Search sponsor
Search sponsor
Citing the potential destruction that a war with Iran would produce, Hans Josef Fell and Omid Nouripour have submitted a proposal to Germany’s Foreign Minister, Guido Westerwelle, urging him to support the establishment of a solar program in Iran and the elimination of the country’s nuclear energy development. The document contends that Iran has an extensive supply of fossil fuels, but, further, that it has a large potential for renewable energies.
Swiss silicon thin-film firm, Pramac has been forced to file for insolvency after shareholders rejected management proposals over restructuring the company after posting losses (net) of over €94 million in 2011. The diversified firm had been a customer of Oerlikon Solar since 2008. Pramac had a 30MW end-to-end turnkey line using Oerlikon’s ‘Micromorph’ technology.
Global Solar Energy has announced the installation of three building-integrated PV projects across Italy. The company collaborated with Mapei Alubel and B.A. Energy to construct the rooftop projects using thin-film modules.
Norwegian manufacturer Innotech Solar has supplied a 3.1MW PV plant, located on a site of 80,000 square metres in Nauen nearby Berlin, with more than 13,000 solar modules, the company has announced.
The modules that Innotech Solar provided have a special feature: they are sourced from modules that have been sorted out for defects and that have been restored by Innotech using laser technology.
DelSolar today announced it has completed carbon footprint verification of its high performance solar cell (D6PL) and solar module (D6P_A3A series) products. The assessment met British Standard Institution’s ‘PAS 2050:2011 Product Carbon Footprint’ specifications and the verification received the Reasonable Level of Assurance, the highest level for this certification.
The UK Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) has published the results of its latest feed-in tariff comprehensive review, effective August 1. Due to low deployment levels since April the government decided to push back the implementation of the tariffs by a month. The new rates for 4kW systems will be £0.16/kWh and the tariff reduced from 25 to 20 years.
A new 44MWp module assembly plant in the De Vernejoul industrial park in Porcelette, Eastern France will assemble SunPower’s Maxeon solar cells into modules to meet demand in France, Italy, Germany and Belgium. Total and SunPower said that its 3,300-square-metre plant is equipped to produce approximately 150,000 high efficiency (20% conversion efficiency) modules per year. This is the first such plant SunPower will operate in Europe, having the majority of its production in the Asia-Pacific region.
Conergy has announced the construction of a 10.5MW solar power plant – the largest of its kind in the Saarland region. To be built near the French border, the historic Linslerhof estate is owned by the von Boch investor family celebrated for its environmentally-friendly way of life. The recent drastic cuts to the feed-in tariff will require the project to be completed by the end of June. Conergy will act as main contractor and will be responsible for the installation of the park as well as the supply of Conergy components.
centrotherm photovoltaics advsied that it had begun industrial-scale production of its high-efficiency centaurus solar cell for customers in China and Europe. Over 50MW of the centaurus technoloy are in ramp-up mass production with the company noting that it has received interest from various of its existing customers.
Enerplan is demanding the new French administration put its money where its mouth is to show its commitment to the solar industry as promised by President-elect François Hollande. The Association has called on the new Minister for Ecology, Sustainable Development and Energy Nicole Bricq to implement three emergency measures to boost solar power in what has become a turbulent and unpredictable industry. Enerplan claims 15,000 or 25,000 existing jobs have been lost and further job losses need to be avoided at all cost.
