The global PV market is set to soar higher than previously expected, according to solar inverter market leader, SMA Solar Technology. As a result, the company has raised its revenue guidance for the year, the second time it has done so in 2010. SMA Solar now expects the global photovoltaics market to reach approximately 17GW of new installations in 2010 and with more than 40% of the inverter market, is guiding revenue of between €1.7 and €1.9 billion. Previously, SMA Solar had forecasted the PV market would reach 14GW and company revenue of €1.5 to €1.8 billion.
With a string of large orders announced and major capacity expansion plans continuing in the wafering sector, Mayer Burger - not surprisingly - posted strong first-half financial results for 2010. Sales increased by 67% to CHF 356.9 million with organic growth of 36% compared to the same period in 2009. Growth from previous M&A activities was 31%. New order bookings for the first six months stood at CHF 590.1 million, pushing the order backlog to CHF 770.0 million. Meyer Burger expects full-year sales to reach CHF 730 million, highlighting the potential for strong results in 2011.
Throughout classrooms in Arizona, students will soon not only go to school knowing that they’re learning environment is using renewable energy, but will also have the chance to learn about emission-free solar power generation. Kennedy Partners with NRG Solar, Pinnacle West, APS and Arizona public officials have all partnered for the creation of a clean energy program, with the first stage seeing NRG Solar and Kennedy constructing twelve large solar pavilions...
The Transgreen Initiative was recently developed to foster the development of a Trans-Mediterranean electric power transmission network within the Mediterranean Solar Plan. Joining with the initiative is Concentrix Solar, a division of Soitec. The company joins the initiative in order to help sustain the expected needs for electricity between the two sides of the Mediterranean.
Wills Transfer, working with Enfinity Canada, will be implementing rooftop solar systems on three of its warehouses. The rooftops used will be located at Wills’ Ottawa, Brockville and Perth, Ontario locations. Enfinity will be financing, developing, monitoring and maintaining the three rooftop systems, which will have a total installed capacity of 1.308MWp and produce around 1.5 million kilowatt hours per year. Construction is slated to begin early in 2011.
The Denver International Airport (DIA) is no stranger to solar projects being the site of a 2MW installation, which was completed in 2008 and a 1.6MW facility constructed earlier this year. However, Constellation Energy and Oak Leaf Energy Partners announced that they will be building the third and, so far, the largest solar installation for the airport at 4.4MW. Constellation is set to finance, own and operate the system, while DIA will be able to buy the energy produced from Constellation over twenty years.
U.S.-based PV installer Sunvalley Solar has added modules from TianWei SolarFilms to its list of product offerings. Sunvalley Solar has supply agreements for Canadian Solar's poly- and monocrystalline panels as well as for CEEG. TianWei SolarFilms will supply an unspecified amount of a-Si thin-film modules to Sunvalley Solar, which are now CEC (California Energy Commission) certified.
Akeena Solar, d/b/a Westinghouse Solar, will be leaving its solar panel installation business in California behind as it begins its exclusive focus on manufacturing and distribution in the state. Since the company will no longer be in the California installation business, it has advised that its third quarter 2010 records will show a restructuring charge of around US$2.5 million. This amount accounts for headcount reductions, equipment and inventory write-offs, lease accelerations and write-off of goodwill, which will mainly be non-cash charges.
Taking a page from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, the California Energy Commission gave its approval for three loans, which total more than $10.5 million, to three California-based PV companies: Stion, Soliant Energy, and Energy Innovations. The low-interest loans fall under California’s Clean Energy Business Financing Program (CEBFP), which is supplying around $30 million in federal stimulus money to businesses that create or preserve clean energy manufacturing jobs in the state.
At least 100 new jobs are being created as Dow Chemical prepares volume production of its ‘Powerhouse’ Solar Shingles at its facility in Midland, Michigan, which will start to be marketed in 2011. This is a first-phase program to create over 1,200 jobs in Midland in the coming years.
