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Solar electricity

Centrosolar establishes UK solar PV subsidiary Centrosolar, a German manufacturer of photovoltaic (PV) solar modules announces London branch.
02 September 2010 Conergy builds 32 MW solar PV in Greece The Conergy Group will build 20 solar photovoltaic (PV) power plants totalling 32 MW in Greece under a framework agreement with an undisclosed “major local investor.”
02 September 2010 SCHOTT Solar and Solland cooperate on solar modules SCHOTT Solar and Solland Solar are cooperating on back-contacted solar modules under an agreement on technology licensing, joint R&D and joint production.
01 September 2010 Phoenix Solar builds 2.2 MW solar PV park in Slovakia Phoenix Solar AG will build a 2.2 MWp solar photovoltaic (PV) park in Slovakia under an agreement with Green Energy Slovakia SRO.
01 September 2010 Masdar PV thin-film panels in solar building façade Masdar PV has supplied 80 thin-film solar photovoltaic (PV) modules on the office building of Jako Bau- und Verputz GmbH, Germany.
01 September 2010 Phaesun sets up solar shops in Mozambique Phaesun GmbH has started a project of rural electrification through off-grid solar systems in Pessene, Mozambique.
31 August 2010 Solar PV module leader knocked off top spot IMS Research shows that crystalline solar photovoltaic (PV) module supplier Suntech shipped more modules during Q2 ‘10 than any other company, beating previous market leader and solar thin-film rival First Solar.
31 August 2010 Sheffield solar farm opened University of Sheffield is now home to 70m² solar photovoltaic (PV) panels - expected to generate 8 MWh per annum.
31 August 2010 Vigorous testing for solar PV backsheets Madico, a supplier of solar photovoltaic (PV) backsheets announce that its Protekt backsheet products are the most thoroughly tested on the market.
27 August 2010 UK offers £7m for solar nanotechnology The UK Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) is launching a competition for £7 million for research into solar nanotechnology.
27 August 2010 Tokuyama builds Malaysian polycrystalline silicon factory Japan-based Tokuyama Corporation will build a polycrystalline silicon factory for use in photovoltaic (PV) solar cells.
27 August 2010 Innotech Solar launches off-grid solar module Designed for grid-independant solar installation, the Innotech Solar (ITS) 'off-grid' solar module allows different solar cell types to be used, including half and third cells.
27 August 2010 LDK Solar increases polysilicon production LDK Solar Co Ltd’s second polysilicon production facility with an output of 5000 mega tonnes has completed the commissioning process and commenced commercial production.
26 August 2010 British Gas introduces solar PV panel scheme The utility firm takes advantage of the UK Government’s recent feed-in-tariff (FITs) to encourage people to generate their own low-carbon energy including solar photovoltaic (PV) panels.
26 August 2010 Tanmiyat plans US$200m solar PV in Bahrain Tanmiyat Aloula Holdings is planning a US$200 million solar photovoltaic (PV) plant in Bahrain.
24 August 2010 Bosch opens solar cell production plant Bosch Solar Energy AG has started the production of crystalline solar cells at its new facility in Arnstadt, Germany.
20 August 2010 Q-Cells builds 5.3 MW solar power in Germany Q-Cells SE and thermovolt AG have installed a 5.3 MWp solar power station for investment company HEP Kapital near Spremberg, Brandenburg, Germany.
18 August 2010 Oerlikon Solar sales fall 74% in H1 2010 Oerlikon Solar has reported a fall of 74% in sales to CHF74 million in the first half (H1) of 2010.
17 August 2010 Sunways net income up 3400% in Q2 2010 Sunways AG has reported a consolidated net income of €3.5 million in the second quarter of 2010, up 3400% from the same period in 2009.
13 August 2010 Q-Cells returns to profit in Q2 2010 Q-Cells reports a net result of €34.7 million in the second quarter (Q2) 2010, compared to a loss of €322.8m in the same quarter last year.
12 August 2010 Small and medium solar thermal has great potential Small and medium sized solar thermal power stations have a larger application potential than often thought, according to the Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems (ISE).
11 August 2010 Phoenix Solar’s net income soars in Q2 2010 Phoenix Solar’s net income soared from €1.1 million in the second quarter (Q2) in 2009 to €15.9m in Q2 2010.
11 August 2010 Kyocera starts production at Japanese solar cell plant Kyocera Corporation is beginning full-scale production at its new Yasu solar cell manufacturing facility in Yasu City, Shiga Prefecture, Japan.
10 August 2010 Conergy completes two Italian solar plants Conergy Italy has completed two more solar parks in Apulia bringing the total to 6 solar power plants producing 6.6 MWh annually in total.
10 August 2010 Suntech discontinues solar thin-film Suntech Power is discontinuing the production of amorphous silicon thin-film solar panels.
09 August 2010 SunPower sells 28 MW Italian solar PV park SunPower Corp is selling the first two phases of the Montalto di Castro solar photovoltaic (PV) power park in Italy to Etrion Corporation for €48 million.
09 August 2010 Suntech deliver solar panels to Thai solar power plant Suntech Power Holdings Co Ltd will supply 34.5 MW of solar panels for the first phase of a solar power plant in Thailand and Southeast Asia.
06 August 2010 Conergy builds 1.48 MW solar PV plant in Czech Republic Conergy has begun construction of their second Czech solar park, a 1.48 MW solar photovoltaic (PV) power plant near Velký Týnec in the Czech Republic.
06 August 2010 Abengoa Solar and E.ON halfway on Spanish CSP plant Abengoa Solar and E.ON are halfway through construction of their first concentrated solar plant (CSP) in Écija, near Seville in Spain.
05 August 2010 Suntech solar PV panels to India Suntech Power Holdings Co Ltd will deliver its 280 W polycrystalline solar photovoltaic (PV) panels to Indian solar power producer Azure Power.
04 August 2010 Conergy turns loss to profit in Q2 2010 Conergy is reporting a net result of €7.9 million for the second quarter (Q2) 2010, compared to a loss of €31.1m in the same period in 2009.
04 August 2010 SunPower solar tracking system in Australia SunPower Corporation has completed a 505 kW solar power tracking system for Horizon Power in Western Australia.
04 August 2010 Centrosolar revenues double in Q2 2010 Centrosolar says its revenues more than doubled to €124 million in the second quarter (Q2) of 2010.
04 August 2010 Kyocera targets higher power with new module The new product will incorporate 60 solar cells (240 Wp) and is aimed at installations on open fields or industrial roof tops.
04 August 2010 PV: Optics based surface technology gets NREL boost Soloptics has publicised the results of tests conducted at the US National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) for its FUSION technology, designed to make PV panels more efficient.
03 August 2010 Conergy gets loan extension Solar manufacturer Conergy AG has reached an agreement with its financing banks to extend its loans to the end of 2011.
30 July 2010 Sharp expands UK solar cell production to 500 MW Sharp Corporation is doubling its annual production capacity for crystalline solar cell modules to 500 MW at Sharp Manufacturing Company of U.K. (SUKM).
30 July 2010 SolarWorld net profit up 6% in Q2 2010 SolarWorld AG has reported a 6% increase in profit after tax to €29.6 million for the second quarter (Q2) of 2010.
29 July 2010 Solar PV inverter market grew 17.4% in 2009 The solar photovoltaic (PV) market grew 17.4% to US$2.8 billion with shipments totalling 8.3 GW, according to IMS Research.
28 July 2010 Industry reaction to DECC announcements The renewable energy industry in the UK is positive overall, to the announcements from the Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC).
28 July 2010 Solar to eclipse geothermal in output Solar power will generate 126 TWh of renewable power around the world by 2020, more than the 108 TWh to be generated by geothermal facilities, according to the latest International Energy Outlook 2010 from the US Department of Energy.
28 July 2010 3TIER brings solar prospecting and assessment to India 3TIER says its complete suite of solar prospecting and assessment products is now available throughout India.
27 July 2010 Scatec Solar builds 7.2 MWp solar PV roofs Scatec Solar has signed a € 20 million agreement with the Solar Life Energy investment group to build a total of 7.2 MWp solar photovoltaic (PV) systems on 10 industrial warehouse roofs in the area of Milano, Italy.
27 July 2010 Oerlikon Solar provides further thin-film capacity to Tianwei Oerlikon Solar is to provide further solar thin-film capacity to Boading Tianwei Solar Films Ltd as the thin-film producer seeks to increase production of amorphous thin-film silicon solar modules from 46 MW to 76 MW using Micromorph technology.
23 July 2010 Conergy Greece builds 9 solar parks totalling 716.13 kW Conergy Greece has completed 9 solar parks on Crete, Greece, consisting of over 2500 Conergy PowerPlus Modules.
23 July 2010 SunPower and Solar Ventures build 11.1 MW solar in Italy SunPower Corp and Solar Ventures S.r.l. will design and build three solar power plants in the Piedmont region of Italy totalling 11.1 MW.
23 July 2010 Applied Materials cuts SunFab and 400-500 jobs Applied Materials is discontinuing sales of its SunFab lines for thin-film solar panel manufacturing to new customers in a restructuring of its Energy and Environmental Solutions segment.
22 July 2010 Phoenix constructs 3.5 MW solar PV plant in Italy Phoenix Solar is constructing a 3.5 MW solar photovoltaic (PV) plant in Borgo Piave, Lazio in Italy for Etrion Corporation in a €10 million deal.
19 July 2010 Renewable energy surpasses fossil fuels second year in a row Renewable energy topped fossil fuels and nuclear for the second year in a row in the USA and Europe in 2009, according to the Global Wind Energy Association (GWEC).
16 July 2010 Toyota solar boat Kyocera Corporation is supplying solar modules for Toyota Solar Panels, which are to be installed on recreational boats from Toyota Motor Corporation.
16 July 2010 Joint project gets €1.2m from the German Ministry for Education and Research (BMBF). Semiconductor manufacturer Semikron, PCS Power Converter Solutions and the Technical University of Dresden will investigate how to obtain greater yields from renewable energy sources.
15 July 2010 SolarWorld donates 100 kW of solar panels to Haiti SolarWorld has donated solar panels totalling 100 kW to support five health clinics for Partners in Health (PIH) in Haiti.
15 July 2010 Conergy builds five solar installations at Italian beach resorts Conergy will build five solar installations with a total power output of 3.6 MW for the Italian hotel group, BluSerena.
15 July 2010 Greenlight Planet wins Solar for All contest Greenlight Planet has won the ‘Solar for All Design Contest', which aims to find the best technical innovations to make solar photovoltaic (PV) technology affordable and accessible for the developing world.
13 July 2010 Updated: Italy revises renewable energy feed-in tariff The revisions to the Italian feed-in tariff are welcome, according to Italian clean energy products company Acta.
13 July 2010 ib vogt builds solar PV factory in India ib vogt will undertake the factory design, planning and construction management for an undisclosed Indian multinational company to build its first solar photovoltaic (PV) factory in Southern India.
13 July 2010 PlanetSolar to sail around the world in 2011 The PlanetSolar composite catamaran will aim to circumnavigate the globe using solar power alone.
12 July 2010 Sharp thin-film solar cells to Thailand Sharp Corporation will set up, supply thin-film solar cell modules and surrounding systems for a 73 MW solar power plant in Thailand.
12 July 2010 Solar PV inverter market to grow 70% The global solar photovoltaic (PV) market is predicted to grow 70% in 2010 in all countries except Benelux, according to IMS Research.
12 July 2010 UK microgeneration gets Government support The UK Government will help communities become heat and power self-sufficient through the use of renewable microgeneration, amongst other things, says Climate Change Minister Greg Barker.
12 July 2010 Solar thermal costs down 50% by 2050 Solar thermal electricity is about to reach marketability as there is a possibility of halving costs by 2025, according to a study.
10 July 2010 Israeli solar PV JV set up A solar photovoltaic (PV) joint venture (JV), GEM Solar, has been set up in Israel by the Italian turnkey supplier of large-scale solar plants, Enerqos Spa, Ginergia Ltd and Menorah Group
09 July 2010 Solar Impulse solar plane flies through the night The Solar Impulse HB-SIA is the first solar plane to have flown during the night.
09 July 2010 UK overturns ban on councils selling green power to the grid A ban on councils in the UK selling green electricity into the national grid is to be overturned, UK Climate Change Secretary Chris Huhne announces.
08 July 2010 Asia and Pacific countries should transition to solar Many countries are well-suited to solar power, and incentives and low-cost financing mechanisms should be offered to make the energy transition possible, says the head of the region’s largest funding agency.
07 July 2010 Q1 2010: 714 MW of PV installed in Germany The Federal Network Agency announcement shows a ten-fold increase in comparison to the previous year, reports EuPD Research.
07 July 2010 Suntech Power opens representative office in French region of Montbonnot (Isere) The new office will features a solar product training centre for distributors and installers.
07 July 2010 Share of renewables in new electricity generation capacity continues to rise The "Renewable Energy Snapshots" report, published today by the EU Joint Research Centre's Institute for Energy (IE), shows that renewable energy sources accounted for 62% (17GW) of the new electricity generation capacity installed in the EU27 in 2009.
07 July 2010 German Feed-in Tariff (FiT) to reduce in two phases? Following weeks of discussion between the German Parliament and the Federal States on the funding of Solar Photovoltaic (PV), the mediation committee seems to be heading towards an agreement.
06 July 2010 Hyundai Heavy Industries to double solar power production capacity Korea’s conglomerate said it plans to almost double its annual module and cell production capacity from the current levels of 320MW and 370MW to 600MW, respectively, by early 2011.
06 July 2010 Indian firm wins prize for solar lighting D Light Design of India was selected as the overall Gold Award winner in the 2010 Ashden Awards for Sustainable Energy.
05 July 2010 Renewables must generate 50% of global electricity: IEA Renewable energies must generate almost half of the world’s power by 2050, up from the current level of 18%, says the International Energy Agency (IEA).
02 July 2010 Q-Cells hands over Ahorn Solar Park to MCG Q-Cells SE is handing over two solar energy systems with a total capacity of 11 MWp near Berolzheim in Baden-Württemberg, Germany, to the Berlin-based MCG Management Capital Group.
28 June 2010 CSP hybrid plant opened in Morocco A 470 MW integrated solar combined cycle (ISCC) power plant has been opened in Morocco.
23 June 2010 Australia can have 100% renewable energy in a decade A combination of energy efficiency, fuel-switching and a combination of commercially-available renewable energy technologies could allow 100% of Australia’s energy needs to be met with renewable sources, according to a new report.
23 June 2010 SunPower builds 9.1 MW Spanish solar power plant SunPower Corp is building a 9.1 MW solar power park in Alange, Badajoz, Spain, for the NaturEner Group.
22 June 2010 APEC wants continued development of renewable energy Renewable energy technologies are declining in cost but continued efforts are required to further reduce this, according to energy ministers from the 21-country Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation.
22 June 2010 Sharp builds solar thin-film power plants in Germany Sharp Energy Solution Europe is building two energy providers-commissioned thin-film solar power plants in Germany.
21 June 2010 npower sees 80% increase in UK solar PV requests following feed-in tariff Following the introduction of the UK feed-in tariffs in April, UK utility npower has seen an 80% increase in enquiries for solar photovoltaic (PV) panels.
21 June 2010 Isofotón connects 1 MW solar PV plant in Italy Isofotón has connected a 1 MW solar photovoltaic (PV) plant in Renacati, Marche region, Italy.
21 June 2010 Siemens to deliver 15 MWp solar PV plant to Italy Siemens Energy will erect a 15 MWp solar photovoltaic (PV) plant for Green Energy in the Apulia region of Italy.
18 June 2010 Ownergy launches solar park developer service Ownergy is launching as solar park developer service for managing all aspects of solar park development from design to installation and system management in the UK.
18 June 2010 Parabolic trough solar collectors installed at Andasol 3 The installation 7296 parabolic trough solar collectors have now been installed at the 50 MW concentrating solar power (CSP) plant Andasol 3 in Spain.
17 June 2010 Siemens to build 6 solar PV plants in France Siemens will do turnkey construction of 6 solar photovoltaic (PV) power plants totalling 30 MWp in Les Mées in the province Alpes-de-Haute-Provence, France.
16 June 2010 Kyocera supplies solar modules to the Czech Republic Japanese Kyocera has supplied 8960 solar modules for a 1.2 MWp outdoor solar power plant in the Czech Republic.
16 June 2010 Guatemala develops hydropower and solar energy grid The Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) is supporting Guatemala’s 7-year plan for a national power grid, using hydropower and solar power to reach the country’s poorest regions.
15 June 2010 Emerging renewables to have more profile in next statistical review The ‘Statistical Review of World Energy’ does not include wind, solar or geothermal in its primary energy forecast, but these sources will be added next year because they are reaching “sufficient weight in a number of countries.”
14 June 2010 Intersolar: 23% increase in 2010 visitor numbers Intersolar Europe, the exhibition for solar energy, saw a 23% increase in visitor numbers to 72,000 visitors from around 150 countries this year in Munich, Germany on 9-11 June.
14 June 2010 Intersolar: Solar PV conversion and storage project in field testing Saft, Voltwerk and Tenesol, industrial partners in the EU-backed Sol-ion project have created an integrated energy conversion and storage kit, capable of production on an industrial scale, for decentralised on-grid, residential solar photovoltaic (PV) systems.
14 June 2010 Intersolar: JA Solar and ECN bring solar MWT into production JA Solar Holdings Co Ltd and Energy research Centre of the Netherlands (ECN) have cooperated on getting metal wrap through (MWT) solar cell and module technology into production.
14 June 2010 Intersolar: Solar modules incorporating SolarMagic National Semiconductor Corp and Green Energy Solar (GESOLAR) have developed GESOLAR brand solar modules with embedded SolarMagic™ power optimisation technology from National.
14 June 2010 Intersolar: Tougher times for solar thin-film EuPD Research’s white paper International PV Thin Film Market Dynamics – From Introduction to Growth Stage, finds that the international solar thin-film market share increased from 8% in 2008 to 20% in 2009.
11 June 2010 Intersolar: The 2010 Intersolar AWARD goes to... This year’s Intersolar AWARD for innovation and improvements in solar power went to ABB Schweiz AG, Gehrlicher Solar AG, SMA Solar Technology AG, FSAVE Solartechnik GmbH, InvenSor GmbH, a research collaboration, Festo AG & Co. KG, GEMO-TEC Ltd, and Gebr. Schmid GmbH + Co.
11 June 2010 Intersolar: Sputnik unveils two central solar inverters Swiss Sputnik Engineering launched two solar central inverters with greater outputs as part of its SolarMax TS series at Intersolar in Munich, Germany this week.
11 June 2010 Michael Gratzel awarded 2010 millennium technology prize The 2010 Millennium Prize Laureate Michael Grätzel is the father of third generation dye-sensitized solar cells. Grätzel cells, which promise electricity-generating windows and low-cost solar panels, have just made their debut in consumer products.
10 June 2010 Middle East to build first major solar power plant Contracts have been let for a 100 MW solar power facility that will be built near the capital of the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
09 June 2010 US remains most attractive country for renewables The United States remains the most attractive country in the world for renewable energy, although it now ties the top spot with China.
08 June 2010 Solar powered boat sets sail in Shanghai Suntech Power Holdings Co has launched the Suntech-Guosheng solar sailor passenger vessel on the Huangpu River in Shanghai, China.
08 June 2010 European solar thermal market contracted 10% in 2009 The European solar thermal market decreased by 10% in 2009, according to the report ‘Solar Thermal Markets in Europe – Trends and Market Statistics 2009’ from the European Solar Thermal Industry Federation (ESTIF).
04 June 2010 SCHOTT Solar CSP supplies Fresnel direct steam receivers SCHOTT Solar’s concentrating solar power (CSP) direct steam receivers will be used in Novatec Biosol’s Supernova collector system.
03 June 2010 Scheuten Solar wins Frost & Sullivan award Analyst Frost & Sullivan has presented Scheuten Solar with the ‘2009 Global Frost & Sullivan Industry Innovation and Advancement of the Year Award’ for its “ability to focus on a rapidly developing market, understand the needs of the customers and provide solutions that blend innovative developments, years of experience, and above-average quality and service.”
03 June 2010 India´s New Solar Mission could accelerate CSP India’s ‘New Solar Mission’ could open doors for fast development of concentrated solar power (CSP) worldwide, according to CSP Today.
03 June 2010 JV builds 2.5 GW solar power in China SanSca, a joint venture (JV) between Scatec Solar and Sahne group will build 2.5 GW of solar power in China.
01 June 2010 Conergy builds 1.1 MW Czech solar power plant Conergy Group is building a 1.1 MW solar power park near Louny in the Czech Republic set to be completed in July.
01 June 2010 Conergy builds 5 MW solar power station in Greece Conergy AG’s Greek branch is building a 5 MW solar power station in Greece despite the current economic crisis in the country.
31 May 2010 Utility-scale solar thin-film farm in China The China Energy Conservation and Environmental Protection Group (CECEP) will build a 5 MW utility-scale solar thin-film power plant in Inner Mongolia.
28 May 2010 Global renewable electricity to grow 3.2% per year The world will install 107 GW of green power by 2035, up from 44 GW in 2007.
27 May 2010 Alstom invests in solar thermal company BrightSource Energy Alstom is investing up to US$55 million in solar thermal company BrightSource Energy Inc to enter the solar thermal energy market.
24 May 2010 Azure Power and SunEdison develop solar PV in Gujarat Azure Power and SunEdison will develop and construct a 15 MW solar photovoltaic (PV) power plant in Gujarat, India.
23 May 2010 Solar PV could overshoot Mediterranean Solar Plan 20 GW target That is the conclusion following a two-day conference on the Mediterranean Solar Plan (MSP) where representatives from 43 Mediterranean countries discussed the potential for solar photovoltaic (PV) electricity in the region.
21 May 2010 Phaesun solar power plants in Liberia German Phaesun GmbH have installed off-grid solar power plants for police barracks in Liberia in West Africa and trained Liberian electricians on site.
21 May 2010 Fraunhofer gives its annual prize to 41.1% metamorphic triple junction PV cell developers Dr. Andreas Bett and Dr. Frank Dimroth have been awarded the the 2010 Joseph von Fraunhofer Prize for their work developing multi-junction solar cells and concentrator modules.
19 May 2010 Cornwall, UK company offers new Feed-in Tariff investment Plug Into The Sun, a solar PV installation company has launched a scheme for investors to benefit from the UK's new Feed-in Tariff (FIT).
18 May 2010 Siemens increases Archimede Solar Energy stake Siemens Energy is increasing its stake in the concentrating solar power (CSP) specialist Archimede Solar Energy Srl from 28% to 45%.
18 May 2010 Solar energy powers World Cup viewing in Ghana Solar energy will enable public football World Cup viewing in Oboadaka, Ghana, through the World Future council and Energiebau Sunergy Ghana Ltd.
17 May 2010 Solar to generate 20%-25% of global electricity by 2050 The International Energy Agency (IEA) has released roadmaps for solar PV and concentrating solar power (CSP), predicting that the two solar technologies could generate 9000 TWh of green power in 2050.
12 May 2010 Solar research partnership in Australia Suntech Power Holdings Co Ltd, the University of New South Wales (UNSW) and Silex Solar will research advanced technology to further improve the power conversion efficiencies of crystalline silicon solar cells.
12 May 2010 Australia launches largest roll-out of renewable energy The Australian Government will commit A$653 million over four years to establish a Renewable Energy Future Fund.
11 May 2010 Conergy sells two solar parks in Apulia, Italy Conergy has sold two Italian solar parks with a power output of 1 MW each to Plain Energy GmbH.
10 May 2010 SunPower solar PV power plant in Italy SunPower Corp is building a 1.3 MW solar photovoltaic (PV) power plant in the Lazio region of Italy for Solar Green Energy-SGE, a joint venture between EDF-EN Italia, a subsidiary of EDF Energies Nouvelles, and Emmecidue, an Italian project developer.
10 May 2010 First Solar tops PV module suppliers list in 2009 Solar thin-film manufacturer, First Solar, topped the rankings list for solar photovoltaic (PV) module suppliers in 2009, according to IMS Research.
10 May 2010 Phoenix Solar builds 7.8 MWp of solar parks in Germany Phoenix Solar AG will build two solar parks for SWT Stadtwerke Trier (city utility of Trier) in Germany totalling 7.8 MWp.
07 May 2010 Meier Solar Solutions and Fraunhofer CSP cooperate on solar PV The Fraunhofer Centre for Silicon Photovoltaics CSP and Meier Solar Solutions GmbH, a producer of laminators for encapsulating solar modules, will cooperate on solar photovoltaics (PV).
06 May 2010 Centrosolar goes from loss to profit in Q1 Centrosolar recorded net earnings of €4.4 million in the first quarter of 2010, compared to a loss of €6.3m in Q1 2009.
05 May 2010 SunEdison plans 12 MW solar PV in Italy SunEdison plans to complete 12, 1 MW solar photovoltaic (PV) power plants in the province of Lecce, Apulia in Italy.
05 May 2010 ZSW thin-film solar cell reaches 20.1% efficiency Thin-film solar cells have reached an efficiency of 20.1% at the Zentrum für Sonnenenergie- und Wasserstoff-Forschung (Centre for Solar Energy and Hydrogen Research, ZSW) in Germany.
04 May 2010 Bank launches initiative to generate 3 GW of solar in Asia The Asian Development Bank (ADB) says its Asian solar energy initiative will generate 3 GW of solar power over the next three years.
04 May 2010 FRV and BP Solar build 37 MW of solar PV in Italy Fotowatio Renewable Ventures (FRV) and BP Solar will construct solar photovoltaic (PV) projects totalling 37.1 MW in Italy.
30 April 2010 DuPont solar sales to grow 50% this year DuPont expects its sales of solar photovoltaics (PV) to grow 50% this year due to increased market demand in Europe, North America and parts of Asia.
28 April 2010 Kyocera supplies solar PV modules to Czech Republic Kyocera is supplying solar photovoltaic (PV) modules for the 4 MWp Czech SINUS solar PV plant.
27 April 2010 Sovello sale completed Q-Cells, Evergreen and REC have completed the sale of their joint venture solar wafer manufacturer Sovello AG to Ventizz Capital Fund IV, L.P.
26 April 2010 Trina Solar utility-scale solar module Trina Solar Ltd is launching its utility-scale solar module TSM-PC14 with an expected power output of 265-290 W.
26 April 2010 REC Peak Energy solar module ups efficiency REC has increased the efficiency of its Peak Energy solar module with an average of 9 W per solar module.
26 April 2010 CENTROSOLAR increases solar PV module production Centrosolar Sonnenstromfabrik GmbH, a subsidiary of CENTROSOLAR Group AG, has increased its production capacity of solar photovoltaic (PV) modules in Germany by 44% to 155 MWp.
22 April 2010 West Coast Energy enters renewable micro-generation market Wind energy developer West Coast Energy Ltd and micro-generation energy company Ensign Energy Ltd have formed a joint venture (JV) for renewable micro-generation projects in the UK.
22 April 2010 Sydney Town Hall with solar rooftop installation Suntech Power Holdings Co Ltd has supplied 240 solar panels for a 48 kW rooftop installation on Town Hall in Sydney, Australia.
21 April 2010 SCHOTT presents new solar modules and receivers SCHOTT Solar AG is launching its new series of monocrystalline solar modules and new receiver concepts for solar power plants that increase efficiency.
19 April 2010 Trina Solar solar PV modules to Thailand Trina Solar Ltd will supply solar photovoltaic (PV) modules to system integrator Grenzone Pte Ltd for projects in Singapore, Malaysia and Thailand.
16 April 2010 10 MW concentrated solar thermal power in Hawaii Albiasa Corporation has received a Letter of Intent (LoI) from Pacific Light and Power (PLP) to supply solar collection and thermal energy storage technology and equipment for its 10 MW PLP Kauai 1 project in Hawaii.
13 April 2010 Solar lamps and energy storage for LEGOLAND Germany Phaesun supplies solar lamps and energy storage for a world record attempt in LEGONLAND, Germany.
13 April 2010 Commonwealth Games to be solar powered The first major solar facility in India will be used to power a stadium to be used in this year’s Commonwealth Games.
13 April 2010 Suntech solar panels used on casino Suntech Power Holdings Co Ltd has completed a 1 MW solar panel installation at Harrah's Rincon Casino in Southern California.
12 April 2010 Solar plane makes maiden flight A solar powered airplane has taken its first major test flight from an airfield in western Switzerland.
12 April 2010 Ontario signs 184 more contracts in renewable energy Ontario in Canada will generate C$9 billion in private sector investment and create 20,000 jobs from new contracts for renewable energy projects.
09 April 2010 Los Angeles should adopt solar feed-in tariffs The Los Angeles Business Council has released a study on the cost-effectiveness of generating electricity through a solar feed-in tariff (FiT).
09 April 2010 EPIA: Market installed 7.2 GW of PV in 2009 The global solar photovoltaic electricity (PV) market counted an additional increase in installed capacity of about 7.2 GW in 2009, reaching a total capacity of over 22 GW world-wide, according to the latest figures from the European Photovoltaic Industry Association (EPIA)
08 April 2010 SunPower to build 16.5 MW of PV plants in Italy Located on a combined total of 63 hectares, SunPower and Sol.In.Build Srl - a majority owned subsidiary of Veronagest SpA - plan 7 solar PV plants, ranging in size from one to 3.5 MW.
08 April 2010 Stirling Energy Systems and Boeing cooperate on solar Stirling Energy Systems (SES) and the Boeing Company are cooperating to complete the commercialisation and deployment of Boeing’s high concentration photovoltaic (HCPV) solar power technology.
06 April 2010 US health group to install solar energy A health care provider in California will install solar energy systems at 15 of its facilities in the state by next summer.
01 April 2010 Europe could have 100% renewable energy by 2050: study Europe and North Africa could obtain all of their electricity from renewable energy by 2050, if the concept is supported by a single European power market united with a similar market in North Africa.
30 March 2010 US agency funded to stimulate solar energy research The National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) has received US$2.7 million to help the state of California stimulate research into solar energy.
30 March 2010 California group opposes major solar energy proposal An independent consumer advocacy division within the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) says it opposes a US$1.5 billion solar photovoltaic proposal currently under consideration by CPUC.
30 March 2010 Designate renewable energy zones across US, suggests think-tank A US think tank says creating ‘competitive renewable energy zones’ would be a solution to raise the private investment that is needed to update transmission infrastructure, increase capacity for renewable energy and move toward the ‘smart grid.’
30 March 2010 Solar developer completes solar-wind installation for US university Constellation Energy has installed a 1.2 MW solar and wind power system at the University of Toledo's Scott Park Campus of Energy and Innovation in Ohio.
29 March 2010 US utility wants 15 MW of solar energy Detroit Edison is looking for corporate and academic institutions which have large rooftops or ground area that can host solar energy installations.
29 March 2010 Chinese policies could make things challenging for foreign renewable energy, says report China has moved steadily to prevent foreign participation in its renewable energy market, which will have a negative impact on the renewable energy industry in the United States and other countries.
26 March 2010 Regulator funds US279m for renewable energy projects The New York State Public Service Commission has approved US$279 million over five years for renewable energy projects, part of the state’s Renewable Portfolio Standard (RPS).
26 March 2010 Funding to support 1 MWh storage The New York State Energy Research & Development Authority (NYSERDA) will provide US$2.4 million to link a battery and ultracapacitor technologies with wind and solar energy systems.
26 March 2010 Wind and solar power cost sensitive to load factors The cost to generate onshore wind can be as low as US$48/MWh and as high as US$188/MWh for offshore wind, according to a detailed analysis by the International Energy Agency (IEA).
26 March 2010 NREL and 3M cooperate on renewable energy research The National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) and 3M have signed agreements on renewable energy research.
25 March 2010 SunPower builds 1 MW solar power system in California SunPower will design and construct a 1 MW solar power system at the Yolo County Justice Center in Woodland, California, USA.
25 March 2010 Joint programme for renewable energy in California A new programme will streamline and accelerate the permitting and siting process for large-scale renewable energy projects in California, USA.
24 March 2010 US funds aluminium-based CSP system Alcoa will use aluminium instead of glass mirrors to generate power by concentrating solar power (CSP).
19 March 2010 Solar energy could provide 10% of US energy Solar power could meet 10% of energy needs in the United States by 2030, and reduce the US$350 billion to import oil every year.
19 March 2010 Americans approve of solar energy on public lands Solar energy is viewed most favourably by Americans as the energy technology that should be installed on government land that is not set aside for national parks and nature preserves.
19 March 2010 LA carbon surcharge to boost renewable energy The mayor of Los Angeles has announced a carbon reduction surcharge, where the proceeds will support a renewable energy trust fund.
17 March 2010 Suntech delivers 4.7 MW of solar panels to Taiwan Suntech Power Holdings Co Ltd will supply 4.7 MW of solar panels for what could be the biggest solar power plant in Taiwan.
17 March 2010 Revenue for solar, wind and biofuels reached US$139bn in 2009 Growth in the three renewable energy sectors last year was 11.4% over 2008, and their US$139 billion in aggregate revenue will reach US$326bn by 2019.
17 March 2010 Phaesun builds solar systems in Africa German Phaesun and Ikratos Africa, based in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso, are constructing 10 solar power plants in the Koudougou region, to be finished at the end of March 2010.
16 March 2010 First Solar sells 30 MW solar PV project First Solar Inc has sold a 30 MW AC photovoltaic (PV) solar power project to Southern Company and Turner Renewable Energy for an undisclosed sum.
15 March 2010 Trina Solar increases solar module shipments to Enerqos Trina Solar Ltd has increased its yearly shipments of solar photovoltaic (PV) modules to Italian solar PV system and plant construction company Enerqos SPA.
12 March 2010 SunPower delivers 200 MW solar panels to SCE SunPower Corp will deliver 200 MW of solar panels for Southern California Edison’s (SCE) utility-scale solar photovoltaic (PV) installation programme.
12 March 2010 EU on track to meet target from renewable energy The European Union will surpass its target to consume 20% of its energy from renewable energy sources by 2020, according to national forecasts submitted by its member states.
12 March 2010 Statkraft and Siemens open solar PV plant in Italy The 3.3 MW Casale solar photovoltaic (PV) power plant in Italy has been opened by Siemens Energy and Norwegian utility Statkraft.
11 March 2010 Q-Cells CEO leaves on solar PV market crisis Q-Cells SE’s CEO Anton Milner has resigned from the company’s Management Board with immediate effect stating the crisis in the global solar photovoltaic (PV) market as a main factor.
11 March 2010 Trina Solar supplies 25 MW solar PV to US wholesaler Trina Solar Ltd will supply around 25 MW of solar photovoltaic (PV) modules to Essco Wholesale Electric Inc, in the USA.
11 March 2010 Canadian feed-in tariff approves solar projects The feed-in tariff in the province of Ontario has approved the first trache of larger solar energy projects.
11 March 2010 Renewable energy in Australia is “largely undeveloped” The Government of Australia has released its first national Energy Resource Assessment, concluding that wind energy and other renewable energy sources are expected to become increasingly significant.
10 March 2010 SunPower and K6 build 2 MW solar PV in Italy SunPower Corp and K6 S.a.S. will build two 1 MW solar photovoltaic (PV) power plants in the Puglia region, Italy.
09 March 2010 First Solar supplies 300 MW solar thin-film PV to PG&E First Solar Inc will supply electricity from a 300 MW utility-scale solar thin-film photovoltaic (PV) facility in Southern California to Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E).
09 March 2010 Renewable energy can meet 100% of demand: US study A study in North Carolina suggests that solar and wind energy could supply 94% of the electricity needs in the state.
09 March 2010 Germany reduces solar subsidy The German Cabinet has approved a reduction in the feed-in tariffs for solar energy.
09 March 2010 Q-Cells - largest solar PV system integrator In 2009 Q-Cells International was the largest solar photovoltaic (PV) system integrator in 2009, according to a study by IMS Research.
08 March 2010 Trina Solar EU HQ in Switzerland Trina Solar Ltd has established a European regional headquarters in Zurich, Switzerland, which commenced initial operations as of January 2010.
04 March 2010 Enerqos Group constructs solar PV roofs The Enerqos Group has begun the construction of two solar photovoltaic (PV) roofs (200 kWp and 400 kWp respectively), to cover the shopping centres of Nova Coop, one of the largest distribution chains in Piedmont, Italy.
03 March 2010 23,450 jobs if Colorado state supports solar The state of Colorado, USA, could create thousands of jobs if it approves legislation to require large utilities to increase their use of renewable energy.
03 March 2010 Kyocera increases solar PV production to 1 GW Kyocera is increasing its annual solar photovoltaic (PV) cell production targets to 1 GW by March 2013.
02 March 2010 NPD Group acquires solar energy market researcher Solarbuzz The NPD Group has acquired Solarbuzz LLC, an international solar energy market research and consulting company.
02 March 2010 Solar JV between SolarWorld and Qatar Foundation SolarWorld AG has a 29% stake in the newly founded solar joint venture Qatar Solar Technologies (QST) headquartered in the Emirate of Qatar.
02 March 2010 SunPower delivers 32 MW of solar panels to Toshiba SunPower Corp will deliver 32 MW of solar panels to Toshiba Corporation in 2010.
01 March 2010 Financing for renewable energy to save US$22m/a The state of Massachusetts has launched a new financing plan that will support renewable energy and energy efficiency projects at state buildings, saving millions of dollars in energy costs each year while creating jobs and supporting the administration's clean energy goals.
01 March 2010 Scotland should support off-grid renewable energy Targets for climate change are ambitious but are achievable if the Scottish Government considers support for green heat and other non-traded energy.
01 March 2010 Mitsubishi Electric expands solar power activities Mitsubishi Electric Corporation has completed construction of PV Cell Plant #2, a solar photovoltaic (PV) cell production facility at its Nakatsugawa Works Iida Factory in Nagano Prefecture, Japan.
01 March 2010 Renewable energy developer juwi expands The juwi group of Germany is expanding in Germany and the USA – “one of the world’s largest growth markets for renewable energies.”
01 March 2010 Heliocentris wins further photovoltaic-fuel cell system order in the Gulf German-based Heliocentris Fuel Cells is to supply an autonomous fuel cell power supply solution to the Public Authority for Applied Education and Training (PAEET), a leading training center in Kuwait.
01 March 2010 Sputnik launches central solar inverter series Sputnik is launching three SolarMax TS solar inverters with rated capacities of 50, 80 and 100 kW and work in the MPP range of 430-800 V.
01 March 2010 Solar PV testing and certification in Singapore A testing and certification centre for solar photovoltaic (PV) modules has been opened in Singapore by Fraunhofer ISE, VDE and the Solar Energy Research Institute of Singapore (SERIS).
26 February 2010 3TIER releases global solar dataset A US-based provider of renewable energy assessment and power forecasting tools has completed a tool to identify and map the world’s wind and solar resources using a globally-consistent methodology.
25 February 2010 Screening tool for renewable energy A US report evaluates numerous factors to determine how western states can source 33% of their electricity from new renewable energy resources.
25 February 2010 Suntech solar panels at 2010 Vancouver Olympics Suntech Power Holdings Co Ltd has provided solar panels to power a net-zero home at the Vancouver 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games.
25 February 2010 IBC SOLAR rooftop solar PV at Prague Zoo IBC SOLAR of Germany will equip Prague Zoo with a solar photovoltaic (PV) system as part of the German Energy Agency’s (dena) Solar Roofs Programme for Foreign Market Development.
25 February 2010 Concentrix Solar installs CPV at US Chevron Concentrix Solar will install a 1 MW solar concentrator photovoltaic (CPV) power plant at a Chevron Mining facility in Questa, New Mexico, USA.
25 February 2010 Pennsylvania invests US$5m in solar The state of Pennsylvania will strengthen its position as a leader in solar energy.
25 February 2010 Trina Solar shipments near doubled Trina Solar has released its 2009 year results, revealing that the company has almost doubled its solar module shipments to 399 MW.
24 February 2010 Master certificate in renewable energy Boots on the Roof, a US provider of renewable energy training and education, is now offering a Master Certificate in Renewable Energy programme.
24 February 2010 Solar thermal collectors receive SRCC certification Solar’s Smart’s solar thermal collectors have received formal Solar Rating and Certification Corporation (SRCC) industry certifications.
24 February 2010 USA develops renewable energy on contaminated sites Two US agencies are evaluating the feasibility of developing renewable energy production on Superfund, brownfields, and former landfill or mining sites.
24 February 2010 Green jobs if Canada renews incentives for renewable power A coalition of environmental groups says Canada could create at least 8000 jobs by if the Federal Government renews incentives for renewable energy.
24 February 2010 Q-Cells slumps into €1.36bn loss in 2009 Q-Cells fell into a net loss of €1356 million in 2009 compared to a net profit of €191m in 2008 as sales fell 36%.
23 February 2010 Australia: 100% renewable energy by 2020 Renewable energy could produce 100% of the electricity needed in Australia within 10 years, using technologies that are available now.
23 February 2010 US lends US$1.4bn for CSP The US Department of Energy (DoE) will support construction of three utility-scale concentrated solar power plants.
23 February 2010 Programme designing solar PV rooftops Valentin Software of Germany has released version 4.0 of its PV*SOL programme for designing and simulating solar photovoltaic (PV) rooftop systems.
23 February 2010 US utilities see future for solar and wind Wind energy projects are underway or planned by 79% of utilities in the USA within the next five years, while solar energy is planned by 73% within that time horizon.
23 February 2010 eSolar and Ferrostaal partner on solar thermal eSolar and Ferrostaal AG are partnering on the deployment of turnkey solar thermal power plants in countries including Spain, the United Arab Emirates and South Africa.
22 February 2010 California raises cap on solar and wind The State Assembly in California has approved legislation to increase the limit on the state’s net metering programme for solar and wind energy.
22 February 2010 2025 solar and wind energy costs charted The capital cost to install a 20 MW solar photovoltaic (PV) facility by 2015 will be US$7981/kW, according to a report from the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI).
22 February 2010 First Solar’s profit soars 84% in 2009 First Solar recorded a profit of US$640 million for the full year 2009, up 84% from 2008.
19 February 2010 T-Solar and Solarpack deliver 173 GWh solar PV to Peru T-Solar and Solarpack will deliver 173 GWh annually of solar photovoltaic (PV) energy to Peru for 20 years.
19 February 2010 Kyocera Solar and Amsolar partnership Kyocera Solar Inc and Amsolar Corporation will provide solar energy solutions for educational institutions, including strategic financing, system engineering and design, installation, operation and maintenance in North America.
19 February 2010 Large solar PV to dominate US market “Large-scale commercial solar PV and central-station utility-scale PV will most likely become the dominant growth market” in the United States, according to the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI).
18 February 2010 US solar centre funds research The Center for Revolutionary Solar Photoconversion (CRSP) has funded 10 advanced solar research projects totaling US$800,000 in its second round of Shared Research Program funding.
18 February 2010 Florida installs solar energy on emergency shelters Funding of US$10 million from the State Energy Program will deploy solar energy on schools and emergency shelters in Florida.
18 February 2010 Delaware: 30% renewable energy by 2013 The state of Delaware must evaluate the feasibility of installing renewable enegy such as on-site wind or solar systems with a simple payback period of under 20 years.
18 February 2010 Solar to gain the most into 2011 Solar will register the greatest increase in usage from 2010 into 2011, according to the latest US government forecast.
17 February 2010 Fraunhofer expands solar thermal testing Fraunhofer has expanded its former Testing Centre for Thermal Solar Systems with increased capacity and more flexible measurement equipment.
17 February 2010 Kyocera achieves 16.6% solar PV efficiency Kyocera Corporation has achieved 16.6% module efficiency for multicrystalline silicon solar photovoltaic (PV) modules using 54 cells in the development stage.
16 February 2010 UK and India collaborate on solar energy The UK and India have announced two research programmes to develop cost-effective and efficient solar energy solutions, totalling £10 million.
16 February 2010 SunPower acquires SunRay for US$277m SunPower Corp is acquiring SunRay Renewable Energy, a European solar power plant developer with offices in Europe and the Middle East, for US$277 million.
12 February 2010 US Senate considers legislation for 10m solar roofs A US Senator has introduced legislation to incent more than 10 million solar electric and solar thermal systems over the next decade.
11 February 2010 US support declines for renewable energy: poll Americans of all parties support the passage of Federal policies to support renewable energy, although the level is down from a baseline survey conducted two years ago.
11 February 2010 Utility funds US$60m for solar installations An electric utility will fund 1000 solar electric installations through a tax equity initiative.
10 February 2010 AREVA acquires solar thermal firm Ausra AREVA is acquiring the US-based provider of large-scale concentrated solar power solutions for electricity generation and industrial steam production, Ausra.
10 February 2010 Finance: Clean Energy Index down 4.59% Interested in financial renewable energy news and stocks? Renewable Energy Focus has launched a finance section with real-time financial data and news.
10 February 2010 Global clean energy investment: US$145bn China’s investment in wind energy last year kept the world’s overall investment in clean energy to 6.5% below the 2008 record, despite the worst recession for 60 years.
09 February 2010 £10m for renewable energy initiatives by UK communities Twelve UK communities have received grants to install solar panels, wind turbines and other renewable energy technologies, under a national challenge to reduce carbon emissions.
09 February 2010 Hawaii considers US$50m bonds for renewable energy Hawaii has introduced legislation to create a green jobs sector through the establishment of a ‘Hawaii Clean Energy Investment Bonds’ programme for renewable energy.
09 February 2010 Atlantis Energy Systems gets 2009 solar BIPV award The Frost & Sullivan '2009 World Building-Integrated Photovoltaic Niche Player of the Year Award', has been presented to Atlantis Energy Systems (AES).
08 February 2010 Solar power plants connected to Italian grid Two 1 MWp solar power plants have been connected to the grid in Puglia, Southern Italy by Zouk ventures and NextEnergy Capital.
08 February 2010 US renewable electricity standard - 274,000 jobs A US national renewable electricity standard (RES) of 25% by 2025 could create thousands of jobs and help fledgling industries like wind grow, as short-term tax benefits expire.
05 February 2010 Canada funds solar PV research network The Canadian Government will provide C$5 million to create the ‘Photovoltaic Innovation Network’ to raise the status of solar electric as a renewable energy option.
03 February 2010 Abener develops solar melted salts storage in Spain Abener will develop a molten salts storage project for parabolic trough solar collectors and gas chambers (CCP) in an experimental solar plant in Almeria, Spain.
02 February 2010 T-Solar and Global Ecopower develop solar PV in France T-Solar Group and French Global Ecopower, will jointly develop 120 MWp of solar photovoltaic (PV) power in France over the next three years.
02 February 2010 Solar partnerships install solar electric in Ontario More companies are forming partnerships to take advance of the C$0.80/kWh feed-in tariff (FiT) offered in the province of Ontario for small solar electric installations.
02 February 2010 USA investigates new renewable energy The US federal budget proposes that the USA should be “the global leader in the new energy economy by developing new ways to produce and use clean and renewable energy.”
02 February 2010 UK renewable industry welcomes feed-in tariff The UK renewable energy industry welcomes today’s announcement of the feed-in tariff for renewable and low carbon electricity, and the plans for low carbon heating incentives.
01 February 2010 Suntech and American Solar Electric cooperate on BIPV roofing American Solar Electric Inc will become one of Suntech Power Holding’s partners in Arizona, USA, for its building integrated photovoltaic (BIPV) solar products.
01 February 2010 UK feed-in tariffs announced The UK Government has announced its feed-in tariffs for small scale renewable and low carbon electricity starting from 1 April.
01 February 2010 Concentrix Solar CPV module IEC certified Concentrix Solar has received IEC certification 62108 for its CX-75 FLATCON® concentrating solar photovoltaic (PV) module generation.
01 February 2010 Suntech plans solar factory in USA Suntech Power Holdings Co Ltd will build its first US solar module manufacturing plant in Goodyear, Arizona, USA
29 January 2010 Solar brings jobs to Arizona As solar companies set up manufacturing facilities in Arizona, Clean Energy Pioneers says there are now job and revenue opportunities in the Arizonan solar industry.
29 January 2010 AEG enters North American solar market AEG Power Solutions is entering the North American solar power market with solar turnkey solutions and power controllers systems.
29 January 2010 GeoSolar becomes Heliotherm GeoSolar Ltd, a subsidiary of Petratherm, changes name to Heliotherm Ltd to reflect its primary role is solar thermal technology development.
28 January 2010 Siemens JV constructs solar receiver factory Archimede Solar Energy Srl, a joint venture (JV) between Angelantoni Industrie Spa and Siemens Energy, has started construction of a solar receiver production facility in Massa Martanam, Italy.
28 January 2010 New York state calls for 100 MW of solar electric The governor of New York has requested 100 MW of solar electric capacity for the state, increasing current solar levels by 500%.
28 January 2010 CSP plant opens in Arizona Tessera Solar and Stirling Energy Systems (SES) have opened the Maricopa Solar concentrating solar power (CSP).
27 January 2010 CSP funding yields 900 MW by 2020 Financing of US$750m for concentrated solar power (CSP) will mobilise an additional US$5bn from other sources and support the deployment of 1 GW of CSP generating capacity.
27 January 2010 Wales gives £8m to renewable energy Community groups in Wales can access £8 million to develop local renewable energy projects.
27 January 2010 Intel plans 8 solar electric facilities Intel Corp says new contracts are in place to incorporate 2.5 MW of solar electric projects at corporate locations in Arizona, California, New Mexico and Oregon, USA.
27 January 2010 Duke Energy adds solar power Duke Energy will add solar power to its commercial renewable energy portfolio through the acquisition of a solar electric facility under development in San Antonio, Texas.
27 January 2010 Ten US companies purchase 7.3 TWh green power a year The 1200 partners in the Green Power Partnership purchase 18 TWh of green power annually.
26 January 2010 US electricity from wind energy exceeds share from petroleum or biomass Wind energy generated 55.4 TWh of electricity in 2008, an increase of 60.7% from the 34.5 TWh in 2007, according to federal data.
26 January 2010 PV Powered delivers solar inverters for Portland Water Bureau PV Powered Inc’s commercial solar inverters will be used for Portland Water Bureau’s US$2.2 million solar installation near the Portland Airport, Oregon, USA.
26 January 2010 Trina Solar ships solar PV modules to Australia Trina Solar Ltd has made initial shipments to RF Industries Pty Ltd (RFI), an Australian renewable energy distributor in conjunction with the national distribution agreement to supply up to 10 MW of solar photovoltaic (PV) modules in 2010.
25 January 2010 Centrosolar installs thin-film solar rooftop pilot system Solar module manufacturer Centrosolar has installed a 63.36 kWp thin-film solar rooftop pilot system, using its new thin-film photovoltaic (PV) module TF Multi Professional.
25 January 2010 In-line process control and optimisation tool for thin-film solar cell manufacturing BrightView Systems of Israel has launched its InSight M Series, an in-line process control and optimisation tool developed specifically for thin-film solar cell manufacturing.
25 January 2010 EarthSpark brings solar lighting for Haiti earthquake victims EarthSpark International, a US-based non-profit operating in Haiti, is raising money to send solar lamps to the country to assist in disaster relief efforts after the earthquakes.
22 January 2010 German solar feed-in tariff to sink another 15% The German Minister for the Environment, Norbert Röttgen (CDU) says the feed-in tariff for solar electricity will be reduced – against the warnings from the industry – by a further 15%.
22 January 2010 Conergy Korea disassociates from Conergy and becomes OSolar Conergy Korea is changing its name to OSolar, and separates from Conergy of Germany, becoming a solar photovoltaic (PV) company in its own right.
22 January 2010 US government funds US$20.5m for community renewable energy deployment Five projects in the USA will receive US$20.5 million from the American Recovery & Reinvestment Act to support deployment of community-based renewable energy projects in wind energy, solar electric and biomass installations.
22 January 2010 Korean companies invest C$7bn into renewable energy in Canada A consortium of Korean companies will invest C$7 billion to generate 2500 MW of wind energy and solar power in the province of Ontario, in a move that will create renewable energy 16,000 jobs.
22 January 2010 DoE: up to US$12m for early stage solar The US Department of Energy (DoE) will, through its National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), invest up to US$12 million in four companies to support the development of early stage solar energy technologies and help them advance to full commercial scale.
21 January 2010 First Solar to deliver 22 MW of utility scale solar PV for New Mexico First Solar will construct a 22 MW utility scale solar photovoltaic (PV) power plant in New Mexico for PNM, New Mexico's largest electric utility.
21 January 2010 Retail giant completes major solar electric installation Walmart has completed its largest solar power project at its Apple Valley distribution centre in southern California.
21 January 2010 US study shows that 20% from wind is possible by 2024 The integration of 20% from wind energy is technically feasible, but will require significant expansion of the transmission infrastructure and system operational changes in order for it to be realised, according to an analysis from the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL).
20 January 2010 Hybrid 470 MW solar-gas plant in Morocco Abener and Abengoa Solar are in the process of completing the 470 MW ISCC hybrid solar-gas power plant in Ain Bni Mathar, Morocco.
20 January 2010 Oerlikon Solar on track to reduce cost by another 30% in 2010 Thin-film silicon technology provider Oerlikon Solar says that with its Micromorph® factories, the company plans to reach production costs at grid parity by the end of this year making solar energy cost equal to fossil fuel-generated energy in many locations.
20 January 2010 SolarWorld donates solar panels to pump water in Haiti following earthquakes SolarWorld is donating solar modules to power 10 pump stations to provide clean water for up to 175,000 earthquake survivors in Haiti.
20 January 2010 Four communities in UK win prize for implementing renewable energy and efficiency measures Four community groups in Britain will share £1 million in prize money for reducing their carbon emissions by up to one-third in the past year through use of renewable energy and efficiency measures.
20 January 2010 Toyota wins Zayed Future Energy Prize 2010 Toyota Motor Corporation has been awarded the 2010 Zayed Future Energy Prize for its third-generation Toyota Prius, the world’s first mass-produced hybrid vehicle.
20 January 2010 DuPont completes US$295m solar PV expansion DuPont has invested US$175 million to complete the multi-phase expansion of its high-performance DuPont™ Tedlar® PV2001 series oriented film production line for solar photovoltaics (PV).
19 January 2010 Solar PV module shipments up 25% in 2009 The solar photovoltaic (PV) market – in terms of shipments of solar PV modules and inverters grew 25% in 2009 according to recently released analysis from IMS Research.
19 January 2010 Wind has potential to generate 12% of electricity by 2050, predicts IEA Wind energy could supply 12% of the world’s power by the middle of this century, up from the current 2%, according to a 'Wind Energy Roadmap' to be published soon by the International Energy Agency (IEA).
19 January 2010 Spanish solar firm to build large solar electric plant in Italy Siliken will build one of the largest solar electric photovoltaic (PV) facilities in Italy, with the turnkey installation to be completed by this June.
19 January 2010 SolarWorld has issued a €400m bond SolarWorld AG has successfully issued a bond with a volume of €400 million to strengthen its financial flexibility for continued international growth.
18 January 2010 First Solar acquires solar pipeline from Edison Mission Group First Solar Inc has acquired a portion of Edison Mission Group's (EMG) solar project development pipeline. The utility-scale solar projects are located in California and the Southwest USA.
15 January 2010 Enecsys gets £2.5m from Good Energies for solar micro-inverter Enecsys Ltd, a manufacturer of solar photovoltaic (PV) micro-inverters, has received investment of £2.5 million (US$4.2m) from Good Energies, a global investor in renewable energy and energy efficiency industries.
15 January 2010 Canada funds 19 demonstration projects in clean and renewable energy The government of Canada will invest C$146 million to support 19 clean and renewable energy projects which include solar, wind, tidal and geothermal energy.
13 January 2010 US shipments of solar thermal increase 12% in 2008 Almost 17 million ft2 of solar thermal collectors were shipped in the United States in 2008, but that level was 18% below 2006, according to government data.
12 January 2010 Solar thermal hybrids to augment generation from natural gas and coal Two technology demonstration projects will demonstrate how power utilities can add solar thermal facilities to their fossil-fuelled power plants, and reduce emissions and fuel costs as a result.
12 January 2010 USA: US$2.3bn in clean energy manufacturing tax credits The US$2.3 billion in tax credits for clean energy manufacturing is being allocated on a competitive basis.
11 January 2010 Solar airplane to be discussed at World Future Energy Summit A project to fly around the world in a solar airplane, will be presented by Bertrand Piccard, President of Solar Impulse, at the World Future Energy Summit in Abu Dhabi, 18-21 January, 2010.
11 January 2010 Sharp and partners set up thin-film and solar PV generation JV Sharp Corporation, Enel Green Power (EGP), and ST Microelectronics (STM) have signed a joint venture (JV) agreement for the production of thin-film solar cells, and Sharp and EGP have signed a JV agreement for independent power producer business (IPP).
08 January 2010 Nine EU Governments take first steps towards a Northern European Supergrid. The siging of a political declaration in early December last year will see the countries cooperate on the development of a North Sea supergrid joining up clean energy projects scattered in and around the North Sea.
07 January 2010 David Renné elected President of the International Solar Energy Society (ISES) The Board elected Dr. David Renné of the USA as President for the term from 01 January 2010 through 31 December 2011. He is the 26th President of the Society and successor of Ms. Monica Oliphant of Australia.
07 January 2010 US laboratory examines break-even cost for residential photovoltaic in the USA The key drivers for solar electric systems to break even in the United States are non-technical, according to a report from the National Renewable Energy Laboratory.
05 January 2010 California processing 244 proposals for renewable energy facilities Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger says the projects represent 70,000 MW of capacity that will help the state meet its 2020 goal of one-third of power from renewables.
04 January 2010 US shipment of solar modules jumps 13-fold in less than a decade The shipment of solar electric cells and modules in the United States is close to one million peak kilowatts, compared with 77,000 kW in 1999.
04 January 2010 Phoenix Solar sets up subsidiary in Oman Phoenix Solar AG has founded a subsidiary, Phoenix Solar LLC, in Muscat, Oman together with Silver Circle Overseas LLC.
29 December 2009 Germany receives A-grade for solar power policies Germany has received the top grade for solar power policies in the Global Solar Report Card released by Global Green USA on behalf of President Gorbachev’s Green Cross International (GCI).
29 December 2009 Azure Power opens 2 MW privately owned solar PV plant in India Azure Power has inaugurated what it calls the first privately operated, utility scale, solar photovoltaic (PV) power plant in India.
29 December 2009 South Australia supports renewable energy in the state The state government of South Australia has made two announcements to promote the use of renewable energy.
22 December 2009 Kyocera provides 13 MW of solar modules for large installation in Japan Kyocera Corp will provide approximately 13 MW of solar modules for the Ohgishima solar power plant Mega Solar System, planned by Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO) with construction by Hitachi, Ltd.
21 December 2009 First Solar to add eight production lines in 2010 in Malaysia First Solar Inc is expanding by adding 8 production lines in Malaysia in 2010 to satisfy a global contracted and advanced pipeline of over 6 GW.
20 December 2009 Italy completes its largest solar PV facility The 24 MW Montalto di Castro solar power plant has been completed as the largest solar photovoltaic (PV) facility in Italy, as the first phase of a planned 85-100 MW development that will be fully operational in 2010.
18 December 2009 Bank provides €500m for solar PV projects in Europe A new financing structure for solar photovoltaic (PV) projects in France and Italy will receive financial assistance from the European Investment Bank (EIB).
18 December 2009 COP15: Solar groups want climate conference to recognise contribution of solar energy Two dozen solar energy associations from around the world have told the United Nations at COP15 in Copenhagen that a significant portion of GHG emissions could be eliminated through an accelerated deployment of solar energy.
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15 December 2009 COP15: US to promote renewable energy in developing countries The United States has launched a US$350m ‘Renewables & Efficiency Deployment Initiative’ (Climate REDI) to accelerate deployment of renewable energy and energy efficiency technologies in developing countries at COP15 in Copenhagen.
15 December 2009 COP15: Senior US official maps vision for new energy future at UN climate change summit The international agreements being negotiated in Copenhagen “will propel all of us forward in the clean energy economy,” the US Secretary of the Interior has assured delegates to the UN conference on climate change, COP15, in Copenhagen.
11 December 2009 MAN Ferrostaal opens Palestinian solar thermal plant A solar thermal plant for warm water supply and central heating on Palestinian territory went into operation near Beit Jala at the beginning of December.
09 December 2009 Solar powered scarecrow Scarecrow Bio-Acoustic Systems has launched COMPACT – the solar powered scarecrow.
08 December 2009 USA remains most attractive country for renewable energy The United States remains the most attractive country overall for renewable energy, but China has moved ahead of Germany to take second spot in the rankings released by Ernst & Young.
07 December 2009 Europeans embrace recycling to fight climate change, but not renewable energy Europeans consider climate change to be the second-most serious problem facing the world today, but paying for green / renewable energy or installing solar panels or wind turbines are the least popular method to address the challenge.
04 December 2009 European Solar Thermal Industry Federation appoints Xavier Noyon as Secretary General Xavier Noyon has been unanimously appointed new Secretary General of the European Solar Thermal Industry Federation (ESTIF).
30 November 2009 Abengoa Solar and E.ON Climate & Renewables build two 50 MW CSP plants in Spain Abengoa Solar and E.ON Climate & Renewables will jointly own and operate two 50 MW concentrating solar power (CSP) plants in Spain.
27 November 2009 World Bank funds half-million for renewable energy and efficiency in South Africa Funding to the Clean Technology Fund (CTF) Investment Plan in South Africa will allow the country to move towards its goal of 4% of electricity from renewable energy by 2013.
25 November 2009 REF Webinar: "Renewable energy in the Middle East" - speakers confirmed Helene Pelosse, interim Director General of the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) is confirmed as one of the guest speakers for Renewable Energy Focus’ next interactive webinar taking place on Wednesday 9 December (10.00 EST/15.00 GMT/19.00 UAE), in association with the World Future Energy Summit.
25 November 2009 Dow Corning opens Solar Solutions Application & Business Center in California, USA Dow Corning Corp has opened a Solar Solutions Application & Business Center in Newark, California, USA, which will serve as its West Coast hub for customer sales, product evaluation and the development of commercialisation strategy for solar energy solutions.
24 November 2009 Cost of solar energy will drop by half this year and other renewable energy by 10%, says analyst The levelised costs for solar energy will drop 50% in 2009, while the pre-subsidy cost for other renewable energy technologies will decline by 10%, according to a quarterly research note from New Energy Finance.
24 November 2009 Half of US states generate at least 1 GW from non-hydro renewable energy Development of renewable energy is spreading rapidly across the United States, often in conjunction with public policies that are designed to spur such growth, according to a state-by-state analysis by the Department of Energy's (DoE) National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL).
24 November 2009 Bosch Solar Energy bundles solar cell capacities at Arnstadt, Germany Bosch Solar Energy AG will be integrating its solar cell production located in Erfurt into the new production facilities at nearby Arnstadt, Germany, in early 2010.
23 November 2009 SolarWorld establishes office in France for French solar power market SolarWorld AG is establishing a liaison office in Grenoble, France, to be closer to French customers as the solar power market in France is now fourth place in the European league of newly installed solar output capacities.
23 November 2009 Solar company Q-Cells notes €248.2m loss in Q3 – sheds 500 jobs Solar company Q-Cells SE has published third quarter results with a loss of €248.2 million and is shedding up to 500 jobs as of December.
19 November 2009 Siemens introduces next-gen solar receiver for solar thermal power plants Siemens has released a new solar receiver, the UVAC 2010 (Universal Vacuum Air Collector), which is said to further increases solar thermal heat production.
19 November 2009 Six renewable energy sources judged to be best prospect for future, says report The best prospects for large-scale renewable energy production and net-energy performance remain wind and certain forms of solar, according to a study released by two California-based think tanks.
18 November 2009 European utilities must invest more in renewable energy, says analysis The economic recession has prompted utilities in Europe to invest less in renewable power and the smart grid, even though they need to invest more to meet goals, says the European Energy Markets Observatory.
18 November 2009 First Solar closer to 2 GW solar power plant in China First Solar has announced a cooperation framework agreement with the Chinese government that takes another step towards the realisation of the 2 GW solar power plant in the autonomous region of Inner Mongolia, China.
18 November 2009 USA to support CSP in Jordan The US government will fund a US$738,492 feasibility study for installing more than 50 MW of concentrated solar power (CSP) in Jordan’s Ma’an development zone.
17 November 2009 Bank lends €80m for 17 MW solar power project A concentrated solar power (CSP) plant in Spain’s province of Seville will be a commercial demonstration of a central tower receiver and heliostat field.
17 November 2009 Dow PV Solar Shingle named in top inventions of 2009 Time Magazine has named Dow's PV Solar Shingle to be one of the ‘50 Best Inventions’ of this year.
17 November 2009 Enfinity and Titan Energy to install 1 GWp of solar PV in India Enfinity, a global renewable energy developer, and Titan Energy Systems, a manufacturer of solar photovoltaic (PV) modules, are collaborating on developing, financing and constructing 1 GWp of solar PV installations on 3000 acres of land in Andhra Pradesh, India, in the coming five years.
17 November 2009 Morocco plans 2 GW of solar power by 2020 Morocco plans to have 2 GW of solar power by 2020 representing investment of US$9 billion.
16 November 2009 Women and older people are less likely to support renewable energy in UK Men are more likely to say they support the use of renewable energy than women, according to an opinion survey conducted by the UK Department of Energy & Climate Change.
16 November 2009 Suntech develops 20% of systems for China's Solar Rooftop Program Suntech Power Holdings Co, a manufacturer of crystalline silicon solar photovoltaic (PV) modules, expects to develop around 20% of the 91 MW of solar rooftop projects that were approved under China's Solar Rooftop Program.
13 November 2009 Japanese solar car wins global race A solar car built at Tokai University in Japan has won the solar race across Australia, at an average speed of more than 100 km/h.
11 November 2009 SANYO combines technologies for energy creation, storage and saving SANYO Electric Co. is entering the energy solutions business with system proposals to reduce running costs and CO2 emissions for factories, schools, stores and other facilities. The company will offer systems that combine SANYO’s technologies for energy creation (solar cell), energy storage (rechargeable battery), and energy saving (commercial equipment).
10 November 2009 FLABEG Solar US Corp. opens solar mirror production plant FLABEG, a high-tech glass and mirror applications provider, is opening a new 209 sq ft production facility for solar mirrors near Pittsburgh International Airport, USA.
10 November 2009 Wind energy receives 45% increase in US budget allocation Wind energy will receive US$80 million in federal government funding appropriations, a 45% increase over the last fiscal year.
10 November 2009 US could create 4.5 million jobs in renewable energy, says analysis The United States could net 4.5 million new jobs in the renewable energy and energy efficiency sectors by 2030 if it addresses climate change, according to a report prepared for the American Solar Energy Society.
10 November 2009 California offers US$15m to improve solar PV The California Solar Initiative (CSI) has released a second solicitation for grants to improve solar photovoltaic (PV) production technologies and innovative business models.
10 November 2009 US firms to develop rooftop solar projects in Canada Two US firms will collaborate on the development of a portfolio of rooftop solar installations in the province of Ontario, where the government will pay up to CA$0.80/kWh for electricity from renewable energy sources.
10 November 2009 DESERTEC JV DII established for renewable energy from deserts The articles of association for the joint venture (JV) DII GmbH have been signed by the group of founding members consisting of 12 companies and the DESERTEC Foundation to secure renewable energy supply from the deserts in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA).
09 November 2009 Applied Materials acquires assets of Advent Solar Applied Materials, a supplier of equipment and services to the solar photovoltaic (PV) industry, has acquired all assets, including the intellectual property, of Advent Solar for an undisclosed cash amount.
09 November 2009 Suntech and Huadian partner on 10 MW solar plant in Jiangsu Province, China Suntech Power Holdings, the crystalline silicon solar photovoltaic (PV) modules manufacturer, and Huadian New Energy Development Co (HNE) will develop a 10 MW solar power plant in Dongtai, Jiangsu Province, China.
09 November 2009 Concentrated solar thermal power (CSP) market could reach 24 GW by 2020 According to a new market report by CSP Today and Altran, CSP growth in the next 10 years will be concentrated in two key markets - Spain and USA, the USA currently having the largest market as measured by installed capacity - at 63% of global installed capacity.
04 November 2009 Integration of renewable energy is top issue for next decade for US regulator The integration of renewable energy facilities is one of the top factors that will require changes to policy, planning and operations over the next decade, according to the North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC).