SolFocus is installing a 1MW high-concentrator photovoltaics system at Victor Valley College in the high desert of California. Construction of the HCPV installation, which consists of 122 of the company's SF-1100S 8.4KW arrays spread across six acres, is taking place on the college's main campus in Victorville, CA. When the power plant is completed in May, it will generate about 2.5 million kilowatt-hours annually (roughly 30% of the college's electricity demand) and be the largest facility of its kind in North America, according to SolFocus.
Lower house politicians in the Czech Republic have now approved a law to cut the incentives for solar energy production in a bid to control the expected rise in solar installations. The Czech Republic's Prime Minister, Jan Fischer, first called for the cuts earlier this month.
Struggling PV module start-up Day4 Energy saw fourth-quarter revenue reach CDN$36.6 million, an increase of 175% from the prior quarter and 120% increase over the same period in 2008. Full-year revenues for 2009 were CDN$60.0 million, compared to CDN$76.8 million for the prior year. The company was forced to reduce its workforce in early 2009 and shift module production to Jabil in Poland.
Inergia and 9REN have signed contracts for the turnkey construction of two ground-based photovoltaic systems in Puglia, Italy. One of the systems will be a fixed structure, while the other will be mobile.
Filmetrics has opened two film thickness measurement application labs in Tainan, Taiwan and Munich, Germany. Each lab is tied into the Filmetrics support network, which provides immediate internet and voice response to Filmetrics customers.
Mitsubishi Chemical has selected and successfully installed a sun simulator from Pasan, a division of Meyer Berger. This is the first sale to a Japanese customer for the company, which will use the equipment for testing of very large a-Si thin film solar modules and is part of MCC’s move into the BIPV market.
Recently announced capacity expansion plans from the majority of major China-based PV manufacturers and polysilicon producers is having a knock-on effect in the supply chain with gases specialist Linde Group announcing a new round of long-term gas supply contracts in the country. Linde LienHwa (LLH) has secured multi-million US dollar contracts from companies including GS Solar, Parity Solar, CNPV Solar Power SA, General Solar Power and Argus Power.
Evergreen Solar's 5MW power plant in Apulia, Italy is now online. The project, which was designed and installed by project developer Greenvision, is the largest installation of Evergreen Solar panels to date.
The grand plan of the Desertec Industrial Initiative has a new member in the form of First Solar, the first solar photovoltaic manufacturer to join. First Solar said that it had become an ‘Associated Partner’ of Desertec for an initial period of three years and would contribute utility-scale PV expertise in working groups and prepare the ground for reference projects and a roll-out plan.
AES has closed its equity sale with a wholly owned investment subsidiary of the China Investment Corporation (CIC). The deal raises US$1.58 billion in new capital for the company. CIC acquired 125.5 million shares of AES stock for US$12.60/share in exchange for an approximate 15% stake in the company.
