The Qwest Field Event Center, home of the NFL’s Seattle Seahawks, is currently undergoing a “green transformation” with the installation of a rooftop solar PV system. Considered the largest rooftop solar array in Washington to date, the Qwest Field installation will have 3,750 CIGS solar panels manufactured by Solyndra producing over 830,000kWh of solar electricity per year and offset 21% of the Event Center’s annual utility costs.
Bulgaria’s solar industry is facing the threat of stagnation, after the Government unveiled a new renewable energy bill that could cut industry subsidies by as much as 30%. The feed-in tariff (FiT) reductions were part of a wider set of cuts to the renewable sector, which have been introduced to help the country meet its EU 2020 targets.
The US Department of Energy (DOE) has pledged US$25 million towards the US-India Joint Clean Energy Research and Development Center (JCERDC) over the next five years. The R&D center is part of US President Obama and India Prime Minister Singh’s Partnership to Advance Clean Energy initiative that was revealed in November 2010.
After losing out to the tune of US$6.1 million or US$1.61 per share in the first quarter of 2010, DayStar Technologies has reported more positive financial results for the first quarter ended March 31, 2011. Recording net loss of US$0.4 million or US$0.05 per share, the company says it is now well positioned to capitalize on the increasing market opportunities within the renewable energy industry.
The world’s largest producer of solar panels, Suntech Power, has increased the annual capacity of its new manufacturing facility in Goodyear, Arizona to 50MW. This is the second expansion of the site since it was opened in October 2010 and its new 24/7 operating hours will help raise monthly output to 15,000 panels.
Trina Solar has, via its German subsidiary, completed a sales agreement with German engineering, procurement and construction company Mohring Energie that will see Trina deliver 130MW of PV modules in the second and third quarter of 2011. The modules, which will be sold at pre-agreed US$ prices, will be installed in several projects, one of which is said to be one of Europe's largest PV power plant installations in 2011. Shipments of the modules have already commenced; the value of the deal was not disclosed.
OPEL Solar International was designated the exclusive worldwide supplier of solar trackers for Grape Solar. This marks OPEL’s first exclusive supply agreement with a PV panel manufacturer and supplier. Leon Pierhal, OPEL Solar’s CEO, indicated, "Grape has an impressive product line of high efficiency PV panels from both China and US manufacturing locations, with plans for additional expansion to Ontario, Canada. We expect that Grape's close alliances with leading solar integrators and engineering firms will greatly enhance OPEL's sales channels and, that Grape Solar will become a key supplier of PV panels to OPEL's tracker customers."
Queen’s University in Kingston, Ontario, is spearheading the Open Solar Outdoors Test Field (OSOTF), a study that aims to investigate how diverse weather conditions effect a solar panels performance. eIQ Energy has signed on to help OSOTF by contributing its vBoost DC-to-DC converter modules on a solar array. The project is being conducted at a grid-connected solar panel testing facility that constantly measures the energy output of 95 different types of solar panels while relating their performance to meteorological data.
GT Solar International has received orders for its DSS multicrystalline growth furnaces totaling US$84.3 million. Orders were place by both existing and new customers including Nantong Zongyi New Material and Inner Mongolia Zhong Huan Solar Material. The orders will be included in GT’s backlog for the quarter, which ends on July 2.
Roth & Rau’s management and supervisory boards have published a statement that publicises the company’s agreement with the proposed €22.00 per Roth & Rau share. This approval, required in order for the takeover by Meyer Burger to go ahead, signifies the support on the part of Roth & Rau’s management and supervisory boards of the takeover and their recommendation for other shareholders to accept the offer also.
