Adding to its PV module manufacturing footprint, Kyocera has officially opened its latest 30MW plant in San Diego, California. The company first set up operations in California in 1971 and was the first Japan-based corporation with manufacturing operations in the State. The modules are intended for the U.S. market. Initial production includes solar modules ranging from 210 watts to the company's latest 235-watt modules.
SportsPro magazine has listed the World Games Stadium in Kaohsiung, Taiwan as the world's most important sports venue. With a capacity of 55,000, the stadium features 8,844 solar panels, making it the largest solar panelled sports venue in the world.
ENN Solar Energy has won the bid to supply 5.7m2 tandem-junction silicon thin-film modules for a utility-scale photovoltaic power plant. Once complete, the project will be the largest thin-film photovoltaic project in China, and one of the largest in the world to utilize tandem-junction silicon thin-film technology.
According to Greentech Media Research, 2009 was the most challenging year to date for the PV industry. Although, global PV cell production grew by 51% from 7.1GW in 2008 to 10.7GW in 2009 and PV panel production increased 41% to 8.9GW, many of the solar panels were produced in Germany during the third and fourth quarters of 2009.
Solon has brought together locations in Tucson, Arizona, San Pietro, Italy and Berlin, Germany, for their Global Test Site (GTS) network. The three identical outdoor proving grounds will test and provide data for Solon to better understand regional affects on PV modules and related technologies for the best module and system design.
Abound Solar released the signing of an open-ended sales contract with EME Energy Management Eberlein. EME is located in Kitzingen, Germany and specializes in technical planning, sizing PV systems and logistics activities in solar PV components and turnkey systems.
Global renewables operator Acciona Energy and the Franco-Spanish group Dhamma Energy will collaborate on a range of utility-scale solar projects in France, with a plan of installing 250MW. Although timelines were not given, the initial collaboration will see a 12MW plant built in Ardèche, Rhône-Alpes, and will be the largest solar power plant yet built in France.
The significant capacity expansions of Asia-based solar module manufacturers and the shift of several high-profile U.S.-based producers and Germany-based Q-Cells to locate major production plants in the low-cost region suggest that a shift in the solar industry manufacturing base is ongoing. However, with the official inauguration of SolarWorld’s newest solar wafer plant in Freiberg, the company is putting faith in its ability to remain competitive with its major rivals by retaining a strong presence in Europe.
Gadot Solar Solutions and SolarEdge have signed a joint agreement for the global distribution and installation of SolarEdge solar power harvesting systems. By signing the contract, SolarEdge takes advantage of Gadot Solar's European market presence.
The Minister for Environment and Climate Change in Victoria, Australia, has announced a AUS$3 million investment in solar cell R&D technology development in Melbourne. The venture is a direct result of collaboration between Swinburne University of Technology and China's Suntech Power Holdings. The Victoria-Suntech Advanced Solar Facility at Swinburne has been established through a grant of $3 million from Victoria's Science Agenda Investment Fund.
