Kauai Island Utility Cooperative (KIUC) has joined forces with Alexander & Baldwin (A&B) for the development of a 6MW utility-scale solar PV facility on Kauai’s south shore. A&B plans to have the project developed and operated by one of its subsidiaries and will sell the power produced by the plant to KIUC under a 20-year fixed PPA agreement.
Sandvika, Norway-based REC ASA has published its second-quarter financials for 2011, which show revenues of NOK 3,391 million, down 17% on the previous quarter. Significant weakening of the solar market led to a slowdown in demand for the company’s products, while polysilicon production operations are also under pressure from Chinese competitors.
Paris-based PV project developer Akuo Energy has commissioned Phoenix Solar to carry out the engineering, procurement and construction on its next two French solar systems.
EDF Energies Nouvelles unit enXco has bolstered its solar business unit with the addtion of Kristina Peterson as VP, Damien Buie as director of solar innovation, and David Carroll as manager of solar engineering and construction. A former CEO of Mayflower Partners, Peterson joins the firm from Suntech America, where she served as VP of business development and project finance and was a key part of the team building the company's operations in the US over the past few years.
On the heels of awarding a $16 million loan to Azure Power for a solar photovoltaic project in India, the Export-Import Bank of the United States said it is providing a $9.2 million long-term loan to support exports of Colorado-based Abound Solar's CdTe thin-film PV modules to Punj Lloyd Solar Power for a 5MW power plant in Rahjasthan.
The cofounder and former CEO of First Solar has launched a $300 million venture capital firm. Michael Ahearn's True North Venture Partners will invest primarily in early-stage companies in the energy, water, agriculture, and waste sectors, in amounts ranging from $100,000 to $25 million.
A new solar pricing plan from SolarCity has sent shockwaves through the Hawaiian energy generation market by undercutting traditional utility grid electricity prices. Hawaii has the highest energy prices in the US and the new rates will bring solar electricity to residential and business users on Oahu, Maui, Kauai and Lanai from as little as US$60 per month.
Peter Mak, Trina Solar’s independent director and chairman of the audit committee has resigned from his post, effective July 10, in order to focus on other personal and professional pursuits. Jerome Corcoran and Qian Zhao, independent directors for the company, have been appointed chairman of the audit committee and member of the corporate governance and nominating committee respectively.
Convergence Energy’s 1MW solar farm in Delavan, Wisconsin is underway, and DEGERenergie has supplied 114 of its MLD tracking systems of the DEGERtraker 6000NT for the project. Fifteen of these systems have already been implemented at the Delavan location, with the remaining 99 planned for installation over the coming weeks.
Q-Cells has signed a five-year sponsorship deal to become a “Champion Partner” of German football giants Borussia Dortmund. As part of the agreement, the recently-crowned Bundesliga champions have also agreed to install a 920kW solar array on the roof of their Westfalenstadion stadium.
