Top50-Solar

Milestone: Bentek Solar sells over 100MW of new 1000VDC BUSS

Wed, 22 May 2013 14:55:08 Z

PV power systems specialist, Bentek Solar claims to have shipped over 100MW of its new 1000VDC Breaker Universal Safety Systems (BUSS) since the product was only launched back in March, 2013.

SunPower to raise US$300 million

Wed, 22 May 2013 14:19:45 Z

PV energy provider (PVEP), SunPower, is to raise US$300 million to pay down some of its outstanding debentures and use the proceeds for working capital requirements.

SolarWorld wants to complete creditor talks in August

Wed, 22 May 2013 14:10:49 Z

Remaining confident it can successfully restructure its debts with creditors and continue operating, SolarWorld wants to complete talks with creditor sometime in August, 2013.

Report: Suntech Wuxi said to owe US$2.8 billion

Wed, 22 May 2013 13:36:12 Z

The bankrupt main manufacturing subsidiary if Suntech Power Holdings is reported to have debts of over US$2.8 billion.

JinkoSolar PV modules pass TUV Nord desert test

Wed, 22 May 2013 11:31:49 Z

JinkoSolar’s increasing focus on emerging markets with harsh environmental conditions has been given a boost after its PV modules passed TUV Nord’s Dust & Sand Certification Test.

SolarWorld losses prompt extraordinary shareholder meeting

Wed, 22 May 2013 11:20:50 Z

Struggling PV manufacturer SolarWorld will hold an extraordinary shareholders’ meeting on 11 July 2013 in Bonn, Germany, after the company revealed a 50% loss in capital stocks.

Yingli Green expects better first quarter shipments

Wed, 22 May 2013 11:20:49 Z

Leading module manufacturer, Yingli Green, has revised module shipment and gross margin guidance for the first quarter of 2013.

Conergy and Renew connect 1MW PV project in Ulmen

Wed, 22 May 2013 10:50:15 Z

Conergy and its partner Renew have connected a 1MW PV facility in Ulmen, Germany, representing the companies’ second joint solar power project.

ReneSola modules receive certification for Japan market

Wed, 22 May 2013 10:50:01 Z

Chinese manufacturer ReneSola’s Virtus I and Virtus II modules have obtained JETPVm certification from the Japan Electrical and Environment Technology Laboratories (JET).

Lux Research: PV market to reach US$155 billion in 2018

Wed, 22 May 2013 10:24:36 Z

The solar PV market is poised to rise from the ashes of its 2011 crisis to grow to US$155 billion in 2018, according to analysts at Lux Research.

Centrosolar creditors approve €50 million debt swap

Wed, 22 May 2013 10:03:58 Z

A majority of Centrosolar’s creditors have voted in favour of restructuring the struggling German PV manufacturer’s debts.

ConEdison Development buys 50% stake in 300MW of PV projects

Wed, 22 May 2013 10:00:53 Z

Consolidated Edison Development has acquired a 50% interest in two large-scale solar power plants in the US owned by utility firm Sempra US Gas & Power.

IHS: PV capital expenditure at lowest level since 2006

Wed, 22 May 2013 09:00:57 Z

Consolidation and oversupply in the PV industry has forced capital expenditure to their lowest levels since 2006, information and analytics company IHS said this week.

NRG Energy to install 3MW solar for luxury hotel chain

Tue, 21 May 2013 19:50:51 Z

NRG Energy, the largest independent power producer and solar developer in the US, has announced the installation of nearly 3MW of PV power for a luxury chain of hotels.

Minnesota bill will boost solar from 13MW to 450MW

Tue, 21 May 2013 18:36:24 Z

Minnesota’s governor is expected to sign into law a bill this week that will boost the state’s solar capacity from 13MW to more than 450MW.

BrightSource operations boss appointment hints at international focus

Tue, 21 May 2013 16:55:33 Z

US solar thermal developer BrightSource Energy yesterday named Steven Goers as its as senior vice president of operations.

US mediates in EU-China solar trade spat

Tue, 21 May 2013 11:47:33 Z

The US Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) has expressed its support for the US government’s role as mediator in negotiations between the European Union and China to resolve anti-dumping case against Chinese manufacturers.

Canadian Solar wins wafer supply lawsuit against LDK Solar

Tue, 21 May 2013 10:19:03 Z

Canadian Solar has won a court case relating to an alleged breach of contract concerning its wafer supply contracts with LDK Solar.

Powerway supplies mounting system for 3MW Chilean PV system

Tue, 21 May 2013 09:29:07 Z

Powerway Renewable Energy has signed a contract with an unnamed Chilean company to supply mounting systems for a 3MW solar power plant in Chile.

JA Solar’s sales booming in Japan as Europe wanes

Tue, 21 May 2013 08:56:53 Z

Higher than guided product shipments, notably to higher average selling price (ASP) regions such as Japan, supported a significant drop in quarterly losses at JA Solar in the first quarter of 2013.

Solarserver

Solar feed-in tariff advocate Eric Garcetti elected mayor of Los Angeles

Wed, 22 May 2013 15:09:21 Z

On May 21st, 2013 solar advocate and Los Angeles City Council Member Eric Garcetti was elected mayor of Los Angeles, California. He will replace current Mayor Anthony Villaraigosa, who was prevented from running by term limits.

Solar Impulse begins second leg of US tour

Wed, 22 May 2013 13:33:02 Z

On May 22nd, 2013 the solar-powered Solar Impulse plane took off from an airport in Arizona on the second leg on its trip across the United States.

Federation of German Industry comes out against tariffs on Chinese solar PV products

Wed, 22 May 2013 12:55:45 Z

On May 19th, 2013 the Federation of German Industry (BDI) cautioned against proposed EU tariffs on solar photovoltaic (PV) imports from China.

Attempt to undermine Missouri's RPS fails

Wed, 22 May 2013 10:11:28 Z

A bill to substantially weaken the Renewable Energy Standard (RES) in the US state of Missouri has failed to pass by the end of the legislative session. HB 44 would have allowed utilities to count electricity from large, imported and in-state hydropower facilities in meeting the state's RES goals, thereby removing the incentive to build new renewable energy. The bill passed the Missouri House of Representatives but died in the state's Senate.

Washington DC opens renewable energy solicitation

Wed, 22 May 2013 10:06:16 Z

The US city of Washington DC has issued a request for proposals (RFP) for the development of a solar photovoltaic (PV) and/or wind project to supply roughly 150 GWh annually. Under the RFP, the city's Department of General Services (DGS) would purchase both the electricity and the associated renewable energy credits on an annual basis. George Washington University (GWU, Washington DC, U.S.) has issued a companion solicitation for a 75 GWh project.

IHS: Global PV capital spending to fall to USD 2.3 billion

Wed, 22 May 2013 06:38:09 Z

IHS Inc. (Englewood, Colorado, US) has released a report which forecasts that global solar industry capital spending will fall to USD 2.3 billion in 2013, its lowest level since 2006. “PV Manufacturing & Capital Spending Tool” predicts that capital spending will rebound to USD 3.0 billion in 2014. IHS also expects a strong decline in spending on concentrating solar power (CSP) and thin-film solar photovoltaic (PV) technologies.

Brazil inaugurates 1.4 MW PV plant on World Cup soccer stadium

Wed, 22 May 2013 06:33:45 Z

German and Brazilian officials have inaugurated a 1.4 MW solar photovoltaic (PV) plant on the roof of a soccer stadium which will participate in the 2014 World Cup in Belo Horizonte, Brazil. The series of PV plants planned for the roof of the stadium will total 2.5 MW when complete. German State Secretary Hans-Jürgen Beerfeltz, (Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development; BMZ), utility CEMIG (Belo Horizonte, Brazil) and Antonio Anastasia, the governor of the Brazilian state of Minas Gerais, participated in the inauguration.

Cupertino Electric completes first phase of 5.8 MW solar PV project at California schools

Wed, 22 May 2013 06:29:45 Z

Cupertino Electric Inc. (San Jose, California, US) has completed the first phase of a parking lot canopy and shade structure-based solar photovoltaic (PV) system totaling for a school district in California's Central Valley. The first phase of the Clovis Unified School District solar energy system is now fully operational at five schools. Cupertino Electric expects to complete all four phases in December 2013 at which time it will span 21 sites and total 5.86 MW.

Sustainable Energy Technologies enters PV inverter supply contract with German solar energy management and solar power storage provider

Tue, 21 May 2013 14:48:54 Z

Sustainable Energy Technologies Ltd. (Calgary, Canada) announced that it has closed a multi-megawatt agreement with Prosol Invest Deutschland GmbH. Under the agreement, Sustainable Energy will supply inverters for Prosol's residential and commercial solar energy management system dubbed “Sonnenbatterie”.

REC Solar completes 500 kW community PV project in Colorado

Tue, 21 May 2013 14:44:21 Z

2013, REC Solar Inc. (San Luis Obispo, California, U.S.) announced has completed a 500 kilowatt (kW) community solar photovoltaic (PV) project in Boulder (Colorado, U.S.). The Cowdery Meadows PV plant will be operated and maintained by Clean Energy Collective (CEC). The system is the first community solar project completed under Xcel Energy's Solar Rewards Community program.

SMA wins smart energy award 2013

Tue, 21 May 2013 14:38:52 Z

SMA Solar Technology AG (Niestetal, Germany) has been awarded with the 2013 Smart Energy Award during the second International Smart Energy Congress in the energy information and communication technology category by Hesse's environment minister Lucia Puttrich. The company received the award, recognized as the Hessian state award for intelligent energy, for its energy management solution SMA Smart Home.