Rebecca Butcher

Spire Corporation and Gloria Solar of Tainan, Taiwan announced today that they have reached an agreement to liquidate their Joint Venture, Gloria Spire Solar (GSS), which performed PV systems integration within the United States.

New Mexico Representative Martin Heinrich has introduced new bipartisan legislation in the form of the clean energy promotion act, H.R. 2662. The new act can provide up to $5 million yearly to the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) to promote renewable energy projects on public lands.

Oneworld Energy Inc., announced its expansion into the US with the appointment of Roger Slotkin as CEO, U.S. operations and a new U.S. headquarters in Melville, NY. Slotkin's role will be to grow U.S. business both organically and through mergers and acquisitions for Oneworld Energy’s management and servicing of wind and solar power installations.

A report from the United Nations has revealed that despite the credit crunch, global investment in wind and solar power is on the rise. Over $140 billion out of $250 billion was utilised for renewable electricity production in 2008.

Israel-based Sunday Energy said this week it had closed a deal to build the largest rooftop solar installation in the Middle East, according to a report from Cleantech Group. Though the plant’s capacity is just 1MW, for Israel it is the beginning of a new solar market, according to Sunday Energy founder and CEO Kobi Dinar. By 2020, the country hopes to reach 20% of energy supplied by renewable sources.

EDF EN Canada, a company of the EDF Energies Nouvelles family, announced its intention to start construction of a 23.4MW (DC) photovoltaic power plant near Arnprior, Ontario.

Ubbink Solar Modules B.V., a 100% subsidiary of Centrosolar, will close down its solar module plant located in Doesburg (NL), though it will remain as a legal entity and will fulfil any financial obligations. The closure is a direct result of the financial crisis of Ecostream Switzerland GmbH.

GT Solar International, Inc. announced that its chief financial officer Robert Woodbury has resigned effective immediately for personal reasons. Woodbury has served as CFO of GT Solar since January 2008. Richard Johnson, vice president, finance and controller, will lead the finance organization on an interim basis.