According to the Hellenic Transmission System Operator (HTSO), Greece has installed 535MW of PV capacity in March 2012. This is an increase of 53MW from the beginning of the year. The HTSO published these numbers in its monthly bulletin, mentioning a power output of 61.577 MWh per year in March.
Axuntek Solar Energy is using DuPont PV5400 series ionomer encapsulant in its IEC-certified CIGS thin-film modules, the company has announced.
The solar modules are frameless and the first to adopt DuPont PV5400 into CIGS technology. The modules aid to reduce shipping costs because they permit a higher density in shipping, therefore lower costs. Further, the modules are stronger due to DuPont’s encapsulant. The combination of ionomer and glass allows for the utilization of the frameless modules in building-integrated applications.
Emcore has been awarded another contract by NASA, this time to provide its technology for the space program’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) Soil Moisture Active Passive (SMAP) mission, which has a target launch in late 2014. Emcore’s ZTJ triple-junction solar cells will power the SMAP spacecraft and instrument suite in near-polar, sun-synchronous orbit for the duration of the mission.
According to a report released by Bloomberg New Energy Finance, the price of polysilicon continued its downward march, dropping by 2.6% last week. The material’s average spot prices were US$23.17/kg last week, compared to US$23.78 the week before. The report further advised that the price is down around 15% this year.
Last week Cogentrix Energy officially began commercial operation of its 30MW Alamosa CPV project in Colorado. Today, Solectria advised that it had provided over 500 large CPV pedestals, smart inverters and dual axis trackers for the project, which has been dubbed the largest high CPV generating facility in the world.
Trina Solar will supply a 2.1MW off-grid system to Longyuan New Energy in Tibet, the company has announced. The companies have entered into a supply agreement for the system in the Nagu region of Tibet. After installing approximately 40 standalone systems throughout Tibet in 2002, this is the largest off-grid project for Trina in recent times.
In February, EuPD Research awarded Germany-based Sovello the TOP BRAND PV seal; this week, the module manufacturer announced it has filed for insolvency in self-administration at the district court in Dessau. This very same court handled proceedings for Q-Cells last month and CIGS thin-film firm Odersun. The dramatic reduction in government subsidies and competition from Chinese manufacturers are being blamed for the moves by German companies that are unable to pay their mounting debts.
Italy could alter its subsidy cuts deadline from July 1 to October 1, reports Deutsche Bank. At a technical meeting of state regions conference last week, former undersecretary of industrial activity, Stefano Saglia, announced the current Conto Energia 4 would remain in place until the €7 billion limit were reached if this change was to occur.
GCL Solar Energy has announced that it has ordered a total of 22.5MW of Satcon Equinox 500kW inverters as well as 44MW of SSB Solstice combiners to equip a 76MW PV plant in the Caribbean. Satcon will provide 55 inverters and 1,900 Solstice sub combiners, as well as 680 of its SSC Smart sub combiners. Further, the company will supply 64 medium voltage transformers.
S.A.G. Solarstrom has announced a significant increase in sales volume with a positive EBIT. The company closed the first quarter of 2012 with sales of €21.4 million (Q1 2011: €78.9 million) and an EBIT of -€2.8 million (Q1 2011: €5.1 million), claiming these results are in line with its schedule for 2012. The company states that in the previous year’s quarter, sales and EBIT had been influenced to a very great extent by the large-scale Serenissima project.
