Enfinity has been selected by the Chinese government to build China's first photovoltaic power station. The 10MW project will be located in Dunhuang City, capable of producing 16.37 million kWh annually.
SunPower Foundation, a nonprofit organization focused on empowering, inspiring and motivating a new generation of solar leaders in communities around the world has now been launched. This is the first organization of its kind to be solely funded by a major solar company.
Sharp Corporation is planning to make a big leap in a-Si thin film cell conversion efficiencies when it starts production at its nearly completed 1GW plant in Sakai City, Osaka Prefecture, Japan.
First Solar has signed a memorandum of understanding with the Chinese government to build a multiphase solar power plant project in Ordos City, Inner Mongolia, a site that will eventually reach 2GW in installed capacity. Once finalized, the agreement--the first of its kind between the Chinese authorities and a non-Chinese solar company--could also lead to the construction of First Solar moduling and supplier manufacturing facilities in the region.
The U.S. National Renewable Energy Laboratory and the Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems in Germany have both independently certified that Innovalight has demonstrated 18% conversion efficiency with silicon-ink processed solar cells--said to be a record for this type of technology.
Although the current weakness in demand has seen E-Ton unprofitable in the first-half of 2009, the solar cell manufacturer is said to be mulling plans for capacity expansions as demand from customers, notably in China and other parts of Asia has been improving. E-Ton shipped 30MW in Q109 and 50MW of solar cells in 2Q09, however the company is expecting shipments to increase to approximately 60MW in 3Q09.
South Australia has entered the renewable energy news twice this week, first announcing the opening of its largest PV systems in Adelaide Showground and later, the less positive warning published in Adelaide Now, from welfare groups that electricity prices for those in the area, could potentially double within five years.
Trina Solar has obtained a five-year syndicated US$304 million loan facility to support its East Campus 500MW capacity expansion project, which is to be completed over the next three years.
