SolarPower Restoration Systems, Inc., the BIPV technology company, has announced that it has signed a non-binding letter of intent with SBM Solar, Inc. for the supply of a minimum of 10MW of solar modules per year for the three years commencing 2009. The modules will incorporate SBM’s new polymer surfaced composite panel crystalline module design.
Six early-stage and established photovoltaic companies based inCalifornia and New England have been awarded up to $17.6 million todevelop advanced solar PV manufacturing technologies as part of theSolar America Initiative, the U.S. Department of Energy announced. DOEsays that, including the costshare from industry--which will be at least 20%-- the totalresearch investment is expected to reach up to $35.4 million.
British Gas is to enter the photovoltaics market in the UK after its owner, Centrica PLC said it had acquired Solar Technologies Group Limited, an installer of PV and BIPV systems in the country, including the BIPV solar system for the London City Hall, designed by Fosters and using E-Ton Solar Tech’s crystalline PV modules.
In its continued efforts to become a major force in the materials metrology markets for both semiconductor and photovoltaics industries, Semilab Co. Ltd., has acquired French metrology equipment specialist SOPRA SA. The all cash transaction was closed on the 17th September, 2008. Details of the deal were not announced.
The California Academy of Sciences (Academy) in Golden Gate Park, San Francisco, California is to reopen this weekend following a closure for establishment of the new facility. An interesting aspect of this new construct is the ‘Living Roof’, an architecturally designed display roof that features 60,000 SunPower solar cells incorporated in 720 custom-built glass panels.
Sanyo North America has received approval from the Salem, OR, city council to build a new solar silicon ingot and wafer factory in the community's Renewable Energy and Technology Park. The company says it plans to begin operations at the plant in October 2009 and be at full operation by April 2010, with a production capacity of approximately 70 MW and an employee headcount of 200.
In a new twist to the long running saga of renewable energy tax breaks in the U.S. the House of Representatives has passed a modified bill rather than rubber stamping the bill already passed in the Senate. The Senate had urged the House not to make changes or additions as this would raise the likelihood of the White House vetoing the bill altogether.
SolFocus has announced its completion of the installation of its CPV system at the Institute of Concentration Photovoltaic Systems’ (ISFOC) 3MW municipal power production facility. Of the three companies involved in contracts with ISFOC in this phase of the project, SolFocus is the first to complete installation and have its CPV panels tested for quality of performance. The two SolFocus-installed power plants are 200kW at Puertollano and 300kW at Almoguera, Spain.
Nanjing, China-based ET Solar Group Corp. has entered into a 1MW dual-axis tracking system contract with Premier Power Renewable Energy, Inc. The tracking systems, which were jointly developed by ET Solar Group and Meca Solar, each boast a peak power of more than 11kW and will be installed at a location close to San Francisco.
The proposed 280MW Solana solar power plant in Arizona has been approved by the state utility regulators, giving the go-ahead for the facility’s construction. The new venture will be located at Gila Bend, Arizona, and is being commissioned by Arizona Public Service Co. It is expected to come into operation in 2011 and provide power for close to 70,000 homes in Arizona at its peak output.
