Toronto-based start-up Morgan Solar said that it has increased its first-round investment funding to $8.2 million (US) from the $4.7 million announced in October 2009. Strategic investors in the initial round include Iberdrola, Nypro, venture capital firm Turnstone Capital Management (which led the round), and two unnamed Canadian VC groups.
Xandex's solar division said that TUV Rheinland of North America has certified its SunMizer DC power optimizer for photovoltaic panels to U.S. and European safety standards. The testing lab certified the device to both the UL 1741 and GS S1 requirements.
New Jersey's Public Service Electric and Gas (PSE&G) has selected four sites and developers for more than $50 million in investments in 12MW of grid-connected solar power. The utility says that it hopes to start construction at the sites located in the communities of Edison, Hamilton, Linden and Trenton this spring, with the projects completed during the summer and fall.
Silicon ink start-up, Innovalight has raised US$18 million in new capital from a wide group of VC firms to expand production of its silicon ink technology as engagements with potential long-term customer’s increases. Innovalight has only publically announced a partnership with JA Solar to develop the ink-based technology and processes required to enter volume production for the China-based PV manufacturer later this year.
Two material suppliers to the photovoltaics module manufacturing market, Momentive Performance Materials and Targray Technology International have signed an agreement, whereby Targray will distribute Momentive’s silicone potting, sealing and adhesive products on a global basis. The deal also includes co-branding of Momentive’s products for Solar Applications.
Day4 Energy has announced the appointment of Tim Morath as director of sales for Central Europe, and Luigi Fusi as director of sales and corporate development for Southern Europe. In line with the anticipated growth of the North American market, the company has also announced that Jake Brown who was previously responsible for the company's global marketing and business development activities will now be focusing on the US market.
Douglas Gray, who has been the area sales manager at Teknek for the past four years, has been promoted to European sales manager. The position's predecessor, David Westwood, has now taken on the position of general manager, Teknek USA at the company's new sales and fulfilment facility in Charlotte, North Carolina.
After the initial excitement surrounding the New South Wales Solar Bonus Scheme, which gave the state the most generous feed-in tariff in the country, a certain amount of criticism has arisen. The scheme was officially launched on the January 1, 2010, bringing NSW residents a gross FiT payment of AUS$0.60/kWh (€0.368711) for all energy generated.
Despatch Industries has sold its first dryer and firing furnace solar-cell manufacturing system into China. The company said that the UltraFlex tool was bought by a top 10 Chinese cell producer.
OPDE, the Spanish solar developer, has now closed a €100 million project finance deal to build two PV solar plants with a combined capacity of 22MW. The project finance agreement has been signed with investment banks Banco Santander, La Caixa and BBVA.
