Solar electricity News for March 2009

Solar electricity News Archive

Recurrent Energy acquires 350 MW UPC Solar pipeline

Recurrent Energy has acquired a solar project pipeline of up to 350 MW from UPC Solar.

GreenVolts and NREL cooperate on multi-junction solar cell technology

Concentrating solar photovoltaic (CPV) company GreenVolts has entered into a development relationship with the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) to commercialise an inverted metamorphic (IMM) advanced multi-junction solar cell design.

Horizon introduces renewable energies science kit

Horizon Fuel Cell Technologies is introducing hands-on science experiment kits for educational purposes, including small wind-turbines, solar panels and zero emission vehicle construction sets.

Ontario proposes feed-in-tariffs Ontario proposes feed-in-tariffs

Ontario has proposed feed-in-tariffs (FiTs) for renewable energy generated from sources such as onshore and offshore wind, hydroelectric, solar, biogas, biomass and landfill gas.

Shell withdraws from wind and solar – focuses on biofuels

Royal Dutch Shell has said it does not plan to invest further in renewable energies such as wind, solar and hydropower as these are deemed uneconomic.

Suntech and 3rd Rock develop 7.2 MW of solar energy in the USA

Suntech Power Holdings Co Ltd and solar project developer 3rd Rock Systems and Technologies Inc have established a strategic alliance in connection with the development of an initial 7.2 MW of solar energy systems in the USA.

Acciona constructs 50 MW concentrating solar power plant

Acciona has started work on its third concentrating solar power (CSP) plant in Spain, a 50 MW facility in Majadas de Tiétar, Cáceres province.

Con Edison plans 12 MW of solar electricity by 2011

New York utility Con Edison is planning to generate 12 MW of solar electricity by 2011.

Climate change congress: 40% renewables by 2050

The International scientific congress Climate Change: Global Risks, Challenges & Decisions has voiced the possibility of 40% of the world’s power coming from renewable energy by 2050 with adequate financial and political support.

SolFocus and Samaras expand Greek solar CPV project to 10 MW

SolFocus and Samaras Group are increasing the size of their solar concentrating photovoltaic (CPV) project in Greece from 1.6 MWp to 10 MWp.

UK PV support closing

The Stream 2 support for photovoltaics (PV) under the UK Low carbon Building Programme (LCBP) is due to close, causing concern in the renewable energy industry.

Suntech activates first large-scale solar power system in Santa Barbara

Suntech Power Holdings Co Ltd, a manufacturer of photovoltaic (PV) modules, together with the City of Santa Barbara and Tioga Energy, a solar financing firm, have announced the activation of the Santa Barbara’s first large-scale solar power system.

Korean PV grows six-fold in 2008

Photovoltaic (PV) installation in Korea reached 274 MW in 2008 having grown six-fold since 2007.

Austin Energy buys electricity from 30 MW solar project

The City Council of Austin, Texas, USA, has approved an agreement under which the municipally-owned electric utility, Austin Energy, will purchase all of the electricity produced by a 30 MW solar photovoltaic (PV) project over at 25-year period.

eSolar and ACME construct 1 GW solar in India

eSolar, a producer of solar thermal power plants, has signed an exclusive licensing agreement with the ACME Group to build up to 1 GW of solar thermal power plants over the next 10 years in India.

250 MW solar thermal power plant in Nevada

Solar Millennium LLC, NV Energy and MAN Ferrostaal Inc, the joint venture partner of Solar Millennium AG for the construction of solar thermal power plants in the USA, have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for the joint development of projects in the Amargosa Desert.

Mitsubishi acquires 34% stake in Acciona PV project

Mitsubishi Corporation has signed an agreement with Acciona S.A. to acquire a 34% equity interest in its subsidiary Amper Central Solar S.A, the developer and operator of the 45.8 MW solar photovoltaic (PV) project in Amareleja, Portugal.

First Israeli commercial solar-thermal power station licensed

Israel’s Minister of National Infrastructures, Binyamin Ben Eliezer, has licensed AORA to provide solar electricity to the national grid at its solar thermal power plant in Israel’s southern Arava region.

First Solar acquires utility scale PV pipeline

First Solar Inc is acquiring OptiSolar’s solar project pipeline, “significantly expanding” its penetration within the US utility solar power market in a deal worth around US$400 million.

Solar and wind power generating trees Solar and wind power generating trees

Using biomimicry techniques, an artificial tree or plant structure can function as a passive solar and wind power harvester, according to SolarBotanic.

Trina Solar sees revenues soar 113.4% in Q4

Trina Solar has reported a 113.4% increase in total net revenues to $216.3 million for the fourth quarter (Q4) of 2008 and a 140.9% jump in solar module shipments to 57.59 MW.

Ireland announces new FiT

Irish Energy Minister Eamon Ryan has announced measures to encourage the on-site generation of electricity in homes and farms across Ireland.

Fotowatio acquires MMA’s Solar Business

Spanish solar power company Fotowatio, will purchase the core US solar power assets of MMA Renewable Ventures including the 14 MW solar photovoltaic (PV) installation at Nellis Air Force base, Nevada, USA.

Ontario, Canada, proposes renewables legislation

Ontario, Canada, is proposing sweeping new legislation to attract new investment, create new ‘green economy jobs’ and better protect the climate.

NRG and eSolar develop 500 MW solar thermal power plants

NRG Energy Inc and eSolar will develop solar thermal power plants with a total generation capacity of up to 500 MW in California and the southwest of USA.

“It is time for America to lead again” – on renewables

In his first address to the Joint Session of Congress on 24 February, US President Barack Obama called on the USA to take a lead on renewable and clean energy.

ersol doubles revenues in 2008

ersol has released preliminary results for 2008 reporting an almost doubling (+93.3%) increase in revenue to €309.6 million.

Q-Cells crystalline solar cell production up 47% in 2008

Q-Cells has reported a 47% increase in the production of crystalline solar cells to 570.4 MWp and total thin-film production reached 15.4 MWp in 2008.

PG&E develops 500 MW of solar PV

Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) plans a five-year programme to develop up to 500 MW of solar photovoltaic (PV) power in its northern and central California service area.

Borrego Solar sells residential solar division

Borrego Solar Systems is selling its residential solar division for an undisclosed sum to groSolar.

Installed costs of PV systems fall in the USA

A study on the installed costs of solar photovoltaic (PV) power systems in the USA shows that the average cost of these systems declined significantly from 1998 to 2007, but remained relatively flat during the last two years of this period.