News

Solarbuzz's latest report, "United States PV Market 2010," reveals that the U.S. solar market grew 36% in 2009. These results rank the country's solar photovoltaic market third largest in the world, behind Germany and Italy.

This past May, Pacific Blue Energy announced its 20MW Sunshine Solar Farm with Siliken Renewable Energy on 154.3 acres in Flagstaff, Arizona. Following in its own footsteps, Pacific Blue is in the processing of completing is acquisition of 100 acres of land in Gila Bend, Arizona for the construction of a new 150MW solar farm. In addition, the company is negotiating another 707 acres that is adjacent to the 100 acre parcel. Currently the acquisition agreement is subject to closing conditions.

JinkoSolar and Enfinity Asia Pacific will be working under an agreement that sees JinkoSolar delivering 24MW of solar PV modules this year to Enfinity. Module shipments are already underway and will continue through the rest of this year.

In a significant change of direction, Applied Materials has revealed that it will stop selling its turnkey a-Si thin-film technology under the SunFab name to potential new customers, shifting emphasis away from thin-film altogether and focusing on crystalline silicon (c-Si) and LED manufacturing equipment and technology.

Since the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities approved a contract between Petra Solar and PSE&G last July for 40MW of power through Petra’s SunWave solar system, AT&T has announced that the solar units will be running on its wireless network. Petra’s utility grade SunWave UP series operates on streetlight and utility poles and connects to the grid’s secondary voltage lines on the pole for better power quality and grid management.

Borrego Solar Systems has received US$20 million in financing from the U.S. Bank and East West Bank for the realization of the company’s San Diego Community College District (SDCCD) solar project, which consists of a 2.8MW system in nine solar arrays over six locations at the SDCCD campuses. This is the first solar energy project to be financed under Borrego’s power purchase agreement.

Researchers at Dow Corning and The University of Toledo (UT) have signed an MOU to engage in collaborative discussions on photovoltaic solar research and development efforts to help bring down the cost of solar energy. "Both Dow Corning and UT want homes and businesses throughout the world to take advantage of clean, renewable energy from the sun," said Gregg Zank, senior vice president and chief technology officer of Dow Corning. "It is essential that businesses, academics and the government collaborate in order to accelerate the advancement of solar technologies."

M+W Group is to plan and construct a 14.5MW photovoltaic power park in the province of Macerone, Italy. The plant is expected to have an annual output of around 18,900MWh, which will be supplied to approximately 6,000 households in the region.

Premier Power Renewable Energy has teamed with PUMA North America, lessee of Brookvale International, to build 1.9MW of solar electric generating capacity at PUMA’s Carson and Torrance, California, warehouse and distribution facilities in Southern California.

Following the acquisition of Etimex Solar’s Vistasolar EVA product line in June, Solutia will be expanding its Suzhou, China, operations for the inclusion of Vistasolar ethylene vinylacetate (EVA) encapsulants. The expansion includes a new building for several new EVA production lines and infrastructure for any future additional capacity needed. The lines will be able to manufacture 2.35m wide sheets with the first production line scheduled for completion in June 2011.