Yet more uncertainty overshadowed Australia’s solar industry at the end of last week as the South Australian Government discussed the future of the state’s feed-in tariff. Having originally planned to increase the incentive rate from 44c to 54c, plus a mandatory additional contribution from electricity retailers, the Government is now tipped to keep the tariff at 44c until the end of September for solar households entering the scheme.
While Barack Obama may have reneged on his promise to put solar panels on the roof of the White House by the end of spring, the US Government shows no sign of backtracking on his other solar commitments, with further evidence of this seen last Thursday as Energy Secretary Steven Chu paid a visit to Amonix’s new production facility in Las Vegas.
Solar Frontier has won a contract with juwi solar to provide 3.8MW of its thin-film solar modules for a solar project in the northeast US. The solar installation is set to be completed by the end of the year and will be operated by a regulated northeast utility. Solar Frontier’s new Kunitomi plant in Miyazaki, Japan will manufacture the CIS modules for the solar project.
Suntech Power’s Just-Roof building integrated photovoltaic (BIPV) solution has been approved by French certification body CEIAB (Comité d'Evaluation de l'Intégration au Bâti). CEIAB is France’s official evaluation committee for all BIPV products, and its endorsement sees Just Roof gain eligibility for the country’s highest available feed-in-tariff.
A major reshuffling of executive positions has been made at Hanwha SolarOne, which said the move was designed to strengthen the management team as it continued to build-out the company to become a major player within the solar industry. Stepping aside is Dr. Peter Xie, CEO and Gareth Kung, CFO, both former Solarfun executives, who are being replaced by Hanwha Group executives, Ki-Joon Hong and Jung Pyo Seo, respectively. Hong is currently the chairman of the Board of SolarOne and CEO of Hanwha Chemical Corporation, which acquired a majority stake in the former Solarfun.
Reporting to REC’s EVP, John Andersen, former LG Electronics manager, Luc Graré has been appointed the firms new senior vice president, sales and marketing, cells & modules. Graré will be tasked with strengthening REC’s sales and marketing activities, and will join REC on July 1st.
Payom Solar has formed a new subsidiary in Turbigo, Milan to help manage the company’s rapidly-expanding Italian client base. The subsidiary, which has been named Solar Energy Italia SAS, has already secured its first major order – a 4MW roof system for a Danish investment group valued at €13 million.
Pythagoras Solar has won the GE ecomagination Challenge for its Photovoltaic Glass Unit (PVGU) window technology. The company fended off competition from nearly 5,000 other entrants to win the award, which recognises the most promising innovations in the field of building-integrated energy technology.
Alex Vanderpol has been appointed as Astronergy’s general counsel, a role in which he will oversee all the legal operations for the company. Vanderpol has practiced corporate and commercial law and worked for various organizations based in Asia including the Singapore and Shanghai branches of AMB AMRO Bank and Solarfun Power Holdings, Hanwha Solar One, in Shanghai.
Transphorm has completed the latest round of financing for the development of its Galiium Nitride GaN power conversion module. Quantum Strategic Partners, Kleiner Perkins Caufield and Byers, Google Ventures, Foundation Capital and Lux Capital were the investors behind the US$25 million Series D financing round, which takes the total capital raised to US$63 million.
