of a tower. The focused heat boils water within the receiver and generates high-temperature steam which powers a turbine to produce electricity. Tower technology is particularly efficient as this point focusing can reach much higher temperatures than other existing CSP technologies.

"We are delighted to expand our solar energy portfolio with eSolar’s proven technology", said Dr. Klaus Lesker, Board Member at Ferrostaal. "eSolar is an innovative company setting ambitious cost and quality benchmarks. Their approach is an ideal complement to the engineering and contracting skills of Ferrostaal. Working with eSolar, we will be able to expand our portfolio of projects around the globe in places where modularity and speed of deployment are at a premium."
Through partnering with eSolar, Ferrostaal now adds solar power tower technology to its current concentrating solar thermal portfolio, which includes parabolic trough and Fresnel lens. By partnering with Ferrostaal, eSolar adds significant global reach through a partner with the experience and financial strength to execute projects rapidly.

2010-02-18   Courtesy: Ferrostaal AG   Solarserver.de   © Heindl Server GmbH
Picture Courtesy: eSolar

 

New monitoring portal for photovoltaic plants optimizes plant monitoring and –analysis

SOL.Connect portal for monitoring photovoltaic plants
SOL.Connect portal for monitoring photovoltaic
plants

At the 25th Symposium Photovoltaische Solarenergie in Bad Staffelstein, Germany, Papendorf Software Engineering GmbH (Gärtringen) presents the SOL.Connect Web Portal, a completely revised server software for central monitoring and operational management of photovoltaic plants. A multitude of new functionalities and analyses makes monitoring even clearer, the plant data more easily available and yield analysis more efficient, Papendorf announces in a press release. The yield- and operating data of inverters as well as additional sensor and transmitter data is transferred in a timely manner to the SOL.Connect Web Portal, evaluated in detail and visualized.   Thereby Papendorf Software Engineering GmbH optimizes the error analysis in case of yield failure, as of now single strings, for example, can also be analyzed and compared to each other. Malfunctions in the system operation are located and can be corrected within a short time period.


Predicted and actual plant yields in set-actual comparisons

Another additional feature is that the portal’s user interface is now multilingual. Customers can access the portal worldwide in different languages and check their plant- and yield data. An important advantage is the display of economic efficiency. Predicted and actual plant yields can be analyzed in set-actual comparisons, wherein meteorological data like radiation yield is being taken into account. By this, one can differentiate between meteorological- and plant based output increases or losses.


Individual customization

The web portal of Papendorf Software Engineering GmbH addresses manufacturers, system providers, fitters and operators. It is suitable for every plant size, vendor independent and comes with modular design. Extending the Web Portal with new modules or restricting individual areas to certain user groups is easily achievable. By using the latest internet technology the portal can be integrated into customer web sites as well as be tailored to individual wishes and needs of the customer. Versions for mobile end devices or the integration of plant pictures and graphics are easily achievable. The software is by Papendorf Software Engineering GmbH and is not restricted to SOL.Connect Monitoring devices.

2010-02-18   Courtesy: Papendorf Software Engineering GmbH   Solarserver.de   © Heindl Server GmbH
Picture Courtesy: Papendorf Software Engineering GmbH

 

Mexico: OPDE Group signs agreement with Government of Durango for the construction of solar PV farms totaling 45 MW

Signing of collaboration agreement
Signing of collaboration agreement

Ismael Hernández Deras, Governor of the State of Durango (Mexico) and President of the National Conference of Governors CONAGO, and two representatives of the Board of OPDE (Navarra, Spain), Alejandro Chávez and Gustavo Carrero, have signed a collaboration agreement whereby the Spanish solar photovoltaic (PV) multinational is committed to study, plan, build and launch solar farms, the company on February 16th, 2010 announced in a press release.   According to the agreement, OPDE is to build solar power plants between 2010 and 2013 that are to reach a total capacity of 45 megawatts (MW). In addition to the Governor of Durango, the signing ceremony was reportedly also attended by Esteban G. Rosas, the Under Secretary for Economic Development in Durango, by Ruben Ontiveros, the General Coordinator of the Promoter for Strategic Projects in Durango, and Theodore Krap, Adviser for Strategic Projects of the Government of Durango. OPDE announced that it will build the first of the 1 MW photovoltaic solar farms in the Logistics and Industrial Park in Durango (CLIP), a project that is scheduled to be fully operational in 2010.



OPDE to intensify operations in North America

The agreement between OPDE and the State of Durango is to also cover the opening of new branches of the companies OPDE, PROINSO and MECASOLAR in this Mexican region within approximately three years. Durango is one of the 32 federal states of the Republic of Mexico with a population of 1.5 million inhabitants, located in the North of the country. Noteworthy are the excellent state communications, thanks to heavy investment in infrastructure, enabling communication with the Pacific and Atlantic, OPDE reports. During the visit to Durango and Mexico D.F. Executives from Grupo OPDE also met with Hector Alfonso Díez Rubio, President of the Business Coordinating Council of the State of Durango, with representatives of BANOBRAS, which is responsible for the financing of strategic pro
jects in Mexico, and the CRE, which is the entity responsible for energy regulation in Mexico.


Governor's visit to company headquarters in Spain laid groundwork for partnership agreement

Both this visit and the signing of the partnership reportedly come in the wake of the Governor's visit to the company's headquarters in Navarra last year, where he had the occasion to ascertain firsthand the history, skills and experience of the Spanish multinational. With this agreement, the Group reinforces its presence on the American continent, where it already has its own delegation in Sacramento (California), and where various engineering and supply projects are reportedly underway. Greece, Italy, Germany and France are said to be other key countries in OPDE's commitment to internationalization.

2010-02-18   Courtesy: OPDE Group   Solarserver.de   © Heindl Server GmbH
Picture Courtesy: OPDE Group

 

ReneSola announces 600 MW solar module OEM agreement

ReneSola's production facility
ReneSola's production facility

ReneSola Ltd. (Jiashan, China), a global manufacturer of solar wafers and provider of solar module original equipment manufacturer (OEM) services, on February 11th, 2010 announced that it had signed an OEM agreement to provide 600 megawatts (MW) of solar modules to a major global solar company over a period of three years. According to the terms of the contract, ReneSola will provide 200 MW of solar modules annually for three years, commencing in 2010, the company reports in a press release. Our first major solar module OEM contract reflects the exceptional value inherent in our cost-competitive solar wafer and solar module OEM manufacturing platform", said ReneSola's Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Li Xianshou.   "Our customers are increasingly recognizing the benefits of including our cost-effective solar solutions as important components in their production processes. We plan to leverage our module OEM capabilities to significantly strengthen and expand customer relationships with key industry players and further increase our solar wafer sales. We believe this OEM deal underscores our vision to lead the world in solar wafer production."

2010-02-18   Courtesy: ReneSola Ltd.   Solarserver.de   © Heindl Server GmbH
Picture Courtesy: ReneSola Ltd.

 

One Block Off the Grid obtains funding from NEA

On February 11th, 2010, One Block Off the Grid (1BOG; San Francisco, California) announced that the company had closed a 5 million US-dollar round of Series A financing from New Enterprise Associates (NEA; Menlo Park, California; Chevy Chase and Timonium, Maryland). The US information technology research and advisory company Gartner, Inc. (Stamford, Connecticut) reports that 1BOG's model to provide group discounts and vendor-agnostic advice has helped bridge the gap between homeowners and solar installers. The company is reportedly responsible for the installation of about 600 residential solar electric systems to date. The financing from NEA is expected to support 1BOG's national expansion strategy and to boost U.S. adoption of residential solar.   "The financial and environmental benefits of solar are well-documented, but residential adoption is still less than 1 %", commented Dave Llorens, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of 1BOG. "By simply applying transparency to pricing and process, 1BOG has the potential to modernize and turbo-charge the solar industry."


Company organizes homeowners into larger buying groups to obtain discounts, lets installers compete for contracts

Gartner believes that 1BOG's funding announcement reflects the vibrancy of the U.S. photovoltaic (PV) solar industry. 1BOG is interesting just based on its business model and its mission to make home solar installations easy and affordable. To accomplish this, 1BOG has run several regional campaigns to organize homeowners into larger buying groups to obtain group discounts. In parallel to this, 1BOG identifies the installer partner it wants to work with, based on pricing, track record, warranties and premium products. In particular, it helps residential consumers get over the critical hurdles for obtaining a PV solar system, Gartner reports. Some of the core services of 1BOG include a simplified investment process, simplified vendor selection, and local awareness efforts to create communities that reinforce one another. Gartner believes that these elements of 1BOG's program reflect some interesting transitions that are under way in the U.S. PV solar market. Successful vendors are advised to factor in and to carefully navigate investment, innovative business models, "co-opetition" and volume.


Solar industry starts to better understand customer behavior and buyer concerns

Concerning investments, Gartner analysts see increasing activity from venture capital, private equity and other financial firms in the solar industry. Yet this is still believed to be an area in which PV vendors will need to continue to search for partners, especially as they move into downstream activities. Innovative business models are also believed to be important for vendor success. The PV solar market operates in a similar fashion as the semiconductor industry did in its origins. The dialogue is technology-based, in other words, the discussion centers on the "speeds and feeds", as it was used to say in the semiconductor industry, or on megawatts (MW) and kilowatt-hours (kWh), as the discussion occurs now in the PV solar. Gartner believes that business models are now starting to reflect a better understanding of buyer behavior and buyer concerns.


Company's business model believed to trigger both cooperation and competitions, increase volumes in PV sector

Analysts coined the term "co-opetition" referring to a mix of cooperation and competition between different companies. 1BOG's partners are firms such as SunRun, SolarCity, REC Solar, Sun-Wize, groSolar, SunPower and Sharp. This is not happening all at the same time. However, this is believed to foretell increasing levels of cooperation and competition in the industry, depending on the specific circumstances. Finally, Gartner reports that 1BOG's business model is another driver for volume in the industry, which is believed to help everyone involved. As more consumers learn about and buy PV solar systems, that will increase the understanding of PV solar, lower costs via greater volumes and also signal the growing importance of PV solar to the U.S. economy. Overall, 1BOG's growth and funding reflect the fundamental changes under way in the U.S. PV solar market, Gartner concludes. Analysts expect a continued evolution in business models as PV vendors adapt to this complex U.S. market and the need to serve customers with vastly different levels of sophistication and funding.

2010-02-18   Courtesy: Gartner Inc.   Solarserver.de   © Heindl Server GmbH

 

Texas PV manufacturer 1 SolTech receives UL/ETL certification for its line of high-performance solar panels

The U.S.-based developer and manufacturer of solar modules 1 SolTech, Inc. (Richardson, Texas) on February 11th, 2010 announced that its factory had passed the necessary compliance and testing audit to receive full UL/ETL certification for its line of high-performance solar photovoltaic (PV) panels. These panels are top-rated both in output power and their ability to withstand hail and wind damage, making them ideal for residential, commercial, industrial, and utility applications.   "1 SolTech's solar panels provide valuable benefits to the energy consumer, energy suppliers, and utilities", said Sandy Fardi, Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of 1 SolTech, Inc. "The superior performance and reliability of our panels, designed and produced by our skilled team of engineers and technicians, assures years of clean, carbon-free energy production." She added that the company's U.S. production facility meets 'Buy American' initiatives and that it can provide faster delivery and lower delivery costs than most of the international competition.


Thicker glass allows for enhanced module durability, resistance against hale

1 SolTech reports that the company utilizes highest quality U.S. components to produce what it calls 'best-in-class' PV modules. According to the press release, these modules feature 3 bus-bar mono-crystalline silicon cells with high-absorbency and enhanced low-light performance, produced by Suniva, Inc. (Norcross, Georgia). They also include high-transparency, low-reflective tempered glass 25 % thicker than industry standards for enhanced durability, and lightweight, heavy-duty anodized aluminum alloy frames. The cell efficiency is rated at 18 %, producing overall module efficiency of 15+ %, 1 SolTech reports. "We selected 1 SolTech to supply PV solar panels because it was important to us and our customers to source from a true U.S. manufacturer, and because of the superior technical and structural merits of the product", said Gary Jones, President of solar PV installer 411 NRG out of Wichita Falls (Texas). "1 SolTech produces a stellar product versus a 'me-too' product, and the character and service of 1 SolTech's management team is world-class." 1 SolTech reports that it offers four panel models with output power ranging from 235 to 250 watts.

2010-02-18   Courtesy: SolTech, Inc.   Solarserver.de   © Heindl Server GmbH

 

SENER becomes first engineering company licensed to operate from Masdar City

Solar tracking system by SENER
Solar tracking system by SENER

SENER Ingeniería y Sistemas S.A., a leading international multidiscipline engineering company, on February 16th, 2010 announced it has become the first engineering firm and the first Spanish entity to register a local subsidiary in Masdar City, the emerging clean-technology cluster in Abu Dhabi. Masdar City, which aims to be one of the most sustainable cities in the world, is building a global community of renewable energy and cleantech companies, organisations, NGOs and institutions, including the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA).   The city is the flagship project of Masdar, the renewable energy company wholly owned by the Mubadala Development Company. The move to Masdar City confirms SENER’s commitment to the development of renewable energy projects and sustainable architecture in the Middle East, and builds on a presence it has had in Abu Dhabi since 2009 in order to pursue engineering opportunities in Abu Dhabi, the rest of the United Arab Emirates and the wider region, in the fields of power and process, civil infrastructure and architecture, marine and aerospace.



Commitment to the development of Concentrated Solar Power (CSP)

Pedro Mugarra, SENER Managing Director in Abu Dhabi, said: "The decision to locate in Masdar City is not only motivated by the engineering opportunities across all of SENER’s business units in the region, but also by the company’s commitment to the development of renewable energy, particularly those in the fields of Concentrated Solar Power (CSP) and Waste to Energy, where we are a leader in providing efficient and innovative solutions. With the aim of making these technologies ever-more competitive compared to traditional sources, SENER maintains ongoing collaboration with research and development organisations such as Masdar Institute, which is located in Masdar City."

Alan Frost, Director of Masdar City, added: "We are pleased to welcome SENER to Masdar City, not only because of their existing relationship with Masdar and leadership in the engineering and renewables industry, but also because they reflect our goal of bringing together organisations from around the world that operate in a range of fields but all have specialisations in clean technology and renewable energy. In so doing, we provide not only a world-class work and living environment, but also create a rich industry cluster ecosystem that generates productivity and innovation gains to resident companies."

SENER and Masdar are joint venture partners in Torresol Energy, a Spain-headquartered company that seeks to be a global leader in the Concentrated Solar Power (CSP) sector. SENER owns 60% and Masdar owns 40% of the JV Company.


First buildings within Masdar City are set for delivery in the third quarter of 2010

The first buildings within Masdar City are set for delivery in the third quarter of 2010 and are part of the Masdar Institute of Science and Technology campus. Phase 1 of the city’s development is set for completion by 2013, with the first commercial buildings, in which SENER’s offices will be located, is due for completion earlier. Until then, SENER is operating from temporary modern offices near Masdar City.

Masdar City seeks to be a global centre for innovation, research, product development and light manufacturing in the fields of renewable energy and sustainable technologies. The city will use renewable energy to supply its needs. Electricity will be generated by photovoltaic panels, while cooling will be provided by concentrated solar power and waste-to-energy, among other technologies.

Leading multinationals in the cleantech sector, small- and medium-sized enterprises, entrepreneurial start-ups, venture capital funds, multilateral organizations and business service firms, as well as retailers, restaurants, hospitals, schools and hotels will located at Masdar City, while thousands of residents will live there.

2010-02-17   Courtesy: SENER Ingeniería y Sistemas S.A.   Solarserver.de   © Heindl Server GmbH
Picture Courtesy: SENER Ingeniería y Sistemas S.A.

 

BrightSource Energy proposes reduced footprint alternative mitigaton for Ivanpah solar electric generating system

BrightSource Energy, Inc. (Oakland, California), a developer of utility-scale solar thermal power plants, on February 11th, 2010 announced that the company had submitted an alternative design for the planned Ivanpah Solar Energy Generating System (ISEGS or Ivanpah) project. This mitigation proposal, filed with the California Energy Commission (CEC) and the Department of Interior's Bureau of Land Management (BLM), would reduce the project's footprint and significantly minimize its potential environmental impacts, the company reports.   The alternative mitigation proposal is believed to mark a key milestone in Ivanpah's permitting process and brings the project a step closer to being California's first solar thermal power plant permitted and constructed in California in nearly two decades.


Solar thermal power plant's new design avoids habitat disturbance of rare plants and other species

According to the press release, BrightSource Energy addresses environmental concerns that were raised during the solar power plant's permitting process. "We're constantly evaluating ways to minimize the environmental impact of our solar power plants, and the permitting process and its public comment period provided us with many thoughtful suggestions", said Steve DeYoung, Vice President of Environmental Health and Safety for BrightSource Energy. "Our technology has always led the industry in significantly reducing water use and minimizing impact on habitat and the land. With this proposed alternative design, we are further avoiding the habitat of rare plants and other species, and setting another great precedent for projects that follow."


Public comment period during permitting process led to many fruitful suggestions

BrightSource Energy reports that its mitigation proposal for the Ivanpah project is a direct response to comments and suggestions made during the permitting process' public comment period. If accepted by the CEC and BLM, the alternative design would not only reduce the footprint of the third Ivanpah plant by 23 % and of the overall project by 12 %, it would also reduce the expected desert tortoise relocations by approximately 15 %. Also, the new proposal seeks to avoid the area identified as having the highest rare plant density, aims to reduce the number of towers at the third Ivanpah plant from five to one, thereby reducing the overall number of towers from seven to three. According to the press release, the proposed plant would reduce the potential maximum number of heliostats by about 40,000 and avoid the area that would have required the most grading and large rock removal in the solar fields. The largest natural stormwater features (washes) in the northern portion of the site would be left intact. The total gross capacity of the Ivanpah project would be reduced from 440 megawatts (MW) to 392 MW, the company reports.


Smaller solar thermal plant to create 1,000 construction jobs and a significant investment into California's economy

"The new alternative reduces impacts on the desert environment so that we can have clean solar energy, 1,000 good new construction jobs and hundreds of millions of dollars injected into the California economy", said Marc Joseph, representative of the California Unions for Reliable Energy (CURE). George Frampton, former Chairman of the White House Council on Environmental Quality and former Assistant Secretary at the Department of the Interior notes that it is clear from this proposal that BrightSource really listened to the comments made during the permitting process. "This project is a key step in meeting our nation's climate and clean energy goals, and proves that we can address global warming with utility-scale solar while protecting sensitive desert lands and habitat", Frampton said. The Ivanpah project is to consist of three separate solar thermal power plants. BrightSource Energy reports that it will sell the electricity generated from these solar plants under separate contracts with the utilities Pacific Gas and Electric (PG&E) and Southern California Edison (SCE). According to the press release, the project receives federal stimulus benefits for California under the 2009 American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA). The Ivanpah project is scheduled to begin construction in the second half of 2010 following the issuance of permits by the CEC and BLM.

2010-02-17   Courtesy: BrightSource Energy, Inc.   Solarserver.de   © Heindl Server GmbH

 

Chinese PV manufacturer CNPV signs long-term strategic partnership with Photovoltaic Experts GmbH, a German Company

PV plant by Photovoltaic Experts
PV plant by Photovoltaic Experts

CNPV Solar Power SA (Dongying, China), a leading integrated manufacturer of solar photovoltaic (PV) products from the production of ingots, wafers and solar cells to the assembly of PV modules, that designs, manufactures and supplies highly efficient and cost effective crystalline solar photovoltaic modules, on February 16th, 2010 announced that it has entered into a long-term strategic partnership sales agreement with Photovoltaic Experts GmbH (Konstanz), a German photovoltaic company, as a competence center for photovoltaic power plants develops and sells turn-key photovoltaic power plants.   Under the terms of this strategic agreement, CNPV will supply Photovoltaic Experts GmbH with a total of 30 MWp of PV Modules from 2010 to 2012, which includes 5 MWp of scheduled delivery during 2010. The remaining 10 MWp and 15 MWp are scheduled for delivery in 2011 and 2012 respectively, CNPV reports in a press release.

"We are very pleased to announce this new strategic partnership with Photovoltaic Experts GmbH. Our strategic partnership with Photovoltaic Experts GmbH is a significant success for us in aligning ourselves with a proven multiregional energy developer with growing opportunities in established and emerging photovoltaic markets. This new contract will significantly help to grow new projects in markets such as the Germany, France and Spain solar markets", stated jointly Mr. Zhang Shunfu, CNPV's CEO and B. Veerraju Chaudary, CNPV's COO, CTO & Member of the Board. "We look forward to continuing to expanding our relationship with one of our loyal strategic partners Volthaus by providing high quality modules, premium service and a low cost industry leading platform."

"Photovoltaic Experts GmbH from Konstanz Germany is proud of this new strategic sales agreement with CNPV. We consider this as a continuation of our good relationship with CNPV to use their high quality modules in our projects and to offer their premium service to our customers in Germany, France and Spain", commented jointly Mr. Gordan Hasmann and Mr. Felix Gudat, Managing Directors of the Photovoltaic Experts GmbH.

2010-02-17   Courtesy: CNPV Solar Power SA   Solarserver.de   © Heindl Server GmbH
Picture Courtesy: Photovoltaic Experts GmbH

 

Chinese PV producer CNPV signs long-term strategic partnership with German Volthaus GmbH

PV panel by CNPV
PV panel by CNPV

CNPV Solar Power SA (Dongying, China), an integrated manufacturer of solar photovoltaic (PV) products from the production of ingots, wafers and solar cells to the assembly of PV modules, that designs, manufactures and supplies highly efficient and cost effective crystalline solar photovoltaic modules, on February 11th, 2010 announced that it has entered into a long-term strategic partnership sales agreement with Volthaus GmbH (Mainburg, Germany), a south-German photovoltaic company in roof top and ground-based power plants project development, installation and distribution.   Under the terms of this strategic agreement, CNPV will supply Volthaus Ltd. with a total of 35 MWp of PV Modules from 2010 to 2012, which includes 10 MWp of scheduled delivery during 2010. The remaining 10 MWp and 15 MWp are scheduled for delivery in 2011 and 2012 respectively, CNPV reports in a press release.




Growing opportunities in established and emerging photovoltaic markets

"We are very pleased to announce this new strategic partnership with Volthaus, to further strengthen the existing well established partnership. Our strategic partnership with Volthaus is a significant success for us in aligning ourselves with a proven multiregional energy developer with growing opportunities in established and emerging photovoltaic markets. This new contract will significantly help to grow new projects in markets such as the German, Czech and Turkish solar markets", stated jointly Mr. Zhang Shunfu, CNPV's CEO and B. Veerraju Chaudary, CNPV's COO, CTO & Member of the Board. "We look forward to continuing to expand our relationship with one of our loyal strategic partners Volthaus by providing high quality modules, premium service and a low cost industry leading platform."


PV projects in Germany, Czech Republic and Turkey

"Volthaus GmbH from South Germany is proud of this new strategic sales agreement with CNPV. We consider this as a continuation of our good relationship with CNPV to use their high quality modules in our projects and to offer their premium service to our customers in Germany, Czech Republic and Turkey", commented jointly Mrs. Sabine Bachner, Volthaus CEO and Mr. Peer Uhlemann, CPO and Division Manager Volthaus international.

2010-02-17   Courtesy: CNPV Solar Power SA   Solarserver.de   © Heindl Server GmbH
Picture Courtesy: CNPV Solar Power SA

 

SBM Solar becomes world's only manufacturer of UL certified non-glass, rigid, C-Si solar panels

Non-glass C-Si solar panels by SBM
Non-glass C-Si solar panels by SBM

SBM Solar Inc. (Concord, North Carolina) on February 9th, 2010 announced that it had recently become the only company in the world to earn the prestigious UL (Underwriters Laboratories) certification on its non-glass, rigid, C-Si solar panels. SBM claims to be the recognized leader in research, development, and manufacturing of patent-pending, non-glass solar technology for traditional roofing, Building Integrated Photovoltaics (BIPV), marine, portable military and disaster relief, and solar OEM applications including pumps, carports, and industrial products.   "Our 140W solar panel endured four years of rigorous UL1703 testing", stated Dr. Osbert Cheung, SBM’s Founder and President. "UL approval, as well as our IEC61215 certification for hail impact resistance, demonstrates SBM Solar's strong commitment to quality and safety." Dr. Cheung explained that the company's non-glass photovoltaic (PV) modules are encapsulated with a non-EVA based thermoplastic material developed by the Dow Chemical Company (Midland, Michigan). "This allows us to manufacture panels three times faster than traditional glass modules while maintaining highly consistent quality", Dr. Cheung said.




Non-glass solar panels said to be lightweight, strong, shatterproof and customizable for different applications

"UL approval is significant to both our customers and the solar industry as a whole", said Jay Rao, SBM's Chief Marketing Officer. "To our customers, it provides a peace of mind and confidence that SBM's panels will perform at the highest level. To the solar industry, UL approval marks the beginning of a market shift to non-glass technology." According to the press release, SBM Solar's non-glass PV modules are 40 % lighter than glass panels allowing for easier and lower cost shipping and handling, a perfect choice for applications with weight restrictions and at the same time are strong, durable, and shatterproof. The company reports that this product is designed with a non-invasive roof mounting system and customizable in shapes, sizes, and colors allowing for optimal design and architectural flexibility. The panels are reportedly equipped with high efficiency C-Si solar PV cells that provide 14 watts of electricity per square foot.

2010-02-17   Courtesy: SBM Solar Inc.   Solarserver.de   © Heindl Server GmbH
Picture Courtesy: SBM Solar Inc.

 

Torresol Energy solar power plant financing receives Project Finance 'Deal of the Year' award 2009

Building site for the solar power plants
Building site for the solar power plants
"Valle 1" and "Valle 2", in Andalucía, Spain

Torresol Energy, the joint venture between Masdar (Abu Dhabi, UAE) and engineering company SENER (Madrid, Spain), on February 12th, 2010 announced that the company had received an award for the financing of the Valle 1 and Valle 2 Concentrating Solar Power (CSP) plants in Cadiz, Andalusia. The company reports that it had received the award in the 'Clean Technology' category as part of the journal Project Finance's 'Deal of the Year' competition given by its publisher Euromoney Institutional Investor plc (London, United Kingdom).   This is believed to be one of the most important prizes in the field of structured financing in Europe. The award, which was presented in London on February 11th, 2010, is reportedly in recognition of the work of Torresol Energy as the project sponsor and of its senior lenders. According to the press release these include Banco Santander, La Caixa, BBVA, Instituto de Crédito Oficial (ICO), Caja Madrid, Banco Español de Crédito and Banco Popular Español, as well as the law firm Latham & Watkins, which acted as legal advisor to Torresol on the transaction.


Twin solar power plants to generate clean energy for 80,000 households

Torresol reports that the financing obtained totaled 540 million Euros (737 million US-dollars) over 20 years. According to the press release, the construction of the twin Valle 1 and Valle 2 CSP plants represents a total investment of 700 million Euros (955 million US-dollars) and is expected to be completed by 2011. Once operational, the plants are to have a thermal storage system with a capacity of over 7.5 hours. They are said to be capable to supply safe, clean energy to 80,000 households, reducing CO2 emissions by 90,000 metric tons annually. According to the press release, about 300-350 of the best deals for a given year are entered into the Project Finance awards. The best in each of the different industrial sectors are then being selected. Torresol Energy won the award in the 'Clean Technology' category.

2010-02-17   Courtesy: Torresol Energy   Solarserver.de   © Heindl Server GmbH
Picture Courtesy: SENER

 

GDF SUEZ to build largest photovoltaic power plant in France

GDF SUEZ, one of the leading energy providers in the world, on February 10th, 2010 announced that the company and its joint venture partners had signed an agreement with Daniel Rolland, Mayor of Curbans, to build what is anticipated to become France's largest photovoltaic (PV) solar power plant. According to the press release, the PV plant is to cover 150 acres of a plateau near Curbans, located in the south east of France, with approximately 145,000 PV panels. It is to have a total electricity capacity of 33 megawatts peak (MWp), producing 43.5 million kilowatt hours (kWh) of solar electricity each year.   GDF SUEZ reports that this is equivalent to the annual electricity consumption of about 14,500 households. At the same time, the project is expected to offset up to 120,000 metric tons of CO2 emissions annually. The commissioning of the solar plant is scheduled for August 2011, the company reports.



Company committed to renewable energy sources, including solar, wind and hydro

Operation of the future facility is to be carried out for 20 years by a specially-created project company made up of GDF SUEZ and two financial partners. According to the press release, the project is part of GDF Group's strategy to have a diversified electricity production base with an installed capacity of 10,000 MW by the year 2013. Moreover, the Group reports that it has a portfolio of PV solar energy projects totaling close to 200 MWp. GDF SUEZ's commitments to renewable energy sources and sustainable development are reflected in its positions as France's leading wind power producer with 525 MW installed in mid-2009, and as the country's second largest hydro-electric power producer with 3,714 MW installed capacity. The Group reports it has a production base of over 6,600 MW of installed capacity in France, nearly 70 % of which it derives from renewable sources.

2010-02-16   Courtesy: GDF SUEZ   Solarserver.de   © Heindl Server GmbH

 

Prism Solar and PPG Industries partner to test performance of AR glass in standard and holographic solar modules

Holographic photovoltaic module by Prism Solar
Holographic photovoltaic module by Prism Solar

Prism Solar Technologies (Highland, New York) and PPG Industries (Pittsburg, Pennsylvania) on February 5th, 2010 announced that the companies have partnered on a project to test the performance of different types of glass in both standard and holographic photovoltaic (PV) modules at various incident and direct angles.   The test is to compare PPG's "Solarphire" anti-reflective (AR) high-transmissive glass to patterned glass in order to determine the increase in energy yield. The goal of the project is to characterize the performance of PPG's AR glass and patterned glass to determine the increased energy yield in relation to angular performance. By measuring energy yield from a series of modules characterized to be equivalent in terms of peak watt rating, it is deemed to be possible to determine the added value of anti-reflective properties for mono-facial modules as well as bi-facial "Holographic Planar Concentrator" modules. Prism Solar reports that test arrays with tilt angles from 0° to 90° will be explored to provide data on a full range of possible array tilt angles.



Coupling of AR glass with holographic modules believed to increase PV module performance

Increasing the energy yield of PV modules is said to offer numerous advantages on the system level by reducing the number of peak watts (W) needed to produce a given number of kilowatt hours (kWh). The more kWhs that can be generated per peak watt translate to lower levelized-cost-of-energy (LCOE, or US-dollars/Wh) through reduced capital expenditure and a reduction in operation and maintenance costs for the system. Prism Solar reports that it focuses on producing PV modules with the highest energy yield per peak watt coupled with low cost. "Prism Solar is particularly interested in this project because Prism's holographic modules are designed to accept high levels of incident light, resulting in 25 % more kWh per peak watt on average", said Glenn Rosenberg, Prism Solar's Chief Technology Officer (CTO). "It will be very interesting to see the additional boost in performance that results from coupling holograms with PPG's anti-reflective glass product." This collaboration with PPG is said to be one more step in enhancing the performance of PV modules by bringing PPG's science and engineering skills with glass and coatings to bear on the bright future of solar energy.

2010-02-16   Courtesy: Prism Solar Technologies   Solarserver.de   © Heindl Server GmbH
Picture Courtesy: Prism Solar Technologies

 

SunPower to acquire SunRay, more than 1,200 MW to be added to company's project pipeline in Europe and Middle East

The U.S. photovoltaics (PV) producer SunPower Corporation (San Jose, California) on February 11th, 2010 announced that it had signed a definitive agreement to acquire SunRay Renewable Energy, a leading European solar power plant developer with offices in Europe and the Middle East, including a principal project office in Rome (Italy). SunPower is to acquire SunRay from its shareholders, which include its management and the energy- and commodities-focused private investment company Denham Capital. Upon closing the transaction, SunPower reports it will acquire a project pipeline of solar photovoltaic (PV) projects totaling more than 1,200 megawatts (MW) in Italy, France, Israel, Spain, the United Kingdom and Greece.   SunRay's power plant development and project finance team consists of approximately 70 employees.



Acquisition of project pipeline to manifest company's foothold in Europe

SunPower reports that the total consideration for the acquisition amounts to approximately 277 million US-dollars, including 235 million US-dollars in cash and 42 million US-dollars in a letter of credit and promissory notes. SunPower announces that it has sufficient cash to close the transaction and that it does not intend to raise equity capital to finance the acquisition. The company plans to provide specific financial guidance regarding the positive impacts of the transaction during its fourth quarter and fiscal year 2009 earnings conference call in March. The parties anticipate closing the transaction, which is subject to customary closing conditions, during the first half of 2010. "SunRay has a proven track record of developing bankable solar power plants in a complex environment", said Howard Wenger, President of SunPower's utilities and power plants business group. "SunRay's exceptional team and pipeline will add to our significant internal investment in North American power plant development." Wenger added that the transaction also complements SunPower's European engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) business that serves a broad range of development partners.


Middle East and Africa also targeted markets

According to Wenger, SunRay recently received the "European Solar Deal of the Year" award from Project Finance magazine for the largest solar PV power plant financed in 2009, the 24 megawatt (MW) Montalto power plant in Italy. This project reportedly launched SunPower's relationship with SunRay. "Our experience working with SunPower on Montalto and several other power plants in Italy convinced us that SunRay will be joining the global solar technology, performance and quality leader for solar power plants", said Yoram Amiga, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of SunRay Group. "Our combined experience globally will allow us to offer our customers reliable energy delivery at competitive prices." Gian Maria Ferrero, Vice President of SunPower's Europe, Middle East and Africa utilities and power plants business unit, commented: "SunRay has a strong pipeline in Italy, with several power plants already permitted for delivery in 2010. The growth of the Italian market has validated our prior acquisition of Solar Solutions, now SunPower Italia. SunPower and SunRay will seek to build on our success throughout Southern Europe and into the Middle East and Africa as demand for new power resources increases."

2010-02-16   Courtesy: SunPower Corp.   Solarserver.de   © Heindl Server GmbH

 

Canadian Solar completes 250 kW PV rooftop system in Ontario, company's modules recognized for top PV USA ratings

250 kW PV rooftop system in Ontario
250 kW PV rooftop system in Ontario

Canadian Solar Inc. (Kitchener, Ontario, Canada) on February 10th, 2010 announced that it had installed Ontario's first 250 kilowatt (kW) photovoltaic (PV) rooftop system through its wholly owned subsidiary Canadian Solutions Inc. The installation is the first that was realized by Canadian Solutions in Ontario, and that it is being completed with Towcon Holdings (Cambridge, Ontario, Canada) and Aecon (Toronto, Ontario, Canada).   Canadian Solar reports that the power plant includes 1,326 of its solar panels that had been mounted on approximately 74,668 square feet of rooftop space. The total rated capacity is 305 kWp direct current (DC). Dave Walden, President of Towcon Holdings and owner of the PV system, said: "From completing the feasibility study to installing the first CS6P 230 panel, the installation team followed all required due diligence guidelines. I'm proud to be part of the first 250 kW PV rooftop system installation in Ontario with Canadian Solar Solutions. It will increase the amount of solar power produced within Ontario while providing tangible financial benefits to this community."



Other solar power plants to follow in Ontario and worldwide

Dr. Shawn Qu, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Canadian Solar Inc., said: "Canadian Solar has been providing solar solutions to customers in over 30 countries around the world since 2002, including Germany, Spain, Italy, France, Japan, Korea, the Czech Republic, the United States and Canada. We are extremely proud though to complete the first 250 kW PV rooftop system in Ontario since it is home to Canadian Solar and our corporate office. In addition, working together, we have developed a progressive model for the delivery of clean, renewable energy in Ontario and look forward to many more exciting projects like this." Rob Kinnaird, Director, Business Development, Aecon, said: "The new Green Energy Act is certainly making Ontario an exciting place to be a contractor. Projects like Canadian Solar Solution's 250 kW rooftop installation in Cambridge line up wonderfully with Aecon's culture and commitment to being 'green'."


Solar module series' performance among the highest among key PV module manufacturers

Canadian Solar also announced that five of its solar module series, CS6P- 220P, 225P, 230P, CS5P-240M and CS5A- 180M, rank amongst the highest performing in last month's PV USA (PTC) ratings among key module manufacturers with mainstream P-type silicon technology. According to the press release, PTC ratings are quickly becoming universally accepted standards for measuring real-world module power and performance. They are a mandatory test in the State of California and measure a PV system's power output at atmospheric conditions that closely resemble true solar and climatic variable conditions. Canadian Solar reports that a higher PV rating indicates higher actual production on-site per-watt installed, which translates directly into higher rebates for system owners. "Canadian Solar is pleased to have received some of the industry's highest PTC rankings for our high-quality solar products", said Dr. Shawn Qu, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Canadian Solar. "Canadian Solar modules power critical energy projects around the world, and are selected for their efficiency and long-term reliability. The PTC rankings validate that Canadian Solar modules are amongst the best performing modules in real-world conditions."

2010-02-16   Courtesy: Canadian Solar Inc.   Solarserver.de   © Heindl Server GmbH
Picture Courtesy: Canadian Solar Inc.

 

San Francisco: Advanced Energy PV inverters selected for 5 MW Sunset Reservoir solar power plant

San Francisco
San Francisco "Sunset Reservoir" solar
photovoltaic (PV) plant

Advanced Energy Industries, Inc. (Fort Collins, Colorado), a manufacturer of power and control technologies for thin-film manufacturing and solar-power generation, on February 11th, 2010 announced that its "Solaron" PV inverters had been selected to power the San Francisco "Sunset Reservoir" solar photovoltaic (PV) plant. This 5 megawatt (MW) project was reportedly awarded to Advanced Energy by Recurrent Energy (San Francisco, California), an independent power producer and a leading developer of solar power projects.   According to the press release, Recurrent Energy will own and operate the solar power system, and is developing the project in partnership with the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission. The Solaron PV inverters were selected because of their high efficiency ratings, field-proven LCOE (Levelized Cost Of Energy) advantages, and because of Advanced Energy's outstanding customer service, the company reports.


12 acre solar PV system to power airport, rail system, hospital and schools

The 5 MW solar plant is being constructed on the roof of San Francisco's largest reservoir located in the city's Sunset district. Construction is scheduled to begin in early 2010. Upon completion, the project is to consist of 25,000 solar panels that span approximately 12 acres, making it one of the United States' largest municipal solar projects. According to the press release, the system will more than triple the City's available renewable energy which can be used at numerous municipal facilities, including the San Francisco Airport, MUNI light rail system, the General Hospital and city schools. Dr. Hans Betz, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Advanced Energy, commented: "The project demonstrates the City of San Francisco's commitment to renewable energy, and we are pleased to be able to help them achieve their goals."

2010-02-16   Courtesy: Advanced Energy Industries Inc.   Solarserver.de   © Heindl Server GmbH
Picture Courtesy: Advanced Energy Industries Inc.

 

KYOCERA achieves world record conversion efficiency for multicrystalline solar modules; proprietary "Back Contact" technology used to improve energy efficiency

Kyocera solar modules
Kyocera solar modules

Kyocera Corporation (President: Tetsuo Kuba) on February 12th, 2010 announced that it has achieved a new world record of 16.6% module efficiency (aperture-area efficiency of 17.3%) for multicrystalline silicon solar modules using 54 cells in the development stage. To achieve this record, Kyocera further improved its proprietary "Back Contact" technology and module design to optimize the performance of each cell, thus increasing overall energy conversion efficiency.   Kyocera, which possesses a fully-integrated production system - from processing raw silicon material to manufacturing cells and modules - continually advances its technology to yield higher energy efficiency from its solar cells and modules, the company reports in a press release.




Conversion efficiency of 18.5% for individual solar cells in development stage

Kyocera’s Back Contact technology moves electrode wiring that is typically arranged on the surface of the cell to the back side, thus increasing the light capturing surface area to maximize energy conversion efficiency. Kyocera has on own account achieved an energy conversion efficiency of 18.5% for individual solar cells in the development stage. Since starting its solar energy business in 1975, Kyocera has made continuous advancements in solar technology in order to help deliver the blessings of the sun to the world. Constantly seeking ways to enhance its solar cell manufacturing, Kyocera has enlarged the cell size to increase the energy yield per cell, and minimized the thickness of cells to decrease the amount of raw material required.

2010-02-15   Courtesy: Kyocera Corp.   Solarserver.de   © Heindl Server GmbH
Picture Courtesy: Kyocera Corp.

 

Photovoltaics: Innotech Solar in partnership with Bosch Solar

PV panels by Innotech Solar
PV panels by Innotech Solar

Innotech Solar (Narvik, Norway) has signed a multi-year framework agreement with Bosch Solar, a leading German provider of high quality solar cells and photovoltaic (PV) modules. Under the agreement, Bosch Solar will sell the majority of its non-prime crystalline solar cells to ITS. With its proprietary processes, ITS will increase the efficiency of the solar cells and use them in solar modules, power plants and special applications, the company reports in a press release.   "We are proud to announce this partnership with Bosch Solar, as it is one of the most recognized brands and absolute high quality providers in the PV industry. This cooperation will provide both companies with strategic advantages and focus necessary to sustain in the markets of tomorrow and to provide clean energy at best cost and quality to the worldwide markets", said Thor-Christian Tuv, CEO at Innotech Solar.




ITS complementing solar industry by producing high quality solar modules from non-prime solar cells

"Bosch Solar Energy AG stands for the Solar Energy division of the Bosch Group and with its 1400 employees it's a leading provider of silicon-based photovoltaic products. As a company focused on highest quality, performance and reliability, we are very happy to announce this partnership. ITS complements the growing solar industry with a long missing competence: to make high quality solar modules from non-prime solar cells in the most professional and beneficial way", said Stefan Thiel, Director Sales Key Accounts at Bosch Solar.

2010-02-15   Courtesy: Innotech Solar   Solarserver.de   © Heindl Server GmbH
Picture Courtesy: Innotech Solar

 

IBM sets world record by creating high-efficiency solar cell made from entirely earth-abundant materials

Cross-section of IBM's Cu2ZnSn(S,Se)4 compound
Cross-section of IBM's Cu2ZnSn(S,Se)4
compound

IBM on February 11th, 2010 announced it has built a solar cell -composed entirely of earth-abundant elements - that set a new world record for efficiency and holds potential for enabling solar cell technology to produce more energy at a lower cost. Comprising copper (Cu), tin (Sn), zinc (Zn), sulfur (S), and selenium (Se), the cell’s power conversion demonstrates an efficiency of 9.6 percent - 40 percent higher than the value previously attained for this set of materials. By advancing solar cell technology, IBM is leveraging its world-class expertise in microprocessor design, materials and manufacturing.   "In a given hour, more energy from sunlight strikes the earth than the entire planet consumes in a year, but solar cells currently contribute less than 0.1 percent of electricity supply - primarily as a result of cost", said Dr. David Mitzi, who leads the team at IBM Research that developed the solar cell. "The quest to develop a solar technology that can compare on a cost per watt basis with the conventional electricity generation, and also offer the ability to deploy at the terawatt level, has become a major challenge that our research is moving us closer to overcoming."



Lower fabrication cost with high-throughput deposition techniques

The IBM researchers describe their achievement of the thin-film photovoltaic technology in a paper published in Advanced Materials this week, highlighting the solar cell’s potential to accomplish the goal of producing low-cost energy that can be used widely and commercially. The solar cell development also sets itself apart from its predecessors as it was created using a combination of solution and nanoparticle-based approaches, rather than popular but expensive vacuum-based technique. The production change is expected to enable much lower fabrication cost, as it is consistent with high-throughput deposition techniques printing, dip and spray coating and slit casting.

While previous commercial efforts to employ thin film solar cell modules have produced 9 to 11 percent efficiency levels, they have primarily focused on only two costly compounds - copper indium gallium selenide or cadmium telluride - and as such, have been either too costly to produce or contain elements that could ultimately limit production capacity. Attempts to create affordable, earth abundant solar cells from related compounds have not exceeded 6.7 percent, compared to IBM’s new 9.6 efficiency rating.

Over the past several years, IBM researchers have pioneered several breakthroughs related to creating inexpensive, efficient solar cells. IBM does not plan to manufacture solar technologies, but instead will license intellectual property resulting from its solar cell related research.

2010-02-15   Courtesy: IBM   Solarserver.de   © Heindl Server GmbH
Picture Courtesy: IBM

 

Solar collectors and storage examined up-close - TestLab Solar Thermal Systems at Fraunhofer ISE expands testing capabilities

New precision tracker, developed in-house to characterize façade and large-area collectors as well as concentrating collectors
New precision tracker, developed in-house to
characterize façade and large-area collectors
as well as concentrating collectors

With increased capacity and more flexible measurement equipment, the TestLab Solar Thermal Systems at Fraunhofer ISE (Freiburg, Germany) steps up to the growing international demand for the investigation of solar thermal systems. Formerly called the "Testing Centre for Thermal Solar Systems", the Fraunhofer ISE establishment has been newly renamed "TestLab Solar Thermal Systems". This facility is authorized by the German certification authority DIN CERTCO, the Portuguese certification authority CERTIF and the American Solar Rating and Certificate Corporation SRCC.   Basis for this is its full accreditation by DAP (Deutsches Akkreditierungssystem Prüfwesen) according to ISO 17025. With the accumulated expertise of more than ten years, the specialized engineers perform tests on solar collectors as well as on complete systems. In addition, they assist industry customers worldwide in the development of solar thermal system components.


Testing capabilities now include all of the conventional measurement methods currently used to date

Currently, providing customers the support they need in certifying their products is in the forefront of the activities carried out at the TestLab Solar Thermal Systems – for example, the acquisition of the European Label of Quality "Solar Keymark" or the American Label of Quality "SRCC." In addition to product testing carried out in Freiburg, the facility also offers its services for production inspections on site at the manufacturing location. In 2009 the TestLab Solar Thermal Systems experienced an appreciable expansion in its capacity and a continued growth in its testing capabilities, which now includes all of the conventional measurement methods currently used to date. Four trackers are available in the test facility. One of which has capacities extending well beyond those necessary for standard measurements, for example, greater degree of freedom (e.g. for façade collectors) and extremely precise control and measuring techniques. These measurement sites are used for power characterization based on the stationary method, where the solar collector follows the sun’s position using a two-axis tracking system. The incoming solar radiation has normal incidence to the collector glazing at all times of the day. Two further measurement stations using quasi-dynamic characterization methods have been added to the facilities. As opposed to the four test stations using the stationary method, the collectors tested at these two stations do not track the sun’s position. Performing measurements under both of these different radiation conditions allows the measured data to be analysed later with respect to a variety of parameters.


Up to four complete hot water systems can be tested in parallel

Two other trackers serve the customers’ request for short testing times and also make testing possible during spring and fall. The exposure phase defined in the currently valid standards requires that the collectors are exposed to certain boundary conditions over a time period of at least 30 days. In the spring and fall, these conditions can only be met in Freiburg by making use of tracking. Up to four complete hot water systems can be tested in parallel at the new test stand for solar systems, inaugurated in spring 2009 at the TestLab Solar Thermal Systems. By the end of 2009, the new test stand for solar storage underwent the last validation measurements and enhanced the test facilities by providing the most modern measurement capabilities available in this increasingly important area.
The indoor test stand at Fraunhofer ISE has a long-standing tradition. Many standard products found on the solar thermal market today underwent their first characterization and development measurements at this test stand. Special experimental work has led to the development of a medium-temperature test stand that can measure efficiency characteristics at temperatures of up to 200°C.
Collectors in this application area are gaining in importance since they are suitable for providing the drive energy for solar cooling or for providing the necessary heat for industrial processes. Some of the test stands, for example, the hail test stand, were developed by the researchers at Fraunhofer ISE themselves. At present, the only European measurement facilities accredited by the SRCC for measuring solar air collectors is to be found at the TestLab Solar Thermal Systems of Fraunhofer ISE.
The many years of experience held by Fraunhofer ISE in testing collectors, storage systems as well as other available solar components enters into the definition of standards of quality. Thus, the TesLab Solar Thermal Systems is actively involved in the national (DIN), European (CEN) and also international (ISO) work on standards.
TestLab Solar Thermal Systems puts a large emphasis on customer-oriented service. With a newly designed homepage, a wide range of information can be accessed now with even greater ease: www.collectortest.com

2010-02-15   Courtesy: Fraunhofer ISE   Solarserver.de   © Heindl Server GmbH
Picture Courtesy: Fraunhofer ISE

 

Prime Sun Power announces major program for photovoltaic power plants in Italy

Prime Sun Power Inc. (OTCBB: PSPW), headquartered in New York, USA, has announced in a press release its plan to develop, build and operate 500 Megawatts photovoltaic solar power generation through the end of 2013 out of which 150 megawatts is expected to be acquired by third party investors. In addition to the proceeds from selected strategic financiers currently in negotiations with company management, Prime Sun Power will use the revenues generated out of third party projects sales in the development and construction of its own power plants. The company is positioning itself as a clean energy utility company with an emphasis on the development, construction and operation of its own and third party utility-scale photovoltaic power plants. By its own account the company is focusing on photovoltaic solar power generation in Europe, particularly in Italy, Greece and Turkey.   The company strategy is to act as a consortium leader with reputable world-leading EPC and Module suppliers to deliver all projects on Turnkey basis. By its own account Prime Sun Power aims to achieve a leading position in the provision of solar energy. The company has signed a frame agreement to sell 100 megawatt projects on a turnkey grid-connected basis to a European institutional investor and expects to very shortly finalize the definitive agreement. Prime Sun Power is in the technical and legal due diligence phase regarding licenses and land usage for additional photovoltaic power plants of 100 megawatts in Italy and 50 megawatts in Greece.

Goals are achievable with the right partners

The company is in discussion with strategic financiers for possible financing to sustain the expansion plan of the company, Prime Sun Power reports in the press release. The company plans to establish a wholly-owned subsidiary in Switzerland “PSP Europe AG” which will own the company’s European assets and manage operations. Olivier de Vergnies, Chief Executive Officer of the company, stated: “Our goals in the photovoltaic sector may be ambitious but they are achievable with the right partners. Through our close cooperation with local industry and government, we are obtaining ideal sites within several regions for the production of electricity using PV technology. Prime Sun Power is convinced that the solar sector will gain great importance in Europe, not only as a technology but also as a key element of a clean energy solution in the near future. We intend to participate actively in that development.”

2010-02-15   Courtesy: Prime Sun Power Inc.   Solarserver.de   © Heindl Server GmbH

 

USA: Mercury Solar Systems acquires solar system integrator Eos Energy Solutions

Mercury Solar Systems (Port Chester, New York), one of the largest solar integrators on the East Coast of the United States, on February 9th, 2010 announced that it had acquired Eos Energy Solutions, Pennsylvania's fastest growing solar system integrator, based in Center City Philadelphia. The acquisition is to strengthen Mercury's local footprint and reach on the Eastern seaboard which now spans Pennsylvania, New Jersey, New York (Westchester, Long Island and New York's five boroughs), and Connecticut.   Upon closing, Eos Energy is to be re-branded Mercury Solar Systems. Andrew Kleeman, Eos Energy Founder, is to lead Mercury's Pennsylvania division and will oversee day-to-day operations. "Eos Energy is a local market leader and provides us a platform to expand our affordable, turnkey solar energy solutions to businesses and homeowners throughout Pennsylvania", said Jared Haines, President of Mercury Solar Systems. "With state imposed rate caps on electricity set to expire at the end of the year, this is an excellent time to invest in solar energy. We look forward to helping more customers capitalize on the rebates being offered under the Pennsylvania Sunshine Solar Program." Andrew Kleeman, Founder, Eos Energy, said: "Eos' relationship with Mercury Solar Systems will only enhance the depth of our product offering and allow us to accelerate the delivery of nearly 1 MW of solar energy systems now under contract."

2010-02-15   Courtesy: Mercury Solar Systems   Solarserver.de   © Heindl Server GmbH

 

Evergreen Solar announces fourth quarter 2009 results

Evergreen Solar, Inc. (Marlboro, Massachusetts), a manufacturer of "String Ribbon" solar power products, on February 8th, 2010 announced its financial results for the fourth quarter of 2009. The company reports that its key accomplishments included the shipment of 31.9 megawatts (MW) of products from its Devens (Massachusetts) manufacturing facility, the improvement of product gross margins to 11.9 % from 7.1% for the third quarter of 2009, and the reduction of total manufacturing cost to 2.05 US-dollars per watt, down 8.5 % from 2.24 US-dollars per watt for the third quarter of 2009.   "Over two years ago, we established a cost target for our Devens facility of about two dollars per watt. We are pleased to have effectively achieved this cost target during the fourth quarter", stated Richard M. Feldt, Chairman, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and President of Evergreen Solar.

Continued strong execution at Devens facility

According to the press release, Evergreen Solar was also able to reduce its wafer manufacturing cost to approximately 0.69 US-dollars per watt from 0.75 US-dollars per watt in the third quarter of 2009. Revenues for the fourth quarter of 2009 were 74.5 million US-dollars, compared to 77.7 million inclusive of 2.2 million US-dollars of fees from its German joint venture Sovello for the third quarter of 2009. Evergreen Solar reports that the company's operating loss for the fourth quarter increased to 21.1 million US-dollars, which was reportedly due mainly to non-cash charges of approximately 14.6 million US-dollars associated with the acceleration of depreciation and other equipment write-offs relating to the planned transition of panel assembly from the Devens facility to China.

German joint venture Sovello causes financial distress

As previously disclosed, Sovello has been in default under its bank loan agreement since the end of 2008. Throughout 2009, Sovello operated under waivers from its bank syndicate of certain loan covenant violations. Evergreen Solar reports that Sovello's bank syndicate terminated their loan agreement on January 28th, 2010, but has not yet demanded repayment of the outstanding loan. Further, in light of a recent European Commission decision, Sovello may be required to return a portion of the grants it received from the German government. According to the press release, Sovello may need to declare insolvency if these matters are not satisfactorily resolved. This could result in further financial obligations for Evergreen Solar.

China expansion remains on track

"Our China expansion remains on track", said Feldt. "We have a strong Chinese management team, and we are hiring experienced engineers and other support staff needed for the initial 100 megawatt facility." Evergreen Solar reports that it has ordered the necessary equipment and that it expects to be able to start shipments by this summer. "While incentive program modifications in Europe have resulted in some near-term uncertainty with respect to demand and selling prices, we remain focused on what we can directly control, namely continued operational improvements at Devens and our expansion in China, where we believe we will produce wafers at about 0.30 US-dollars per watt and panels for about 1.00 US-dollar per watt by 2012 through our relationship with Jiawei Solar", concluded Feldt.

2010-02-14   Courtesy: Evergreen Solar   Solarserver.de   © Heindl Server GmbH

 

Singulus Technologies receives major contract for solar PV production systems

Thin-film PV production system IMPEDIO
Thin-film PV production system IMPEDIO

Singulus Technologies AG (Kahl am Main, Germany) received an order contract worth approximately 19 million Euro from a European solar cell manufacturer for production systems to manufacture a new generation of thin-film solar cells, the company reports in a press release. Singulus had developed the new processing system for thin-film solar technology in close cooperation with this customer during 2009 and has now been able to secure the order to build these systems.   Singulus is consequently extending its product range in the area of photovoltaic systems and will now offer this technology in the market as well. This contract signals further progress in the company's efforts to establish itself as a key supplier of new systems for important process stages in the growing solar market.

Roland Lacher, Chief Executive Officer, commented: "This contract is a major breakthrough for Singulus as we seek to establish a second business field of machinery and equipment for photovoltaics. We have been working very hard over the past few months to develop new, ultra-cost-effective machinery concepts for solar technology, and we are now planning to bring them onto the market this year."


Transition towards a supplier of complete production systems for solar cell production

In future Singulus and Stangl will actively supply not only individual machines and equipment to the solar market, but also complete systems with process know-how. The company's aim is to position itself at the forefront for the introduction of new technologies for both silicon and thin-film solar technology.

Singulus announced and explained this broader strategy at the Investors Day in Munich. Particularly thanks to the technologies and individual expertise available in both companies, Singulus regards itself as an innovator in wet-chemical and vacuum coating techniques. It therefore plans to raise its profile as a partner to the solar industry through new machinery concepts that will deliver the increased level of automation of production technology needed. Singulus has already demonstrated its ability to do this successfully in the Optical Disc segment.
SINGULUS supplies modern plant systems for thin-film and silicon solar technology that provide cell manufacturers with significant potential to improve cell efficiency while simultaneously cutting production costs. The broadening of the strategy to encompass both OEM supplier and system provider will bring the company new and additional opportunities.

2010-02-14   Courtesy: SINGULUS TECHNOLOGIES AG   Solarserver.de   © Heindl Server GmbH
Picture Courtesy: SINGULUS TECHNOLOGIES AG

 

Borrego Solar Systems announces record-breaking fourth quarter, appoints Bill Bush CFO

Borrego Solar Systems CFO Bill Bush
Borrego Solar Systems CFO
Bill Bush

Borrego Solar Systems, Inc. (San Diego, California), a designer and installer of grid-tied commercial and public-sector solar electric power systems, on February 8th, 2010 announced that Bill Bush has joined the company as Chief Financial Officer (CFO) following a record fourth quarter that saw the company close more than 45 million US-dollars in affordable housing, education, commercial and government solar contracts.   According to the press release, the record quarter follows a 2008 which saw significant increases in completed contracts with over 90 million US-dollars in solar contracts executed during that year.


New CFO to deepen relationships with investors, commercial and public-sector customers

With more than 20 years of experience in accounting, financial support and business development, Bush is to be responsible for managing Borrego's overall financial operations and growth. He is also expected to further leverage the relationship between Borrego Solar and investor Walsin Lihwa and to work with Borrego's commercial and public-sector customers on solar system financing. According to the press release, Walsin Lihwa recently formed a 30 million US-dollar Power-Purchase Agreement (PPA) fund, organized as Green Lake Capital LLC, to expedite the financing for larger solar installations and allow Borrego Solar's customers to take advantage of clean renewable solar power.


Company anticipates leadership in financing and EPC services

"Borrego Solar has long been an established leader in the commercial solar market, providing a high level of technical sophistication, while delivering outstanding service and system performance to its customers", said Bill Bush. Most recently, Bush served as the CFO of Solar Semiconductor Inc., a leading private vertically integrated manufacturer and distributor of high-quality PV modules and systems targeted for use in industrial, commercial and residential applications. Before Solar Semiconductor, he served as CFO for several high growth software and online media companies with responsibilities which included the establishment of business processes, capital raising, business development and investor relations. Mike Hall, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Borrego Solar, commented: "Bill's expertise will accelerate Borrego's growth as we continue on our mission to become the premier financier and EPC provider of commercial scale solar electric systems in North America."

2010-02-14   Courtesy: Borrego Solar Systems, Inc.   Solarserver.de   © Heindl Server GmbH
Picture Courtesy: Borrego Solar Systems, Inc.

 

Norwegian Prime Minister visits Scatec Solar's rural electrification project in Rampura, India

Norwegian Prime Minister Stoltenberg visited first village to receive a
Norwegian Prime Minister Stoltenberg visited
first village to receive a "Community Solar
Power Plant by Scatec Solar

The Norwegian Prime Minister, Mr. Jens Stoltenberg, on February 5th, 2010 made a visit to Rampura in Uttar Pradesh, the first village to receive a "Community Solar Power Plant" by Scatec Solar (Oslo, Norway). The visit comes as the company, together with the Indian and Norwegian governments, is about to launch the scaling-up of the solar energy project for rural electrification in India.   In a press release, Scatec reports that it is partnering with the two governments to finance the project's expansion from two to 32 villages, impacting approximately 1800 families. "With technology from Norway and sun from India, this project proves that private companies, government organizations and rural communities can work together to achieve sustainable development", said Prime Minister Stoltenberg. Stoltenberg is visiting India to have talks with the Indian Prime Minister, Mr. Manmohan Singh, and to attend the Delhi "Sustainable Development Summit" where he is to deliver a keynote address. He took the opportunity to visit Rampura to examine the opportunities solar energy represents in bringing climate friendly power to areas that currently have no access to electricity.




30 additional villages to be electrified by about 300 kWp clean solar power capacity

Scatec Solar reports that it took the initiative in 2008 to develop a sustainable and scalable model for off-grid solar systems in rural areas. After a successful implementation of solar systems in two villages, Rampura and Gopalpura respectively, another 30 villages in India are to have Community Solar Power Plants (CSPPs) installed. The project target is to install approximately 300 kilowatt peak (kWp) in 30 villages not currently connected to the electricity grid. "Our intention with the two pilot projects was to demonstrate that decentralized solar PV is a viable solution for rural electrification", said Alf Bjørseth, Founder and board member of Scatec Solar. "The support from the Norwegian and Indian governments is confirmation that given the right approach and the right partnerships, solar PV provides significant benefits for rural development." After the implementation of the two pilots fully financed by Scatec Solar, the company was invited by the Norwegian and Indian governments to expand the project with another 30 villages. According to the press release, this public-private-people partnership is co-financed by the Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation (Norad; 63 %), the Indian Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE; 30 %) and Scatec Solar, which will cover the remaining 7 % of the total project costs. The Indian Renewal Energy Development Agency (IREDA) is to take care of the project monitoring. "With the expansion of the project, our ambition is to develop business models and financial vehicles to ensure a roll-out of village plants on a large scale", said Bjørseth.



NGOs to open doors to villages, facilitate communication and ensure adequate project development

Scatec Solar reports that commercial aspects are being considered throughout this rural electrification project. Examples of activities are silk reeling, flour mills, horticulture, butter churner and drip irrigation. To increase the local involvement and to assure that local interests are taken into account, the project engages five non-governmental organizations (NGOs) which are expected to act as door openers into the project villages and work to mobilize the villagers and analyze the needs of the community. The NGOs are to work with the villagers to promote the development of income generating activities which may take advantage of the arrival of electricity to the village. Scatec Solar reports that one important outcome of this project is to make electrification of villages result in increased income generation and economic development in the villages, which is also to ensure the sustainability of the project. It is believed to be a robust business model based on a local revenue scheme that is sustainable and may easily be replicated. The electricity tariffs are to be based on what villagers currently pay for different sources of energy, such as kerosene and diesel. Another major outcome of the project is the establishment of a 'Financial Advisory Group', whose mandate is to develop a new and innovative financial incentive scheme which may spur a rapid roll-out of CSPPs on a significant scale.

2010-02-13   Courtesy: Scatec Solar   Solarserver.de   © Heindl Server GmbH
Picture Courtesy: Scatec Solar

 

Trina Solar announces new technology to boost conversion efficiency with square monocrystalline photovoltaic cells

Trina Solar's Chairman Jifan Gao: aiming to develop conversion efficiencies of more than 20%
Trina Solar's Chairman Jifan Gao:
aiming to develop conversion
efficiencies of more than 20%

Trina Solar Limited (Changzhou, China), a leading integrated manufacturer of solar photovoltaic (PV) products from the production of ingots, wafers and solar cells to the assembly of PV modules, on Feb 10th, 2010 announced it achieved a breakthrough in its development of monocrystalline solar cell technology. As part of the Company's ongoing research and development strategy, Trina Solar has developed a square monocrystalline cell with enhanced power output using its proprietary improved cell manufacturing process.   Using specially designed metallization and passivation techniques, the advanced cell structure is expected to significantly boost cell conversion efficiency, achieving up to 18.8% efficiency in test laboratory production. In addition, this technology is expected to improve module output due to increased light absorbing surface area of the square shaped cell.




Breakthrough in monocrystalline cell efficiency

"We are excited to announce this breakthrough in monocrystalline cell efficiency, which demonstrates the competence of our R&D team and the centrality of product development at Trina Solar", said Jifan Gao, Trina Solar's Chairman and CEO. "Trina Solar will continue to advance its extensive R&D program, aiming to develop solar cell conversion efficiencies of more than 20% over the coming two years."

2010-02-12   Courtesy: Trina Solar Limited   Solarserver.de   © Heindl Server GmbH
Picture Courtesy: Trina Solar Limited

 

ET Solar Group announces 31MW module sales agreement with USE in Germany

ET Solar Group Corp. (Nanjing, China), a photovoltaic (PV) system turnkey solution provider and integrated manufacturer of PV products, announced a 31MW module sales agreement with Umwelt Sonne Energie GmbH ("USE") in Germany. Under the contract, ET Solar will deliver a total of 31MW solar modules to USE in 2010.   These modules will be used in USE's various projects in Germany and other central European countries. Commenting on the news, Dennis She, Vice President and Chief Officer of Global Sales and Marketing of ET Solar, said: "USE has been a very important customer and a strategic partner of ET Solar in the German market over the past two years. We are very excited with this agreement, which is taking our relationship to the next level."


"We are pleased to sign up this sizeable volume that will provide critical support to our business development this year", said Daniel Gruenauer, Director of USE. "After two years of very satisfactory working experience, we look forward to expanding our relationship with ET Solar and continuing to bring high quality products and solutions to our customers."

2010-02-12   Courtesy: ET Solar   Solarserver.de   © Heindl Server GmbH

 

SolarWorld finishes No. 1 in photovoltaic energy-productivity test

SolarWorld’s modules demonstrated highest electricity production perfor- mance in independent test
SolarWorld’s modules demonstrated
highest electricity production perfor-
mance in independent test

For the second year in a row, SolarWorld’s solar photovoltaic (PV) power technology has demonstrated the highest electricity production performance in the world’s only independent, industrywide test, staged annually by Photon magazine. SolarWorld’s modules have generated more electricity than all competitive products for each watt of capacity installed in Photon tests in both 2009 and 2008, the company reports in a press release. In comparison with other modules, the SolarWorld products produced up to 12 percent more power in 2009.   Only Photon, which is releasing its results in its February edition, conducts such yield tests under scientifically controlled conditions. The test results offer an objective basis for selection to renewable-energy consumers who must choose among a wide variety of modules available in the marketplace.




CEO Frank H. Asbeck: The test results underline our top position in the international market

The tests were completed on SolarWorld modules produced in Europe. The company, the biggest and most experienced U.S. solar technology manufacturer, makes its American products using the same stringent quality standards and fully automated, vertically integrated production entirely within the United States. "The test results emphatically underline our top position in the international market", says Frank H. Asbeck, chairman and CEO of SolarWorld AG. "We feel they confirm our strategy of only producing at sites that offer the highest quality, environmental and social standards - a guarantee for top quality made by SolarWorld."

2010-02-12   Courtesy: SolarWorld group   Solarserver.de   © Heindl Server GmbH
Picture Courtesy: SolarWorld group

 

USA: Renewable energy industry leaders call for passage of key policies, give outlook for 2010

Navigant Consulting's study on the job impact of a national RES
Navigant Consulting's study on the job impact
of a national RES

On February 9th, 2010, top executives in the renewable energy sector gathered to applaud 2009's strong renewable energy development in the United States, but at the same time emphasized the need for Congress to swiftly enact key policies to continue accelerated growth across the entire sector in order to add jobs and boost economic growth in 2010. Executives stressed that if these policies are not enacted, the renewable energy sector could face a downturn in investment and jobs in 2010.   The U.S. Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA; Washington, D.C.) reported that participants in the press conference represented the full scope of the renewable energy sector, including Denise Bode, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the American Wind Energy Association (AWEA), Linda Church Ciocci, Executive Director of the National Hydropower Association (NHA), Robert Cleaves, President and CEO of the Biomass Power Association (BPA), Karl Gawell, Executive Director of the Geothermal Energy Association (GEA) and Rhone Resch, President and CEO of SEIA.


National renewable energy standard believed to be key policy for renewable energy industry growth

The renewable energy leaders called for Congress to pass a strong national renewable energy standard (RES) with clear near- and long-term goals, along with expansion and extension of credit incentives, and comprehensive legislation. These policies are reportedly necessary to maintain American competitiveness, and they could attract "tens of billions of dollars of investment" in clean energy production and manufacturing facilities. SEIA reports that a new study conducted by Navigant Consulting, Inc. reveals that a 25 % by 2025 national RES would result in 274,000 more renewable energy jobs compared to a no-national RES policy scenario. "The RES is the best way to provide the certainty that companies need to expand wind manufacturing nationwide", said AWEA CEO Denise Bode. "The importance of building a strong renewable energy manufacturing base in the U.S. cannot be overstated. The U.S. has a historic opportunity to fortify the clean energy economy but is committing unilateral economic disarmament by not giving itself the policy tools to do so."


Industry leaders ask Congress to support all sources of renewable energy

"Policy matters in tapping hydropower's tremendous growth potential in every state, which will lead to the creation of well-paying, family-supporting jobs", said Linda Church Ciocci, Executive Director, NHA. "We need a strong RES, tax incentives and other support policy if we are to double hydropower's contribution to America's energy portfolio." Robert Cleaves, President of the Biomass Power Association, added: "Thousands of jobs in the biomass power industry could be lost if Congress fails to extend the production tax credit for biomass power that recently expired late last year. These tax credits are literally the life-line to many biomass power facilities that provide long-term high paying jobs in rural areas currently facing unemployment levels as high as 15 %." Renewable industry leaders urged Congress to support all American sources of energy. Policies that promote the growth of America's renewable energy sector could move the United States closer towards energy independence, create long-term clean energy jobs, and reduce the country's reliance on foreign sources of energy.


Solar industry alone created nearly 20,000 new U.S. jobs in 2009

"The United States has been the world leader in geothermal energy production, and in the past years our industry has seen renewed growth, even despite the recession", said Karl Gawell, Executive Director of GEA. "This is a testament to the support of federal and state policies and highlights the potential for our country to continue to lead the world in geothermal production and technology." Rhone Resch, President and CEO of SEIA, said: "One of the fastest ways to create jobs in America is to invest in clean energy. These are quality jobs and they can't be outsourced. From plumbers to electricians to construction workers, the solar industry created nearly 20,000 jobs last year with the support of the stimulus bill. We proved that we can create much-needed job growth now with the right policies in place. But we can only keep up that momentum if Congress enacts a jobs bill that promotes deployment of solar and other clean energy technologies." For more information on Navigant Consulting's study on the job impact of a national RES see http://www.res-alliance.org/res-jobs-study.

2010-02-11   Courtesy: SEIA   Solarserver.de   © Heindl Server GmbH
Picture Courtesy: res-alliance.org

 

AREVA acquires U.S. solar company Ausra

Ausra Chairman, CEO Dr. Robert E. Fishman, AREVA Business Group Renewable Energies Senior Executive VP Anil Srivastava announcing the acquisition
Ausra Chairman, CEO Dr. Robert E. Fishman,
AREVA Business Group Renewable Energies
Senior Executive VP Anil Srivastava
announcing the acquisition

The French public multinational industrial conglomerate AREVA (Paris, France) on February 8th, 2010 announced the 100 % acquisition of U.S.-based Ausra (Mountain View, California), a leading provider of large-scale concentrating solar power solutions for electricity generation and industrial steam production. With this acquisition AREVA reportedly launches its new global solar energy business. The endeavor is said to reflect its strategic objective to be the world leader in concentrated solar power (CSP) and it is expected to further strengthen and diversify AREVA's renewable energy portfolio.   According to the press release, the combination of Ausra's proven technology with AREVA's engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) skills will enable the group to build the most cost-effective CSP plants for utilities, independent power producers and industrial customers around the world.



Company group aims to become global CSP market leader

The market for concentrated solar power plants is expected to grow substantially in the next decade with an average annual growth rate of 20 %. AREVA reports that the CSP market is estimated to reach an installed capacity of over 20 gigawatts (GW) by 2020. With the acquisition of Ausra, AREVA is poised to capture the leading position of this attractive and growing market. Anil Srivastava, Business Group Renewable Energies Senior Executive Vice President, said: "By acquiring Ausra, AREVA has taken a major step forward to achieve its strategic ambition in renewables. The Group intends to become the world leader in the CSP market thanks to a reliable, cost-effective product." Ausra's Chairman and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Dr. Robert E. Fishman added: "Combining AREVA's financial and commercial strengths, and its energy expertise, with Ausra's proven technology and experienced management team will help position AREVA for even greater success in the renewable and carbon-free energy industry."


Continued operation out of Mountain View, California office

AREVA plans to leverage and reinforce Ausra's team to strengthen its Global Solar business unit, led by Dr. Robert E. Fishman. According to the press release, the company will continue its operation out of Ausra's existing Mountain View headquarters. The acquisition is expected to close during the next few months, subject to customary regulatory approval. AREVA reports that Ausra designs, develops, manufactures and installs solar steam generators for the global power generation and industrial steam customers. The company's "Compact Linear Fresnel Reflector" (CLFR) solar steam generators are reportedly designed for existing fossil-fired plants, new standalone solar and solar/fossil hybrid plants, and a diverse range of industrial customers.

2010-02-11   Courtesy: AREVA   Solarserver.de   © Heindl Server GmbH
Picture Courtesy: AREVA

 

Solar equipment producer Spire ranked 9th fastest-growing public company in Massachusetts

Spire CEO Roger G. Little
Spire CEO Roger G. Little

Spire Corporation (Bedford, Massachusetts), a global solar company providing capital equipment to manufacture photovoltaic (PV) modules and turnkey manufacturing lines, solar cells and solar systems, on February 9th, 2010 announced that the company had been ranked number nine on the Boston Business Journal's "Book of Lists 2010" as one of the "Fastest-Growing Public Companies" in Massachusetts over the last three years.   According to the press release, Spire's revenue growth from 2006 to 2008 amounted to 240 %. "Spire is very familiar with being on Boston Business Journal's prestige Book of Lists", said Roger G. Little, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Spire Corporation. "They are a respected publication with a long history in our state; we are honored to make their list again this year."

2010-02-11   Courtesy: Spire Corporation   Solarserver.de   © Heindl Server GmbH
Picture Courtesy: Spire Corporation

 

PV producer Solarfun supports Shanghai Jiao Tong University

Solarfun Power Holdings Co., Ltd (Shanghai, China), a vertically integrated manufacturer of silicon ingots and photovoltaic (PV) cells and solar modules in China, on February 9th, 2010 announced its plan to support for and cooperate with Shanghai Jiao Tong University, a top tier university in China that boasts a renowned photovoltaic research center. Solarfun plans to donate RMB1 million (approx $ 150,000) over 5 years to support the creation of scholarships to the school’s department of physics.   The scholarships are intended to be created to help support research of photovoltaic technology, foster technology exchange between this university and Solarfun, and expedite the commercialization of new technology developed at the university.


Support for research and development of photovoltaic technology

Peter Xie, President of Solarfun, commented: "Education is not only one of the most important social functions that can help in the development of a society, but it is also a key area that we need to nurture in order for our industry to continue to mature. We proudly announce our plan to support Shanghai Jiao Tong University’s department of physics and their commitment to the research and development of photovoltaic technology. We are proud of our relationships with this university and the development of these scholars, and we hope some of these aspiring new recruits join our industry and possibly our company in the future."

2010-02-11   Courtesy: Solarfun Power Holding Co. Ltd.   Solarserver.de   © Heindl Server GmbH

 

USA: Senator Sanders introduces major solar energy initiative

Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Chairman of the U.S. Senate's green jobs subcommittee, on February 4th, 2010 introduced legislation with nine cosponsors to encourage the installation of 10 million solar energy systems on the rooftops of homes and businesses over the next decade. Sanders reports in a press release that he had questioned Department of Energy (DOE) Secretary Steven Chu about President Obama's budget for next year at a Senate committee hearing. The White House reportedly requested 2.4 billion US-dollars for energy efficiency and renewable energy programs. The requested 5 % boost overall included a 22 % increase for solar power.   "At a time when we spend 350 billion US-dollars importing oil from Saudi Arabia and other countries every year, the United States must move away from foreign oil to energy independence", Sanders said. "A dramatic expansion of solar power is a clean and economical way to help break our dependence on foreign oil, reduce greenhouse gas emissions that cause global warming, improve our geopolitical position, and create good-paying green jobs."


Senator's bill expected to create many new jobs in the United States

According to the press release, Sanders' bill would authorize rebates which, along with other incentives, would cover up to half the cost of the 10 million solar power systems and 200,000 water heating systems. Non-profit groups and state and local governments also would be eligible. The legislation would ensure that participating homeowners and businesses receive information on incentives to improve energy efficiency. Sanders said a recent report shows that solar power could help make every state more energy independent if solar units were installed on available rooftop space, and that every state could meet 10 % or more of its electricity needs just through rooftop solar. Moreover, because of the potential of solar energy to create jobs, Sanders' bill is believed to create hundreds of thousands of jobs over the next ten years in the solar industry. According to the press release, Sanders' measure is patterned after successful state programs promoting solar energy in New Jersey and California, where prices have fallen as the number of solar units increased.

2010-02-10   Courtesy: sanders.senate.gov   Solarserver.de   © Heindl Server GmbH

 

Austin Energy launches innovative solar incentive program

Austin City Council reaffirmed support for solar incentive program
Austin City Council reaffirmed
support for solar incentive
program

Austin Energy on February 4th, 2010 announced that the Austin City Council had reaffirmed its support for the company's solar incentive program, including a new approach for commercial, multifamily, and non-profit customers. The new approach is said to save 2.4 million US-dollars over the life of the program. Rather than provide an upfront rebate on the installation of solar photovoltaic (PV) systems, Austin Energy pledges to pay for each kilowatt-hour (kWh) of electricity produced over a 10-year period.   Austin Energy reports that this is known as a fixed performance-based incentive (PBI) and that it achieves two goals. First, it provides a fixed payment flow to a system owner by which payback can be calculated, and second, it encourages proper design and maintenance of systems to maximize their production.




Taking advantage of available incentives, solar power systems could pay back within 6 to 8 years

Over the next five years, the PBI program is expected to pay, on average, 8 US-cents per kWh of solar energy produced with program funding sufficient for almost 260 solar systems, each up to 20 kilowatts (kW) in size. Total PBI payments over the next 14 years under the plan are projected at 4.8 million US-dollars. "When you combine federal tax credits available for solar installations along with the incentive this program provides, energy savings for most businesses and apartment communities will pay for their system in 6-8 years", said Karl R. Rábago, Vice President for Distributed Energy Services. "The life of these systems is 25 years on average." Since the inception of the Austin Energy Solar Rebate Program in 2004, the utility reportedly issued 12.8 million US-dollars in rebates to residential customers and 6.3 million US-dollars in rebates to commercial customers. There are 1,052 customer-owned solar systems and 52 municipal and school installations totaling more than 4 megawatts (MW) of solar capacity in Austin.


Utility offers rebates for solar power generation

Austin Energy reports that its residential customers are now eligible to apply to receive rebates at 2.50 US-dollars per watt, with annual rebates limited to 15,000 US-dollars and maximum rebates set at 50,000 US-dollars over the life of installations at a single property. To qualify for Austin Energy solar rebates, a customer reportedly has to also meet home energy efficiency standards. According to the press release, Austin Energy is now moving forward to address special issues of concern to the non-profit and low-income communities, and plans to be working with business stakeholders to address the issues and opportunities relating to private sector development of very large solar systems.

2010-02-10   Courtesy: Austin Energy   Solarserver.de   © Heindl Server GmbH
Picture Courtesy: Austin Energy

 

Dye solar cells: Dyesol on the starting grid in Germany

Dye solar cells by Dyesol
Dye solar cells by Dyesol

On February 5th, 2010, Dyesol Industries Pty Limited, the controller of the Dyesol suite of Intellectual Property, and wholly owned subsidiary of Dyesol Limited (DYE, D5I), has established a GmbH subsidiary in Bavaria, Germany. This company will pursue dye solar cell (DSC) product development and commercialisation opportunities that arise in Germany, particularly in Bavaria. The basis of the business will be collaboration and partnerships with industrial and government partners.   The Managing Director is Dr Keith Brooks, currently Managing Director of our Swiss subsidiary Greatcell Solar S.A. He is supported by Dyesol’s European Strategic Development Team led by Dyesol’s Managing Director Global, Dr Gavin Tulloch and Michael Sundman, Business Development Executive Europe.


"Products and applications for the most advanced solar society in the world"

Dr Tulloch stated: "This step has been in the planning for some years. It is a logical progression for Dyesol to develop new products and applications in Germany, the most advanced solar society in the world, one in which energy conscience and environmental awareness make our job that much easier. This is a logical move and is part of a range of activities we seek to complete in the region." Further announcements will be made concerning strategy, operations and commercial arrangements as business opportunities reach maturity.

2010-02-10   Courtesy: Dyesol Industries Pty Ltd.   Solarserver.de   © Heindl Server GmbH
Picture Courtesy: Dyesol Industries Pty Ltd.

 

United Solar to provide up to 25 MW of PV laminates for rooftop installations in Italy

UNI-SOLAR's flexible light weight photo- voltaic laminates
UNI-SOLAR's flexible light weight photo-
voltaic laminates

United Solar Ovonics (USO), a wholly owned subsidiary of Energy Conversion Devices, Inc. (ECD; Rochester Hills, Michigan), on February 4th, 2010 announced that it will supply up to 25 megawatts (MW) of its "UNI-SOLAR" flexible light weight photovoltaic (PV) laminates to Enel Green Power for installation on a number of buildings in Italy. Enel Green Power is the renewable energy operating company of the Enel Group, Italy's largest utility. According to the press release, the UNI-SOLAR laminates will be fully integrated with the existing architecture and will be installed on the roofs of a number of commercial and logistic buildings.   They are expected to begin producing solar electricity in 2010.


ECD reports that its UNI-SOLAR laminates were the obvious choice for this project because they fit well with the characteristics of these buildings in terms of layout, rooftop load capacity, and waterproofing. One important climatic factor in this project was the ability to withstand high winds, as the buildings regularly experience gusts of up to 160 kilometers per hour. Once operational, the facility will be capable of producing about 33 million kilowatt hours (kWh) per year, ECD reports. This would be enough to meet the consumption needs of approximately 13,000 households while avoiding the atmospheric emission of more than 21 tons of CO2 per year.


BIPV panels for solar rooftop installation on an industrial plant

ECD also announced a major contribution for a 4 megawatt (MW) building integrated photovoltaic (BIPV) system on the roof-tops of the Marcegaglia Group's industrial plant in Taranto, Italy. According to the press release, the system will be mostly equipped with the company's "UNI-SOLAR" flexible light weight photovoltaic (PV) modules. The project is believed to be one of the largest innovative technology roof-top systems in Italy, and it is scheduled to start operating in 2010. The installation is to feature Marcegaglia's "Brollo Solar" PV roofing system. According to the press release, this roofing system is formed by UNI-SOLAR laminates that are being directly applied to corrugated sheets or insulating panels to form a light weight BIPV roofing solution. Once fully operational, the complete system, owned 51 % by Enel Green Power and 49 % by Marcegaglia Group, is expected to produce over 5 million kWh of clean electricity annually. This would be enough to meet the energy needs of approximately 1,900 households and avoid the emission of some 4,000 tons of CO2 per year. Mark Morelli, ECD's President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO), said: "We are pleased to again be working with Marcegaglia on another BIPV project. This installation in Taranto is another excellent example of a successful BIPV application of our UNI-SOLAR laminates."

2010-02-10   Courtesy: United Solar Ovonics   Solarserver.de   © Heindl Server GmbH
Picture Courtesy: United Solar Ovonics

 

Dow Solar Solutions to build solar shingle manufacturing plant in Midland, Michigan

"DOW POWERHOUSE" solar shingles

The Dow Chemical Company in February 2010 announced that its subsidiary Dow Solar Solutions (DSS) plans to build the company's first full-scale production facility for "DOW POWERHOUSE" solar shingles in Midland, Michigan. According to the press release, the project is currently still subject to the finalization of local, state and federal funding.   In her State of the State address, Michigan Governor Jennifer Granholm spoke of the site selection, which could bring more than 1,200 jobs to the region by 2014. DSS reports that the Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC) is currently considering up to 140 million US-dollars in economic incentives for the plant, which is to produce photovoltaic (PV) solar panels in the form of shingles that can be integrated into rooftops with standard asphalt shingle materials. Local, state and federal funding would help the company to accelerate its production plans for the solar shingles, which are reportedly now being manufactured in a small-scale market development plant at Dow's Michigan Operations in Midland.



Public-private collaboration key in timely launch of production

If received, the MEDC economic package will add to the 100 million US-dollars in investments Dow has already made in the development of solar solutions since the program's inception in 2007 when Dow was awarded a 20 million US-dollar "Solar America Initiative Pathways Program" grant by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE). "Dow welcomes the opportunity to work with the City of Midland, the State of Michigan and Governor Granholm to secure support for renewable energy technologies, like the DOW POWERHOUSE solar shingle", said Andrew N. Liveris, Dow Chairman and Chief Executive Officer (CEO). "Collaboration between government and business is essential to overcoming the challenges facing our society today, including energy, climate change and the creation of sustainable jobs."


Innovative thin-film solar PV shingles to be easy to installed at little cost

The expected growth of more than 1,200 jobs to support the increased solar shingle production will be in the manufacturing, commercial and technical areas, with staffing to begin in late 2010. The solar shingles are expected to be available in limited amounts by mid-2010 and projected to be more widely available in 2011 when production scale up is scheduled to begin. DSS had unveiled its solar shingle in October 2009 as the first in an anticipated portfolio of building related solar energy generating products. Since its introduction, the shingle has reportedly been hailed as revolutionary and was named one of the "50 Best Inventions of 2009" by TIME magazine. "At Dow, innovation is about our ability to apply materials science to address a challenge like the need for affordable, renewable energy sources", said Jane Palmieri, General Manager of Dow Solar Solutions. The company's solar shingles integrate low-cost, thin-film CIGS (copper-indium-gallium-(di)selenide) PV cells into a proprietary roofing shingle design, which represents a multi-functional solar energy generating roofing product. The product design is said to reduce installation costs because conventional roofing shingles and solar generating shingles are installed simultaneously by roofing contractors. No specialized skills or knowledge of solar array installations are required, DSS reports.

2010-02-09   Courtesy: Dow Chemical Company   Solarserver.de   © Heindl Server GmbH
Picture Courtesy: Dow Chemical Company

 

Amplio Group closes on 6 MW Italian solar plants, announces additional 20 - 30 MW in final permit stage

Solar photovoltaic power plant at casteltermini, Italy.
Solar photovoltaic power plant at Casteltermini,
Italy.

The Amplio Group (London, United Kingdom), an international operator and investor in the renewable energy and environmental sectors, announced that it had completed and connected two solar photovoltaic (PV) power plants with a capacity of one megawatt (MW) each and that it expects to connect four additional plants of one MW by the end of the month. According to the press release, Amplio's investment will approximately amount to 13 million Euros (17.8 million US-dollars) for a total of 6 MW of solar plants in the provinces of Foggia and Lecce in the region of Puglia in southern Italy.   Amplio reports that its total investment in solar during the last 12 months was approximately 33 million Euros (45 million US-dollars) and that it is currently expanding its solar team. In 2010, the company plans to seek financing for an additional 20-30 MW of solar capacity, projects that are reportedly in the final permit stages and ready to commence construction.


Company to boast total solar PV portfolio up to 9 MW

According to the press release, the additional 6 MW will bring Amplio's fully operational solar portfolio to a total of 9 MW. The company reports that it has already built and project financed 3 MW in Sicily. In July 2009, Amplio announced that it had secured 40 million Euros (54.6 million US-dollars) from institutional investors to build a pipeline of up to around 100 MW of photovoltaic (PV) solar plants over two years. In order to achieve this, the company is continuing to expand its solar business into other markets through strategic partnerships with companies active in the installation of solar plants on the roofs of industrial buildings and companies operating in other geographical markets such as France and America. Alberto Dalla Rosa, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Amplio Solar, commented: "This additional 6 MW gives Amplio Solar a good regional diversification as we now have 3 MW operating in Sicily and a pipeline of fully integrated solar developments in other regions including Sardinia, the Marche and centre-north areas of Italy. At Amplio, we remain confident of reporting further significant progress in the year ahead."


Feed-in tariffs to create a fruitful Italian solar market for at least two to three years

According to the press release, Italy, like Hawaii, is currently the closest to grid parity due to the combination of isolation from nearby markets and high electricity prices. Although a revision of the current feed in tariff (FIT) is envisaged for 2011, Amplio reports that all operators in the sector consider a maximum reduction of 20 % in the FIT, and yearly smaller further reductions of some 3 - 5 % afterwards. Given the recent Euro-based price reductions, Amplio believes that the market will remain attractive in Italy for at least the next two to three years. Riccardo Segat, CEO and Founder of Amplio Group, commented: "Despite a difficult credit market, Amplio continues to grow its solar business thanks to the strong support of equity partners and good partnerships with EPC contractors. Amplio Solar is focused on delivering more MW during 2010 under the current tariff regime, creating one of the leading solar energy businesses in Europe."

2010-02-09   Courtesy: Amplio Group   Solarserver.de   © Heindl Server GmbH
Picture Courtesy: Amplio Group

 

Scheuten Solar completes certification processes for US

"Multisol" panels by Scheuten Solar

Scheuten Solar, a global player in designing, manufacturing and applying solar photovoltaic (PV) modules, has achieved UL Listing, FSEC Certification and CEC Listing for its "Multisol" P6-54 series of high quality modules, the company reports in a press release. The PTC (PV USA Test Conditions ) rating for the "Multisol" P6-54 series now published by the Californian Energy Commission (CEC) is 90% of its STC (Standard Test Conditions) nameplate rating. This is higher than most of all other crystalline modules on the list of CEC eligible PV modules, Scheuten Solar emphasizes.   The P6-54 recorded a low Normal Operating Cell temperature (NOCT) of 45 °C with a black frame and black back foil combination. The impressive thermal characteristics of the P6-54 due to the producer result from the design approach for all components. "Scheuten Solar is proud to achieve this high level in the PTC rating since it not only reflects the expectation on yield but also is fully in line with the general quality of the product. Scheuten Solar USA is happy to celebrate the milestones of UL Listing, FSEC certification and CEC Listing. After a busy year of preparations and intensive contact with potential customers now is the time to really get things going", says Dave Johnson, President of Scheuten Solar USA.

2010-02-09   Courtesy: Scheuten Solar   Solarserver.de   © Heindl Server GmbH
Picture Courtesy: Scheuten Solar

 

Chinese PV producer Trina Solar announces sales agreement with AE Photonics in Germany

Trina PV panel
Trina PV panel "TSM-D05"

Trina Solar Limited (Changzhou; China), a leading integrated manufacturer of solar photovoltaic (PV) products from the production of ingots, wafers and solar cells to the assembly of PV modules, on February 4th, 2010 announced it has entered into an agreement with Germany AE Photonics GmbH (Dresden) for 40 MW of PV modules to be delivered during 2010.   Under the terms of the agreement a total of 20 MW will be shipped during the first half of 2010 with agreed prices for the first quarter, Trina reports in a press release. Initial shipments are commenced in January 2010. "We are excited to announce this sales agreement with AE Photonics, a partner that shares our commitment to superior value, and customer satisfaction", said Ben Hill, Trina Solar's Vice President of Sales and Marketing in Europe. "This reflects the continued strong demand and representation for our best-in-class solar products in major solar markets worldwide."

2010-02-09   Courtesy: Trina Solar Limited   Solarserver.de   © Heindl Server GmbH
Picture Courtesy: Trina Solar Limited

 

UK to establish feed-in tariffs for renewable electricity and heating

Ed Miliband
Ed Miliband

Households and communities who install generating technologies such as small wind turbines and solar photovoltaic (PV) panels will from April be entitled to claim payments for the low carbon electricity they produce, UK Energy and Climate Change Secretary Ed Miliband on February 1st, 2010 announced. The feed-in tariff (FITs) levels and also a blueprint for a similar scheme are to be introduced in April 2011 to incentivise low carbon heating technologies. The renewable heat incentive (RHI) will be a world first. The schemes are designed to bring about a significant increase in the amount of locally produced green energy, as a contribution to the wider shift of the energy mix to low carbon.   "The guarantee of getting an income on top of saving on energy bills will be an incentive to householders and communities wanting to make the move to low carbon living", Ed Miliband said. "The feed-in tariff will change the way householders and communities think about their future energy needs, making the payback for investment far shorter than in the past. It will also change the outlook for a range of industries, in particular those in the business of producing and installing small scale low carbon technology."



Power from solar panel could earn £900, on top of £140 reduction on household energy bill

From 1st April householders and communities who install low carbon electricity technology such as solar photovoltaic (PV) panels and wind turbines up to 5 megawatts will be paid for the electricity they generate, even if they use it themselves. The level of payment depends on the technology and is linked to inflation. They will get a further payment for any electricity they feed into the grid. These payments will be in addition to benefiting from reduced bills as they reduce the need to buy electricity. The scheme will also apply to installations commissioned since July 2009 when the policy was announced. A typical 2.5kW well sited solar PV installation could offer a homeowner a reward of up to £900 (00) and save them £140 (0) a year on their electricity bill.


New scheme to incentivise renewable heat generation at all scales

The Department of Energy and Climate Change also published plans for a scheme to incentivise renewable heat generation at all scales. This will come into effect in April 2011 and guarantee payments for those who install technologies such as ground source heat pumps, biomass boilers and air source heat pumps. Under the proposed tariffs the installation of a ground source heat pump in an average semi-detached house with adequate insulation levels could be rewarded with £1,000 (00) a year and lead to savings of £200 $ 310) per year if used instead of heating oil.
Details of funding for the scheme will be published in the Budget 2010.
Further Information:

On February 3rd, 2010, MEMC announced its fourth-quarter results. Total revenue for 4Q09 reached 7 million, up 15% quarter over quarter, but down 17% from 4Q08. Revenue for 2009 was .2 billion, down 42% from 2008 revenue. Less than 5% of revenue was from polysilicon and the spot market, The US information technology research and advisory company Gartner, Inc (Stamford, Connecticut) reports.   During 2009, SunEdison installed and interconnected about 40 megawatts (MW) of solar photovoltaiv (PV) power plants, a 15% increase over 2008. Of these, 13 MW were installed after the acquisition. In general, the total revenue that could be had if these projects were sold directly would be between and per watt. SunEdison's revenue for 2009 approached 0 million, with million of this occurring after the acquisition by MEMC. SunEdison's operating expenses for 2009 approached million.



SunEdison: 2010 pipeline of more than 100 MW of PV solar power plants

On 4 February 2010, during its Capital Markets day, MEMC provided positive guidance for 2010 midpoint revenue of .8 billion. The modeling support for the SunEdison division was for approximately 0 million in revenue. Gartner Analysis of MEMC's results and guidance, particularly for its SunEdison division, provide a strong indication of the direction of the U.S. market for solar power purchase agreement (PPA) contracts. Furthermore, while there are no results to point to yet from a business side, anecdotal evidence indicates the acquisition has gotten off to a good start, given items such as, SunEdison now has access to better capital resources to support its 2010 pipeline of more than 100 MW of PV solar power plants. And at a high level, it appears that this acquisition has helped MEMC's executive management in its dialogue with its present and potential new solar customers.


Solar IPP firms will be in a much-more competitive position

Gartner Analyst Alfonso Velosa explored the implications for the U.S. solar PPA contract market: In the second half of 2009, he saw the restructuring of the leading U.S. solar independent power producers (IPPs) that developed these solar PPA contracts. Some of the firms were recapitalized, and others were acquired by affluent new owners. All this has led these solar IPP firms to be in a much-more competitive position to address the strong U.S. market demand for renewable energy while competing with the large traditional and European IPP firms that are starting to address the U.S. solar PPA contract market.


Gartner expects the U.S. market for solar PPA contracts to establish PV solar power systems with a power generation capacity of a quarter to a third of a gigawatt in 2010


In addition to these IPP firm trends, the current pipeline of solar PPA projects for 2010 contains a large number of distributed solar power plants for utilities that are in the middle of their permitting process. Thus, Gartner expects the U.S. market for solar PPA contracts to establish PV solar power systems with a power generation capacity of a quarter to a third of a gigawatt in 2010.

Further information on Gartner's view of the PV market and its key firms:

- "Case Study: HP Cuts Costs With On-Site Solar Power Generation," G00173324

- "Dataquest Insight: U.S. Solar PPA Industry Growth Creates A New IT Revenue Opportunity," G00170657

- Tutorial for Solar Power Purchase Agreements: "Green Electricity With No Money Down," G00168735

2010-02-08   Courtesy: Gartner Inc.; Alfonso Velosa   Solarserver.de   © Heindl Server GmbH

 

USA: Largest utility-scale solar project in the Northwest to use medium voltage inverter platform by PV Powered

PowerVault is a turnkey megawatt DC-to- medium voltage solar inverter power plant
PowerVault is a turnkey megawatt DC-to-
medium voltage solar inverter power plant

PV Powered, Inc. (Bend, Oregon), a manufacturer of solar inverters, on February 2nd, 2010 announced that its "PowerVault" DC-to-medium voltage turnkey inverter platform had been selected for use in the United States' Northwest's largest utility-scale project to date. The first five megawatt (MW) project is scheduled to begin installation in April with two additional 5 MW projects to follow during 2010.   According to the press release, the project is being developed in Lake County, Oregon, near Christmas Valley by the Obsidian Finance Group (Portland, Oregon). Obsidian Finance plans to manage the project under a 20-year power purchase agreement (PPA) with a large Pacific Northwest utility. The engineering, procurement and construction are reportedly being handled by Swinerton Inc.'s Management and Consulting office out of San Diego, California.



Turnkey inverter platform protects from vandalism, reduces field labor and accelerates construction schedule

The ground mount solar installation is to use PV Powered's new PowerVault, a fully engineered and factory assembled turnkey inverter power plant with DC inputs on one side and medium voltage outputs on the other. The enclosure is said to provide an ideal service environment and protection from vandalism, while the integrated design eliminates the need for separate pads, trenching and conduits between components. PV Powered reports that this solution significantly reduces the need for field labor, saving money and accelerating the construction schedule. "Swinerton Green is excited to work with PV Powered inverters on the Obsidian Projects", said George W. Hershman, Vice President, Division Manger of Swinerton Inc.'s Renewable Energy Group. "We expect this to be a very successful project for all stakeholders, the local community, and the environment."


Power conversion platform designed around company's 97 % efficient inverter

Todd Gregory, Assistant Vice President, Obsidian Finance Group, said: "We believe PV Powered's commitment to reliability, 20+ year service life, and industry-leading efficiency gives us the best financial return on utility-scale projects like this." PV Powered reports that the 1 MW PowerVault platform is designed around the company's new 97 % efficient "PVP260kW" inverter, with standard 295 V DC minimum MPPT and an optional full-power 265 V DC minimum MPPT, the lowest MPPT voltage of any commercial inverter in the industry. "We would like to thank Obsidian for making a long-term commitment to PV Powered's technology", said Gregg Patterson, CEO at PV Powered.

2010-02-08   Courtesy: PV Powered, Inc.   Solarserver.de   © Heindl Server GmbH
Picture Courtesy: PV Powered, Inc.

 

Solar Industry commends President Obama's FY2011 Budget for DOE Solar Energy Program

Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) Presi- dent and CEO Rhone Resch
Solar Energy Industries
Association (SEIA) Presi-
dent and CEO Rhone Resch

Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) President and CEO Rhone Resch released a statement on the Obama Administration’s FY 2011 budget for the Department of Energy’s Solar Energy Program. According to his statement this budget conveys the administration’s commitment to the continued growth of the solar industry as it helps put Americans back to work across the country, especially in areas like America’s manufacturing centers that have been hit hardest by the recession. As a result of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act provisions, solar installations continued to grow by 40 percent and created nearly 20,000 jobs in 2009, highlighting that solar is one of the best policy investments around, Rhone Resch reports in his statement. 




Spending for solar increased by 22 percent

With a 22 percent increase from last year’s spending for solar, the 2011 budget will expand the industry’s ability to advance technologies that will create jobs and economic opportunities. This increase for research and innovation, as well as new funding for the DOE Loan Guarantee program will help drive continued job growth in the coming year. According to the SEIA CEO an example of the importance of research and development funding for deploying solar technologies and producing clean energy jobs occurred recently in Arizona when the Stirling Dish Engine, which was developed through a research partnership with Sandia National Laboratory in New Mexico, was deployed in its first commercial application. "We look forward to working with Congress and the Administration to strengthen the U.S. position as a leader in high-tech research and development. As President Obama said last week in his State of the Union Address, we will 'not accept second place' when it comes to leading our clean energy economy", Resch emphasized. The SEIA president lists some highlights of the Obama Administration’s FY 2011 budget in his statement.

FY2011 DOE Solar and Related Budget Highlights:

Solar programs are 2.4 million, up 22% from FY2010, including advanced PV manufacturing; reliability (of components) to extend life of PV systems; thermal storage research to make CSP cost-competitive as baseload power and a new Concentrating Solar Power demonstration program to show that technologies can scale up, provide operational data needed by finance community to invest in a project.

DOE Solar Program breakdown:

- 2 million for PV, increased from 8.5 million
- .2 million for CSP ( million going to a demonstration program), increased from .7 million
- .7 million for systems integration, increased from .3 million
- .5 million for market transformation, decreased from .5 million


Manufacturing:

- A billion for Advanced Energy Manufacturing tax credit. (Not all is for solar.)

DOE Building Technologies Program:

- .3 million for Solar heating and cooling

FY2011 Department of the Interior Budget Highlights:

- Total of million investment in renewable energy.

2010-02-08   Courtesy: SEIA - Solar Energy Industries Association   Solarserver.de   © Heindl Server GmbH
Picture Courtesy: SEIA

 

Britain launches comprehensive system of feed-in rates for renewables

On February 1st, 2010, Paul Gipe released a statement on the new feed-in tariffs in Britain. In what he calls a truly groundbreaking move for the English-speaking world, Britain's Department of Energy & Climate Change (DECC) had released a full suite of renewable energy tariffs which will go into effect in April 2010. Gipe reports that Britain is to become the first country in the world to offer a comprehensive system of tariffs for renewable heat, including tariffs for solar domestic hot water and ground-source heat pumps.   In another first, Britain also plans to offer a tariff for biogas injected into natural gas pipelines. Gipe explains that the new tariffs in Britain will be fully indexed with inflation, which he expects to significantly boost investor's earnings. "Britain has gone farther, faster than almost any other jurisdiction worldwide in moving to feed-in tariffs", Gipe said. "From open ideological hostility to their new-found political embrace, the turn about has been striking and could offer the prospect for similarly rapid movement in North America." Though Ontario implemented a modest feed-in tariff program in 2006, the Canadian province moved swiftly when it decided to revamp the program, implementing its system of 'Advanced Renewable Tariffs' in less than eight months.


Feed-in tariffs limited to 5 MW capacity

According to Gipe, critics charge that Britain's DECC has set its sights too low. The limitation of feed-in tariffs (FITs) to a micro-generation "ghetto" is believed to remain troubling to many renewable energy advocates. Wind, solar photovoltaic (PV), and hydro projects are limited to no more than 5 megawatt (MW) capacity, or roughly two commercial wind turbines. Further, the tariff tranche for wind projects from 1.5 to 5 MW is so low that only the windiest sites in Britain will be suitable, raising concerns about more siting conflicts. In a press release, Friends of the Earth's Dave Timms said: "The introduction of cash incentives to boost small scale green electricity generation is welcome, however, ministers have been far too timid with a policy that could make a significant contribution to cutting emissions and boosting energy security." Timms argues that farmers, businesses, communities and others will get little or no extra incentive to invest in clean electricity.


First solar domestic hot water and renewable heating tariffs worldwide

"Potentially far more significant than the wind and solar tariffs, all of which have been done many times before, Britain's tariffs for renewable heat could be a game changer", Gipe said. There has been widespread intellectual reluctance to tackle tariffs for renewable heat. In 2007 the Ontario Sustainable Energy Association (OSEA) recommended that the Ontario Power Authority (OPA) institute solar thermal tariffs of 0.20 Canadian Dollars (CAD) per kilowatt hour (kWh) for residential solar thermal and 0.10 CAD/kWh for commercial solar thermal installations. Gipe reports that OSEA's recommendation for solar thermal, and another one for biogas pipline injection, was not included in the recently launched Ontario FIT program. "Where Ontario hesitated, Britain acted", Gipe said. This one policy tweak could be the gem hidden in the British program.


Tariffs indexed to inflation, residential income tax exempt

Gipe explains that British wind tariffs were designed to benefit domestic small wind turbine manufacturers, and that the tariffs for larger projects is sufficiently attractive to interest manufacturers of mid-size turbines. According to Gipe, Britain's less than 4 kW solar PV tranche offers a better tariff than that found in the solar powerhouse Germany. Not known for its sunny weather, Britain could now serve as model of solar development for its former colonies, such as Nova Scotia, with similar climates. Unlike in Germany, British tariffs will increase with inflation. The tariffs were calculated to offer between 5-8 % return on initial investment, says the DECC. Because the tariffs are indexed to inflation, the nominal rate of return could be as much as 7-10 %, Gipe predicts. Significantly, income from residential renewables, such as rooftop solar PV, will not be taxed as income. This provision could prove a boon to the retail solar PV industry, practically non-existent in Britain. "Once the laughing stock of the world's renewable energy community, Britain's new feed-in tariffs could finally put it back on the world stage alongside up and coming centers of renewable energy development such as Ontario and China", Gipe concluded.

2010-02-07   Courtesy: Paul Gipe   Solarserver.de   © Heindl Server GmbH

 

Breaking the Ice - Kicking off the European Technology Platform on Renewable Heating and Cooling

For the first time, on February 23rd and 24th, 2010, the entire European industry and research communities from the biomass, geothermal and solar thermal sectors will come together in Bilbao on the occasion of the First Annual Conference of the European Technology Platform on Renewable Heating and Cooling and focus on a common vision outlining the research needs and the tremendous economic potential of this sector.   It is only with the Renewable Energy Sources directive that heating and cooling has been identified as the third pillar in the energy demand alongside transport and electricity production. This "sleeping giant" accounts for half of the total European final energy demand. The First Annual Conference of the European Technology Platform on Renewable Heating and Cooling on 23 and 24 February 2010 in Bilbao will elaborate the common vision of the research need and technological priorities for this industry, hence unleashing its huge potential in terms of economic development and reduction of CO2 emissions.



RHC-Platform to set priorities in terms of technologies

Building upon the success of the solar thermal Strategic Research Agenda published in December 2008, the European Commission has encouraged the renewable heating and cooling industries to join forces in a common technology platform. The outcome of this common effort is the creation of the European Technology Platform on Renewable Heating and Cooling (RHC-Platform). The RHC-Platform will identify the research and development requirements for the sector and set the priorities in terms of technologies. This vision will constitute a reference document for European and national public authorities when shaping future support policies for these industries.


Heating and cooling accounts for around half of Europe’s final energy consumption

"Until recently, Renewable Heating and Cooling has received little political attention and in most EU Member States there is not yet a comprehensive approach to support this sector", says Gerhard Stryi-Hipp, President of the RHC-Platform. "This is particularly striking in view of the fact that heating and cooling accounts for around half of Europe’s final energy consumption."

By participating in the elaboration of this common vision for renewable heating and cooling, research and industry players will gain valuable insights into leading technologies and have a unique opportunity to influence the evolution of the sector’s R&D. The event will take place under the auspices of the Spanish Presidency and hence be supported by the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation, the Basque Energy Board (EVE) and the Spanish Association of Renewable Energy Producers (APPA).

Further information: www.rhc-platform.org

2010-02-07   Courtesy: European Technology Platform on Renewable Heating and Cooling   Solarserver.de   © Heindl Server GmbH
Picture Courtesy: European Technology Platform on Renewable Heating and Cooling

 

PV producer Yingli Green Energy announces global sponsorship of 2010 FIFA World Cup

Yingli Green Energy Holding Company Limited (Baoding, China), a leading solar energy company and one of the world's largest vertically integrated photovoltaic manufacturers, in a statement released jointly with world football's governing body FIFA announced that it had become the first renewable energy company to sponsor the FIFA World Cup. This year's tournament will be held in South Africa from June 11th to July 11th, 2010. Yingli Green Energy is also the first Chinese company to seal a global sponsorship deal with FIFA.   By joining the list of prestigious FIFA World Cup sponsors, Yingli Green Energy is reportedly answering FIFA's call to make the world's most popular sport not only a celebration of the game but also a sign of respect for the planet.



Signing ceremony and press conference in Beijing
The announcement was made at the Yingli 2010 FIFA World Cup sponsorship-signing ceremony and press conference hosted in Beijing, with video messages from FIFA headquarters in Zurich. By establishing this alliance with FIFA, Yingli Green Energy is aiming to further its strategic marketing initiatives worldwide in conjunction with the FIFA World Cup, the company reports.

Congratulations by President and Secretary General of FIFA

FIFA President Joseph S. Blatter congratulated Yingli Green Energy from Zurich and indicated that FIFA had selected Yingli Green Energy to become one of its international sponsors because of Yingli's track record of success in the field of renewable energy and the Company's clear commitment to the environment. "The announcement of Yingli Green Energy as the first Chinese company to be a global sponsor of the FIFA World Cup marks a historical moment", said Mr. Blatter. "Furthermore, I am extremely pleased that Yingli has chosen to support 20 Centres for 2010, the Official Campaign of the 2010 FIFA World Cup, by providing solar panels and committing to our efforts to create a better environment, as embodied by our 'Green Goal' concept. I want to commend Mr. Liansheng Miao and his team at Yingli Green Energy on this sponsorship and their commitment to helping us build a better future, which is one of our most important missions."
Mr. Jerome Valcke, Secretary General of FIFA, added: "I am very excited to welcome such a world-leading renewable energy company and the first Chinese company to the FIFA family. We are looking forward to sharing ideas on how to go about making the world greener and cleaner through the love of football."


Yingli CEO: "Opportunity to promote a better, greener environment"

Mr. Liansheng Miao, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Yingli Green Energy, commented: "As one of the world's leading solar companies, we are excited to be joining other world-class brands as an international sponsor of the FIFA World Cup. This sponsorship links Yingli Green Energy to the world's most popular and passionately followed sport. We feel privileged to have this opportunity, and look forward to offering our expertise to help FIFA leverage this much-loved sport to promote a better, greener environment. This sponsorship also signifies our response to the growing global demand to create a greener world through renewable energy. We are proud of our mission and the steps we are taking to make solar power an enduring and cost-effective technology for all humankind."
Mr. Miao noted that Yingli Green Energy had long been dedicated to a vision of a world powered by clean, renewable energy. In pursuing this vision, the Company strives to create a healthy, safe and supportive working environment for all of its employees. In late 2009, Yingli Green Energy was proud to receive the SA 8000 certification, which is testament to its ongoing commitment to social responsibility. This commitment complements FIFA's mission to help create a better future.
Global marketing and other rights for Yingli
Yingli Green Energy's sponsorship agreement for the 2010 FIFA World Cup gives the Company global marketing rights, including certain ticket, perimeter-board advertising and media rights as well as the right to showcase its solar products at the fan zones in the FIFA World Cup stadiums. Additionally, the agreement gives Yingli the right to place its company logo next to the FIFA World Cup Official Emblem and advertise or promote its products and services at each step of the distribution process. Yingli will have access to extensive on-site opportunities at FIFA World Cup stadiums for marketing and promotion purposes.

2010-02-06   Courtesy: Yingli Green Energy Holding Company Limited   Solarserver.de   © Heindl Server GmbH

 

Honda starts operation of a new solar hydrogen station for electric vehicles

New Honda solar hydrogen station
New Honda solar hydrogen
station

Honda announced in a press release that it has started operation of a next generation solar hydrogen station prototype at the Los Angeles Center of Honda R&D Americas, Inc., intended for ultimate use as a home refueling appliance capable of an overnight refill of fuel cell electric vehicles. Designed as a single, integrated unit to fit in the user's garage, Honda's next generation "Solar Hydrogen Station" has a reduced size, while producing enough hydrogen (0.5kg) via an 8-hour overnight fill for daily commuting for a fuel cell electric vehicle, the company reports.   The previous solar hydrogen station system required both an electrolyser and a separate compressor unit to create high pressure hydrogen. The compressor was the largest and most expensive component and reduced system efficiency. By creating a new high differential pressure electrolyser, Honda engineers were able to eliminate the compressor entirely - a world first for a home use system, the company emphasizes in its press release. This innovation also allows the size of other key components to be reduced, making the new station the world's most compact system, while improving efficiency by more than 25% (value calculated based on simulations) compared to the solar hydrogen station system it replaces.





Enough hydrogen for typical daily driving distance

Compatible with a "Smart Grid" energy system, the Honda Solar Hydrogen Station would enable users to refill their vehicle overnight without the requirement of hydrogen storage, which would lower CO2 emissions by using less expensive off-peak electrical power. According to Honda during daytime peak power times, the Solar Hydrogen Station can export renewable electricity to the grid, providing a cost benefit to the customer, while remaining energy neutral. Designed for simple, user-friendly operation, the intuitive system layout enables the user to easily lift and remove the fuel hose, with no hose coiling when the hose is returned to the dispenser unit, Honda reports in the press release. Engineered for an 8-hour, slow fill for overnight refilling of a fuel cell electric vehicle, the home-use Solar Hydrogen Station would replenish enough hydrogen for typical daily driving distance, meeting the commuting requirements of many drivers.



Solar array with CIGS thin film solar cells by Honda Soltec

As with the previous generation system, the hydrogen purity from the new station meets the highest SAE (J2719) and ISO (14687) specifications, the company reports in the press release. Installed at the Los Angeles Center of Honda R&D Americas, the new Solar Hydrogen Station will employ the same 48-panel, 6.0kW solar array that powered the previous system. The array utilizes thin film solar cells composed of copper, indium, gallium and selenium (CIGS) produced by Honda Soltec Co., Inc., a wholly-owned subsidiary of Honda that was established for the mass production and sales of solar cells capable of efficient renewable electricity generation. According to Honda these unique solar cells reduce the amount of CO2 generated during production as compared to conventional solar cells. Designed to support the needs of the future owners of fuel cell electric vehicles, the Honda Solar Hydrogen Station was also designed to complement a public network of fast fill hydrogen stations. The Honda FCX Clarity fuel cell electric vehicle is capable of fast fill and offers driving range of 460 kilometers based on the European Driving Cycle.

A key strategy in creating a solar hydrogen station for home-use was to create a new lifestyle with convenient, clean, energy-efficient and sustainable home refueling, by addressing the need for refueling infrastructure that can advance the wider use of fuel cell electric vehicles by consumers, Honda reports in the press release. The combination of a fuel cell electric vehicle and the solar hydrogen station could help lead to the establishment of a hydrogen society based on renewable energy, resulting in a major reduction of CO2 emissions and greater energy sustainability.

2010-02-06   Courtesy: Honda R&D Americas, Inc.   Solarserver.de   © Heindl Server GmbH
Picture Courtesy: Honda R&D Americas, Inc.

 

Potelco selected as EPC contractor for Teanaway Solar Reserve

Teanaway Solar Re- serve will be one of the largest photo- voltaic plants in the world
Teanaway Solar Re-
serve will be one of
the largest photo-
voltaic plants in the
world

The Teanaway Solar Reserve (Cle Elum, Washington) on February 3rd, 2010 announced that it had selected Washington-based Potelco Inc. (Sumner, Washington), a Quanta Services, Inc. (Houston, Texas) company, as an equity partner and contractor for the design and construction of a proposed photovoltaic (PV) solar project to be located 90 miles east of Seattle.   Teanaway Solar Reserve and Potelco reportedly signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) under which the parties agreed to negotiate a contract for engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) services for the 75 megawatt (MW) solar facility that is expected to be the largest PV solar project in the Pacific Northwest. According to the press release, the 300 to 350 million US-dollar solar power project is to be able to supply about 45,000 households with clean, renewable electricity. Potleco also intends to provide construction financing for the project. The contract and equity arrangements are subject to final terms and conditions to be negotiated.




EPC contractor to hire locally, creating jobs during construction of solar power plant

"We are very excited about this landmark project and are eager to work with the community to generate renewable energy for the state and job opportunities for Cle Elum and Upper Kittitas County", said Gary Tucci, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Potelco. According to the press release, this announcement signals Teanaway Solar Reserve's readiness to hire, train and break ground as soon as Kittitas County issues a permit for the project. Potelco intends to hire locally and to provide the training necessary to complete the entire range of jobs required for installation of the 400,000 solar panels. "We're looking forward to working with a company with the caliber of Potelco that brings a local workforce, global expertise and the ability to deliver a high-quality and cost-effective utility-scale solar solution", remarked Howard Trott, Managing Director for the Teanaway Solar Reserve. "We feel very confident in Potelco's ability to put people to work and assist in getting this project off the ground to make solar work for all of us."

2010-02-05   Courtesy: Teanaway Solar Reserve   Solarserver.de   © Heindl Server GmbH
Picture Courtesy: Teanaway Solar Reserve

 

Semprius and Siemens announce agreement to advance innovative solar technology

Die picked from source wafer
Die picked from source wafer

Semprius, Inc. (Durham, North Carolina), a developer of solar module arrays based on a patented micro-transfer printing technology, and Siemens Industry, Inc. announced a joint development agreement to co-develop and deploy plug-and-play concentrating photovoltaic (CPV) demonstration systems based on Semprius' solar module arrays and Siemens' automation and control components.   The systems are slated to be installed at numerous test sites around the world, including major utilities, commercial sites, international test locations and government facilities. Semprius reports that its solar module arrays can be installed at low cost and that they offer a high electricity harvest in sunny, dry climates. Their high efficiency and scalable design are said to make them applicable to a wide range of projects, from distributed commercial and industrial to large scale utility installations.


Company to receive 3 million US-dollars through DOE's "PV Technology Incubator" program

The company reports that it was selected by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) to receive support through a 3 million US-dollar subcontract from DOE's "PV Technology Incubator", which aims to accelerate the commercialization of solar PV technology. Siemens is a global leader in automation systems, power conversion and control systems. As part of its environmental portfolio, Siemens provides technology to the PV industry. In an effort to make PV module arrays more efficient, Siemens is to integrate its components with Semprius PV module arrays, and together the companies are to implement the test systems to validate the performance of the combined technologies.

Competitive project deployment cost believed to be key for CPV technology success


"Our PV module arrays will make the generation of solar power economically viable in clear, sunny climates found in many parts of the world", said Joe Carr, Semprius President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO). Semprius reports that its micro-transfer printing technology is a highly efficient process for depositing high performance semiconductors onto a variety of substrates. Peter Krause, Business Segment Manager, Siemens Industry, Inc., said: "Competitive project deployment cost for CPV will be the key for the success of this technology. Combining Siemens' advanced automation and control equipment with Semprius module arrays has the potential to deliver electricity at grid level prices to both industrial and utility scale customers." Siemens Industry is a supplier of production, transportation and building technology solutions for industrial and infrastructure providers to increase their productivity, sustainability and profitability.

2010-02-05   Courtesy: Semprius, Inc.   Solarserver.de   © Heindl Server GmbH
Picture Courtesy: Semprius, Inc.

 

ADB supports China's push to accelerate large-scale solar power development

The Asian Development Bank (ADB; Manila, Philippines) in January 2010 announced its first foray into the solar power sector in the People's Republic of China through a technical assistance project, which is designed to pave the way for large-scale concentrated solar thermal (CST) power use in the country.   ADB announced that it is extending a 1 million US-dollar grant that is to be used to implement a 1.5 megawatt (MW) CST pilot project and to carry out the prefeasibility assessment of a 50 MW CST power demonstration project in the Gansu province in western China. According to the press release, the technical assistance is to accelerate large-scale solar power development in the country and to develop a 'road map' for CST demonstration projects. It is to provide information to other provinces on lessons learned and on the challenges facing CST power development.


Technical assistance project amounts to a total of 2.7 million US-dollars

ADB reports that this 1 million US-dollar grant comes from its "Climate Change Fund" established in 2008 to invest in projects that address the causes and consequences of climate change. The Government of China reportedly pledged to provide an additional 1.7 million US-dollars for a total technical assistance of 2.7 million US-dollars. According to the press release, the China Huadian Engineering Company Ltd. will act as the executing agency for the project, which is expected to be completed by March 2011. "Understanding new technologies through MW-scale pilot projects is crucial to building up knowledge and capacity that may lead to the development of large-scale plants," said Ashok Bhargava, Principal Energy Specialist in ADB's East Asia Department. CST power, which provides electricity by generating heat to operate a steam turbine that drives a generator, is said to have advantages over solar photovoltaic (PV) panels. ADB plans to tackle the lack of knowledge and expertise on the most appropriate CST power technology for China.

2010-02-05   Courtesy: Asian Development Bank   Solarserver.de   © Heindl Server GmbH

 

Sputnik's new data logger, MaxWeb xp, with integrated PV network management

Data logger MaxWeb xp
Data logger MaxWeb xp

In December, Sputnik Engineering AG (Biel, Switzerland) launched the web-based data logger MaxWeb xp. Like its predecessor MaxWeb, MaxWeb xp also records power measurement values, yield data and events in photovoltaic (PV) plants and transmits them automatically to the SolarMax web portal. In addition, the data logger also monitors the plant's operation for faults and sends fault signals to as many as three recipients by e-mail or SMS. The set-up wizard helps you to configure your MaxWeb xp. 


Remote control for network management

MaxWeb meets the requirements of the Renewable Energy Sources Act (EEG) and the guideline published by the German Association of Energy and Water Industries, "Generating Plants Connected with the Medium-Voltage Network", which have been in force in Germany since 2009. They demand that grid operators be enabled to reduce the effective output of large-scale PV plants. On the grid in Germany, access to the relevant PV plants is usually provided by wireless control signals. Since January 2009, the new requirements apply to all PV plants with a connected capacity greater than 100 kW or with a grid contact point to the medium-voltage grid.

The addition of the MaxRemote option to the expansion port integrated into the MaxWeb xp makes additional, external interface converters unnecessary. An easily navigable menu permits the plant operator to give the signal from the wireless remote control receiver unrestricted access to the necessary inverter control commands. The configuration of the command execution on MaxWeb xp is protected by a password and is also possible on the Internet.

In the words of Michel Ryser, the assistant head of development at Sputnik Engineering in
Biel: "The grid operator specifies an effective output reference value which the connected plant must respond to within 60 seconds." First the energy suppliers send a wireless signal to a wireless receiver. The receiver then sends via relays digital signals which the MaxWeb xp data logger interprets and sends to all connected inverter. "Usually the grid operator signals four different output levels", Ryser says. In relation to the rated capacity of the solar plant that means 100 percent, 60 percent, 30 percent and 0 percent. While 100 percent means no change in output, when output is set to 0 percent, the plant shuts down. In response to the 30 or 60 percent command, of course, MaxRemote reduces plant output correspondingly.


No additional interface converter required

Unlike the inverters of many other makers, SolarMax inverters do not need an additional interface converter. This reduces the amount of work needed and cuts costs. The data logger MaxWeb xp signals the feed-output back to the grid operator via the SolarMax web portal or by e-mail. All the steps are stored and recorded so that the plant operator can trace the relevant events. MaxRemote also makes it possible to meet the grid operator's future requirements such as transmitting commands for the input of reactive power to the connected inverters.

2010-02-05   Courtesy: Sputnik Engineering AG   Solarserver.de   © Heindl Server GmbH
Picture Courtesy: Sputnik Engineering AG

 

Paul Gipe: 2010 French tariffs raise price for solar, geothermal and biomass

Industry expert Paul Gipe on January 30th, 2010 commented on France's introduction of new feed-in tariffs (FITs) for 2010. Compared to 2009, they include substantially higher fees for energy generation from geothermal, biomass, and building integrated solar photovoltaic (BIPV) sources. Gipe found out that media reports about the new solar photovoltaic (PV) tariffs have overshadowed the significantly higher tariffs for geothermal-electricity generation, and for biomass. "Sex sells, and solar PV remains 'sexier' than humdrum geothermal power plants and downright old school biomass plants," Gipe commented.   In an odd twist, English-language media had widely been reporting a "24 % cut" in French solar PV tariffs while French sources are warning that some of the tariffs have been raised too high, Gipe emphasizes.


French solar advocates warn that high FITs may cause a 'solar bubble'

Gipe explains that English-language media has focused on the tariff for "simplified building-integrated PV" which was decreased from 0.55 Euros per kilowatt hour (kWh) to 0.42 €/kWh, a 24 % reduction. According to Gipe, "simplified BIPV" in France was never the type of rooftop PV seen in Germany or anywhere else in the world. In a uniquely French approach, these PV arrays need to be integrated into the roof of the building and not just mounted on top. In contrast to English-language media's reporting, French solar advocates have warned the government that the tariffs for ground-mounted and BIPV systems are too high. They warn of a potential "solar bubble" like in neighboring Spain in 2008, and instead called for more "sustainable tariffs" and for a program aimed more at residential and commercial buildings than the current program.


Advocacy groups demand "sustainable" FITs

Gipe reports that the advocacy groups Hespul and CLER (Comité de Liaison Energies Renouvelables; Montreuil, France) have both charged that the current policy, while creating a risk of a speculative solar bubble, focuses too narrowly on a niche market for new buildings. They emphasize that the potential of solar in France atop existing buildings is vast. The two organizations argue that a "good" tariff is one that permits generators to earn a profit from their investments and enable increasing electricity generation in a "sustainable" manner. Hespul and CLER charge that France's tariffs for building integrated systems are not sustainable and that they will account for a large portion of the costs of the French feed-in tariff program in the years ahead. Hespul also warns that the building integrated tariffs are so attractive that they could lead to the construction of building shells that will house nothing but support a BIPV roof to take advantage of the high tariffs. Gipe points out that such policy abuses have been seen in southern Italy.

2010-02-05   Courtesy: Paul Gipe   Solarserver.de   © Heindl Server GmbH

 

Recurrent Energy signs agreement on 50 MW of solar photovoltaic power plants with Southern California Edison

Photo rendering of Recurrent Energy 22 MWDC solar power project in Kern County, CA
Photo rendering of Recurrent Energy
22 MWDC solar power project in Kern
County, CA

Recurrent Energy (San Francisco, California), an independent power producer and developer of solar photovoltaic (PV) plants, on February 3rd, 2010 announced it has signed agreements with Southern California Edison (SCE). The utility will buy 100 percent of the power from three of Recurrent Energy’s California solar projects, Recurrent reports in a press release. Recurrent Energy will build and operate the solar power systems, located in Kern County and San Bernardino County, which have a combined peak output of 50 megawatts of DC power (MWDC).   The projects are expected to be completed in early 2013. "These projects are a great example of the potential for distributed-scale solar to deliver significant quantities of power on relatively short timeframes", said Arno Harris, CEO of Recurrent Energy. "Distributed-scale solar has an important role to play in helping to meet near-term renewable energy goals. This is a clear validation of our approach to developing and marketing solar power in California."



Solar key part of SCE's renewable energy strategy

The three solar photovoltaic ground-mounted power systems, two in Kern County (6 MWDC and 22 MWDC) and one in San Bernardino County (22 MWDC), are sited on private land leased by Recurrent Energy and construction is expected to begin in 2012. "SCE sees solar as a key part of our renewable energy strategy", said Marc Ulrich, Southern California Edison vice president, Renewable and Alternative Power. "We were pleased to work with Recurrent Energy’s experienced energy development, finance, and construction team to bring these distributed-scale solar projects online quickly. Projects like this make big steps toward contributing to California’s clean, green energy future."

2010-02-04   Courtesy: Recurrent Energy   Solarserver.de   © Heindl Server GmbH
Picture Courtesy: business Wire

 

Solarfun announces introduction of 'ECLIPSE' PV panels with reduced LID

Solarfun Power Holdings Co., Ltd. (Shanghai, China), a vertically integrated manufacturer of silicon ingots and photovoltaic (PV) cells and modules in China, on February 3rd, 2010 announced the introduction of "ECLIPSE," a new line of PV cells and modules with reduced light induced degradation (LID). The largest percentage of degradation of PV modules occurs during the first day of sun exposure. "ECLIPSE" according to Solarfun reduces the impurity concentration in cells, therefore reducing the relative LID to about 1% from 2% to 3%, or less than 2W compared to about 4W to 5W for a 180W module equipped with standard cells.   This results in an increase in electricity generation of about 1% to 2% more power over a one-, five-, 10-, and 25- year period when compared with standard modules, the company emphasizes.



Adjusting chemical properties in both the ingot-making and cell-processing phases of manufacturing

"We have devoted considerable resources and management attention to develop and produce differentiated products. We are proud to introduce this innovation in our new 'ECLIPSE' line with reduced LID", Peter Xie, President of Solarfun, commented. "The advance is made possible by our vertically integrated manufacturing model and ability to control the quality of raw materials throughout the production process. By adjusting chemical properties in both the ingot-making and cell-processing phases of manufacturing, we have achieved a low concentration of impurity while still maintaining high yields. We remain committed to our strategy of continually enhancing our technology to produce differentiated and more efficient products for our customers."

2010-02-04   Courtesy: Solarfun Power Holding Co. Ltd.   Solarserver.de   © Heindl Server GmbH

 

Energy Conversion Devices and Enfinity to co-develop 10 MW of rooftop solar projects in Ontario

Solar PV laminates on a rooftop
Solar PV laminates on a rooftop

Energy Conversion Devices, Inc. (ECD; Rochester Hills, Michigan), a producer of building integrated and commercial rooftop photovoltaics (PV), and Enfinity Corporation (Sacramento, California and Ottawa, Canada) on January 28th, 2010 announced plans to collaborate on the development of a 10 megawatt (MW) portfolio of rooftop solar installations in Ontario, Canada. ECD and Enfinity plan to co-develop a series of solar projects under the province's new feed-in-tariff (FIT) program. The construction of these projects is scheduled to be completed during calendar year 2010.   ECD, through its wholly owned subsidiary, United Solar Ovonic, is to provide a combination of "UNI-SOLAR" PV laminates and its new "PowerTilt" product. PowerTilt is said to be particularly well-suited for the Ontario market given its easy installation on any roof type, its light weight and higher energy production.


Companies already partnered on 6 MW solar PV projects in Belgium and France

According to the press release, the rooftop installations will be on a number of different roofing materials. Enfinity is to lead the rooftop acquisition from its Ottawa office, and is to arrange construction debt and take-out equity financing for the solar PV projects. Upon commercial operation, the project's portfolio is to be sold to the permanent equity owners, ECD reports. Mark Morelli, ECD's President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO), said: "We are pleased to announce this expanding partnership with Enfinity with the collaboration on this Ontario portfolio. Since announcing the Framework Agreement with Enfinity last year, thus far we have partnered on nearly 6 MW of projects in Belgium and France that are being supplied by our roofing materials channel partners. This co-development approach in Ontario is a further example of our demand-creation strategy where we will partner on solar projects that have attractive rates of return for project investors."


Solar FITs in Ontario key reason for rooftop solar power development

According to Morelli, the Ontario Power Authority has demonstrated an impressive commitment to the promotion of renewable energy development, and ECD intends to be a major player in the province in the years to come. Rafael Dobrzynski, CEO of Enfinity, added: "The feed-in-tariff structure in Ontario rewards investors with higher incentives for distributed rooftop solar, and it is the objective of Enfinity to finance and develop projects that produce steady, predictable power for stable and secure investments." According to the press release, Enfinity is in the process of developing, building and financing solar PV projects with a total capacity of more than 4,000 MW and is planning to initiate several more through 2010.

2010-02-04   Courtesy: Energy Conversion Devices Inc.   Solarserver.de   © Heindl Server GmbH
Picture Courtesy: Enfinity Corporation

 

Suniva, GS Battery to develop energy-storing solar PV systems

Suniva solar cell
Suniva solar cell

Suniva, Inc. (Norcross, Georgia), a US-based manufacturer of high-efficiency mono crystalline silicon solar cells and solar photovoltaic (PV) modules, at the end of January 2010 announced an agreement with GS Battery Inc. (GSB; Rosewell, Georgia, USA), the American subsidiary of GS Yuasa Group of Japan (Kyoto), a world leader in battery and inverter technologies, to develop solar powered energy storage systems using Suniva's solar modules.   The collaboration between Suniva and GS Battery is to start with the first system using 30 kilowatt (kW) of Suniva's solar modules and GSB's battery technology at GS Battery's headquarters in Roswell. This solar array, which is designed and engineered by Atlanta-based solar integrator First Century Energy, is also to be the first grid connected energy-storing solar installation in Georgia, Suniva reports in a press release.


Battery storage systems qualified for 30 % federal investment tax credit

Suniva reports that as of January 1st, 2010, battery storage systems qualify under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) for the same 30 % federal investment tax credit (ITC) as solar systems. GS Battery plans to use Suniva's high-efficiency solar modules which consist of Suniva's "ARTisun" series mono crystalline solar cells, in its energy-storing solar systems. According to the press release, Suniva modules can achieve power output up to 300 watts, which is believed to be one of the highest performance levels in today's solar industry. "Solar system owners that are able to store their energy output are also able to take advantage of many new economic opportunities", said Yasuyuki Nakamura, President of GS Battery. "Our state of the art approach allows customers to achieve better returns on investment with a more flexible and profitable solar energy supply. We are excited about the value of utilizing Suniva's high-powered modules with our battery technology." John Baumstark, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Suniva, commented: "Beginning with a series of high-performing prototype systems, Suniva and GS Battery will work to design the most advanced and reliable solar and battery systems in today's industry."

2010-02-04   Courtesy: Suniva, Inc.   Solarserver.de   © Heindl Server GmbH
Picture Courtesy: Suniva, Inc.

 

Arizona: Bell Independent Power chooses UA Tech Park as site for new solar plant

CSP plant
CSP plant

Bell Independent Power Corporation (Rochester, New York), a developer of thermal storage technology for Concentrating Solar Power plants (CSP), in January 2010 announced that the company had chosen the University of Arizona (UA) 'Tech Park' as the site of a 5 megawatt (MW) CSP plant which is to be equipped with a thermal storage system.   According to the press release, the role of the facility is for the first time to commercially demonstrate the company's proprietary technology, and to show its ability to improve the efficiency of a facility by 50 %. Bell reports that it designed this system by applying its energy expertise from the nuclear power industry and 5 years of intensive research and development (R&D).


Facility to serve Tucson Electric Power customers

According to the press release, the projected cost of the facility is 32 million US-dollars, and it will use 45 acres of parabolic solar mirrors to capture the solar energy. Bell is to develop, finance, own and operate the plant. Ultimately, the plant is to provide power to Tucson Electric Power (TEP) customers. TEP has asked the Arizona Corporation Commission (ACC) to approve its plan to purchase the solar power over a 20-year period. The plant's construction, which is scheduled for completion in May 2011, is to employ 75 workers. Bell reports that 7 full time positions are to be established for the operation of the facility. The thermal storage system is said to be capable of storing the sun's heat for several hours, allowing the CSP plant to generate power at cloudy times or after the sun sets.


Successful demonstration of solar thermal storage technology to spur demand

Bell expects that a successful demonstration of thermal storage on this facility and its beneficial economic impact will lead to its use on large scale facilities. "We are excited about demonstrating how our thermal storage system, with scale up cost efficiencies, can make solar power more reliable, and cost competitive with fossil fuel energy", said Joseph Bell, Jr., President of Bell. The CSP plant and storage system is expected to produce enough energy to power more than 1,500 typical Tucson homes, while offsetting more than 16,000 tons of carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions.


CSP plant to anchor Tech Park's new "Solar Zone"

The CSP facility is to be an anchor tenant of the UA Tech Park's newly designated "Solar Zone", which is dedicated to the creation of a competitive environment for companies in the sector to roll out current and create next generation new energy products. "The UA Tech Park is a good site for this facility because of their ability to accelerate permitting and will allow us access to the University of Arizona's capabilities", said Bell. According to the press release, the Solar Zone is being designed and developed to create an environment that supports all aspects of solar development generation and distribution, research and development, manufacturing and production, workforce development and public awareness.

2010-02-04   Courtesy: Bell Independent Power Corporation   Solarserver.de   © Heindl Server GmbH
Picture Courtesy: Bell Independent Power Corporation

 

Taiwan-based a-Si thin-film PV module maker Sun Well lands NT billion order from China

Sun Well greenhouse roof installed PV modules
Sun Well greenhouse roof installed PV modules

Sun Well Solar Co., Ltd., a Taiwan-based producer of a-Si thin-film photovoltaic (PV) modules, on February 1st, 2010 announced it has obtained a NT billion (US5 million) order from the government of Nanjing City, eastern China, with shipments over two years to begin in the first half of 2010. Sun Well is a subsidiary of Taiwan-based optical disc maker CMC Magnetics. 


New solar factory to be located in Nanjing High Technology Industry Development Zone; total investment of US0 million scheduled

The city government has selected Sun Well as the only partner for developing PV systems installed on roofs of agricultural greenhouses for the China market, the company indicated in its press release. Mainly due to the partnership, Sun Well will set up a factory in the government-developed Nanjing New & High Technology Industry Development Zone located in the city with an estimated total investment of US0 million, the company pointed out.

2010-02-03   Courtesy: Sun Well Solar Co., Ltd.   Solarserver.de   © Heindl Server GmbH
Picture Courtesy: Sun Well Solar Co., Ltd.

 

Basler’s in-line metrology solutions secure quality of Sunfilm solar PV modules

Inspection of thin-film PV panels
Inspection of thin-film PV panels

The German PV producer Sunfilm has integrated three in-line Metrology solutions from Basler Vision Technologies (Ahrensburg, Germany) into their Applied Materials "SunFab" Thin-Film Line for photovoltaic (PV) modules. Sunfilm not only inspects incoming glass, but also incorporated two further test steps in order to provide best-in-class products. In addition to the glass inspection, Sunfilm is using Basler’s Sensic inspection equipment to ensure highest quality of the semiconductor coatings on thin-film modules (CVD) as well as to ensure premier quality of the final product after the lamination process is finished. This 100% quality inspection before and after relevant processing stages goes beyond the approach of other PV module manufacturers and secures Sunfilm a decisive competitive edge, Basler emphasizes in a press release. 



Basler metrology solutions adapted and optimized to the thin-film industry

All three Basler Sensic inspection systems are in-line-systems. They were installed and put into operation with minimal downtime, since Sunfilm’s SunFab line was operating in series production throughout the complete integration process. The data exchange between the SunFab’s Factory Automation system and Basler’s metrology system is realized via the standard industry protocol SECS/GEM, which allows an online and in-time data exchange. "Sunfilm is again demonstrating its technological edge and commitment to constant innovation and latest state-of-the-art process control with the implementation of this new generation of inspection tools, developed together with Basler", says Dr. Wilhelm Stein, Chief Engineer at Sunfilm.

Sunfilm is the first Applied Materials customer using tandem junction thin-film silicon cell structure. This technology allows a larger part of the solar spectrum to be harvested as compared to amorphous silicon thin-film solar modules, leading to higher module efficiencies.

Basler's Sensic Thin-Film Inspection Solutions for glass inspection, CVD coating inspection and final inspection

Glass inspection solutions from Basler are available for the inspection of incoming goods (TCO coated or uncoated) and monitor cleaning operations carried out in the course of production. The inspection solution is designed as a reliable means of detecting and classifying surface defects and impurities, with a special focus on secure detection of edge defects that could result in glass breakage and result in considerable downtime.

The CVD Coating Inspection is designed for quality control of semi-conductor coatings on thin-film modules, able to provide not only the number, but also the distribution of pinholes in the coating. Pinholes inside the photoactive layer impair the efficiency of solar cells by short-circuiting. Malfunctions or contamination during the coating process are detected as early as possible and thus provide the basis for further optimization during production. The same solution, but positioned downstream from laser structuring, allows you to run additional checks on quality of your cell structure.

Another inspection solution in Basler's Sensic Thin-Film Inspection family is the "Final Inspection", designed for the inspection after the lamination process. The solution encompasses tests on the peripheral and photoactive areas for bubbles, scratches and delamination, and is able to check the presence and position of busbars. Lamination bubbles on the edge of solar modules can result in the penetration of moisture, which can have a direct detrimental influence on the quality and service life of modules.

Basler's Sensic Thin-Film Inspection Solutions help manufacturers in the solar thin-film industry to improve operations in the various steps of their production process, reduce module breakage rates and, consequently, improve the quality of their thin-film modules and lower the cost of manufacture. Low initial cost provides a rapid return on investment.

2010-02-03   Courtesy: Basler AG   Solarserver.de   © Heindl Server GmbH
Picture Courtesy: Basler AG

 

German PV producer aleo solar AG expands market position in Mexico

aleo solar AG (Oldenburg, Prenzlau, Germany) on February 2nd, 2010 announced the signing of a supply contract with the Mexican PV installation company Grupo Desmex S.A. in January, further expanding its position in the Mexican photovoltaic market. The frame contract covers solar modules with a rated output of 5,000 KW, which are to be supplied by the end of the year, aleo reports in a press release. aleo solar AG manages all of its business in the highly-promising North American markets via its subsidiary aleo solar North America, Inc., a company formed in the summer of last year.   Executive Vice President Robert Schwarzinger, who prepared aleo solar's North American market entry and manages the future growth of its business in this market, commented: "Given that we already delivered two rooftop systems with a total output of 375 KW to the Desmex Group, expanding our partnership is a logical step. Our first project from this frame contract is rated at 1,000 KW, for which we will soon be supplying modules, inverters and a tracker mounting system."


High solar electricity yields in Mexico

The high yields of aleo plants currently installed in Mexico have clearly surpassed expectations, the company emphasizes. Last year, for instance, a 174 KW rooftop system in Aguascalientes produced 1,822 kilowatt-hours per kilowatt of rated output, aleo reports. The solar electricity is being used by the operator. "The plant's yields are about 20 percent higher than expected", said Desmex managing director John von Frantzius. "aleo modules enable us to offer our customers particularly profitable systems."
aleo solar AG has significantly expanded its presence in the North American photovoltaics market, coordinating business in the core markets of USA, Mexico and Canada from its sales headquarters in Westminster, Colorado.

2010-02-03   Courtesy: aleo solar AG   Solarserver.de   © Heindl Server GmbH

 

Gartner: California Solar Initiative data highlight fragmentation of US solar market

California CSI market by host sector
California CSI market by host sector

According to the US information technology research and advisory company Gartner, Inc (Stamford, Connecticut), the data from the California Solar Initiative (CSI) highlight the fragmented nature of the solar market in the United States. Researchers believe that it reflects a fundamental difference between the US market and most other national photovoltaic (PV) solar markets. Gartner points out that even within the CSI framework of incentives, the programs administered by different utilities achieved strikingly unequal results.   Even acknowledging the fact that varying regions and different sales forces will achieve unequal results, the data point to very different numbers of installed systems in 2009 in the Pacific Gas & Electric (PG&E) territory versus the Southern California Edison (SCE) and the San Diego areas (California Center for Sustainable Energy; CCSE).



Commercial, government and nonprofit solar markets immobilized by financial environment and lengthy of ARRA procedures

Gartner reports that the CSI market reached 169 megawatts (MW) of newly installed solar capacity in 2009. Looking at the data in terms of MW by host sectors, residential installations contributed the largest amount. Because the CSI program excludes utility-scale projects, Gartner cautions that this data needs to be carefully qualified. While analysts acknowledge that the residential market accounted for more than a third of the total market, this data also reflects the fact that the enterprise (commercial, government and nonprofit) market was effectively immobilized by two factors. These were the "frozen" state of the financial markets and the lengthy process of stimulus funding for renewable energy loans.


0.8 GW new solar capacity expected in the United States in 2010

Since most PV construction projects require significant financing, the lack of financing partners delayed most enterprise projects in the United States, Gartner reports. Furthermore, most enterprise projects required the tax grant from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) which took six months to resolve. Gartner believes that these circumstances effectively froze most such solar projects. The federal government took a long time to establish its procedures for releasing stimulus package funds for renewable energy loans. For most consumers, this was not an issue, because they were able to tap the Investment Tax Credit (ITC) to finance 30 % of their systems. According to Gartner, the picture for 2010 is a bit clearer because the financing is starting to recover and because federal programs have released their guidelines. Gartner expects the overall U.S. PV market to reach 0.8 gigawatts (GW) of new installations for 2010.

2010-02-02   Courtesy: Gartner Inc.; Al Velosa   Solarserver.de   © Heindl Server GmbH
Picture Courtesy: Gartner Inc.

 

Concentrating photovoltaics: OPEL Solar spotlights technology at CPV Today summit in San Diego

Javier Berrios, Speaker at CPV Today's 2nd annual
Javier Berrios, Speaker at CPV
Today's 2nd annual "Concentra-
ted Photovoltaic Summit USA"

Dr. Javier Berrios, Vice President of Engineering for OPEL Solar, Inc. (Shelton, Connecticut and Toronto, Ontario, Canada), a global developer and supplier of high concentration photovoltaic (HCPV) and other solar products, including ground-based and rooftop PV tracker systems, will be a featured speaker at CPV Today's 2nd annual "Concentrated Photovoltaic Summit USA" in San Diego, the company reports in a press release.   Dr. Berrios's presentation, entitled "CPV Systems: The Road to Successful Installations", focuses on OPEL Solar's achievement of going live to the electric grid with one of the first commercial HCPV installations in Spain. According to the press release, the installation is using OPEL Solar's HCPV panels and dual axis solar trackers.



Success with HCPV technology "hot" topic at industry conferences

OPEL Solar reports that Dr. Berrios's participation in the CPV Today summit is just one in a series of appearances and speaking engagements over the past several months by the company's executives, who are sought after as speakers because of their expertise and the success of the company's advanced solar products around the world. Frank Middleton, Chief Operating Officer (COO) of OPEL Solar, recently spoke to an audience at PV Power Plants 2009 held in Las Vegas (Nevada) on its technologies as a viable source of solar electric power generation for utility scale projects. Noting in his opening remarks that "Not all watts are created equal", Middleton, who participated in a panel of industry experts, addressed the topic "Solar Concentration and Tracker Systems". In the meantime, OPEL Solar reports that the company continued to host numerous customer visits to its commercial solar farm in Spain where customers, investors, and institutions can see the successful installation and electric production of OPEL's Mk-I HCPV panels mounted on dual axis solar trackers.

2010-02-02   Courtesy: OPEL Solar, Inc.   Solarserver.de   © Heindl Server GmbH
Picture Courtesy: OPEL Solar, Inc.

 

Kyocera to supply 3 MW of solar modules for Kyushu Electric Power Co. solar plant

Rendering of planned Omuta mega solar power plant (3MW)
Rendering of planned Omuta mega
solar power plant (3MW)

Kyocera Corporation (Kyoto, Japan) on January 26th, 2010 announced that it will supply 3 megawatts (MW) of solar modules for the large-scale "Omuta" solar power plant in the Fukuoka Prefecture (Japan). Omuta is reportedly being planned by Kyushu Electric Power Co., Inc. (Kyushu, Japan) and Nishinippon Plant Engineering and Construction Co., Ltd. (NPC; Fukuoka, Japan) is to be responsible for its construction.   Scheduled to go on-line in November 2010, the Omuta solar power plant is to be one of the largest megawatt-class sites on the southern island of Kyushu. According to the press release, construction is scheduled to start in April, and the installation is to cover approximately 20 acres (80,000 m²) upon completion. The solar power plant is expected to provide 3,200 megawatt hours (MWh) of electricity annually, thereby offsetting about 1,200 tons of CO2 emissions.



Company intends to take advantage of anticipated solar industry growth in Japan

Kyocera reports that it is holding the largest market share of public and industrial solar power installations in Japan, including a 240 kilowatt (kW) installation at the Central Japan International Airport and a total of 8.7 MW at over one hundred AEON Co., Ltd. shopping malls. With experience in diverse solar energy applications, Kyocera has amassed a wide range of skills in planning and installation simulation technology. Kyocera first began mass production of multi crystalline solar cells in 1982, and has developed a fully-integrated production process. Presently, power companies across Japan have planned to build roughly 30 large-scale solar power plants with a total of 140 MW of power output by 2020. Following this trend for public and industrial solar installations, Kyocera hopes to apply its experience and know-how in the solar industry to supply high-performance modules that can help to contribute to the prevention of global warming.

2010-02-02   Courtesy: Kyocera Corporation   Solarserver.de   © Heindl Server GmbH
Picture Courtesy: global.kyocera.com

 

Dye solar cells: Dyesol delivered for projects in every sector of group’s world during second quarter of FY2010

Dye solar cell by Dyesol Limited
Dye solar cell by Dyesol Limited

With Corus Dyesol Limited (Queanbeyan, Australia) produced the first Dye solar cell (DSC) product on the continuous production line at Shotton in North Wales for its testing and approval program, the company reports in a press release. In addition Dyesol delivered an equipment solution for the University of Technology Petronas (UTP) prototyping facility in Malaysia and established Dyesol Japan as its corporate vehicle for collaborative ventures in the world’s leading DSC country. Built on the history of successful collaboration with top Chinese DSC scientists through a sale for establishment of a prototyping facility in association with Tsinghua University, Dyesol’s first major sale in the most rapid growing solar market in the world increases business potential while keeping the company's IP strictly under wraps.  Spend on staff and R&D actually increased by over 25%

"In making these achievements, we reduced cash usage and increased cash in from ongoing operations by 50 % net, the biggest share coming from a more than 400 % increase in sales. Hence, total cash usage for the quarter reduced by 46 % to .648M or about 0K per month, well below projections. The breakdown of cash usage shows that spend on staff and R&D actually increased by over 25%, reflecting an increase in sales of services and products. The big savings occurred in spend on non-core activities", Dyesol reports. Dyesol is not consolidating, however, the company emphasizes. "We have some very exciting opportunities for growth throughout the world and especially in Europe during 2010. The executive team is evaluating a number of highly prospective new business opportunities and anticipate being able to make announcements during the third quarter as we conclude due diligence and commercial negotiations. In addition, our international R&D is expanding through awards of government funding for projects in Europe. Over time, we expect discrete operations in steel, glass, auto and electronics to emerge."
Dyesol finished the quarter with close to seven million dollars (.828K) at bank and quick assets totaling well over M (including current loans of .56M and inventories and receivables of .2m).


"Big business is awake and aware of opportunities"

"In summary, we are poised to take advantage of significant growth in the renewable energy sector since the world has exited the GFC and awareness has increased through the worldwide involvement in Copenhagen. Big business is awake and aware of the business opportunities. The market places Dyesol is addressing - particularly BIPV - should be the premium growth business opportunity as margins reduce for the traditional solar farm projects", Dyesol accentuates.

2010-02-02   Courtesy: Dyesol Limited   Solarserver.de   © Heindl Server GmbH
Picture Courtesy: Dyesol Limited

 

New York Governor Paterson announces historic solar energy project

New York Governor David A. Paterson announced 100 MW PV systems
New York Governor David A. Paterson
announced 100 MW PV systems

New York Governor David A. Paterson on January 27th, 2010 announced an unprecedented clean energy project that is expected to more than quintuple the amount of solar electricity currently produced in New York State. The project is also to foster the development of solar technologies, support public sustainability efforts and stimulate the economy with new clean energy jobs throughout the state. According to the press release, the New York Power Authority (NYPA) issued a request for proposals (RFP) seeking a public-private partnership for the installation of up to 100 megawatts (MW) of photovoltaic (PV) systems, including roof-mounted and ground-mounted solar arrays.   These facilities are to primarily be installed at schools, public universities and colleges, state and local government facilities, municipal electric utilities and rural electric cooperatives.



Solar power project to provide clean electricity for 15,000 homes

The initiative is expected to boost New York State's growing solar industry, create clean energy jobs and support efforts to reduce the carbon footprint of state and local public facilities. It is expected to generate enough electricity for about 15,000 average homes and to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by an estimated 45,000 tons annually. The project is said to be the largest solar initiative in state history. "A sustainable future for New York requires bold initiatives which will increase the deployment of clean energy", Governor Paterson said. "The New York Power Authority's advancement of this, the largest solar initiative in State history, aligns with the State Energy Plan's direction to increase in-State energy supplies. In doing so, this initiative will support growth in the clean energy industry and promote job creation, diversify our energy portfolio and support our energy independence."


Power Authority seeking hosts for PV power plants

In addition to providing clean power to host facilities, the initiative is to include the development of large scale "Community Solar" projects that are to connect to the distribution systems of municipal utilities and rural electric cooperatives. Community Solar projects are to utilize available space to generate power for electric distribution grids rather than a single host site. The Power Authority is soliciting proposals from developers to install, own and operate PV arrays, and to sell all the energy and environmental attributes to NYPA subject to 20-year power purchase agreements (PPAs). Installation of the solar PV projects is expected to begin in 2010 and to be completed by the end of 2014. Richard M. Kessel, President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of NYPA, said: "This initiative will advance the development of the solar industry and clean energy jobs throughout the State, and will help diversify our energy sources and incorporate green power educational opportunities for our schools." NYPA has reportedly installed or is undertaking projects to install nearly 50 PV systems throughout New York state with a combined capacity of 3 MW.

2010-02-01   Courtesy: state.ny.us   Solarserver.de   © Heindl Server GmbH
Picture Courtesy: state.ny.us

 

Concentrix Solar wins IEC certification for new CPV module "CX-75"; Confirms readiness for full, commercial deployment in utility-scale electricity production

FLATCON module CX-75
FLATCON module CX-75

Concentrix Solar (Freiburg im Breisgau, German), a leading supplier of Concentrator Photovoltaic (CPV) systems and a new division of the Soitec Group (Euronext Paris), the world’s supplier of engineered substrates, announced today that the company has received IEC certification 62108 for its "CX-75 FLATCON" module generation. The International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) is the world's leading electrical and electronic standards organization. IEC 62108 is the CPV industry’s standard, ensuring that modules and assemblies are suitable for long-term operation in a wide range of outdoor climates.   By producing the CX-75 module in the company’s industry-leading, fully-automated production line in Freiburg, Germany, Concentrix Solar is uniquely able to ensure consistent, highest-precision manufacturing in high volumes - a critical factor in ensuring high nominal AC system efficiency and long-term reliability, the company emphasizes in a press release.



CPV modules to withstand prolonged exposure in harsh climates

"The IEC 62108 certificate is an important milestone, confirming that our new CX-75 module is ready for full, commercial deployment in utility-scale electricity production", said Concentrix Solar CEO, Hansjörg Lerchenmüller. "It attests that our systems are capable of withstanding prolonged exposure in harsh climates and are designed to withstand severe environmental conditions such as rain, hail and high winds."




The assessment was performed by the Spanish accredited testing institute CENER (Centro Nacional de Energías Renovables) and certified by the Spanish Association for Standardization and Certification (AENOR). The certificate confirms that the Concentrix Solar CX-75 module successfully passed all the necessary IEC performance and accelerated aging tests and therefore received design qualification and type approval. Concentrix Solar’s previous module generation successfully had already passed the IEC tests in 2007.


Hail impact, mechanical load, insulation, wet insulation as well as outdoor exposure tested

The IEC 62108 standard specifies the requirements for the design qualification and type approval of CPV modules and assemblies suitable for long-term operation in demanding outdoor conditions. Since 2009, it has been the standard for the certification of CPV modules. According to the testing standards for conventional PV modules, the IEC 62108 norm simulates environmental conditions and influences for CPV modules to verify the performance reliability and aging resistance. This includes among other things testing of hail impact, mechanical load, insulation and wet insulation as well as outdoor exposure.


Average module efficiency: 27.2 percent


Concentrix Solar takes a unique approach in manufacturing its modules in a fully automated industrial production line. The high degree of automation ensures that all modules are of the same high quality and deliver the greatest efficiencies and reliable system operation over long time periods. With the CX-75, Concentrix Solar has increased the system efficiency (AC) of its concentrator systems, as confirmed at installations in San Diego, USA, and Puertollano, Spain. Precision and quality in module manufacturing lead to consistent high quality and an extremely high average module efficiency of 27.2 percent.

2010-02-01   Courtesy: Concentrix Solar GmbH   Solarserver.de   © Heindl Server GmbH
Picture Courtesy: Concentrix Solar GmbH

 

Global EcoPower and T-Solar to develop and build 120 MWp PV plants in France

Global EcoPower (Aix en Provence, France), a developer of solar power plants, on January 27th, 2010 announced that the company had sealed an agreement with Spanish T-Solar Group (Madrid), a leader in the Southern European photovoltaic (PV) power generation market, to jointly develop 120 megawatts peak (MWp) solar electric capacity in France over the next three years.   The promotion, construction and operation of these PV plants is to be organized by "T-SEP", a 50-50 joint venture of the two companies. It is to benefit from the established regulatory framework in France for solar installations. Global Ecopower reports that the French Government recently launched very attractive feed-in-tariffs (FITs) for ground as well as roof top solar PV installations, with an obligation to buy the produced electricity over 20 years.




Company is currently developing 36 solar power projects representing a potential installed capacity of 270 MWp

The two companies anticipate that they will benefit from the new strategic alliance, which is expected to expedite their respective plans for growth. By virtue of the agreement, the power plants promoted by this joint venture will be insured by the German Allianz company, through its subsidiary Allianz Climate Solutions. According to the press release, Global EcoPower has resolved to concentrate its activities on the development, construction and operation of solar projects in France. The company reports that it is currently developing 36 projects representing a potential installed capacity of 270 MWp, mainly in the South of France. The group's strategy is to keep 50 % of the plants for its own account and to sell the remaining 50 % to third parties. Global EcoPower Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Jean Marie Santander, believes that the agreement will expedite Global Ecopower's development in French territory. T-Solar pledged to share its know-how and its relations with banking institutions and suppliers. He also believes that Global EcoPower will benefit from T-Solar's experience in building and operating photovoltaic projects on a turnkey basis.


Company plans international expansion

Juan Laso, General Manager of T-Solar, pointed out that the company's entry onto the French market comprises part of its ambitious international expansion plan. Karim Tamir, Director of Business Development and Origination of Allianz Climate Solutions, said: "This partnership will help to further reinforce solar power capacity in the French market and thereby contribute to national climate targets, whereby Global EcoPower will grant access to a large number of high value projects and T-Solar will provide its strong experience and know how as one of world largest independent solar power producers."

2010-02-01   Courtesy: Global EcoPower   Solarserver.de   © Heindl Server GmbH

 

Governor Richardson announces GA Solar to build one of world’s largest solar photovoltaic plants in New Mexico

New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson.
New Mexico Governor
Bill Richardson.

Governor Bill Richardson on January 27th, 2010 announced that the Spanish renewable energy company GA-Solar will be building one of the largest photovoltaic (PV) plants in the world in Guadalupe County. GA-Solar and their parent company, Corporación Gestamp, plan to invest billion in New Mexico in the development of this project. "I believe this unprecedented investment shows that New Mexico has not only become the center of the North American solar industry, but is ready to take its place as a global player in the production of renewable energy", Governor Richardson said.  "Building a comprehensive clean energy economy is key to the economic stability and vitality of New Mexico’s future."




Solar array to reach upwards of 300MW of installed capacity

GA-Solar’s project will be located on 2,500 acres of land in Guadalupe County, which will be developed into a large solar array with the potential to reach upwards of 300MW of installed capacity once completed, Richardson announced. It is expected to generate enough energy to power the equivalent of 50,000 homes for one year. The project is estimated to take up to four years to construct, during which time the company will be employing 300 people in rural New Mexico. Upon completion, the company will maintain 75 full-time employees.

"Renewable energy and energy efficiency have steadily gained popularity in the United States and in New Mexico, in particular", says Jon Riberas, CEO of GA-Solar and Corporación Gestamp. "GA-Solar is a leader in photovoltaic solar generation, with the depth and breadth of experience needed to grow the solar energy sector." Riberas also states, "The U.S. renewable market is the largest in the world, and we are fortunate to be in a region that has the necessary abundance of sun, wind and biomass activity for the production of renewable energy as well as the development of all business units within Gestamp Renewables!”



A cornerstone in attracting solar investment to New Mexico

Additionally, the PV plant will become a cornerstone in attracting solar investment and construction to New Mexico. Corporación Gestamp, one of the largest steel companies in the world, plans to source the racking equipment from local manufacturing facilities. Other potential entities attracted may include photovoltaic producers, inverters and steel manufacturers. "This is one of the most exciting projects that we have ever welcomed to New Mexico", said Economic Development Department Cabinet Secretary Fred Mondragón. "We are honored that GA-Solar recognizes that the combination of unlimited sunshine and our hard working labor pool are the only incentives they need to build their 300MW solar array in Guadalupe County:"

This is the third green economy project announced this in January 2010 by Governor Richardson. On January 8th, the Governor welcomed Johnson Plate and Tower, wind tower manufacturers, to Santa Teresa. Last week he welcomed green building products manufacturer C/D² Enterprises to the Gallup area. Over the next few years, these three projects combined will create nearly 500 new green jobs.


2010-02-01   Courtesy: State of New Mexico; Governor Bill Richardson   Solarserver.de   © Heindl Server GmbH
Picture Courtesy: http://www.governor.state.nm.us

 

Scheuten Solar USA receives $ 3 million governmental funding for the realization of a 5 MW solar project

Free field photovoltaic (PV) power plant by Scheuten Solar in Belgium
Free field photovoltaic (PV) power
plant by Scheuten Solar in Belgium

In the last week of January 2010, the state of Pennsylvania granted $ 9.5 million of federal incentive funds to solar projects. The largest funding of $ 3 million will go to Scheuten Solar USA Inc. for a PV-power plant in the state of Pennsylvania where Scheuten Solar will convert a brown field into a 5 MW solar field. The project will be completed by the end of 2010.   "Receiving this grant is a milestone for our office in the USA and gives us the opportunity to take further steps in the American market", says Frans van den Heuvel, Chief Executive Officer. "This sizable, $ 9,5 million investment, will provide jobs for 149 people, stimulates another $ 46 million in private investments and, once completed, will generate enough electricity to power 1,200 homes annually", stated Mr. Edward G. Rendell, Governor of the state of Pennsylvania.

2010-02-01   Courtesy: Scheuten Solar   Solarserver.de   © Heindl Server GmbH
Picture Courtesy: Scheuten Solar

 

German solar integrator Umwelt-Sonne-Energie completes 1.9 MWp Solyndra panel PV plant in Belgium

Solyndra, Inc (Fremont, California), a manufacturer of cylindrical photovoltaic (PV) systems for commercial rooftops, on January 27th, 2010 announced that Umwelt-Sonne-Energie GmbH (USE Projects, Holzgerlingen, Germany), an authorized reseller, has completed the largest collective Solyndra project to date. The project consists of 1.9 MWp of generation capability installed on ten rooftop sites in Belgium owned by a large international food retailer. The power generated by the systems will be sold to local utilities under an agreement with the building owners.   "This is a great example of how Solyndra's PV systems can take advantage of underutilized commercial rooftop space to generate significant power. The project also offers a good model for how distributed power generation can work in an urban setting", said Chris Gronet, Solyndra CEO and founder. "USE Projects designed and delivered a PV system that we believe can enable the highest energy production per roof over the system lifetime while taking advantage of Solyndra's low overall installation costs."


1,928 kWp on ten sites in ten cities

Solyndra's cylindrical, thin film PV systems are designed to generate more electricity from typical low-slope commercial rooftops while providing significantly lower installation costs than conventional flat plate PV technologies. The Belgium project involved the installation of 1,928 kWp on ten sites in ten cities, and was completed in just two months. "Solyndra was the best solution for this challenging project given the number of sites, different roof orientations and desire for highest possible energy yield per roof", said Arnold Berens, USE Projects CEO. "Our trained technical staff found the systems easy to install, and we are pleased to be able to have completed this project which helps our rooftop host meet their corporate citizenship goals while also generating significant clean power."

USE is a solar integrator based in Holzgerlingen, Germany, near Stuttgart. USE designs, builds and services large-scale turnkey PV systems for their customers. The company has additional locations in Germany and various European countries such as the Czech Republic, Belgium, Austria and Croatia.

2010-02-01   Courtesy: Solyndra Inc.   Solarserver.de   © Heindl Server GmbH

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