Japan and cutting-edge technology have long gone hand in hand and therefore it is no surprise that Kyocera’s latest solar innovation, the Eco-Shell, is being launched in the Land of the Rising Sun.
LDK Solar has signed a 15MW multicrystalline module supply agreement with juwi Solar. The contract will see LDK deliver the modules to juwi between August and November 2011, to be used in one of juwi’s PV installations. juwi also has the option of requesting the delivery of a further 15MW of modules within this time period.
Q-Cells SE has sold its recently-completed 12MW Zerbst II solar power plant to the Berlin investment group MCG Management Capital. The system, which is situated on the site of a former military air base, took just six weeks to complete and makes up one-fifth of a huge 46MW solar park.
Wafer manufacturer MEMC is to create 400 jobs by opening a new module production line in Ontario, Canada. Located in Newmarket on the outskirts of Toronto, the Flextronics-owned site will produce PV panels for the project pipeline of MEMC’s subsidiary, SunEdison.
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.
