News for August 2010

News Archive

Phaesun sets up solar shops in Mozambique

Phaesun GmbH has started a project of rural electrification through off-grid solar systems in Pessene, Mozambique.

Johanna Solar Technology becomes Bosch Solar CISTech

Johanna Solar Technology GmbH is changing its name to Bosch Solar CISTech GmbH as part of its integration into the Bosch Group's Solar Energy Division.

PNE WIND completes second repowering project

PNE WIND AG has completed its second wind farm repowering project with the Görike wind farm in Brandenburg, Germany, quintupling the output.

Shell and Cosan JV on sugarcane ethanol

Shell and Cosan have signed a US$12 billion joint venture (JV) agreement to produce and commercialise ethanol and power from sugarcane.

Solar PV module leader knocked off top spot Solar PV module leader knocked off top spot

IMS Research shows that crystalline solar photovoltaic (PV) module supplier Suntech shipped more modules during Q2 ‘10 than any other company, beating previous market leader and solar thin-film rival First Solar.

Sheffield solar farm opened

University of Sheffield is now home to 70m² solar photovoltaic (PV) panels - expected to generate 8 MWh per annum.

Vigorous testing for solar PV backsheets

Madico, a supplier of solar photovoltaic (PV) backsheets announce that its Protekt backsheet products are the most thoroughly tested on the market.

Advances made on next generation biofuel

Life Technologies and SG Biofuels report completion of sequencing the Jatropha curcas genome.

Goldwind buys wind turbine components from Semikron

Xinjiang Goldwind Science & Technology Co Ltd has signed a sales contract with Semikron China for continued supply of SKiiP power modules and complete Semistack power electronic assemblies for Goldwind wind turbines.

UK offers £7m for solar nanotechnology

The UK Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) is launching a competition for £7 million for research into solar nanotechnology.

Tokuyama builds Malaysian polycrystalline silicon factory

Japan-based Tokuyama Corporation will build a polycrystalline silicon factory for use in photovoltaic (PV) solar cells.

Forewind Consortium appoints General Manager

The Forewind Consortium which will develop Dogger Bank offshore wind farm in the UK, has appointed Lee Clarke, former Senior Corporate Development and Strategy Manager with RWE npower, as its new General Manager.

Innotech Solar launches off-grid solar module

Designed for grid-independant solar installation, the Innotech Solar (ITS) 'off-grid' solar module allows different solar cell types to be used, including half and third cells.

Food crisis caused by biofuels?

There are conflicting opinions over a World Bank report which suggests biofuels have forced global food prices up by 75%.

New partner for Irish onshore wind project

Canadian energy producer Finavera Rewables Inc has sold its majority interest for Cloosh Valley Wind Project, County Galway, Ireland, to Scottish & Southern Energy (SSE) .

REpower opens wind power technology centre

REpower has officially opened its new wind turbine technology centre in Osterrönfeld in the Rendsburg-Eckernförde district, Germany.

LDK Solar increases polysilicon production

LDK Solar Co Ltd’s second polysilicon production facility with an output of 5000 mega tonnes has completed the commissioning process and commenced commercial production.

North Sea renewable energy cooperation

The UK and Norway will cooperate on offshore renewable energy in the North Sea, according to a joint ministerial statement on climate change and energy security.

British Gas introduces solar PV panel scheme

The utility firm takes advantage of the UK Government’s recent feed-in-tariff (FITs) to encourage people to generate their own low-carbon energy including solar photovoltaic (PV) panels.

AMSC delivers wind turbine components to India

American Superconductor Corporation (AMSC) will deliver 17 wind turbine electrical control systems to Inox Wind Ltd, part of India’s Inox Group of Companies.

Chinese wind turbine production in Northern Ireland

Chinese manufacturing company Xiangtan Electrical Manufacturing Corporation Ltd (XEMC) may set up wind turbine production facilities in Northern Ireland.

DNV Sustainability & Innovation set up

Risk management firm Det Norske Veritas (DNV) has set up a Sustainability & Innovation division to “steer DNV towards green service growth and sustainability services.”

Scottish offshore wind worth £7.1bn

Scotland’s offshore wind industry could contribute £7.1 billion of investment and create up to 28,000 direct jobs by 2020, according to Scottish Renewables and Scottish Enterprise.

GE launches smart grid monitoring and diagnostics service

GE Energy has launched a remote Monitoring & Diagnostics service for smart grid applications.

BASF exhibits turbine products at Husum WindEnergy 2010

Chemicals company BASF will showcase its products for the manufacture of wind turbines at the Husum WindEnergy trade show in September.

Wind farm training courses in Turkey

More training courses for wind farm installation will be offered throughout Turkey due to high demand, GL Garrad Hassan says.

Trina Solar’s net income doubles in Q2 2010

Trina Solar has reported a doubling in net income for the second quarter (Q2) 2010 to US$38.7 million, compared to US$18.6m in Q2 2009.

Solar PV microinverters and power optimiser shipments to double

Solar photovoltaic (PV) microinverters and DC-DC power optimisers are forecast to generate more than US$1.5 billion in revenues over the next five years, according to IMS Research.

Drink-driving? - Whisky biofuel for cars Drink-driving? - Whisky biofuel for cars

Biofuel made from whisky by-products could be used to fuel cars, according to Edinburgh Napier University in the UK.

Tanmiyat plans US$200m solar PV in Bahrain

Tanmiyat Aloula Holdings is planning a US$200 million solar photovoltaic (PV) plant in Bahrain.

Sunways BIPV project third in Solar Decathlon Sunways BIPV project third in Solar Decathlon

Stuttgart University’s ‘home+’ building project incorporating building integrated solar photovoltaics (BIPV) came third at the international architectural Solar Decathlon Europe 2010 in Madrid, Spain.

Quercia and ENER-G waste-to-energy plant in UK

Quercia Ltd, part of Neales Waste Management Ltd, and ENER-G Natural Power Ltd are cooperating on capturing methane gas from landfill waste and converting it into electricity to feed into the National Grid.

Looking at biogas in Central Europe

Biogas could be an important part of EU’s 2020 targets for renewable energy, and the EU project Sustainable and Innovative European Biogas Environment (SEBE) is now looking at technology and regulatory frameworks for biogas.

ABB supports Chinese high voltage wind substation

ABB will design, supply and install all 6 main transformers for the 500 kV Tongyu substation under construction to support wind energy in the Jilin province of north-eastern China.

Solar thin-film reaches 20.3% efficiency Solar thin-film reaches 20.3% efficiency

A solar thin-film cell has reached a top efficiency of 20.3% at the German Zentrum für Sonnenenergie- und Wasserstoff-Forschung Baden-Württemberg (ZSW), Germany.

Major advances in bioenergy production Major advances in bioenergy production

A process that uses anaerobic microorganisms and mimics the digestive processes of cattle could change the way organic waste and biomass crops are converted into bioenergy.

Bosch opens solar cell production plant

Bosch Solar Energy AG has started the production of crystalline solar cells at its new facility in Arnstadt, Germany.

Paul Jordan chairs RenewableUK's Marine Strategy Group

Paul Jordan, Market Sector Director for Clean Energy at Ricardo Plc, has been appointed Chairman of RenewableUK’s Marine Strategy Group.

Renewable industry celebrates UK Green Deal

UK Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg has declared a 'quiet green revolution' for households and businesses, maximising employment and business benefits in the renewable energy sector.

Trelleborg foam supports floating wind turbine Trelleborg foam supports floating wind turbine

Trelleborg Offshore’s syntactic foam buoyancy technology is being used in Statoil’s floating wind turbine foundation project Hywind.

Morocco builds 200 MW wind farm

Moroccan power utility ONE is building a 200 MW wind farm outside Tarfaya.

Building a UK-Dutch power link Building a UK-Dutch power link

A high-voltage direct current (HVDC) submarine power cable is currently under construction between the UK and the Netherlands which aims to increase security of supply for both countries.

Bredenoord hydrogen fuel cell generator for sustainable energy at Lowlands festival

An entire floating stage at the Lowlands music festival in The Netherlands this weekend is being powered by sustainable energy. All the power for the ‘Llowlab islands’ will come from a Purity hydrogen fuel cell generator provided by Dutch power supply rental company Bredenoord.

SureBlades takes over where Vestas left off

Nearly a year since Danish wind turbine manufacturer Vestas closed its blade facility on the Isle of Wight, former workers have formed a company that manufactures blades for micro-turbines.

AMSC buys 25% stake in UK blade company

American Superconductor Corporation (AMSC) has acquired a 25% ownership position in Blade Dynamics Ltd, a wind turbine blade designer and manufacturer, for US$8 million.

Photosynthetic bioenergy foam competes for US$50,000

New bioenergy production platform 'Photosynthetic Foam' has been shortlisted in the Today The Earth Awards 2010 for sustainable design.

Astronergy increases solar thin-film production

Astronergy is increasing its production capacity from 30 MW to 75 MW in 2011 on follow-up purchase agreement for Oerlikon Solar’s solar thin-film equipment.

Growing demand for offshore wind personnel transfer Growing demand for offshore wind personnel transfer

Reflex Marine’s TORO crew transfer capsule originally designed for use by oil and gas operators has now entered the renewable energy sector, selling four capsules for use on offshore wind turbine installation barges.

Solar PV inverter market record broken Solar PV inverter market record broken

According to IMS Research solar photovoltaic (PV) inverter shipments reached 4.9 GW in Q2 2010, growing by 284%.

Q-Cells builds 5.3 MW solar power in Germany

Q-Cells SE and thermovolt AG have installed a 5.3 MWp solar power station for investment company HEP Kapital near Spremberg, Brandenburg, Germany.

Oerlikon Solar sponsors electric car race Oerlikon Solar sponsors electric car race

Oerlikon Solar is the main sponsor of the Zerotracer solar electric vehicle participating in the Zero Emissions Race.

Dow Venture Capital invests in Blade Dynamics Ltd

The Dow Chemical Company, through its Venture Capital group, has made a minority equity investment in wind turbine blade technology specialist Blade Dynamics Ltd.

Wind Prospect sets up in South Africa

Wind energy company Wind Prospect intends to open an office in South Africa, hoping to become the number one service provider to the African wind market by 2012.

Biofuels demonstration plant up and running

A biomass-to-liquids (BTL) demonstration plant operated by the Oxford Catalysts Group and the Portuguese incorporated holding company SGC Energia (SGCE) is now up and running at a biomass gasification facility in Güssing, Austria.

Norwegian 1 MW tidal turbine to Scotland Norwegian 1 MW tidal turbine to Scotland

A 1 MW tidal turbine developed by Norwegian tidal company Hammerfest Strøm will be constructed in Scotland and tested at the European Marine Energy Centre (EMEC).

Vestas falls into loss in Q2 2010

Vestas has seen a €162 million tumble in net profit to a loss of €119m in the second quarter (Q2) of 2010, and downgrades its full year forecast.

Transporting 62 m wind turbine blades Transporting 62 m wind turbine blades

Goldhofer, a heavy haulage and special transportation specialist, has launched a flatbed semi-trailer for transporting wind turbine blades up to 62 m.

UK’s first wind Lidar & Sodar test site UK’s first wind Lidar & Sodar test site

Natural Power has commissioned what it calls “the UK’s first dedicated Lidar & Sodar test site” in Worcestershire.

UK geothermal plant given green light

What could be the UK’s first commercial deep geothermal power plant has been given planning permission by Cornwall Council.

Floating offshore wind to Scotland Floating offshore wind to Scotland

Statoil’s Hywind floating offshore wind turbine foundations could be used in Scotland, according to Scottish First Minister Alex Salmond.

SAFCell, Nordic Power add to progress on solid acid fuel cell APU using reformed diesel

California-based SAFCell has passed the second technical milestone in its 18-month development contract with Nordic Power Systems in Norway, to deliver solid acid fuel cell (SAFC) stacks for incorporation into NPS diesel auxiliary power units (APUs).

Danish mega wind turbine test centre Danish mega wind turbine test centre

Denmark’s Risø DTU is building a test centre for large wind turbines at Østerild in North-Western Jutland.

Tidal turbine passes 2 GWh milestone

Marine Current Turbines’ 1.2 MW tidal turbine, SeaGen, has delivered 2 GWh to the UK electricity grid from its location in Strangford Lough, Northern Ireland.

Oerlikon Solar sales fall 74% in H1 2010

Oerlikon Solar has reported a fall of 74% in sales to CHF74 million in the first half (H1) of 2010.

Gurit launches PVC core range for Chinese wind market

Gurit has completed the development of a new range of PVC structural foam core materials designed for use in the manufacture of wind turbine rotor blades in China.

Work on 807 kW Scottish hydropower station starts

Work has started on Green Highland Renewables’ 807 kW hydropower station at Roroyere, Glen Lyion, Scotland.

Global renewable energy expands rapidly

The global alternative and renewable energy industry expanded “rapidly” over the last year despite the global economic recession impact on worldwide energy demand, according to merger and acquisition (M&A) organisation IMAP Inc.

Obelisk and Heidra cooperate on wind measurement

Obelisk Energy and Heidra have formed Wind Measurement International (WMI), a centre for met masts and anemometry.

Ireland could have 300% renewable energy

Ireland’s renewable energy sources have a potential three times the country’s energy requirements.

Helius gets site for 100 MW biomass power plant

Helius Energy PLC has signed an option to lease a 20 acre site located in the Port of Southampton, UK, for a proposed 100 MW biomass power plant.

Indian Theni wind farm fully commissioned

Indian Energy has fully commissioned its 16.5 MW Theni wind farm and the associated substation.

Large-scale micro-algae biodiesel production in 15 years Large-scale micro-algae biodiesel production in 15 years

It could be possible to produce biodiesel from micro-algae on a large scale within 10-15 years, according to researchers.

Sunways net income up 3400% in Q2 2010

Sunways AG has reported a consolidated net income of €3.5 million in the second quarter of 2010, up 3400% from the same period in 2009.

SMA profit up 508% in H1 2010

German inverter company SMA Group has reported a 508% jump in net profits for the first half (H1) of 2010 to €158.2 million.

Atlantis 1 MW tidal turbine to EMEC

Atlantis Resources Corporation’s 1 MW tidal power turbine, the AK1000™, is due for installation at the European Marine Energy Centre (EMEC), located in Orkney, Scotland, this summer.

Italian solar PV company given green light

Acta S.p.A has been given project consent for its three first solar photovoltaic (PV) projects - “well ahead of our expected schedule,” Paolo Bert, CEO.

HgCapital buys 44 MW wind farm in Sweden

HgCapital has bought a 44 MW wind farm in Malå, Västerbotten, Sweden, which will be developed by NV Nordisk Vindkraft AB.

Vestas delivers 140 V112-3.0 MW wind turbines to Australia Vestas delivers 140 V112-3.0 MW wind turbines to Australia

Vestas will deliver 140 units of its V112-3.0 MW wind turbine to AGL Energy Ltd and Meridian’s 420 MW Macarthur wind farm in Australia.

Q-Cells returns to profit in Q2 2010

Q-Cells reports a net result of €34.7 million in the second quarter (Q2) 2010, compared to a loss of €322.8m in the same quarter last year.

Small and medium solar thermal has great potential

Small and medium sized solar thermal power stations have a larger application potential than often thought, according to the Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems (ISE).

Horizon launches first commercial hydrogen fuel cell system for unmanned aircraft

Singapore-based Horizon Energy Systems has commenced commercial sales of its new Aeropak™ hydrogen fuel cell power system, with shipments to several leading manufacturers of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). The PEM fuel cell unit is designed to triple flight durations compared with current battery-operated mini-UAVs.

SeaEnergy to use Ampelmann offshore wind O&M platforms

SeaEnergy will be using Ampelmann’s ship-based self stabilising platforms for offshore wind operation and maintenance access under an exclusive agreement.

Phoenix Solar’s net income soars in Q2 2010

Phoenix Solar’s net income soared from €1.1 million in the second quarter (Q2) in 2009 to €15.9m in Q2 2010.

Siemens and Samsung deliver wind turbines to Canada

Siemens Energy and Samsung C&T Corporation will supply up to 600 MW of wind turbines for wind farms in southern Ontario, Canada.

Kyocera starts production at Japanese solar cell plant Kyocera starts production at Japanese solar cell plant

Kyocera Corporation is beginning full-scale production at its new Yasu solar cell manufacturing facility in Yasu City, Shiga Prefecture, Japan.

UK councils can sell renewable electricity

Local councils around the UK will be allowed to sell renewable electricity to the grid, following an overturn of the ban on this by Energy and Climate Change Secretary Chris Huhne.

Conergy completes two Italian solar plants Conergy completes two Italian solar plants

Conergy Italy has completed two more solar parks in Apulia bringing the total to 6 solar power plants producing 6.6 MWh annually in total.

Window solar thin-film with over 20% efficiency potential Window solar thin-film with over 20% efficiency potential

Norwegian EnSol AS is developing a solar thin-film technology to be used on windows with a potential to reach over 20% efficiency and be commercially available by 2016.

IdaTech, Cascadiant roll out more fuel cells for telecoms backup power in Indonesia

US-based IdaTech has received a further order for its PEM fuel cell systems for use in backup power applications in Indonesia. As part of this Phase III rollout, IdaTech has received an order for 154 ElectraGen™ fuel cell systems from its local partner Cascadiant.

Renewable energy insurance and finance JV

The UK National and renewable energy centre (Narec) and Ashberg Ltd will develop an insurance and finance proposition for the global renewable energy industry under a memorandum of understanding (MoU).

Suntech discontinues solar thin-film

Suntech Power is discontinuing the production of amorphous silicon thin-film solar panels.

Making bio-oil more efficient than diesel

Bio-oil could become a more efficient source of renewable energy with a potential of replacing fossil fuels such as diesel, according to a £1.4 million project.

PNE WIND profit up 22% in H1 2010

PNE WIND AG has reported a 22% increase in first half (H1) profits in 2010 to €6 million.

SunPower sells 28 MW Italian solar PV park

SunPower Corp is selling the first two phases of the Montalto di Castro solar photovoltaic (PV) power park in Italy to Etrion Corporation for €48 million.

Cargill receives ISCC certification for palm oil

Cargill’s refined oils business has received official certification for its sustainable palm oil supply chain according to the International Sustainability and Carbon Certification (ISCC) standards.

Pro Ventum and GE build 90 MW Thai wind farm

German wind developer Pro Ventum International and GE are building a 90 MW wind farm about 250 km northeast of Bangkok, Thailand.

Suntech deliver solar panels to Thai solar power plant

Suntech Power Holdings Co Ltd will supply 34.5 MW of solar panels for the first phase of a solar power plant in Thailand and Southeast Asia.

Conergy builds 1.48 MW solar PV plant in Czech Republic Conergy builds 1.48 MW solar PV plant in Czech Republic

Conergy has begun construction of their second Czech solar park, a 1.48 MW solar photovoltaic (PV) power plant near Velký Týnec in the Czech Republic.

Ballard fuel cell system for clean power from by-product hydrogen at K2 bleach plant

Canadian companies Ballard Power Systems and K2 Pure Solutions have finalized a sales agreement to deploy a PEM fuel cell power generator to be sited at a K2 Pure Solutions’ bleach plant in Pittsburg, California.

Wave and tidal drive train test facility in construction Wave and tidal drive train test facility in construction

A 3 MW wave and tidal drive train technology development and testing facility, Nautilus, is now under construction at the National Renewable Energy Centre (Narec) in Blyth, UK.

Smart grid R&D project in Singapore

The Experimental Power Grid Centre (EPGC) is being set up in Singapore to develop the country as a “living laboratory for smart grid solutions.”

Abengoa Solar and E.ON halfway on Spanish CSP plant

Abengoa Solar and E.ON are halfway through construction of their first concentrated solar plant (CSP) in Écija, near Seville in Spain.

iSuppli: solar market set to "continue expansion" in 2011

Despite concerns that reductions in government incentives will halt growth in installations of solar Photovoltaic (PV) systems in 2011, iSuppli Corp. predicts the global PV market will continue to expand next year as falling prices make solar energy more attractive.

Transmission links for 7 offshore wind farms

Transmission links for 7 offshore wind farms have been awarded to three bidders by the UK energy regulator Ofgem.

Ceramic Fuel Cells secures first US sale of BlueGen generator, to California utility

Australian-based Ceramic Fuel Cells Ltd has announced its first BlueGen fuel cell product sale in the United States, to one of the country’s largest energy companies. Ceramic Fuel Cells will install a BlueGen solid oxide fuel cell generator at the unnamed energy utility’s engineering center in California in September.

Four UK offshore wind demo sites announced Four UK offshore wind demo sites announced

Four UK offshore wind demonstration sites, each 100 MW or less, have been awarded by the Crown Estate to four companies.

Fossil fuel subsidies are 12 times support for renewables, study shows

Global subsidies for fossil fuels dwarf support given to renewable energy sources such as wind and solar power and biofuels, according to a new report by Bloomberg New Energy Finance.

Renewable energy share rises in the UK

Recent energy statistics from the UK Government show that renewable energy sources’ contribution to the UK’s electricity mix grew 20% in 2009 reaching a share of 6.7%.

Suntech solar PV panels to India

Suntech Power Holdings Co Ltd will deliver its 280 W polycrystalline solar photovoltaic (PV) panels to Indian solar power producer Azure Power.

Conergy turns loss to profit in Q2 2010

Conergy is reporting a net result of €7.9 million for the second quarter (Q2) 2010, compared to a loss of €31.1m in the same period in 2009.

ACCIONA Energy invests C$115m Canadian wind farm

ACCIONA Energy is building a 45 MW wind farm in Lamèque, New Brunswick, Canada, representing an investment of C$115 million.

SunPower solar tracking system in Australia

SunPower Corporation has completed a 505 kW solar power tracking system for Horizon Power in Western Australia.

Centrosolar revenues double in Q2 2010

Centrosolar says its revenues more than doubled to €124 million in the second quarter (Q2) of 2010.

Kyocera targets higher power with new module

The new product will incorporate 60 solar cells (240 Wp) and is aimed at installations on open fields or industrial roof tops.

Sentec develops wind turbine control system

Sentec and Wind Technologies Ltd are developing control system for wind turbines, with the first test site in operation.

E.ON joins offshore wind cost cutting effort

E.ON says it will be investing into the UK Carbon Trust’s Offshore Wind Accelerator (OWA), which aims to cut the costs of offshore wind power.

Gamesa and Iberdrola build 102 MW wind farm in Honduras

Gamesa and Iberdrola Ingeniería y Construcción will build the 102 MW Cerro de Hula wind farm in Honduras for is Mesoamérica Energy.

PV: Optics based surface technology gets NREL boost

Soloptics has publicised the results of tests conducted at the US National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) for its FUSION technology, designed to make PV panels more efficient.

Government partners with Anglo Platinum, Altergy to manufacture fuel cells in South Africa

In South Africa, the Department of Science & Technology (DST) has partnered with Anglo Platinum and Altergy Systems, a US-based fuel cell developer, to establish a new company that will initially market and distribute the latter’s hydrogen PEM fuel cell products, and ultimately manufacture fuel cells for the sub-Saharan African market.

BIPV on the upswing

The building integrated photovoltaic (BIPV) solar sector is on the upswing, according to GTM Research.

JV for Italian thin-film solar cells

Sharp Corporation, Enel Green Power (EGP) and STMicroelectronics (ST) have established 3Sun S.r.l., a joint venture (JV) for the production of thin-film solar cells.

50 MW biomass plant to be built in Scotland

Saxlund International Ltd and Canning Conveyor Ltd will design, deliver and commission a biomass fuel handling system at a 50 MW biomass plant in Scotland.

E.ON Vagr Atferd wave devices ready for testing E.ON Vagr Atferd wave devices ready for testing

E.ON’s wave energy device, Vagr Atferd, has arrived at the European Marine Energy Centre (EMEC) in Orkney to begin testing and development.

DuPont support solar thin-film rooftop installation in Hong Kong

DuPont and Hongkong Electric Co Ltd, a major power utility company in Hong Kong, are cooperating on the building and operation of a 550 kWp thin-film solar photovoltaic (PV) rooftop project in Hong Kong.

Will Poland ever get offshore wind?

Development of offshore wind farms in Poland has been slow, despite the country's leadership of the wind energy sector in Central and Eastern Europe, raising questions about the offshore wind support in Central and Eastern Europe, according to analyst Frost & Sullivan.

REpower repowers German wind farm

REpower Systems AG has launched a wind farm repowering project in the district of Dithmarschen (Schleswig-Holstein) with Repowering Kronprinzenkoog GbR increasing the output of Kronprinzenkoog from 12.3 MW to 30.75 MW.