Power-One advised that it will be taking its partnership with Cologne-based wholesaler Energiebau Solarstromsysteme to international markets. Energiebau will offer Power-One’s Aurora Uno and Trio inverters, as well as the Aurora Assure Plus service, to a more comprehensive network of installers in Germany. The offerings will be available immediately.
Martifer Solar’s plans to expand its PV power plant projects business remains on-track after completing two of the largest PV power plants in Portugal that have a combined capacity of 22.4MWp. The project developer had around €235 million worth of projects in its backlog at the end of the first-half of 2012, with management expectation of increasing installations by a double digit amount this year, compared with around 200MW installed in 2011.
Despite several start-up firm failures and an over-hyped sector, the concentrated photovoltaic (CPV) market is forecast to grow significantly over the next four years, according to the latest report from IMS Research, part of IHS. Though building from a small base, CPV installations are set to almost double in 2012 to around 90MW with a commercial value of US$325 million. By 2016 the market is expected to reach almost 1.2GW.
Efforts by the Chinese government to provide support to its struggling PV manufacturing sector have surfaced in Kenya, Africa, in the form of a government-approved business. Known for its municipal public works, Jiangxi Corporation for International Economic & Technical Co, Ltd. (CJIC), is planning to build a 50MW solar power project near the country’s northwest-located city of Garissa.
Financially constrained PV manufacturers are advised to look at alternative ways other than relinquishing hard-to-find cash to end wafer supply deals with suppliers after a long-standing dispute between Conergy and MEMC was partially resolved via old-fashioned bartering.
Isofoton recently revealed that as of August 15, it had signed a joint venture agreement with Saudi Arabian company Industrial Systems (INDSYS) for the installation of 300MW of PV plant facilities throughout the Middle East, North Africa and India region. The agreement will see both companies develop and construct the projects, which include installations in Saudi Arabia, a country which aims to install about 14GW of solar PV facilities by 2030.
On September 4, Thai oil company Bangchak Public Petroleum Co. (BPP) connected its 44MW PV plant in Thailand — the largest silicon PV power plant in South East Asia, it claims. It is located in Bang Pa-In, Ayutthaya, which is around 40km from the country’s capital Bangkok.
IBC Solar has upped its corporate social responsibility profile by donating a 14.4kW solar power system to the Lewa Children’s Home in Eldoret, Kenya. A total of 120 solar panes and six inverters have been supplied to the orphanage, which house approximately 120 children aged between a few months to 18 years.
IKEA’s New Haven Connecticut store has officially launched its 940.8kW rooftop PV system, making it the Swedish company’s 32nd completed US solar project. Built across 118,000 square feet, the PV array uses 3,920 panels and is anticipated to produce nearly 1,099,800kWh of energy per year.
The Austrian government has doubled its renewables budget to €50 million for 2013 and set to decrease by €1 million annually. Economy and energy minister Reinhold Mitterlehner, social minister Rudolf Hundstorfer and environment minister Nikolaus Berlakovich have introduced a combination tariff and grant scheme.
