Solar electricity News for July 2009

Solar electricity News Archive

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.

Compact vacuum pump for solar cells Compact vacuum pump for solar cells

Edwards has introduced iXL500, the first in a line of dry vacuum pumps designed for load lock applications in solar cell and flat panel display manufacturing.

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.

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.

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.

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.

SkyTrough parabolic trough solar thermal collector wins R&D 100 Award

R&D Magazine has selected SkyFuel's SkyTrough parabolic trough solar thermal collector as one of the 100 most technologically significant products introduced into the marketplace over the past year.

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.

Renewable energy in Asia - a roundup

Renewable Energy Focus' Asian correspondent, Azam Mahmood, provides an overview over renewable energy projects and politics in Asia.

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.

DoE invests in community renewables, CSP and wind

The US Department of Energy (DoE) has announced several funding opportunities over the last week including up to US$22 million for community renewable energy deployment, up to US$52.2m for concentrating solar power (CSP) and almost US$14m for wind energy projects.

European solar thermal market worth €3bn

According to the latest statistics from the European Solar Thermal Industry Federation (ESTIF), the European solar thermal market is worth €3 billion and provides over 40,000 full time jobs in Europe, where the industry has forged a "clear technological lead in generating solar heating and cooling".

US grant programme for utility integration of solar power

The US Department of the Treasury has released guidance documents for the federal cash grant programme for solar electric projects, something the Solar Electric Power Association (SEPA) says it is pleased to hear.

North Africa’s deserts could provide 15% of Europe’s electricity 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.

Suntech to develop multi-GW solar power projects in China

Crystalline silicon photovoltaic (PV) module manufacturer, Suntech Power Holdings, has entered into a number of strategic agreements to develop 1.8 GW worth of solar power projects in China.

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.

PG&E and NRG Energy collaborate on 92 MW solar thermal power

Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) has entered into an agreement with Alpine SunTower, LLC, a subsidiary of NRG Energy Inc for 92 megawatts (MW) of renewable, solar thermal power.

Solar energy house status on Twitter

theEnergyCrowd.com, the crowd-source based developer of renewable energy technologies, is publishing performance data from theEnergyCrowd's experimental domestic passive solar energy and heat storage system on Twitter.

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.

Tessera Solar expands into Texas with CSP

NTR’s solar project development company, Tessera Solar North America, has signed a 20-year Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) with CPS Energy to develop a 27MW solar project in West Texas, USA.

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.

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.

June's top 5 stories

What were the top 5 stories at www.renewableenergyfocus.com during June?