The Canadian government-backed Sustainable Development Technology Canada foundation has announced CAN$58 million in funding for 16 clean technology projects from across the country. The sole solar firm to receive monies to "help move innovative technology solutions to the market" is concentrator photovoltaic company, Morgan Solar.
Colexon Energy has secured a credit commitment of €21 million from the many banks it holds a relationship with. The credit facility, which has a running time of up to four years, will be utilized for working capital, financing project acquisitions and capital expenditure.
In respect of the US$2.3 billion U.S. federal tax credits issued last week for job creation, two key trends have emerged. As already highlighted, the solar sector garnered approximately US$1.0 billion of the credits allocated. However, another trend emerged whereby three major polysilicon producers garnered the most from the credits in the solar sector.
Borrego Solar Systems has announced a partnership with Reading Electric of Reading, PA to install more than 5MW of solar energy at 32 different local businesses across Southeastern Pennsylvania.
Government-funded projects in Anhui and Jiangsu provinces in China that are expected to be completed in 2010 have started to be awarded to PV module manufacturers. Solarfun has said that its subsidiary, Jiangsu Linyang Solarfun, has been contracted to supply Xuzhou Xie Xin PV Power 10MW of solar modules for a project based in Xuzhou City, Jiangsu, as well as two contracts totalling 2.65MW for a government-funded project in Anhui.
Starwood Energy Group Global announced on January 7 that its affiliate, Starwood SSM1 Canada, had finalized agreements to finance and construct a 20MW solar PV project in Ontario. Q-Cells has confirmed that it will deliver the two 10MW systems required for the project.
Former SunPower Systems and PowerLight president Daniel Shugar has joined Solaria as its new CEO. The veteran solar industry executive replaces former CEO Suvi Sharma, who will focus on business development and strategy in his new role as president of the Fremont, CA-based solar photovoltaic module company.
Solar wafer producer PV Crystalox said that it had shipped slightly more solar wafers than had previously guided for 2009, on the back of strong demand at the end of the year. The wafer producer shipped 239MW, up from guidance of 230-235MW provided in November. The company had experienced deferred shipments in the first half of 2009 due to poor demand.
GCL-Poly Energy Holdings has entered into acquisition agreements with the indirect shareholders of Konca Solar Cell in which the company will indirectly acquire a controlling stake of 70.19% in Konca Solar at an aggregate consideration of RMB854.1 million (€86.1917 million).
In the first major Chinese move into solar thermal energy, Penglai Electric has signed a master licensing deal with eSolar to build several concentrating solar power plants over the next decade. Penglai, a privately held electrical power equipment manufacturer, plans to develop 2GW of power stations in the Mongolian desert of northern China by 2021 using eSolar’s power tower technology.
