The Bulgarian government has announced a 50% cut to solar feed-in tariffs, having only approved a new FiT in April. Effective July 1, chair of the State Commission for Energy and Water Regulation (DKEVR), Angel Semerdzhiev, told Parliament on Friday that the renewable energy surcharge was solely responsible for an increase in electricity rates.
With shipping due to commence in autumn 2012, Kaco New Energy used Intersolar Europe a fortnight ago as a platform to launch its new energy storage and management system, Powador-gridsave.
The dark clouds of controversy looming over the German feed-in tariff have finally cleared with a compromise between the Bundestrat and Bundestag. Chancellor Merkel’s government has announced that it wants to maintain a solar “growth” corridor” of 2,500 – 3,000MW per year, with installations capped at 52GW. A class system for medium-sized roof-top installations will also be introduced. All funding will be back-dated to the original date of April 1, 2012.
Renewable Energy Corporation’s (REC) board of directors has proposed an additional sum of NOK75 million (approx. US$12 million) to the Extraordinary General Meeting (EGM). The company states that all investors that participated in the private placement have agreed to the final gross proceeds of NOK375 million (approx. US$62 million).
The latest quarterly report from IMS Research forecasts that as a result of continued price pressure and highly competitive market conditions throughout the PV industry, gross profits will continue to fall further to just US$0.07 per watt by the end of 2012.
Ministers and senior officials witnessed the signature of a partnership agreement to enhance the mapping of renewable energy resources in the region. On June 19, at Rio+20 United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development, the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) and the Latin American Energy Organization (OLADE) agreed to assess the renewable energy potentials on a global scale. Initially, it will cover wind and solar, but is to progressively extend to other renewable energy resources.
Lancaster, California, US, has received the Energy Globe Award to recognize the installation of its many alternative energy projects. The city’s "Home of the Future" project, conducted in conjunction with KB Home and China-based BYD, was the focus as a public-private partnership of international proportions.
Bisol Group has attributed a 130% increase in year-on-year production to its confidence in a people-oriented corporate culture and producing only high quality and eco-friendly products. In the first half of 2012 the company’s mono- and polycrystalline PV module lines were booked to capacity. Bisol claims that it is finishing the first half of 2012 by more than doubling production compared to last year.
The dust is yet to settle on tariff determinations against Chinese manufacturers, but the Coalition for American Solar Manufacturing (CASM) has released a statement warning of a “conspiracy to commit offence or to defraud the United States”. According to CASM, Chinese solar cell and panel exporters are reportedly planning to evade antidumping/countervailing orders. It asserts that this will not be effective, could be illegal and may expose US importers, in addition to Chinese exporters, to liability under US law, including significant financial penalties and criminal prosecution.
With European subsidies being cut left, right and centre, it appears Japan could fill the void and become the world’s second-largest market for solar power generation. The country will be welcoming the international solar community with open arms with the introduction of its latest feed-in tariff, which has the potential to generate US$30 billion by 2016 for the local economy. Industry Minister Yukio Edano approved the new rates this week, effective July 1.
