Global renewables operator Acciona Energy and the Franco-Spanish group Dhamma Energy will collaborate on a range of utility-scale solar projects in France, with a plan of installing 250MW. Although timelines were not given, the initial collaboration will see a 12MW plant built in Ardèche, Rhône-Alpes, and will be the largest solar power plant yet built in France.
The significant capacity expansions of Asia-based solar module manufacturers and the shift of several high-profile U.S.-based producers and Germany-based Q-Cells to locate major production plants in the low-cost region suggest that a shift in the solar industry manufacturing base is ongoing. However, with the official inauguration of SolarWorld’s newest solar wafer plant in Freiberg, the company is putting faith in its ability to remain competitive with its major rivals by retaining a strong presence in Europe.
With chronic shortages of residential solar inverters limiting PV system installations in the UK, Euro-Line Solar is to offer string inverters from Dorfmueller Solaranlagen to distributors and installers, guaranteeing a certain level of supply, despite global shortages in semiconductor-based components. PV-Tech’s sister website, solarpowerportal.co.uk, which is devoted to the UK market, noted that delayed or cancelled projects in the UK could be back on track with the new inverter supply deal.
Product Briefing Outline: StellarNet has introduced a new SpectroRadiometer system designed to characterize and evaluate light emissions according to industry standards used for solar simulators and a variety of applications.
A key attraction of organic and dye-sensitized photovoltaics (OPV and DSC) is the flexibility and transparency of the technology; however, a new report from NanoMarkets sees the need for more flexibility should these technologies survive and prosper in niche markets. According to the market research firm, these technologies may offer low-cost high volume roll-to-roll production but the markets they could serve are little more than low-volume niche sectors.
With the significant cuts in Germany’s solar feed-in tariffs due July 1, the focus of attention has shifted toward understanding and forecasting what happens next. German trade associations and respected executives and institutions have all warned about the negative impact these changes will have on the German solar industry, but there is little overall consensus in the industry as to what the real impacts will be. However, in a new bottom-up analysis, market research firm iSuppli, believes it has a firm grasp on what will happen next--and it’s certainly a bittersweet pill to swallow.
Citing customer funding problems and a general hesitation in the market to invest in a-Si thin-film technology, turnkey specialist Oerlikon Solar reported that it did not receive any large orders during the first quarter of 2010. Sales declines 24% to CHF39 million compared to the same period a year ago when sales reached CHF51 million. Orders received in the first quarter were only CHF8 million, down 27% from the same period in 2009. The division posted an EBIT loss of CHF24 million, down from a CHF32 million loss a year ago.
Many c-Si solar cell manufacturers are developing various selective emitter processes that place emitters underneath the front contacts of cells to boost conversion efficiencies. However, Manz Automation may be taking a lead in announcing that its laser-based production technology has been selected by Yingli Green, Bosch, and Conergy. The company said that its ‘OneStep’ selective emitter technology will be implemented at pilot production lines over the coming months with the aim of production verification as soon as possible. Various studies have indicated that the process technology could provide a 0.5% increase in cell conversion efficiencies.
Spire couldn’t quite beat its record quarterly results figures that were posted in the fourth quarter of 2009. Revenues were US$18.9 million, a 66% increase from US$11.4 million for the same quarter of 2009 but down approximately 5% from the previous quarter when revenue was US$19.7 million. Turnkey module and ‘SPI-Sun Simulator’ shipments were strong, with the solar business segment representing 81% of total revenue for the quarter.
Although financial restructuring efforts with its lenders are still ongoing, Conergy posted its first quarterly operating profit in several years. Conergy increased its sales by 165% to €150.3 million in the first quarter of 2010, up from €56.7 million in the same period a year ago. EBIT figures of €0.3 million meant the company returned to profit.
