After 30 years as principal scientist at the National Renewable Energy Lab (NREL), Gary Jorgensen is retiring to join SkyFuel as principal materials scientist. Amongst other achievements during his time at the NREL, Jorgensen co-invented ReflecTech Mirror Film, which used in SkyFuel's parabolic trough concentrating solar collector.
The European Commission has awarded Sovello AG €15.5 million of regional investment aid to help build its latest String Ribbon solar-module production facility in Bitterfeld-Wolfen, Germany. When completed, the entire project will have received investment totalling €147 million and created 320 jobs in the region.
MEMC has extended its chief financial officer position to Mark Murphy, who will take over for current CFO Tim Oliver. Oliver will remain with MEMC through the end of 2011’s first quarter in a non-executive role, but plans to leave the company for the pursuit of other interests. In addition to his role as CFO at MEMC, Murphy will also take on the role of senior vice president. The transition will be effective on January 10, 2011.
M+W Solar will be developing a turnkey solar PV plant in the Oria region of southern Italy. The 5MWp plant is set to be connected to the national grid during 2011 and produce over 7,000MWh of energy per year. M+W Solar will be overseeing the planning and construction of the solar PV plant along with securing the permits and approvals necessary for construction. The company has secured property rights for the project for twenty years.
New Mexico officials are hailing the 54MW (DC) of solar PV projects in Lea and Eddy counties as the largest in the state once they reach completion. Together with SunEdison and Xcel Energy’s regional operating company Southwestern Public Service, state and county officials gathered for the ground breaking of the solar PV projects.
Meyer Burger Technology has had an impressive few weeks scoring two big orders and has added a third order from a customer in Asia. The US$57.1 million (CHF55 million) deal will see MB Wafertec, a division of Meyer Burger, supply slicing, bricking and automated gluing systems while wafer inspection systems will be delivered by Hennecke Systems. Delivery is scheduled for 2011.
With an efficiency gain of nearly 1% in just six months, SoloPower has had certified a new, wider flexible CIGS module that is capable of producing up to 260Wp and has 12.1% aperture efficiency, as measured by NREL. The SFX3 module is claimed to be the most powerful flexible CIGS module currently in production. SoloPower says it has the first and only flexible CIGS products certified to both UL 1703 and IEC (61646 and 61730) standards.
SolarReserve's 150MW Crossroads Solar Energy Project has received Certificates of Environmental Compatibility (CEC) from the Arizona Power Plant and Transmission Line Siting Committee. The project and its associated transmission line, which will utilize Pratt and Whitney Rocketdyne's molten salt, power tower technology, is located close to the town of Gila Bend in Maricopa County, Arizona and has the potential to generate 450,000MWh of electricity per year.
Solon SE has sold its Swiss subsidiary, Solon Inverters AG, to Delta Energy Systems. The companies have chosen not to disclose the details of the sale, which is the latest stage in Solon SE's plan to concentrate resources on key markets and products.
NRG Solar has purchased First Solar's 290MW Agua Caliente solar plant in Yuma County, Arizona. When it is completed in 2014, Agua Caliente is expected to become the world's largest operational PV facility and supply electricity for more than 225,000 homes in the region.
