This month’s international trade fair Society of Vacuum Coaters (SCV) will see Fraunhofer FEP launch its new transparent conducting oxide (TCO) layer. The titanium dioxide-based layer, which can be applied to PV glass layers, has similar conductivity and transparency to other indium-free materials, but also boasts greater resistance to chemicals and the ability to withstand temperatures up to 550°C.
Schott North America has appointed Linda Mayer as its new president and CEO. Mayer became the first woman to head up Schott’s North American subsidiary when she started the role on April 1 and succeeds Gerald Fine, who became a company director and joined its North American advisory board in January.
Spire is launching a new customer service initiative where it will make its simulation test facilities and services available to PV system installers. The company has over 30 test facilities and runs the Advanced Technology center, which is said to help material developers, module manufacturers and research groups advance their technology. The technology center also features a complete module assembly line and a Spi-Sun Simulator 4600SLP.
OPEL Solar International, the joint venture between OPEL Solar and Ecotech Environmental Technology, has been awarded its first order, just over three months after its formation. The company will provide 5MW of its HCPV panels and dual axis trackers to one of China’s electric power companies. OPEL Solar International initially expected the order to be for 2MW, but looks at the doubled purchase order as a way for it to break into the HCPV market in East Asia. Deliveries should start in the second quarter of 2011 and be completed during 2012.
Sacramento City Council has approved SolarCity’s request to build a 1.9MW multi-site system in the city centre. When completed, the development will be the largest in Sacramento and generate 2.6 million kWh of electricity in the first year.
Despite the latest report by the Independent Competition and Regulatory Commission (ICRC) advising that the feed-in tariff rates in Australia’s Capital Territory (ACT) need to be reduced, the Territory’s Minister for Energy, Simon Corbell, said the rates would remain unchanged.
SunWize Systems has completed the first stage of its 4.45MW car park solar array. The system, situated on top of a Veteran’s Affairs (VA) medical center in Phoenix, Arizona, is one of the largest of its kind in the U.S. and is expected to be completed in July 2012.
Belectric and Sun & Life are staking their claim in what they call the largest solar power plant in Saudi Arabia. The two companies are partnering on a 10MW PV carport system at Dhahran’s North Park offices of Saudi Aramco. The large-scale power plant will cover all of the 4,500 parking spaces and feed into the public grid by the end of this year.
Spain’s Ministry for Industry has approved 923 new solar projects for Q1 2011, all of which will benefit from the current feed-in tariff rates. The 116MW of new installations have been endorsed just in time to avoid the government’s subsidy reductions that come into play from Q2.
Alstom will invest a further US$75 million in BrightSource Energy, adding to its original commitment of US$55 million in May 2010. The companies signed a partnership agreement in August 2010 to provide fully integrated solar thermal power plants around the world.
