Spire Corp. saw its first-quarter revenue impacted by two major contracts not receiving customer acceptance as expected. The turnkey PV manufacturing line specialist posted revenue of US$12.3 million, a 15% decrease from US$14.5 million for the same quarter of 2008.
Located in Kenn in the district of Trier-Saarburg, Rhineland-Palatinate in Germany, the new 5.8MWp PV power plant under construction by Phoenix Solar AG on behalf of the Enovos Group is set for commissioning by the end of July 2009. Phoenix, as planner, builder and engineer, has been working with ground-mounted power plant project developer Bürgerservice Trier, with whom Phoenix has been collaborating since 2007.
Photovoltaics microinverter innovator Enphase Energy has landed $22.5 million in new financing. The funding round, which was led by Madrone Capital Partners, also includes new investor Bay Partners as well as existing investors Third Point Ventures, RockPort Capital Partners, and Applied Ventures. Jamie McJunkin, general partner of Madrone, will join the Enphase board.
Germany based flat roof PV systems integrator SUNOVA AG, has started field tests of several different thin film module technologies with conventional multi-crystalline silicon modules to better evaluate the strength and weaknesses for future installations in the country.
SolarWorld AG has celebrated the topping-out of its new crystalline solar cell manufacturing plant in Freiberg, Germany. The €350 million investment will enable SolarWorld to add approximately 500MW per annum of solar cell capacity by the end of 2010, resulting in 1GW of total capacity at its multiple facilities in Freiberg.
Gov. David Paterson has announced a plan to add 100 MW of solar photovoltaic projects-- the largest PV initiative in the state of New York. This news comes after the governor's recently announced 50 MW PV project, led by the Long Island Power Authority-- and is the fourth major clean energy initiative that Paterson has unveiled in the last two weeks. Together, these two solar projects-- totaling 150 MW--would position New York as the state with the second-highest installed PV capacity.
SMA Solar Technology AG has reported a 25% decline in first quarter sales compared to the same period in 2008. The solar inverter leader said that it didn’t rule out a decline in global demand for PV system in 2009 but expects an increase in sales of at least 65% to about €145 to€165 million in the second quarter. Sales in the first quarter totalled €86.7 million compared to €115.1 million in 2008.
Although there is an expected decline in the demand for advanced chemicals and materials used in PV solar cells and modules, Linx-AEI Consulting said in a new report that the market would return to growth in 2010 and reach a value of approximately $15 billion by 2015. PV chemicals and materials used for all types of technology will decline to US$2.3 billion in 2009, Linx-AEI Consulting said.
Fluor Corporation has entered into the renewables industry with its plan to establish a dedicated renewables business line within its Power Group. The new division will focus on all forms of renewable energy, complementing the company’s existing nuclear, gas fueled, solid fueled and air quality control businesses with lines for solar, wind and biomass.
MEMC Electronic Materials, Inc. has moved to expand it Board of Directors to 10 members with the news that it has added Emmanuel (Manny) T. Hernandez to its Board. Mr. Hernandez retired from his role as CFO at SunPower last November, where he had served for over three years.
