News

On the occasion of the 2013 edition of Solarexpo, during a press conference held to mark the opening day of the first Global Solar Summit (May 8 and 9, Milan-Rho Trade Fair), the Global Solar Alliance announced the enlargement of the network with the entry of two new members that represent the most important trade fair exhibitions in India and Korea in the field of renewable energies: Renewable Energy India and Green Energy Expo & Conference.The announcement marks the first year since the establishment of the first international network of specialist events and technical-scientific conferences by Solarexpo (Europe), Solar Power International (USA) and Snec Pv Power Expo (China) and confirms its intention to become an effective platform for debate and information-sharing on the markets of the respective countries in order to favour growth in solar energy on a global scale. 

The solar power industry is steadily expanding worldwide providing vital energy resources and low carbon technology, including electricity supplies to remote regions where the grid is not available. Reliable materials are vital for the 25-year target lifespan and this includes the polymer components that encapsulate the silicon, the backsheets that prevent ingress of moisture and give protection from the environment, adhesives, sealants and front sheets that all play a role in securing long-term integrity. Applied Market Information (AMI) is bringing the industry together in the US to review the latest developments: Plastics in Photovoltaics 2013 will take place on September 10-11 at the Hilton City Avenue, Philadelphia, PA. The solar power market in the US will be reviewed by Vanguard Energy Partners.

Photovoltaic company receives financial commitment of another €85 million and appoints Stefan Parhofer and Richard von Hehn to the Board of Directors.Dornach n. Munich. An international group of banks led by BayernLB has provided a financing framework totaling €85 million to Gehrlicher Solar AG, including €30 million for avals (guarantees), for another two years. The mezzanine capital of €6 million was also extended by Bayern Mezzaninekapital GmbH & Co. KG for the same period.

Solarpraxis’ expanded investment workshop series includes PV growth markets of France, Turkey and Latin America; complimentary investment guides will be available.In advance of the Investment Workshop series “PV in ….”, Solarpraxis AG, in cooperation with Eclareon and law firm Dominguez, Ossa, Lon (DOLM), has published the new investment guide “Photovoltaics in Chile”. The publication provides country-specific information on legal and political frameworks, permitting procedures, site acquisition and project finance, as well as purchasing and disposing of rights of ownership for project or fully completed parks.

31,300 visitors from 83 countries came to the Trade Fair’s pavilionsand took part in 60 conferences of national and international significancefrom May 8th to 10th at Fiera Milano-Rho. A high level of attendance and a great sense of satisfaction, together with renewed dynamism among operators, marked the first edition of The Innovation Cloud – Solarexpo, which ended last Friday after three days at Fiera Milano-Rho.

Renewable Energy Systems (RES), one of the world's leading independent renewable energy project developers, has announced that RES Group's global construction portfolio had exceeded eight gigawatts, or 8,000 megawatts (MW). To date, RES has developed and/or constructed more than 120 individual wind farms around the world.

Emmvee Photovoltaic Power Pvt Ltd, leading module manufacturer and turnkey solution expert has bagged 2 MW solar photovoltaic project from MLR Industries Pvt. Ltd. The 2 MW plant will be builtat the manufacturing plant of MLR Industries Pvt. Ltd. located at Bibinagar, Nalagonda district in thestate of Andhra Pradesh.MLR Industries Pvt. Ltd., an associate of Bambino Agro Industries Limited, incorporated in 2001, isone of the largest vermicelli producers in South East Asia.

SENER, an international engineering and technology group, was present in the first foundation stone ceremony of the solar thermal plant in Ouarzazate (Morocco), held last Friday May 10. The Moroccan Agency for Solar Energy (Masen), an agency of the Government of Morocco, has selected a project led by the Saudi company ACWA Power, from which the Spanish companies TSK and Aries also form part, for the development of the first phase of the Ouarzazate CSP complex, in Morocco.

The Leaders of Sustainable Biofuels (LSB) met the European Parliament (EP) in Brussels on the 8th of May 2013. The meeting was hosted by the ITRE (Industry, Research and Energy) Committee, chaired by Mrs Amalia Sartori.The vice-President of the European Parliament, Mr Alejo Vidal Quadras, welcomed the Leaders and introduced the positions of the EP ITRE Committee on the European Commission revision of the Renewable Energy Directive - RED.

New Energy Technologies, Inc. , developer of see-through solar cells for generating electricity on glass windows, today announced that researchers have successfully achieved faster fabrication time, improved transparency, and a two-fold increase in power conversion efficiency. Researchers achieved today’s advances by way of a novel, patent-pending breakthrough, which enables fabrication of large-scale mini-module SolarWindow™ devices, important to commercial deployment of the world’s first-of-its-kind glass window capable of generating electricity. 

WELTEC BIOPOWER biogas plant construction company from Vechta (Germany) builds a biogas plant inJeppo (Finland). The company from Lower Saxony is implementing this project jointly with its Finnishproject partner, Doranova.As early as autumn 2013, the plant will produce biomethane refined to natural gas quality, which is suitablefor all consumption paths and as such also suitable as fuel for the growing network of Finnish natural gasstations.

Automated testing of Photo-Voltaic (PV) panels

Solar cell and solar module testing during manufacturing and prior to installation has become of high importance as more and more individuals and businesses look to lower their carbon footprints. Newly introduced to the UK by Armstrong Optical Ltd., the fully automated optronic infrared test system - PV-LIT – manufactured by InfraTec GmbH in Germany has been developed to ensure that photovoltaic systems operate to their maximum efficiency.

Most powerful 60-cell modules that use P-type PV cells now in stock.

The UK's first JA Solar 270 watt square mono modules have just arrived in stock at SunGift Trade's distribution centre in Exeter.
The new 6-inch full-square monocrystalline silicon modules, manufactured by Chinese company JA Solar, are the most powerful 60-cell modules using P-type PV cells on the market, producing an accumulated output that is four per cent higher than comparable models.

Granulate or chunks: The DECKER etching system cleans all types of standard polysiliconBerching. DECKER Anlagenbau, specialist in wet chemical processes, offers silicon manufacturers a flexible multi-etching system for polysilicon which is capable of treating all standard types of silicon materials.

As a global leader in solar metallization technology and processes, DEK Solar continues to illustrate the company’s dedication to photovoltaic innovation and on 17 May, will welcome guests as it officially opens its state-of-the-art Suzhou Technology Centre in China.   

International solar visionaries discussing future of UK solar market

The UK solar PV market is making headlines again as its 500 MW of installed capacity accounted for 10% of the global installations in the first quarter of 2013. As a result, the UK market passed the 2 GigaWatt mark of cumulative installed solar capacity. 2012 hasn't been a bad year either. Government statistics confirm 779 MW of installed PV capacity in 2012. According to Solarbuzz, 11.3% of the UK’s electricity last year was generated from renewable energy sources.

Solar company offers business models tailored specifically to energy providers

Conergy is expanding its collaboration with energy suppliers further and joining public utility company Stadtwerke Winsen (Luhe) as well as representatives from Harburg District Council at the inauguration of a 100 kilowatt Conergy solar power plant, which is taking place at 2 p.m. today, Thursday, 2nd of May 2013. The rooftop plant is located on the Harburg District Council building in Winsen an der Luhe, south of Hamburg in Germany.

Renusol America today announced the appointment of Jeff Burns as the company’s Regional Sales Manager for the Northeastern and Midwestern United States. Burns brings more than six years of residential and commercial experience in the wind and solar industries to his new position, having served most recently as Regional Sales Manager for Dovetail Solar & Wind, one of the oldest and most experienced renewable energy companies in Ohio. Prior to this, Burns worked as the Director of Business Development for Renewable Energy Resources, Inc. in Idaho, where he successfully developed solar, solar/wind hybrid and geothermal renewable energy projects. He was also Founder and President of Burns Energy, which developed wind and solar projects in Idaho for the residential and commercial markets.

Bond Investors strong support demonstrates that Soitec’s utility-scale solar projects can be financed like traditional infrastructure projects.

Soitec (Euronext Paris), a world leader in generating and manufacturing revolutionary semiconductor materials for energy and electronics successfully finalised the ZAR 1,000,000,000 (more than $100 millions) solar financing bond issued by CPV Power Plant No.1 Bond SPV (RF) Ltd, an affiliate of Soitec Solar GmbH.  The bonds will finance the construction of a 44 MWp utility-scale concentrator photovoltaic (CPV) solar power plant in Touwsrivier, South Africa.

The hunt is on once again for Britain’s most efficient and sustainable manufacturers. EEF, the manufacturers’ organisation, and ENER-G have launched the Environment award category as part of the fifth annual Future Manufacturing Awards with companies eligible to win two prestigious awards at regional and national level.

With solar energy subsidies in Italy due to expire soon under the renewable energy act known as Conto Energia V, the Italian photovoltaic market is facing an upheaval: The elimination of a fixed feed-in-tariff will shift the market’s focus to the self consumption of solar energy. aleo solar AG has developed products and services that make solar energy systems attractive in Italy even without fixed feed-in-tariffs.

SEMI formally announced the conference program for the fourth annual SEMI North American PV Fab Managers Forum to be held at Intersolar North America 2013 in San Francisco, California on July 8, 2013. The Forum focuses on addressing shared supply chain challenges and improving customer-supplier relations across the photovoltaic supply chain.  New this year at the SEMI North American PV Fab Managers Forum is the “Foundation Market Maker” session led by representative experts from residential, commercial and utility scale solar sectors.  This session will explore the present and desired future state of the industry.

4JET Technologies GmbH (Alsdorf, Germany) strengthens its activities in laser processing of glass. Dr. Uwe Stute will be responsible for the newly created business unit „Glass + New Materials”. Main focus will be the development of laser processes and production systems for separating, fusing and modifying glass and other brittle materials.

NASA is sending a six feet-tall solar-powered rover prototype designed for ice exploration on highest part of Greenland's massive ice sheet.The space agency's newest scientific rover is set for testing from May 3 through June 8 in the highest part of Greenland, NASA said. The robot known as GROVER, which stands for both Greenland Rover and Goddard Remotely Operated Vehicle for Exploration and Research, will roam the frigid landscape collecting measurements to help scientists better understand changes in the massive ice sheet.

Conergy expanding its international presence with market entry in South Africa.

Conergy is expanding its international presence with its entry into the South African market. In Cape Town, in the suburb of Milnerton, Conergy and its partner Solsquare have realised the country’s first plant for a home for disabled people. Solsquare acted as general contractor on this project, collaborating closely with Conergy in the planning and engineering.

An early glimpse into the 2013 Annual Energy Outlook from the US  Energy Information Administration reveals that increased generation from renewable energy is expected to account for 32 per cent of the overall domestic growth in electricity generation from 2011 to 2040. With this insight and reports of global growth forecasts in renewable energy from both financial and market analysts in mind, Saint-Gobain Performance Plastics today announced its strategic initiatives for composite bearings applications in renewable energy markets.

Emmvee Photovoltaic Power Pvt Ltd has signed its first power purchase agreement (PPA) with Pennar Industries Limited for 10 years. The power will be generated at Emmvee’s solar photovoltaic power plant at Hindupur district in Andhra Pradesh.

(877) 20-Solar from Solar Center of Woodland Hills announces that they are helping to expand the solar energy field by offering customers a way to receive solar panels with no upfront cost. Solar Center provides complete solar energy systems that allow customers to start saving on their electrical bills immediately.

APCVD is success factor for implementation of new cell concepts

Already two systems sold to cell manufacturer and research institute in 2013

Mounting Systems, Inc., the international manufacturer of solar racking systems, located in West Sacramento, California introduces the ground mount system Sigma II GO Kits – the pre-packaged versions of its Sigma II open terrain photovoltaic substructure.