News

The North County Transit District (NCTD) transportation network has chosen Martifer Solar USA to supply 482.52kW of ground and roof-mounted solar systems for its bus and rail maintenance facilities.

Solar Integrated Technologies and ContourGlobal have finished work on all four of the thin-film PV projects they agreed to build for Coca-Cola Hellenic (CCH). The 905kWP Marcianise, 1249kWp Nogara, 622kWp Oricola and 472 kWp Monticchio plants will generate around 3,330MWh of electricity per annum.

Despite a short and chequered history, Hoku Materials polysilicon plant in Pocatello, Idaho could be in line for further funding, according to a strategic cooperation agreement signed between Baoding Tianwei Group and U.S. bank, Wells Fargo.

Parity Solar has enlisted the help of China National Building Materials (CNBM) to expand the production capacity of its existing PV module manufacturing facility in Zhenjiang, China.

Kisco has agreed to become Tera-Barrier Films’ exclusive distributor in the Asia-Pacific region after making a strategic investment in the Singapore-based company. Kisco made the investment during Tera’s Series A investment round and its funding will help Tera’s attempts to bring its moisture-resistant films for solar cells to market.

The U.S. Department of Energy has made a conditional commitment of a loan guarantee worth up to $967 million for the 290MW (AC) Agua Caliente solar PV farm, located on 2400 acres of former agricultural land site east of Yuma, AZ. Preliminary construction on the site has begun, with the first electricity expected to be produced later this year or early 2012. The entire project is scheduled for completion in 2014.

Acuity Technology Management completed an independent evaluation on EnviroMission’s Australian Solar Tower technology, valuing it at AUDS$60,000,000. The valuation includes the intellectual property, development rights and overall commerciality of the technology.

Semiconductor capital equipment supplier Tegal and consultancy se2quel Partners have formed sequel Power, a new company focused on the development and operation of very large-scale solar photovoltaic-based utilities in the United States, Latin America, the Middle East, and Africa. At least 10 projects in the range of 750MW (DC) to 1.1GW (DC) are in various stages of negotiation, and all are located in high-insolation regions, according to company sources.

Federal Environment Minister Norbert Röttgen and the German Solar Industry Association have agreed to bring forward the reductions of financial support for solar power in order to facilitate the further expansion of photovoltaics in Germany. The government revealed late last week that, together with the industry, it was set to bring in a reduction of up to 12%, which would be pulled forward six months to July 1st this year.

SolarCity has appointed Dan Foster as its new vice president of sales. Foster will be in charge of SolarCity’s national sales division and will report to report to CEO Lyndon Rive.