Neo Solar Power is launching a new quasi-mono-based solar cell, said to have a conversion efficiency reaching 18.5% and an average efficiency over 18%. This is the first product NSP has produced using quasi-mono wafers, which is set for rapid adoption across the industry as PV manufacturers focus on efficiency of cells and modules rather than capacity expansions.
MetLife and Longsol Holdings US advised that they had mutually bought SunEdison’s 30MW Webberville, Texas solar project, for an undisclosed amount, in December 2011. The project was activated in December 2011 and is said to be the largest active solar plant in Texas. Constructed by RES Americas, who will also operate and maintain the project for the next five years, the solar farm is anticipated to produce over 1.4 billion kWh of electricity over 25 years.
DEGERenergie has hired several new key personnel to its international offices in order to better serve, and build better relationships, with its customers. Customers in Germany and other European countries will now be serviced by Hendrik Walter and Steffen Bahlinger.
Payom Solar advised that as of February 10, it had completed its energy bond issuing a volume of €27,548,000 in subscription. Finished ahead of schedule, the bond has a €1,000 denomination and holds a five-year maturity with an interest rate of 7.5%, due April 8. The company notes that the original subscription period was scheduled to March 20, but after talk about the future of FiTs, coupled with other developments in the solar market, no further subscriptions had been received.
In order to better serve customers in the North American region, JinkoSolar Holding’s has opened a new office in Ontario, Canada. Furthermore, to satisfy Canada’s local content manufacturing requirement, the company has paired up with local manufacturer Heliene. Heliene will produce Jinko modules in Ontario helping it meet the “Made in Ontario” requirements.
The completion of the 3.4MW solar installation on Edwards Air Force Base in California, US, marks Borrego Solar’s first military installation. It was financed through a 10-year PPA.
Solar Fields, the owner of CdTe thin-film module manufacturer Calyxo, will continue to financially support the company through 2012 thanks to Calyxo's new aperture area efficiencies of 13.4%, as confirmed by SGS Germany. The latest improved module performance is said to be the cornerstone of its next-generation module series and potentially improves their market competitiveness in the future.
As expected by solar industry observers and trade groups, Germany’s cabinet of Chancellor, Angela Merkel has approved plans proposed by Economy Minister Philipp Roesler and Environment Minister Norbert Roettgen to drastically curtail the feed-in tariff in an attempt to limit future PV installations, after a record 7.5GW was installed in 2011.
An installation initiated by Israeli pro-peace scientists and funded by German company Comet-ME is under threat following claims by Israeli authorities that building work, started last August, was constructed illegally. Germany , which has already invested €400,000, is concerned this could lead to international outrage.
The Plastics Electronics Conference, co-located with SEMICON Europa since 2010, has been acquired by trade group, SEMI. The conference the committee has organized includes industry and academic leaders in the field of organic and inorganic large area electronics (OLAE will serve as a plastic electronics special interest group, guiding SEMI activities and services worldwide). SEMI said the conference and exhibition format would be extended to other regions in the future.
