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Photovoltaics (PV)

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 Enovos and Avelar form solar PV JV Enovos Luxembourg SA and Avelar Energy Ltd of Switzerland are forming a solar photovoltaic (PV) joint venture called Aveleos S.A.
18 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 First Solar joins Desertec solar PV initiative First Solar Inc has joined the Desertec Industrial Initiative as an Associated Partner to demonstrate the potential of photovoltaic (PV) solar technology in deserts.
17 March 2010 Fronius launches new solar PV central inverters The new Fronius CL central inverter series with power classes 36, 48 and 60 kW is suited for solar PV (photovoltaic) systems up to several hundred kilowatts, Fronius says.
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 California regulator allows RECs in RPS The California Public Utilities Commission will allow tradable renewable energy credits (TRECs) to be used in the state’s Renewables Portfolio Standard (RPS).
17 March 2010 Prothea develops 10 MW of solar PV in Italy Prothea is developing three solar photovoltaic (PV) projects totalling approximately 10 MW in Central and Southern Italy.
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 Monocrystalline silicon solar cells with 19% efficiency German Sunways AG and the Institut für Solarenergieforschung Hameln (ISFH) have produced a monocrystalline silicon solar cell with an efficiency of 19.1%.
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 US solar firm buys Italian solar facility Prime Sun Power will purchase a 25 MW solar electric plant in Italy.
10 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 Suntech’s net income soars 182% in 2009 Suntech saw a 182% surge in net income attributable to holders of ordinary shares to US$91.48 million in 2009.
09 March 2010 Phoenix Solar net profit down 63.7% in 2009 Phoenix Solar saw consolidated net profit slump 63.7% to €8.5 million in 2009 following the fall in prices and the financial downturn.
09 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 Kyocera launches 215 W and 14.4% efficiency solar module Kyocera is launching the KD215GH-2PU, 215 W solar photovoltaic (PV) module with at 14.4% rated efficiency from the KD series.
08 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 Kyocera manufactures solar modules in USA Kyocera plans to manufacture solar photovoltaic (PV) modules in California, USA, to serve the US market.
05 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 boat uses 500 m2 of PV panels The world’s largest solar powered boat will launch next month and travel around the world in 2011.
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 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 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 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 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 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 Trina Solar boosts conversion efficiency to 18.8% Trina Solar Ltd has developed a square monocrystalline solar photovoltaic (PV) cell with up to 18.8% efficiency in laboratory tests.
15 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 Nano-coating company P2i enters solar energy P2i, a developer of liquid repellent nano-coating technology, has teamed up with US-based Energy Launch Partners to develop its business proposition for the solar energy sector.
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 US renewable energy industry wants key legislation passed this year Five associations in the United States have banded together to urge Congress to enact key policies which will continue accelerated growth across the renewable energy sector.
10 February 2010 REC went from profit to loss in 2009 Renewable Energy Corporation ASA (REC) reports a full year loss of NOK 2482 million in 2008 compared to a profit of NOK4379m in 2008.
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 £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 Sonel builds Slovenian 81 kW solar PV plant Slovenian wholesaler Sonel has built a 81 kW solar photovoltaic (PV) plant using Sputnik Engineering’s SolarMax inverters in the northern Slovenian town of Gornji Petrovci.
09 February 2010 Sunways opposes German reduction of solar feed-in tariff Sunways AG of Germany put down work for 30 minutes on 4 February in protest against planned cuts in the German solar energy feed-in tariff.
09 February 2010 Trina Solar delivers 40 MW solar PV to Germany Trina Solar Ltd will deliver 40 MW of solar photovoltaic (PV) modules to AE Photonics GmbH of Germany during 2010.
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 Solar anti-reflective coating system optimised DSM Functional Coatings has optimised its KhepriCoat™ solar anti-reflective coating system.
04 February 2010 DuPont opens solar PV facility in Geneva DuPont has opened the Meyrin Photovoltaic Application Laboratory at its European Technical Centre – adding new capabilities to its R&D hub by developing next-generation solar PV products.
04 February 2010 HgCapital renewable energy fund tops €1bn HgCapital Renewable Power Partners has made three new investments: two Spanish solar photovoltaic (PV) projects and one UK onshore wind project.
04 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 Amplio Group connects 2 MW solar in Italy The UK-based Amplio Group has connected two 1 MW solar electric plants in Italy.
02 February 2010 Centrosolar revenue down 7% in 2009 Centrosolar Group AG has posted provisional results for 2009 recording €309 million in revenues, down 7% from 2008.
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 Trina Solar delivers 40 MW PV to ITEC Trina Solar Ltd will deliver 40 MW of solar photovoltaic (PV) modules to ITEC Solar GmbH of Germany in 2010.
29 January 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 Trina Solar sets up solar PV research lab Trina Solar Ltd will establish a State Key Laboratory to develop solar photovoltaic (PV) in Changzhou, China.
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 Most UK homeowners would adopt microgeneration Most homeowners in Britain would install on-site microgeneration technology that uses renewable energy if the financial incentives were greater, according to a survey.
28 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 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 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 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 PV Powered delivers solar inverters to California PV Powered Inc will deliver its commercial solar inverters to SPG Solar Inc of Novato, California, USA, for two large-scale installations in California.
14 January 2010 Tomark and Hanita cooperate on solar PV backsheet products Hanita Coatings, an Israeli manufacturer of solar control films, and Tomark Industries, specialists in the field of solar photovoltaics (PV), are launching a mutual cooperation programme.
14 January 2010 Q-Cells International Canada to deliver 20 MW of solar PV to Ontario Q-Cells International Canada, an affiliate of Q-Cells SE, will deliver two 10 MW solar photovoltaic (PV) systems in the City of Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, Canada.
13 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 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 First Solar and NRG Energy open 21 MW solar PV power plant in California NRG Energy Inc has started commercial operation of the 21 MW solar photovoltaic (PV) power plant in Blythe, California, it bought from First Solar in November.
30 December 2009 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 Renewable energy increases 21% in Ireland The use of renewable energy in Ireland expanded by 21% in 2008, according to the analytic report, ‘Energy in Ireland 1990-2008.’
22 December 2009 Trina Solar inaugurates Europe’s largest solar PV rooftop system Trina Solar Ltd has inaugurated what it calls the largest rooftop solar photovoltaic (PV) system in Europe with a capacity of 40 MW.
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 Italy and France help solar PV industry back to growth - study Italy and France are moving the European solar photovoltaic (PV) industry forward by contributing significant growth in the near term in the wake of the slowing in the Spanish market, says analyst Emerging Energy Research (EER).
18 December 2009 Suntech to deliver up to 490 MW of solar PV modules to Europe Suntech Power Holdings Co Ltd has signed three long-term supply agreements for up to 490 MW of solar photovoltaic (PV) modules to be delivered over the next three years in Europe.
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 PLG Power plans 60 MW of solar PV power plants in India PLG Power Ltd, a Mumbai based manufacturer of crystalline solar photovoltaic (PV) modules and provider of solar PV power plants, plans to set up an aggregate of 60 MW solar PV power plants in India.
17 December 2009 First Solar produces 1 GW of solar PV modules in a single year First Solar Inc manufactured and shipped more than 1 GW of its solar photovoltaic (PV) solar modules in 2009, and could thereby be the first solar PV company to attain this production volume in a single year.
16 December 2009 REC and ECN reach 17% efficiency with multicrystalline solar PV panels REC and the Energy research Center of the Netherlands (ECN) have made multicrystalline solar photovoltaic (PV) panels with 17% efficiency.
16 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.
15 December 2009 Interested in the latest on COP15? Check out what our bloggers have to report...
15 December 2009 Masdar PV sees installation of first roof mounted solar thin-film system Masdar PV has seen its solar photovoltaic (PV) thin-film modules installed for the first time on a rooftop.
14 December 2009 Utilities to drive solar PV in United States At a time when most energy investments have been curtailed by a weak economy, US utility solar photovoltaic (PV) activity has spiked over the last 18 months, says analyst Emerging Energy Research (EER).
11 December 2009 Canadian solar farm to quadruple in capacity A 20 MW solar facility in the province of Ontario will expand to 80 MW to become the largest solar photovoltaic (PV) energy facility in North America.
09 December 2009 Suntech to supply 17 MW of solar PV modules to Canada’s Pure Energies Suntech Power Holdings Co Ltd will supply 17 MW of solar photovoltaic (PV) modules to Pure Energies in 2010 under a memorandum of understanding (MoU).
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 Q-Cells and LDK Solar resume solar wafer contract Q-Cells SE and LDK Solar Co. Ltd have reached an agreement to continue their supply contract for solar wafers from 2009 to 2018.
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 40 MW of solar PV in the Czech Republic Nobility Solar Projects plans to build solar photovoltaic (PV) plants with a total output of 40 MW in the Czech Republic in 2010.
04 December 2009 Phoenix Solar to found subsidiary in the United States Phoenix Solar AG, an international solar photovoltaic (PV) system integrator, is in the process of preparing its entry into the market of the United States.
04 December 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 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 Bosch Solar Energy enters turnkey solar PV power station partnership Bosch Solar Energy AG has entered into a partnership for planning, financing and turnkey construction of solar photovoltaic (PV) power stations with Allianz Climate Solutions GmbH.
24 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 Solar PV inverter market recovers in Q3 The solar photovoltaic (PV) inverter market made a strong recovery in the third quarter (Q3) of 2009 with shipments reaching record levels and the outlook for the market becoming increasingly positive, according to analysis from IMS Research.
24 November 2009 Thin-film contributes towards 12% of EU’s electricity from solar PV by 2020 The thin-film solar PV industry is ready to contribute towards solar PV’s goal of providing 12% of the EU’s electricity demand by 2020, according to the European Photovoltaic Industry Association (EPIA).
24 November 2009 First Solar sells 21 MW Blythe solar thin-film PV power project to NRG Energy First Solar has sold its 21 MW AC solar photovoltaic (PV) thin-film project in Blythe, California, USA, to NRG Energy.
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 DuPont Apollo opens thin-film solar silicon PV facility DuPont Apollo Ltd., a wholly-owned subsidiary of DuPont, has opened a silicon based thin-film solar photovoltaic (PV) module manufacturing facility.
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 QinetiQ’s Zephyr solar-powered unmanned aerial system flown by US personnel QinetiQ’s Zephyr High-Altitude Long-Endurance unmanned aerial system (HALE UAS) program recently resumed flight testing and payload evaluations in Yuma, Arizona when a joint US/UK team undertook the first operation of the Zephyr system with a US flight crew.
23 November 2009 Mitsubishi 3 MW solar PV panels in largest rooftop installation on a single building in Italy Mitsubishi Electric Corporation has completed a 2906 kW solar photovoltaic (PV) installation for Coop’s CNNA-Prato logistic centre in Prato, Italy, making it the largest solar PV rooftop installation on a single building in Italy, the company says.
20 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 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 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 Dow unveils POWERHOUSE solar shingle for BIPV The Dow Chemical Company is introducing its line of DOW™ POWERHOUSE™ Solar Shingle, photovoltaic (PV) solar panels in the form of solar shingles that can be integrated into rooftops with standard asphalt shingle materials.
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 Suntech to build its first US solar PV manufacturing plant in Arizona, USA Suntech Power Holdings Co. says its first US solar photovoltaic (PV) manufacturing plant with a production capacity of 30 MW for the growing North American solar market, could be located in the Greater Phoenix, Arizona area.
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 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 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 Suntech to supply up to 115 MW of solar PV modules to enXco Suntech Power Holdings will supply up to 115 MW of solar photovoltaic (PV) modules to enXco in 2010.
06 November 2009 1366 Technologies selected for ARPA-E Funding The innovative US, Massachusetts-based PV technology company is one of only 37 awardees selected from over 3,600 applicants.
05 November 2009 DuPont and Silicon Energy introduce glass-glass solar PV modules with DuPont PV5300 series encapsulant Silicon Energy and DuPont Photovoltaic Solutions are introducing glass-glass polycrystalline silicon (cSi) solar photovoltaic (PV) modules made with DuPont PV5300 series ionomer-based encapsulant for added module strength and durability.
04 November 2009 3TIER expands geographical coverage of its advanced solar map and dataset solution 3TIER has announced that its advanced solar map and dataset - previously available for the Western Hemisphere - now includes Asia, the Middle East, and Oceania.
03 November 2009 Q-Cells terminates solar wafer agreement with LDK Solar Q-Cells SE has terminated an agreement for the supply of solar wafers entered in December 2007 with the Chinese solar company LDK Solar as LDK Solar “did not fulfil significant contractual obligations”.
02 November 2009 DoE highlights best practices from 25 Solar America Cities The US Department of Energy (DoE) has announced an online resource for local governments that assists community leaders and local stakeholders in building sustainable local solar markets with best practices from 25 Solar America Cities.
02 November 2009 Masdar PV delivers first solar PV modules to Germany Masdar PV is delivering its first solar photovoltaic (PV) modules for installation at an open space solar park in Germany.
29 October 2009 Solar electric industry poised for strong growth in USA, suggests poll Professionals within the US solar electric industry value chain predict strong growth for their businesses over the next two years, and say more favourable legislation and heightened marketing will be key to their expansion.
28 October 2009 SPI2009: SEIA and SEPA to form events company The US Solar Electric Power Association (SEPA) and Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) have formed a new jointly-owned legal entity, Solar Energy Trade Shows LLC.
28 October 2009 SPI2009: Solar industry needs to come together and fight, urges SEIA president Rhone Resch, president and ceo of the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA), has called on the solar industry to "enlist" in the fight to secure a policy environment that allows solar to compete with other forms of energy.
28 October 2009 Phoenix to develop 20 MWp solar park in Bulgaria The solar photovoltaic (PV) system integrator Phoenix Solar AG has signed a project development contract with a Bulgarian subsidiary of the Krass Capital Group AG for the development of a 20 MWp solar park in Bulgaria.
27 October 2009 Suntech and AEDB deliver solar power to Pakistan Crystalline silicon photovoltaic (PV) solar module manufacturer Suntech Power Holdings Co and Pakistan's Alternative Energy Development Board (AEDB) have entered a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to work towards the widespread use of solar energy technologies to meet the energy shortage in Pakistan.
27 October 2009 US report shows continued drop of cost for installed solar PV systems The average cost to install solar PV systems in the US has dropped by more than 30% from 1998 to 2008, with a four percent drop within the last year.
26 October 2009 Renewable energy can reduce 20% of world goal for GHG emissions Renewable energy could reduce global greenhouse gas emissions by 2741 Mt by 2030 under accelerated environmental policies, according to the International Energy Agency.
26 October 2009 Province dedicates Canada's largest solar PV project A 23.4 MW solar (photovoltaic) PV facility near the capital of Canada has been dedicated by the provincial minister of energy in Ontario.
23 October 2009 Geothermal subsidiary signs joint venture to install 36 MW of solar electric in Israel Two Israeli companies will develop, construct and operate 36 MW of solar electric systems in Israel.
23 October 2009 “Optical characterisation of PV cells” webinar - guest speaker confirmed Professor Emanuel Sachs of 1366 Technologies is confirmed as the guest speaker for Renewable Energy Focus’ interactive webinar taking place on Tuesday November 10 (10.00 EST/15.00 GMT), in association with PerkinElmer.
21 October 2009 3TIER launches next generation of solar assessment products 3TIER has unveiled a suite of solar assessment products that give utility-scale developers a higher degree of certainty in the availability of solar resources, and a more complete picture of the production potential of their projects.
21 October 2009 Canada's largest solar farm opens in Ontario Canada's largest solar farm is now producing power in the township of Stone Mills, near Napanee.
21 October 2009 ISES calls for feed-in tariffs worldwide The International Solar Energy Society (ISES) has called for the use of feed-in tariffs worldwide at its solar world congress (SWC) in Johannesburg, South Africa.
21 October 2009 German university wins solar competition A student team from Darmstadt, Germany, has designed, built and operated the most attractive and efficient solar powered home in an international solar competition.
19 October 2009 First Solar added to the S&P 500 Index First Solar, the solar photovoltaic (PV) modules manufacturer, has announced that the company’s common stock was added to the S&P 500 Index after the market closed on 15 October.
19 October 2009 GE Energy Financial Services joins US$23m funding round for solar PV SolarEdge, a solar PV company based in Israel says the GE Energy Financial Services division of General Electric has joined a US$23 million funding round to support growth in residential and large-scale solar photovoltaic (PV) sites.
17 October 2009 Korea solar PV market could reach 200 MW by 2012 Displaybank, which provides market research and consulting for the solar and display industries, says Korea solar photovoltaic (PV) installments could reach 200 MW by 2012.
16 October 2009 G24i ships first commercial dye-sensitised solar cells application G24 Innovations (G24i), a global dye-sensitised solar cells (DSSC) company, has seen the first commercial shipment of dye-sensitised solar cells photovoltaic (PV) modules to Hong Kong-based consumer electronics bag manufacturer, Mascotte Industrial Associates.
16 October 2009 Siemens buys solar thermal power company Solel Solar Systems Ltd for US$418m Siemens AG is acquiring the solar thermal power company Solel Solar Systems Ltd for around US$418 million from Ecofin Ltd, a London based investment firm which specialises in the global utilities, energy and environmental sectors.
15 October 2009 Ontario in top 10 for solar PV in North America Ontario has rocketed to a place among the top 10 solar jurisdictions in North America following the activation earlier this month of a 9.1 MW solar photovoltaic (PV) project in eastern Ontario, Canada.
14 October 2009 DoE: US$87m for solar energy in the USA US Energy Secretary Steven Chu has announced up to US$87 million to support the development of new solar energy technologies and the rapid deployment of available solar energy systems in the USA.
14 October 2009 Webinar: Optical characterisation of PV cells Announcing the first Renewable Energy Focus interactive webinar on Tuesday November 10, in association with PerkinElmer...
13 October 2009 China's first 10 MW ground mount solar system connected to the grid Crystalline silicon photovoltaic (PV) module manufacturer, Suntech Power Holdings Co., has completed and grid connected what it says is the first 10 MW utility-scale solar PV power project in China.
12 October 2009 PV CYCLE to initiate solar PV module take-back and recycling programme in 2010 PV CYCLE, the industry organisation for recycling solar photovoltaic (PV) modules, has decided to initiate a solar PV module take-back and recycling programme in 2010.
12 October 2009 Huawei to deploy Bangladesh's first solar-powered base transceiver station (BTS) Huawei, a provider of next-generation telecommunications network solutions for operators around the world, says it has been selected by Grameenphone (GP), a subsidiary of Telenor, to deploy Bangladesh's first solar-powered base transceiver stations.
09 October 2009 Brunei to construct solar PV power plant Brunei, one of the world's top oil and gas producers, is venturing into alternative energy with the construction of Southeast Asia's largest solar power plant.
09 October 2009 September's top 5 stories What were the top 5 stories at www.renewableenergyfocus.com during September?
07 October 2009 DuPont and Applied Materials collaborate to boost PV cell efficiency DuPont and Applied Materials, Inc. are to collaborate to advance multiple printing technology for crystalline silicon (c-Si) photovoltaic (PV) solar cells.
06 October 2009 Enbridge to acquire Ontario solar project from First Solar Enbridge Inc. is to acquire a 20 MW solar PV project that First Solar has developed and is constructing near Sarnia, Ontario, Canada.
06 October 2009 India to adopt feed-in tariffs India is one of the latest countries to make the strategic move to a comprehensive system of feed-in tariffs to develop its renewable energy potential.
05 October 2009 EUPVSEC: Danfoss unveils system to integrate functions in solar inverters The new TripleLynx Pro system for solar inverters provides a package for integrating communication and data logging functions in the inverter and has an Integrated Web Server, Master Inverter and Ethernet functionality.
03 October 2009 Hawaii feed-in tariff decision to open clean energy market A decision issued recently by the Hawaiian Public Utilities Commission could generate new clean energy investment statewide.
03 October 2009 Solarig and HSBC Environmental Infrastructure Fund (HEIF) sign agreement for mediterranean PV projects The two organisations have sealed a deal for the joint development and construction of more than 50 MW of photovoltaic projects in Spain and Italy. A total investment of more than € 200 million is expected.
02 October 2009 Solar Photovoltaic (PV) module production "almost doubled" in 2008, says new report The European Commission's Joint Research Centre has published its eighth Annual Photovoltaics Status Report with some interesting findings...
02 October 2009 Centrosolar partners DCM Solarfonds 3 to build multiple large-scale solar energy systems Following the successful closing of the first solar fund launched by DCM in 2007, Centrosolar Group AG has once again become project partner for the DCM Solarfonds 3. The special feature of this solar fund is that investors are investing not in a single solar park, but in a number of solar facilities at various locations.
30 September 2009 EU PVSEC: Fraunhofer ISE develops new solar PV technologies with greater efficiency Researchers at the Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems ISE have developed new methods and cell concepts for the manufacture of n-type silicon solar photovoltaic (PV) cells. As a result, higher efficiencies and power production levels are also possible for commercial solar cells.
30 September 2009 Applied Materials signs five-year service contract from ENN Solar Energy Applied Materials has signed a five-year contract with ENN Solar Energy Co. to support ENN’s solar photovoltaic (PV) module manufacturing facility in Langfang, China, which features an Applied SunFab™ Thin Film Line.
29 September 2009 EU PVSEC: Becquerel Prize awarded to Dr Andreas Bett for solar PV concentrator technology The European commission awarded the Becquerel Prize to Dr Andreas Bett, Head of Materials – Solar Cells and Technology department and one of the deputy institute directors at the Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy ISE, for his work on solar photovoltaic (PV) concentrator technology at EU PVSEC in Hamburg last week.
29 September 2009 EU PVSEC: Suntech reaches 16.53% solar PV multi-crystalline module conversion efficiency Suntech Power Holdings Co, a manufacturer of crystalline silicon solar photovoltaic (PV) modules, has reached a 16.53% multi-crystalline silicon PV module conversion efficiency.
25 September 2009 EU PVSEC: Oerlikon Solar wins Solar Industry Award Oerlikon Solar, a supplier of thin-film silicon photovoltaic (PV) process and production equipment and end-to-end manufacturing lines, has been named winner of the 2009 Solar Industry Award, presented at the EU PVSEC 2009 Conference in Hamburg.
25 September 2009 EU PVSEC: Suntech launches 60 cell solar PV module for rooftop systems Suntech Power Holdings Co, a manufacturer of crystalline silicon solar photovoltaic (PV) modules, is introducing a 60 cell multi-crystalline solar PV module called Wd.
23 September 2009 EU PVSEC: Bosch Solar Energy presents three module prototypes Bosch Solar Energy AG, formerly ersol Solar Energy AG, is presenting three prototypes of new crystalline and thin-film solar photovoltaic (PV) modules at the European Photovoltaic Solar Energy Conference and Exhibition (EU PVSEC) in Hamburg, Germany.
23 September 2009 EU PVSEC: Tianwei SolarFilms sign thin-film silicon PV deal with Thailand Green Energy Oerlikon Solar's Chinese customer Tianwei SolarFilms has signed a deal providing 70 MW thin-film silicon solar photovoltaic (PV) solar panels to Thailand Green Energy Co.
23 September 2009 EU PVSEC: SCHOTT Solar extends guarantee on solar power modules SCHOTT Solar AG is extending the guarantee conditions for its solar power modules offering a 25-year performance guarantee on glass-foil solar modules and a 30-year guarantee on double glass solar modules.
23 September 2009 EU PVSEC: Q-Cells records 15.9% solar PV module efficiency Q-Cells SE has designed a solar photovoltaic (PV) module with an efficiency of 15.9% using the next generation of polycrystalline cells.
23 September 2009 Renewable Energy Focus at EU PVSEC The Renewable Energy Focus team is at the European Photovoltaic Exhibition and Conference (EU PVSEC) in Hamburg this week.
21 September 2009 EU PVSEC: Solar could grow 25-30% per year Solar could see an annual growth of 25-30% per year, according to Winfried Hoffmann, President of the European Photovoltaic Industry Association (EPIA), at the opening of the European Photovoltaic Solar Energy Conference and Exhibition (EU PVSEC) in Germany.
21 September 2009 First Solar to build 2 GW solar power plant in Chinese Desert First Solar has announced a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Chinese government to build a 2 GW solar power plant in Ordos City, Inner Mongolia, China.
18 September 2009 SMA announces deal to buy Dutch firm’s micro-inverter technology SMA has announced the acquisition of micro-inverter technology from Dutch firm OKE.
12 September 2009 Call for entries: Ashden Awards for Sustainable Energy The organisers of the Ashden Awards for Sustainable Energy is seeking entries from "inspirational and innovative" local sustainable energy programmes from Asia, Africa and Latin America.
12 September 2009 Intersolar expands into India Intersolar is expanding into India. It will be organised in association with SOLARCON® India, in Hyderabad, 9-11 November 2009.
11 September 2009 Preview: Ernst & Young Global Renewable Energy Awards 2009 Organisers of the prominent global renewable energy awards report that nominations are reflecting the structural changes to clean energy markets…
10 September 2009 Masdar Institute aims to lead the way in alternative energy research Masdar Institute of Science and technology has welcomed its first intake of 92 graduate students, representing 22 different nations.
10 September 2009 Webinar: Solar PV cell analysis - date tba Renewable Energy Focus, in association with PerkinElmer, is organising a free, 1 hour webinar (exact date tba), examining how analysis/testing solutions and equipment can ensure quality and detect areas of improvement needed for solar cell development.
09 September 2009 Spectrolab concentrator PV cell reaches world record efficiency of 41.6% Spectrolab Inc. has achieved a 41.6 % efficiency record for a terrestrial concentrator solar cell.
08 September 2009 Oerlikon Solar and Tianwei open 46 MW solar thin-film production in China Oerlikon Solar and Tianwei have completed one of mainland China’s largest thin-film solar panel factories, which in the first phase could produce 500,000 thin-film solar modules totalling 46 MW per year.
07 September 2009 Researchers set new 43% record for solar PV efficiency Researchers at UNSW claim to have set a new solar PV cell efficiency record of 43%.
07 September 2009 Zayed Future Energy Prize open for renewable energy nominations The US$2.2 million Zayed Future Energy Prize awarded every year for innovation, long-term vision and leadership in renewable energy and technologies is open for nominations until 16 October 2009.
04 September 2009 August's top 5 stories What were the top 5 stories at www.renewableenergyfocus.com during August?
03 September 2009 SolarWorld supplies solar PV modules to Air Force base in Colorado SolarWorld is supplying 5000 of its 220/230 W solar photovoltaic (PV) modules for a 1.2 MW solar power plant at an Air Force base in Aurora, Colorado, USA.
03 September 2009 Prominent author given key UK climate change role David MacKay, Professor in the Department of Physics at Cambridge University and author of the influential book ‘Sustainable Energy - without the hot air' has been appointed Chief Scientific Advisor to the UK's Department of Energy and Climate Change.
03 September 2009 ersol Solar Energy becomes Bosch Solar Energy Solar photovoltaic (PV) module manufacturer ersol Solar Energy is changing its name and branding to Bosch Solar Energy following Bosch’s acquisition of ersol Solar Energy last year.
02 September 2009 World’s second largest thin-film solar PV farm built in Germany What is said to be the world’s second largest thin-film solar photovoltaic (PV) farm, Lieberose, is under construction near Cottbus in Brandenburg, Germany.
01 September 2009 Analyst ranks top 10, 2008 suppliers of solar PV manufacturing equipment VLSI Research Inc has ranked the top 10 suppliers of solar photovotalic (PV) manufacturing equipment worldwide for 2008.
28 August 2009 First Solar to build 55 MW thin-film solar project for LADWP First Solar has entered a contract with the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (LADWP) to build a 55 MW thin-film solar power project in Imperial County, California, USA.
27 August 2009 Flexible CdTe thin-film solar cells reach efficiency of 12.4% An efficiency of 12.4% has been reached with flexible cadmium telluride (CdTe) thin-film solar cells by EMPA, the Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Testing and Research in Dubendorf, Switzerland.
27 August 2009 Intertape Polymer Group develops products for renewable energy market Intertape Polymer Group (IPG) has announced plans to develop further products designed for the wind, solar, geothermal and biofuel generation markets.
25 August 2009 First Solar builds 550 MW of solar PV for SCE First Solar will build two thin-film solar photovoltaic (PV) projects totalling 550 MW with an annual output of 1.2 TWh for Southern California Edison (SCE) in Southern California.
25 August 2009 Suntech achieves 15.6% conversion efficiency for a multi-crystalline solar PV module Suntech Power Holdings, a manufacturer of solar photovoltaic (PV) modules, has achieved a conversion efficiency of 15.6% on a commercial grade multi-crystalline silicon solar PV module.
21 August 2009 Q-Cells cuts 500 solar jobs to save costs German solar cell manufacturer Q-Cells says it will cut 500 jobs at its Thalheim solar cell production lines to cut costs following the negative results for the first half of 2009 announced earlier this summer.
20 August 2009 ersol gets EU subsidies for solar cell production expansion ersol Solar Energy AG has received approval of EU Commission subsidies towards investments ersol’s planned expansion of its solar cell production at Arnstadt, Germany.
20 August 2009 NST places 120 MW order with Oerlikon Solar for solar PV factory in Russia Nano Solar Technology (NST), a newly formed Russian high-tech firm, has ordered a 120 MW Micromorph® line for production of thin-film solar modules from Oerlikon Solar. With the envisaged production capacity of one million solar modules annually, this could the largest production equipment order to-date in 2009 for the thin-film photovoltaic (PV) market.
17 August 2009 ersol launches new micromorph thin film module With the start of series production, ersol Thin Film GmbH, a subsidiary of ersol Solar Energy AG, is launching its first micromorph thin-film module, under the name Vega-T.
13 August 2009 India plans massive increase in solar energy India is targeting 20GW of solar power as part of its climate and energy strategy.
10 August 2009 Concentrix Solar achieves 25% system efficiency Concentrix Solar has increased the system efficiency (AC) of its concentrator systems to 25%. This record was achieved using its new, CX-75 generation of modules.
10 August 2009 German company pushes organic PV boundaries H.C. Starck Clevios GmbH reports that its Clevios materials have produced a new technology break conductivity record for organic solar cells.
10 August 2009 REC to build solar plant in Singapore Renewable Energy Corporation (REC) ASA of Norway is building a solar panel manufacturing complex in Singapore’s Jurong, which will reportedly be one of the largest in the world.
09 August 2009 July's top 5 stories What were the top 5 stories at www.renewableenergyfocus.com during July?
08 August 2009 Centrosolar pulls out of solar cell JV Negotiations on the continuation of Itarion Solar Lda, the solar photovolatic (PV) cells manufacturing joint venture (JV) launched by Centrosolar Group and Qimonda have halted – Itarion Solar has filed for insolvency.
06 August 2009 Fraunhofer claims 99.3% efficiency inverters for solar PV systems Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems (ISE) claims a record 99.3% efficiency for inverters used in solar photovoltaic (PV) systems.
31 July 2009 Solar power getting stronger with utilities ramping up Leading solar power project developers are finding themselves in a “much stronger position at the end of the first half of 2009” –due to scaling utility involvement, amongst other things, says Reese Tisdale, Research Director at Emerging Energy Research.
31 July 2009 Two-atom lead superconductor thinnest ever Paving the way for smaller and more efficient devices, a superconducting sheet just two atoms thick has been created at The University of Texas at Austin by Dr. Ken Shih and colleagues [Shengyong Qin, et al., DOI: 10.1126/science.1170775].
29 July 2009 Energy Conversion Devices adds Solar Integrated Technologies to portfolio Energy Conversion Devices, Inc. (ECD), a manufacturer of thin-film flexible solar laminate products for the building integrated and commercial rooftop markets (which includes the Uni-Solar brand) is to acquire Solar Integrated Technologies, Inc. (SIT), a provider of building integrated photovoltaic (BIPV) roofing systems.
28 July 2009 ENN's SunFab production line underway ENN Solar Energy Co., Ltd has announced the launch of its new silicon thin film solar products manufactured with Applied Materials' “tandem junction” technology.
27 July 2009 Canadian Solar joins ranks of PV Cycle Canadian Solar Inc. is to become a member of PV CYCLE, an organisation based in Brussels, Belgium that promotes voluntary take-back and recycling of end-of-life PV modules, including seeking to define collection and recycling targets for the PV industry.
27 July 2009 EDF and First Solar to partner in French market EDF Energies Nouvelles and First Solar Inc are to form a joint venture to build France's largest solar panel manufacturing plant.
24 July 2009 juwi group launches major project in the USA juwi is to set up its first large-scale wind farm on US soil in south-eastern Nebraska.
24 July 2009 Switzerland's largest solar PV module manufacturing facility in production The Pramac Group has begun producing thin film PV modules at its new 30 MWp facility near Locarno, Switzerland.
23 July 2009 Companies announce hybrid projects in Canada Atlantic Wind and Solar (AWSL) and Centripetal Dynamics (CDI) are to collaborate on hybrid wind/solar energy projects in Ontario, Canada.
23 July 2009 Renewable energy in Asia - a roundup Renewable Energy Focus' Asian correspondent, Azam Mahmood, provides an overview over renewable energy projects and politics in Asia.
20 July 2009 Solar-powered ‘Fun Pump’ provides clean water Mono NOV develops a water system using an electric pump powered by a solar panel and a children’s merry-go-round.
20 July 2009 Q-Cells hit by weak market development in Q2 Q-Cells has been hit by the continued weak development of the global solar photovoltaics (PV) markets in the second quarter (Q2).
17 July 2009 North Africa’s deserts could provide 15% of Europe’s electricity A large number of networked solar thermal power plants in the Middle East and North Africa could produce sufficient renewable power to meet around 15% of Europe’s electricity needs and large parts of the power needs of the producer countries.
14 July 2009 Enfinity will develop 10 MWp solar PV power station in China Enfinity together with a joint bidding team including China Guangdong Nuclear Power Holding (CGNPC) and LDK Solar, have won the first 10 MWp solar concession project in China.
13 July 2009 Prototype solar powered aircraft unveiled The prototype Solar Impulse HB-SIA aircraft was recently unveiled. This carbon composite, solar powered craft is believed to be the first aircraft that will have the capability to be flown both during the day and night without using fossil fuel or emitting any pollutants.
10 July 2009 Q-Cells takes over Solibro GmbH German solar cell producer Q-Cells SE has increased its interest in Solibro GmbH from 67.5% to 100% by acquiring the Swedish joint venture partner Solibro AB.
10 July 2009 Off-grid PV back on the map with developing countries Off-grid solar photovoltaic (PV) power has taken a back-seat in talk about solar power in recent years despite once holding 90% of the total installed capacity worldwide. However, as the thirst for energy increases in regions like Africa, Asia or Latin America, off-grid solar PV energy is experiencing a come-back.
09 July 2009 DuPont and DoE plan US$9m solar research programme DuPont and the US Department of Energy (DoE) have announced plans for a US$9 million solar research programme, in line with DuPont’s aim to provide more mainstream solar photovoltaic (PV) products for commercial and residential applications.
08 July 2009 The US House approves the Waxman-Markey American Clean Energy and Security Act (H.R. 2454) legislation. Some – most notably Al Gore - are hailing the decision as the most important legislation Congress will ever pass. It sees the US pledging to cut emissions by 17% (below 2005 levels) by 2020, and 83% by 2050.
01 July 2009 VC investment in green technologies "rebounds" with US$1.2 billion in Q2 2009 Greentech Media Inc., the online media company covering green technology news and analysis, has released the most recent quarterly data showing that venture capital (VC) investment in green technologies totalled US$1.2 bn in 85 deals in the second quarter of 2009.
01 July 2009 Wells Fargo and SunPower Corp to partner on SunPower commercial-scale solar systems. A new collaborative effort will result in funding of up to US$100 million in SunPower commercial-scale solar systems.
01 July 2009 June's top 5 stories What were the top 5 stories at www.renewableenergyfocus.com during June?
01 July 2009 Tanaka: renewables have a "key role to play" Speaking at the Renewable Energy Finance Forum in New York City, International Energy Agency (IEA) Executive Director Nobuo Tanaka, said that renewable energy sources have a "key role to play with respect to both energy security and climate change".
29 June 2009 New report: "5 million US jobs possible in clean tech by 2020" In a presentation before US policymakers and analysts, leading clean energy CEOs, venture capitalists and academics unveiled the “Gigaton Throwdown,” an assessment of the US’ clean energy potential.
24 June 2009 EPIA report: PV set to "join mainstream by 2020" Photovoltaic (PV) solar electricity is poised to become a significant and competitive supplier to the European electricity market, concludes a study conducted by the European Photovoltaic Industry Association (EPIA) with the strategic management consultancy A.T. Kearney.
22 June 2009 Negative dead layer provides route to thin film devices The development of smaller ferroelectric capacitors with additional capacity is at least partly held up by the presence of a ‘dead layer’ at the surface.
18 June 2009 California regulators green light SCE's ambitous solar plans A plan proposed by Southern California Edison (SCE) for the largest US installation of advanced solar panels on otherwise unused large commercial rooftops across Southern California was approved today by the California Public Utilities Commission.
18 June 2009 SCE earmarks more green power development Southern California Edison (SCE) has signed agreements with wind and solar suppliers for up to 960 MW of clean, renewable power.
17 June 2009 Oerlikon simplifies manufacturing of crystalline solar cells German Oerlikon Systems demonstrated SOLARIS, last month, a new production solution that, according to the company, simplifies the manufacturing of crystalline solar cells.
16 June 2009 National Semiconductor and Suntech collaborate on SolarMagic solar PV systems Californian National Semiconductor and the crystalline silicon solar photovoltaic (PV) module manufacturer, Suntech Power Holdings, have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to evaluate National Semiconductor’s SolarMagic™ technology for enhancing solar efficiencies.
16 June 2009 Enerqos constructs solar farms for NextEnergy Capital in Italy Italian turnkey supplier of solar systems and plants, Enerqos, has started the construction of four 1 MW solar farms representing €1 billion of investment, in Apulia, Italy, for NextEnergy Capital, the European merchant bank specialising in renewable energy.
15 June 2009 Oerlikon listed as "number one worldwide solar turnkey line supplier" Solar thin-film silicon photovoltaic (PV) production equipment provider, Oerlikon Solar, it has been listed as the number one solar turnkey line supplier globally by market research and economic analysis company VLSI.
12 June 2009 Phoenix Solar builds 5.8 MWp PV power plant in Germany Phoenix Solar is building a 5.8 MWp solar photovoltaic (PV) power plant on behalf of utility Enovos Group in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany.
11 June 2009 CENTROSOLAR has found new partner for Itarion solar cell company CENTROSOLAR has found a new partner for the continuation of the Itarion solar cell company and the planned solar cell plant located near Porto, Portugal.
11 June 2009 E.ON inaugurates its first solar farm near Marseille E.ON has inaugurated its first solar farm near the southern French town of Le Lauzet, some 150 km north of Marseille with a capacity of 5 MW and distributed across a 20 hectares area.
08 June 2009 Sharp encourages South Africa to include solar PV in renewable energy law Sharp is urging South Africa to include solar photovoltaics (PV) into its recent renewable energy feed-in tariff.
08 June 2009 CENTROSOLAR closes solar module plant due to Econcern crisis CENTROSOLAR is closing the solar module plant in Doesburg, the Netherlands, run by its 100% subsidiary Ubbink Solar Modules BV (USM), as a repercussion to the financing problems at renewable energy developer Econcern.
05 June 2009 Economic crisis hits EU and US clean energy, but investment still up The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) says US$155 billion was invested in 2008 in clean energy companies and projects worldwide - not including large hydro – an increase over 2007, but growth is slowing with the economic crisis.
05 June 2009 Blair supports UAE IRENA bid The United Arab Emirates (UAE)'s bid to host the headquarters of the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) is a major boost for the developing world in the global quest for a sustainable future, former British Prime Minister Tony Blair said.
05 June 2009 Masdar 10 MW solar PV plant connects to Abu Dhabi power grid Abu Dhabi-based solar integrator Enviromena Power Systems has completed the Masdar 10 MW solar power plant, the largest grid-connected solar system in the Middle East and North Africa.
05 June 2009 NREL and Dutch Energy Research Centre team up on renewables The US Department of Energy’s (DoE) National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) and the Energy Research Centre of the Netherlands (ECN) will cooperate on renewable energy research areas such as policy studies, energy analysis, wind energy and solar photovoltaic (PV) energy.
04 June 2009 Oerlikon Solar wins Intersolar cell award 2009 Oerlikon Solar, a leading supplier of thin-film silicon photovoltaic (PV) process and production equipment, has been named winner of the 2009 CELL AWARD, presented at the Intersolar 2009 Conference in Munich.
04 June 2009 First Solar to supply Pfalzsolar with solar PV modules First Solar will provide solar photovoltaic (PV) modules under a long-term supply agreement to Pfalzsolar, a German solar project developer owned by Rhineland-Palatinate public utility Pfalzwerke AG.
03 June 2009 President Obama: US$467m for geothermal and solar energy President Obama has pledged over US$467 million from the American Reinvestment and Recovery Act to expand and accelerate the development, deployment, and use of geothermal and solar energy throughout the USA.
03 June 2009 Applied Materials receives IEC Certification of “world’s largest solar panels” Applied Materials’ 5.7m2 solar photovoltaic (PV) modules produced by its SunFab Thin Film Line™, using both single and more advanced tandem junction technologies, have been awarded International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) certification.
02 June 2009 Intersolar: SCHOTT Solar launches InDaX 225 module series SCHOTT Solar has announced a new generation of modules for roof-integrated solar systems at the Intersolar 2009 event in Munich, Germany.
01 June 2009 Intersolar: Oerlikon’s Micromorph technology breaks 11% barrier Oerlikon Solar reports that it has achieved a new record efficiency level for commercial thin-film silicon PV modules.
01 June 2009 S.A.G. Solarstrom AG to build 13 MWp PV plant in Czech Republic S.A.G. Solarstrom AG of Freiburg, Germany, is set to construct a 13 MWp photovoltaic (PV) plant at a former military site in Stríbro (district of Plzen), Czech Republic.
01 June 2009 Yingli partnership to develop high efficiency N-type silicon solar cells Yingli Green Energy Holding Company Limited, a vertically integrated photovoltaic (PV) product manufacturer, the Energy Research Centre of the Netherlands (ECN), and Amtech Systems, Inc. a supplier of production and automation systems and related supplies for the manufacture of solar cells, are to jointly develop next generation high efficiency solar cells.
01 June 2009 Intersolar: Intersolar 2009 saw 60,000 visitors Intersolar 2009, the trade show for solar technology, saw visitors numbers swell to around 60,000 representing 150 countries on 26-29 May in Munich, Germany.
01 June 2009 Solyndra signs US$115m thin-film contract Rooftop solar photovoltaic (PV) systems manufacturer Solyndra Inc has entered into a US$115 million, long-term sales contract with solar integrator EBITSCHenergietechnik, based in Zapfendorf, Germany.
29 May 2009 HgCapital acquires another Spanish solar PV plant HgCapital’s Renewable Power Partners Fund together with local partners, have acquired a 5.25 MWp Spanish solar photovoltaic (PV) project for an undisclosed sum.
28 May 2009 Intersolar: National Semiconductor wins Intersolar award and launches SolarMagic power optimisers in Europe and North America National Semiconductor has launched its SolarMagic power optimisers for solar panels in Europe and North America at Intersolar 2009 in Munich, Germany.
28 May 2009 Intersolar: Intersolar Award 2009 for photovoltaics (PV) and solar thermal technology goes to... Aerowest GmbH, National Semiconductor and SOLON SE in the PV category; and NEP Solar Pty Ltd, RESOL – Elektronische Regelungen GmbH and Ritter Energie- und Umwelttechnik GmbH & Co KG for the solar thermal category.
28 May 2009 Suntech plans PV module manufacturing in the USA Crystalline silicon photovoltaic (PV) module manufacturer, Suntech Power Holdings Co Ltd, plans to establish PV module manufacturing in the USA as part of its strategy to create a long-term presence in the States.
26 May 2009 Meet Renewable Energy Focus at Intersolar 2009 Renewable Energy Focus will be at Intersolar 2009 on 27-29 May to talk to representatives of the international solar energy industry.
26 May 2009 Koenigsegg Quant runs on thin-film solar power Swedish luxury sports car manufacturer Koenigsegg and NLV Solar AG have created the thin-film solar coated, electric car, Koenigsegg Quant.
20 May 2009 SCHOTT Solar opens CSP and PV manufacturing facility in USA SCHOTT Solar has inaugurated its utility-scale concentrating solar power (CSP) and solar photovoltaic (PV) module manufacturing facility in the USA.
18 May 2009 Solar cell manufacturer Q-Cells’ Q1 EBIT plummets 75% Solar cell manufacturer Q-Cells saw a 75% fall in first quarter (Q1) operating profit (EBIT) to €14.7 million as uncertainty over the financing of solar photovoltaic (PV) system hit.
15 May 2009 Siemens installs 1 MWp PV plant in Italy Siemens Energy has built a 1 MWp photovoltaic (PV) plant north of Naples, Italy, for the bottled water company Ferrarelle under a deal worth €5 million.
14 May 2009 First Solar supplies modules for “Australia's largest solar PV installation” First Solar Inc will supply solar photovoltaic (PV) modules to Solar Shop Australia, Pty Ltd, for a 1 MW rooftop project, said to be Australia’s largest solar PV installation.
12 May 2009 Glass coating platform for CIGS thin-film solar cells from Veeco Veeco Instruments Inc has introduced its FastLine™ platform of glass coating systems, designed for the production of copper, indium, gallium and selenium (CIGS) thin-film solar cells.
12 May 2009 REC’s pre-tax profits more than doubled in 2008 Norwegian Renewable Energy Corporation (REC) ASA reported profits before tax of NOK4379 million for 2008, more than double of 2007.
08 May 2009 DuPont opens PV centre in China Chemicals-giant DuPont has opened a US$25 million photovoltaic (PV) technical centre at its China global R&D Center in Shanghai for crystalline silicon PV.
08 May 2009 SolarWorld sees a 26% increase in Q1 group net earnings SolarWorld has reported net earnings of €24 million in the first quarter (Q1) of 2009, up 26% from the same period in 2008.
08 May 2009 First Solar's net income soars 253% in Q1 – seeks new CEO First Solar reports first quarter (Q1) net income of US$164.6 million, soaring 253% from the same period in 2008. At the same time, the solar company has initiated the search for a new chief executive officer.
06 May 2009 “Enormous potential” for solar energy in India - report Solar energy offers enormous potential for a tropical country like India where around 45% of households, mainly rural, do not have access to electricity, according to Research and Markets’ report Indian Solar Energy Market Outlook 2012.
06 May 2009 Oerlikon Q1 results hit by global recession but Oerlikon Solar brings hope The Oerlikon Group was hit by the global recession in the first quarter (Q1) of 2009 with orders down 46% to CHF599 million, but Oerlikon Solar is set to recover by the second half of the year.
05 May 2009 Sunfilm AG and Sontor GmbH merge to create thin-film giant Sunfilm AG and Q-Cells’ subsidiary Sontor GmbH are merging to become what could be one of the world’s largest providers of tandem junction silicon based thin-film modules.
01 May 2009 First Solar to build 48 MW solar PV plant in Nevada First Solar will build a 48 MW ground-mounted solar photovoltaic (PV) power plant for Sempra Generation in Nevada, USA.
30 April 2009 Tough times for wind energy whereas solar power is rising in 2009 The year ahead will be tough for wind energy whereas solar power will experience an uptick in 2009, according to analyst Emerging Energy Research (EER).
30 April 2009 Suntech supplies Soleos with 6 MW of solar modules in H1 Suntech Power Holdings will supply photovoltaic (PV) systems integrator and manufacturer Soleos Solar GmbH with at least 6 MW of solar modules in the first half (H1) of 2009.
30 April 2009 Concentrix Solar installs new tracking system in Concentrating PV (CPV) power plant The installation of the FLATCON systems for the Spanish CPV power plant in Castilla-La Mancha is now complete.
28 April 2009 Intel tops list of USA green power purchasers The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has released a list of the USA’s top green power purchasers.
28 April 2009 Risø DTU connects polymer solar cells to the grid in "world first" Risø’s solar energy programme has been conducting research into polymer solar cells - a cheap alternative to existing silicon-based solar cells - and research is now at such an advanced stage that a demonstration plant has been built at Risø DTU.
28 April 2009 Plastic solar cells set to achieve higher efficiencies? According to the Korea Times, South Korean and US researchers claim to have engineered an approach that could lead to plastic solar cells with power-conversion efficiencies of more than 6%.
28 April 2009 PG&E to purchase solar power from space Pacific Gas & Electric (PG&E) may see 200 MW of power coming from solar panels in space from 2016.
27 April 2009 IMEC and CYTEC to increase lifetime of organic solar cells Cytec Industries Inc, a producer of specialty chemicals and materials, and IMEC, a European independent nanoelectronics research institute, are cooperating to develop a commercially viable technology for organic photovoltaic (PV) devices with enhanced stability and extended lifetime.
27 April 2009 FPL and Kitson to build solar powered city in Florida Real estate developer Kitson & Partners and electric utility Florida Power & Light have agreed to build a solar photovoltaic (PV) power plant at Babcock Ranch, Florida, USA, making it “the world’s first city powered by solar energy.”
27 April 2009 Solar roof from Eagle Solar Roof and Suntech Wins 50+ SMART CHOICE Award Eagle Roofing Products’ Eagle Solar Roof with SolarBlend™ from Suntech has won a 50+ SMART CHOICE Award from the 50+ Housing Council and the Sales and Marketing Council of Southern California.
24 April 2009 Spire to develop 42% efficiency concentrator solar cells for NREL The US National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) has awarded Spire Semiconductor a contract to develop triple junction 42% efficiency concentrator solar cells.
24 April 2009 Swinburne University and Suntech develop next generation solar Swinburne University of Technology and solar photovoltaic (PV) module manufacturer, Suntech Power Holdings Co Ltd, are cooperating on the creation of next generation solar cells that are “twice as efficient and run at half the cost of those currently available.”
21 April 2009 Trina solar powers 4.7 MW Italian PV rooftop installation Solar photovoltaic (PV) manufacturer, Trina Solar, has completed a 4.7 MW solar PV rooftop installation in Italy developed by ErgyCapital.
20 April 2009 Renewable Energy Focus to twitter Renewable Energy Focus has now joined the twitter network...
19 April 2009 REC Solar halves Q2 solar cells and modules production REC Solar is reducing second quarter (Q2) production of solar cells and modules by close to 50% in response to the “challenging market environment.”
17 April 2009 TenCate supplies composites for solar car Solar Team Twente will use advanced composite materials from TenCate for its solar powered car, which will participate in the 10th World Solar Challenge in Australia on 25-31 October, 2009.
16 April 2009 Renewable Power Solutions awarded solar apprenticeship programme Renewable Power Solutions, a provider of solar energy installation services, has been awarded the first exclusively solar apprenticeship programme by the State of California.
16 April 2009 BioSolar launches BioBacksheet for thin-film PV modules BioSolar plans to expand the company’s BioBacksheet™ technology producing bio-based materials from plant sources for backsheets for copper-indium-gallium-selenide (CIGS) and cadmium telluride (CdTe) thin-film solar photovoltaic (PV) modules.
16 April 2009 Q-Cells and LDK Solar form solar PV systems JV for Europe and China Q-Cells SE and LDK Solar Co Ltd have formed a joint venture (JV) focusing on large solar photovoltaic (PV) systems and market development in Europe and China – the first 40 MW is already underway.
15 April 2009 Dow Corning expands solar business in Korea Dow Corning has selected JinCheon, Korea, as the site for further expansion of its solar business with the development of a second Solar Solutions Application Center.
15 April 2009 Xcel Energy and Sunpower plan 17 MW solar PV plant Xcel Energy and SunPower Corp., a manufacturer of high-efficiency solar cells, solar panels, and solar systems, are to build a 17 megawatt AC photovoltaic (PV) solar power plant in Colorado's Alamosa County.
14 April 2009 Students scoop building award with system that uses hydrogen and renewables The Hydrogen Education Foundation, part of the National Hydrogen Association, has announced the winners of the 2008-09 Hydrogen Student Design Contest.
13 April 2009 Helios expands PV cell and module production Helios Technology S.p.A. has achieved its 60 MWp target for its Italy-based cell production line, and has also started up its new module production line - which will reportedly reach a capacity of 50 MWp during 2009.
13 April 2009 Nanoscale capacitors pack in the power Feynman's famous 1959 proclamation “There's plenty of room at the bottom” largely referred to the untapped storage ability for information at the nanoscale.
12 April 2009 Gorbachev foundation urges greater use of solar PV Mikhail Gorbachev, former president of the Soviet Union and founder of Green Cross International, has told world leaders to invest in solar PV energy swiftly as a way out of the current economic crisis, and as part of an emergency response to climate change.
10 April 2009 Platina takes control of Spanish solar plants Platina Partners LLP, a private equity fund advisor, has taken control of production at three major Spanish solar energy projects - the Anemoi at the Cantillana, El Coronil and Ocaña solar PV power plants.
10 April 2009 Global solar PV market grew to 5.5 GW in 2008 The global solar photovoltaic (PV) market grew to at least 5.5 GW in 2008 compared to 2.4 GW in 2007, with Spain topping the list followed by Germany.
08 April 2009 CPV cell efficiencies could reach 50% by 2015 Concentrated photovoltaic (CPV) cell efficiencies are likely to reach 50% by 2015, according to a recent study from the University of Jaén and CPV Today.
08 April 2009 Suntech achieves efficiencies of 19% and 17% on PV production Suntech Power Holdings Co Ltd is producing solar photovoltaic (PV) cells with conversion efficiencies of approximately 19% on mono-crystalline PV cells and 17% on multi-crystalline PV cells.
08 April 2009 BP Solar lays off solar cell and module staff BP Solar says it will lay of 620 solar cell manufacture and module assembly staff in Maryland, USA, and Madrid, Spain, as it seeks to reduce unit costs by 25% by the end of 2010.
07 April 2009 Electricity from renewables rise 11.7% in UK Electricity supply from renewable energies including wind and hydro in the UK rose by 11.7%, or 2.2 TWh, to 20.7 TWh in 2008.
07 April 2009 Amorphous silicon will continue to dominate thin-film PV market Amorphous silicon (a-Si) will continue to lead the solar thin-film photovoltaic (PV) space for years to come, according to industry analyst NanoMarkets.
07 April 2009 OptiSolar unable to find buyer – halts manufacturing Optisolar Inc has stopped manufacturing operations and may lay off most of its staff as the solar company has been unable to find a buyer.
06 April 2009 Nominees for European Inventor of the Year award announced The European Patent Office (EPO) and the European Commission have announced the 12 nominees for this year's European Inventor of the Year awards.
02 April 2009