Capital Dynamics and Tangent Energy Solutions have signed a joint development agreement, which will see the two companies working together on commercial-scale solar energy projects throughout the United States. Under the agreement, Capital Dynamics will arrange the funding necessary to build, own and operate existing and future solar projects developed by Tangent.
The fallout from the Fukushima nuclear disaster looks set to continue after an official from China’s National Development and Reform Commission revealed the government was planning to cut its 2020 target for nuclear power capacity.
Ferro has opened a new photovoltaic research and development laboratory in Taipei, Taiwan. The Ferro Taiwan Technology Center, situated within the Neihu Technology Park, will help Ferro provide technical support for its Taiwanese customers and also to improve cell performance and lower manufacturing costs.
Suntech Power Holdings is launching a new 245W module designed specifically for Europe’s residential and small-scale rooftop installation market. The 60-cell mono-crystalline STP245S-20/Wd is the latest addition to Suntech’s module range and boasts 14.8% efficiency and a three bus-bar design.
3M and tenKsolar have started a partnership for the improvement of tenKsolar’s RAIS Wave commercial solar array. The RAIS Wave system now features 3M’s Cool Mirror Film 330 reflective material, which the companies state, allows for the system to produce up to 60% more annual energy per square foot of a rooftop installation. 3M recently commissioned a grid-tied 4.5kW RAIS Wave solar array from tenKsolar for installation at 3M’s Cottage Grove facility.
Despatch Industries has successfully completed the latest set of enhancements and testing for its CF Series firing furnace. Improvements to the maximum belt speed have increased up to 300 inches per minute while thermal transfer methods, notably in the cooling sector, have allowed the firing furnace to reach higher maximum ramp rates. Despatch notes that enrichments to its CF Series allow it to reach a maximum ramp rate up to 200°C for heating and cooling.
New Energy Technologies has entered a cooperative research and development agreement (CRADA) with the U. S. Department of Energy’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) for the advancement of New Energy’s SolarWindow technology.
Apparent success with the R&D stage of the joint development project between Tata Steel and Dyesol to commercialise dye solar cells onto steel sheeting is said to be moving to a pre-industrial phase. The £11m project, which received a £5 million technology grant from the Welsh Assembly in Wales, is due to be completed in June 2011.
TechPrecision, a manufacturer of metal components and systems for the renewable energy industry, has received new orders totalling US$2 million for its wafer production equipment. The equipment, manufactured by TechPrecision’s U.S. and Chinese subsidiaries, Ranor and Wuxi Critical Mechanical Components, is expected to be shipped before the end of Q3.
Envision Solar will be collaborating with Reno Contracting on the development of several Envision Solar Tree solar parking arrays using Envision’s CleanCharge and EnvisionTrak technology. The solar-power charging stations for electric cars will be built across various locations in the southwest U.S. The first project is scheduled to commence during 2011’s second quarter followed by a multi-location construction at corporate and commercial properties through 2011 and beyond.