The German Institute for Standardization (DIN) has passed Suntech’s core product range as certified ammonia resistant by awarding the DIN 50916 standard. This standard assures that the panels can maintain a high performance level under exposure to ammonia, most relevant to installations in and around farms that can use ammonia-based products as fertilizer for land, or livestock that emit ammonia.
Total’s subsidiary Total Gas & Power USA (SAS) has completed their acquisition of 25.4% interest in AE Polysilicon through a reserved capital increase. In addition, Total signed a long-term agreement to buy AEP high purity granular polysilicon.
Avancis, a subsidiary of Saint-Gobain, will be constructing a 100MW capacity plant in Torgau, Germany. The new factory, which has an undisclosed cost at this point, will be built close to the first Avancis industrial site and feature the manufacturing of copper-indium-gallium-(di) selenide thin-film PV panels. Completion and commencement of operation is expected by the first quarter of 2012.
Marking the company’s largest module contribution in a single project to date, Evergreen Solar has revealed that it has supplied over 7MW of the total 8MW capacity of a new solar farm in Neustrelitz, Germany. Project developers IBC Solar Invest sited the plant on a 250,000 square metre former Soviet military training base, which required a munitions recovery service to rid the land of any mines.
Wacker Chemie has signed a purchase agreement with Norway’s Fesil Group for the handover of its silicon metal production plant in Holla, close to Trondheim. With a capacity of around 50,000 metric tons per annum, the transaction will ensure Wacker’s supply of silicon metal in the long term, providing approximately one third of its annual silicon metal needs for the production of silicones and hyperpure polysilicon.
International Medical Corps received a $216,000 gift from Google.org, a part of internet mogul Google. Three thousand solar chargers were donated for the IMC medical and community health teams, which find themselves working in countries with cell phone coverage, but little to no electricity to enable use or ample charging of the cellular devices.
Prime Sun Power and Bangkok Solar Power have signed a strategic investment agreement where Bangkok Solar Power will attain up to 6,639,063 shares of PSP common stock at €7.73 per share. All shares issued to BSP are subject to a lock-up period through December 31, 2013. The purchase price was valued off of PSP’s current business plan, projected growth and the company’s ability to help BSP access the European solar market.
The German Bundesrat is unlikely to pass cuts to solar incentives when they come up for a vote on Friday (June 4), so a mediation committee of the upper house of parliament would be required to resolve the matter, according to unnamed sources cited in a news report by Reuters. The same sources said that if the parliamentary committee is called, the proposed cuts—including the controversial 16% reduction in feed-in tariffs for new rooftop PV installations--would not be able to take effect on July 1 as planned.
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.
