Perpetual Energy Systems has finalized the 1.5MW solar project for the Jefferson Union High School District, south of San Francisco. The project included solar arrays being installed at four District high schools: Oceana High School, Terra Nova High School, Westmoor High School and Jefferson High School. In whole, the solar project used more than 8,500 solar panels and is anticipated to produce 2,300,000kWh of energy during its first full operational year.
Johan Enslin, a 29-year veteran for the solar industry and the U.S., Europe and South Africa higher education system, has been named chief technology officer for Petra Solar. He has spent time in executive and consultant positions for private businesses and has been a professor in electrical and electronic engineering as well as conducting work at over 80 U.S., European, Asian and African power utilities, governments and industry projects. Enslin is credited with managing several renewable energy groups and projects for U.S. and international clients through system planning, power electronics and renewable energy integration.
San Diego Gas & Electric (SDG&E) agreed to a 25-year power purchase agreement (PPA) with CSolar Development, a subsidiary of Tenaska Solar ventures, for the development of up to 130MW of solar PV power. A proposed 900-acre site in Imperial County, called “Imperial Solar Energy Center South,” will hold the solar project, which is expected to reach completion in 2014. The 130MW project will use the 120-mile Sunrise Powerlink, presumed to reach completion in 2012, to deliver the energy produced at the facility to customers in the SDG&E service territory.
REC Solar and SunEdison came together with Mayor Gary Svanda and Madera city council members to officially turn on the city’s newest solar project: a 1.1MW solar installation at Madera’s wastewater treatment plant. The new solar project will produce over 2.4 million kWh of energy per year and around 45 million kWh over 20 years.
Government officials and executives from CPS Energy, Duke Energy and juwi solar stood together as the Blue Wing Solar Project was dedicated in San Antonio, Texas. The 14MW solar installation, constructed on 113-acres using 214,500 solar PV modules, is claimed as being the largest solar project to date in Texas. The Blue Wing Solar Project began full operation almost two months ahead of schedule and will generate over 26,570MWh of electricity per year.
Spire released its third-quarter financial results for the period that ended September 30. The company reported US$20.6 million in revenues from continuing operations, showing a 24.6% increase from the same period during 2009, which resulted in US$16.6 million. Spire’s net loss for the third quarter came in at US$915,000, a marked improvement from 2009’s third-quarter net loss which totaled at US$3.5 million.
Solar 3D is looking forward to Dr. Changwan Son bringing his expertise in the photonics and optoelectronic devices fields to his new position as the company’s director of technology. Utilizing his background, Son will spearhead the development of Solar3D’s technology and prototype.
Platina Partners has finalized its acquisition of 10MW of solar PV projects from the Degennaro Group. The 10 solar PV plants are located in the Puglia region of Italy, are each 1MW and mark the first operational plants in Italy for Platina. Their portfolio now includes 162MW of renewable energy projects in operation, 31MW of those being operational solar PV projects.
PV Evolution Labs (PVEL) has come one step closer towards completing a testing laboratory in San Francisco by closing funding for the solar panel reliability and performance lab. The company touts the laboratory as an independent, high-throughput testing facility using the company’s environmental, mechanical and electrical stress and characterization systems.
One of the biggest pressures that the solar module industry faces is the ability to produce a solar module at a lower cost. Due to this demand in pricing, IMS Research has concluded that over 70% of module production capacity is made in Asia as of 2010’s fourth quarter. The trend to move production to Asia isn’t a passing one as IMS foresees that by the end of 2011, over 75% of the world’s PV production will take place in Asia.
