Transform Solar, a JV established in 2010 between Origin Energy and Micron Technology, advised that it will no longer be manufacturing its Sliver PV modules in Idaho. The company decided to take this route after a review of the global oversupply of PV capacity and the resulting difficult market conditions. Operations and workforce in Idaho will be progressively cut over the next three months.
It was recently announced that Solea AG, Ontario Solar Provider (OSP) and Solar Provider Group have formed Solea SP, a JV with a focus on utility-scale ground mounted solar farms in North America. Head-quartered in Toronto, Canada, with a satellite office in San Francisco, Solea SP advised that additions to its management team will be released in the following weeks.
With victory in site for the Coalition for American Solar Manufacturers (CASM) following the US Department of Commerce’s preliminary determination against Chinese manufacturers, the American wind industry jumped on the band wagon last December and filed a complaint against its Chinese counterparts with the DoC.
Having recently teamed with Suntech, state-owned firm Phono Solar has signed a new agreement with GCL-Poly to build PV power plants in China. GCL-Poly already has plans to move downstream, having partnered with Winsun New Energy and Shunfeng Photovoltaic for projects in both China and Europe.
Yingli Green Energy’s success continues with the formation of the company’s US nationwide Powering Advancement with Solar and Soccer (PASS) programme. The initiative combines the financial and educational benefits of a solar power system donation with the active lifestyle benefits of soccer.
Despite the feed-in tariff cuts in April, the French energy regulation commission (CRE) has released figures showing that installation requests have not stagnated over the last three quarters.
Flemish minister for energy Freya Van den Bossche has reformed green energy support. The government intends to overhaul its renewables certificates' scheme, where renewable energy producers receive a certificate for every megawatt generated, alongside phasing out subsidies.
Hamburg-based asset manager Luxcara has been the recipient of a 12MWp PV power plant in Aquitaine, south-western France, said to have been purchased by EDF EN for around €49 million. Luxcara’s Luxemburg-based Flaveo SA, SICAV-FIS fund has received the "Béguey" plant, which has a capacity of close to 12MWp and is equipped with inverters from SMA Solar and modules from First Solar.
In a move cited to provide a more comprehensive product and service offering, Japanese PV equipment supplier NPC has merged its Germany-based subsidiaries, NPC Europe and Meier Solar Solutions. The module assembly tool specialist expects the move to support customers in and outside Europe.
SolarCity advised that it had completed its 295kW solar installation for Bayer Healthcare in Berkeley, California, which will help power Bayer’s manufacturing facilities. SolarCity was responsible for the financing, design and installation of the project and will oversee its maintenance and monitoring.
