PV Tech - News

aleo solar announces third quarter results

Thu, 12 Nov 2009 19:44:46 GMT

For the first nine months of 2009, aleo solar has posted revenue of €220.8 million. Even though this is a drop from the first nine months of 2008 (€256.2 million), the company is still hopeful that it will reach its planned sales targets. aleo also posted a positive EBIT of €0.3 million, which shows the trend reversal that the company achieved in the second quarter.

SunPower completes 1MW power system for UC Merced

Thu, 12 Nov 2009 19:19:21 GMT

The University of California Merced is the newest member of SunPower’s solar power installations. SunPower completed a 1MW solar power system on the campus, which is expected to generate two-thirds of the campus’ electricity on summer afternoons and 20% of its annual electricity needs. SunPower will finance the project through a sale leaseback transaction.

LDK Solar releases PRC court injunction against guarantee banks from payments to Q-Cells

Thu, 12 Nov 2009 18:39:05 GMT

LDK Solar announced that upon its motion the Superior People’s Court in Jiangxi Province has issued a civil order halting any payment that may be made by the relevant guarantor/counter-guarantor banks pursuant to the guarantee and/or counter-guarantee issued in connection with the prepayments Q-Cells made that amassed to US $244.5 million under a solar wafer supply agreement with LDK Solar.

Applied Materials expects Advent Solar technology rollout in 2011

Thu, 12 Nov 2009 18:33:38 GMT

The recent asset acquisition of Advent Solar’s c-Si Emitter-Wrap Through (EWT) back-contact cell technology and cell-to-module solar architecture by Applied Materials is not expected to generate sales until sometime in 2011, according Mike Splinter, Applied’s President & Chief Executive Officer in a conference call discussing quarterly results.

Solarstrom posts growing numbers for third quarter

Thu, 12 Nov 2009 18:05:24 GMT

SAG Solarstrom has announced their third quarter results and posting strong numbers. Consolidated group sales over the first nine months totaled €76.5 million (previous year: €64 million), with sales of €44.8 million in the third quarter contributing to this increased number. The overall earnings before interest and tax (EBIT) figured amounted to €2 million, rising from the €1.1 million from the previous year. This increase also shows that the EBIT increased over nine months to €2.4 million from €2.1 million last year.

Q-Cells targets 100MW CIGS thin film shipments from Solibro in 2010

Thu, 12 Nov 2009 16:57:13 GMT

Continued overcapacity in the upstream supply chain that includes polysilicon, solar wafers and solar cells is resulting in continued price declines and uncertainty over 2010 market demand. As a result Q-Cells is planning to hold c-Si cell production at approximately 800MW in 2009 and grow nameplate capacity to 1.1GW in 2010, on provisional market expectations for next year. However, its CIGS thin film subsidiary is expected to increase nameplate capacity to 135MW and actually ship close to 100MW in 2010, signalling the maturity of the product and potential market penetration of the technology. Solibro was said to have shipped its first products to customers in the quarter.

GCL-Poly targets 21,000MT polysilicon and 1GW wafer capacity in 2010

Thu, 12 Nov 2009 15:57:36 GMT

Despite overcapacity in the polysilicon and solar wafer market, GCL-Poly has said that its production ramp will result in reaching an annual capacity of 18,000MT by the end of 2009 and 21,000 MT by the end of 2010. A new subsidiary, GCL Solar was said to have started constructing wafer production facilities and targets to achieve 1GW of capacity by mid-2010.

Solargiga completes 300kW BIPV project

Thu, 12 Nov 2009 12:58:11 GMT

China based monocrystalline silicon solar ingots and wafers manufacturer, Solargiga Energy Holdings' 300kW pilot BIPV project has commenced power generation successfully.

Solar Millenium power plants receive pre-registration for Spanish FiT

Thu, 12 Nov 2009 12:20:47 GMT

The Spanish Minister of Industry, Miguel Sebastián, has announced that the Andasol 3 and Ibersol power plant projects, developed by Solar Millennium, will obtain the pre-registration required to receive the Spanish feed-in tariff. The ministerial order will be ratified by the Cabinet on Friday 13th.

ECD shifting business model downstream: cutting production on inventory build

Wed, 11 Nov 2009 21:10:58 GMT

Energy Conversion Devices is struggling to sell its flexible thin-film laminates via its established distribution channels, particularly in North America as the housing and construction markets remain depressed due to the fall-out from the financial crisis. To counter weakening demand, ECD is cutting production again as inventory builds and moving its business model downstream to generate demand and move closer to a project development function that would include engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) solutions.

Order focus: PV Trackers to supply 1MW of trackers to Granite Bay Energy

Wed, 11 Nov 2009 19:47:14 GMT

PV Trackers has announced that it will be supplying Granite Bay Energy 1MW of trackers on three projects in the greater Sacramento, California area. The companies expect for the projects to reach completion by the end of the year.

Intertek expands Lake Forest IECEE CB scheme testing laboratory

Wed, 11 Nov 2009 18:58:26 GMT

Intertek has announced that its Lake Forest, California, facility has successfully increased its IECEE CB scheme testing laboratory (CBTL). The facilities new capabilities now include product safety and conformity assessment testing and certification of PV modules to IEC standards.

Project focus: Owens Corning, SunEdison complete activation of New Jersey facility PV solar system

Wed, 11 Nov 2009 18:39:01 GMT

Owens Corning and SunEdison announced that this past September, the two companies completed the activation of a 440kW roof-mount photovoltaic solar system at Owens Kearny, New Jersey facility. The activation took place just one day before SunEdison was awarded the first energy stimulus grant in the solar industry, which came under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.

Solar Park Initiatives signs contract for 100MW park, California

Wed, 11 Nov 2009 17:24:13 GMT

Solar Park Initiatives (SPI), wholly owned subsidiary of Solar Energy Initiatives (SEI), has signed a contract securing land for the design, construction and operation of a 100MW solar park in California. SPI will be responsible for providing engineering, permitting, construction, operations and maintenance as well as obtaining the financing for this solar park while SEI will procure the solar panels and balance of system for the project.

Timminco at risk as a ‘going concern’: UMG-Si sales plummet

Wed, 11 Nov 2009 15:38:44 GMT

The plentiful and subsequently cheap polysilicon available for the solar industry is having a devastating impact on UMG-Si producer Timminco and its production arm, Becancour. Timminco’s problems have been exacerbated by the inability of Becancour to raise the purity-levels of its UMG-Si to enable wider adoption of the material. The company said in a statement regarding its third quarter financial results that the lack of demand for UMG-Si would continue into the ‘foreseeable future, thereby subjecting the Company to substantial liquidity risk and creating uncertainty as to the ability of the Company to continue as a going concern.’

iSuppli says thin-film will take over market share in 2013

Wed, 11 Nov 2009 14:31:20 GMT

iSuppli's latest projection states that thin-film technology will significantly take over from the established crystalline technology, more than doubling in market share by 2013. The value chain research and advisory services company claims that by this time, thin-film will account for 31% of the market, up from 14% in 2008.

Konarka Power Plastic’s first curtain wall installed at Arch Aluminum & Glass

Wed, 11 Nov 2009 13:52:23 GMT

Konarka Technologies and Arch Aluminum & Glass have launched the first curtain wall pilot project using Konarka Power Plastic into a wall structure at Arch's office building in Tamarac, Florida. This latest use of the technology will further promote the use of coloured glass photovoltaics. The solar panels will make a total of 1.5kW of power and are expected to be fully operational by the end of 2009.

New South Wales to gain gross feed-in tariff policy

Wed, 11 Nov 2009 13:05:00 GMT

In a move towards the country's goal for a nationwide gross feed-in tariff, New South Wales has received approval for the changeover from a net FiT to a gross FiT. This means moving from a net policy that only pays for surplus electricity exported to the mains grid, to a gross model where all power generated by a home solar power system will receive a premium payment. This is a momentous move for the state as the country battles on for a uniform policy.

Project focus: Aerojet’s 3.6MW single-axis PV system dedicated; SPI to build 2.4MW more at site

Wed, 11 Nov 2009 00:41:48 GMT

During the dedication of a 3.6MW solar power system installed by Solar Power Inc. at Aerojet's Sacramento, CA. facility, the two companies said they have agreed to build an additional 2.4MW of single-axis tracker photovoltaic systems at the site. The combined system will be one of the largest of its kind in the U.S.

Project focus: PSEG unit dedicates 2.15MW solar PV garden at Mars Chocolate headquarters

Wed, 11 Nov 2009 00:10:17 GMT

An 18-acre solar garden has been dedicated adjacent to Mars Chocolate's North America headquarters in Hackettstown, NJ. The 2.15MW (DC) power plant--which is comprised of more than 28,000 ground-mounted First Solar thin-film PV modules--is said to be the largest solar energy facility installed in New Jersey by a food manufacturing plant and the first project completed by Public Service Enterprise Group's PSEG Solar Source subsidiary.