Photovoltaics (PV) News for September 2010

Photovoltaics (PV) News Archive

Siemens builds three solar PV plants in Italy

Siemens Energy will supply three 1 MWp solar photovoltaic (PV) plants for Viridis Energia, a joint venture between Echidna S.p.A. and La.G.I. S.r.l., in Central Italy.

Centrosolar reaches 200 MWp solar module capacity

Centrosolar Sonnenstromfabrik, a subsidiary of Centrosolar Group AG, has increased its manufacturing capacity from 155 MWp to almost 200 MWp.

LDK Solar gets RMB60bn from China Development Bank

LDK Solar Co Ltd has entered into a strategic financing agreement with China Development Bank Corporation (CDB) for up to RMB 60 billion (~US$8.9bn) of credit facilities over a five-year period.

Car solar roof recognised by Frost & Sullivan

Frost & Sullivan has presented ASOLA Advanced and Automotive Solar Systems GmbH with the ‘2009 World Advanced Mobile Solar Technology Growth Leadership Award’ for its year-by-year growth.

Conergy increases solar cell efficiency

Conergy may increase solar cell efficiency up to 0.5 percentage points with its new OneStep Selective Emitter technology.

SOLARWATT doubles solar capacity to 400 MWp

SOLARWATT AG has opened a new solar module production line and a new logistics centre doubling its manufacturing capacity from 200 MWp to 400 MWp.

BLOGS: What do Jimi Hendrix and wind turbines have in common?!

Have a look at our latest blog and find out...

REC to discontinue module operations at 150 MW ScanModule AB

The plant will continue the production of modules at reduced capacity utilisation until the end of 2010.

Sharp goes downstream: acquires US Recurrent Energy

Recurrent Energy, LLC is a U.S. developer of distributed solar projects, with a 2 GW project pipeline of solar power generation plants located in the U.S. and Canada.

IMS: "Small three-phase inverters stealing the show, but for how long?"

The highest demand for PV inverters in 2010 will come from both the smallest and the largest three-phase inverters, according a recently released report on the market from IMS Research.

Kyocera installs solar power at Japanese manufacturing sites Kyocera installs solar power at Japanese manufacturing sites

Kyocera Corporation will install solar power generating systems at 6 Japanese solar manufacturing plants by March 2011, generating a total of 593 kW.

Call for entries: Ashden Awards for Sustainable Energy 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.

JV develops 64 MW solar PV in Ontario

A joint venture consisting of Q-Cells SE, ATS Automation Tooling Systems Inc, and ATS’ Photowatt Ontario, will develop 64 MW of solar photovoltaic (PV) projects in Ontario, Canada.

LDK Solar and NREL cooperate on solar PV R&D

LDK Solar Co Ltd and the US National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) will collaborate and research and development related to silicon materials and solar photovoltaic (PV) devices.

SANYO solar PV module reaches 21.1% efficiency SANYO solar PV module reaches 21.1% efficiency

SANYO's newest product in its HIT® N-Series of solar photovoltaic (PV) modules has recorded a cell efficiency of 21.1% with a module output of 235 W.

Prothea develops 11 MW of solar PV in Italy

Prothea has completed four solar photovoltaic (PV) plants totalling 11 MW in Lazio and Calabria in Italy.

Solar PV shipments to exceed 16 GW in 2010 – but tough 2011

Solar photovoltaic (PV) module shipments have reached 4.4 GW in the second quarter of 2010 and are forecast to exceed 16 GW by year end, IMS Research says, but the analyst warns that 2011 will be much tougher.

EU still dominates solar PV market

The EU still dominates the solar photovoltaic (PV) market in terms of new installations, according to the European Commission’s Joint Research Centre (JCR).

SunEdison develops 400 MW of solar power in South Korea

SunEdison has signed a non-binding Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to develop 400 MW of solar power plants in south-eastern Korea.

Masdar solar thin-film solar modules in Indian villages

Masdar PV is supplying silicon-based thin-film solar photovoltaic (PV) modules for 10 villages in India.

Renewable energy growth in Portugal anticipated

An SBI Energy market study shows that Portugal is quickly emerging as a 'green' trendsetter through increased development of renewable energy such as wind, solar and hydropower resources at substantial financial costs.

Launch of megawatt lab for solar PV inverters

The Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems ISE has begun operations at its megawatt laboratory for solar photovoltaic (PV) inverters.

Solaria’s net profit slumps in H1 2010

Solaria Energia has reported a net profit of €438,000 for the first half (H1) of 2010, compared to €3.1 million in the same period last year.

Carlo Gavazzi launches grid-connected solar PV inverters

Carlo Gavazzi is introducing grid-connected solar photovoltaic (PV) inverters with efficiencies of 94.37% and higher.

juwi Solar sees Eastern European solar potential

juwi Solar sees great potential for solar power in Eastern Europe and the company is already involved in a number of projects in the region.

EU PVSEC: Solar thin-film reaches €0.50/Wp

Oerlikon Solar says it will reach solar silicon thin-film production costs of €0.50/Wp with its new ThinFab production line – it has also achieved 11.9% efficiency with its Micromorph lab cell.

Italy reduces solar subsidy

Italy is reducing funding for solar electricity in three phases starting from 2011.

EU PVSEC: EPIA launches European Photovoltaic Observatory

The European Photovoltaic Industry Association (EPIA) is launching the European Photovoltaic Observatory identifying beneficial market conditions and best practices for solar PV.

Mitsubishi solar PV system at Japanese water treatment facility

Mitsubishi Electric Corporation has completed the installation of a 191 kW solar photovoltaic (PV) system at Nabeya-ueno Waterworks in Nagoya, Japan.

SCHOTT Solar manufactures 17.6% efficiency cells on industrial scale

SCHOTT Solar has developed a technique allowing for multicrystalline solar cells with 17.6% efficiency to be manufactured on a large-scale industrial basis.

Masdar PV’s thin-film solar modules reach 7.4 % efficiency

Masdar PV says its amorphous silicon (a-Si) thin-film solar cells have reached an efficiency of 7.4% – a 15% increase.

IBC SOLAR opens Czech solar PV subsidiary

IBC SOLAR has opened a Czech subsidiary, IBC SOLAR s.r.o., in Prague to serve the Czech and Slovakian solar photovoltaic (PV) markets.

Centrosolar establishes UK solar PV subsidiary

Centrosolar, a German manufacturer of photovoltaic (PV) solar modules announces London branch.

Conergy builds 32 MW solar PV in Greece Conergy builds 32 MW solar PV in Greece

The Conergy Group will build 20 solar photovoltaic (PV) power plants totalling 32 MW in Greece under a framework agreement with an undisclosed “major local investor.”

SCHOTT Solar and Solland cooperate on solar modules SCHOTT Solar and Solland cooperate on solar modules

SCHOTT Solar and Solland Solar are cooperating on back-contacted solar modules under an agreement on technology licensing, joint R&D and joint production.

Phoenix Solar builds 2.2 MW solar PV park in Slovakia

Phoenix Solar AG will build a 2.2 MWp solar photovoltaic (PV) park in Slovakia under an agreement with Green Energy Slovakia SRO.

Masdar PV thin-film panels in solar building façade Masdar PV thin-film panels in solar building façade

Masdar PV has supplied 80 thin-film solar photovoltaic (PV) modules on the office building of Jako Bau- und Verputz GmbH, Germany.