After announcing last October that it was halting polysilicon production at its German facility and cutting wafer jobs in the UK, it is perhaps no surprise that PV Crystalox Solar has posted some rather dreary numbers for 2011. Group revenue was €210.4 million, 17% lower than 2010, due to what the company stated was the effect of lower average selling prices. EBIT, before exceptional items, was €4.1 million, a 1.9% margin. The company did note that shipment volumes of 384MW were reached in 2011, compared to 378MW in 2010.
Ibereolica has announced that it has plans to build a 360MW solar power plant in the Atacama Desert in Chile, according to the Wall Street Journal. The Spanish company will invest US$2.6 billion in what will become the largest solar park in Chile to-date.
Solar cell manufacturer REC has launched the REC solar professional certification program. As part of the program, registered PV installers receive benefits like two years of extended warranties if they comply with the program’s standards.
German solar company Schott solar are in the process of installing a 17MW PV project with their Greek EPC partner Environ. The joint venture has already connected 10MW to the grid and has plans for further installations, totalling 7MW, across Greece. The project, one of the largest in Greece, is being financed by major European and Greek banks.
Suniva, Georgia-based solar module manufacturer, has announced that it will supply 2,892 of its 280W modules to a solar installation at the Bonnie Brae residential treatment centre for adolescent boys. Torcon Energy Services (TES) will install an 810kW ground-mounted PV system on Bonnie Brae’s campus, after the institution initiated some changes around campus to become more sustainable.
Puerto Rican company AES Ilumina, a subsidiary of AES Solar, has announced the construction of a 24MW solar power plant in Guayama, Puerto Rico, the first utility-scale plant on the Caribbean island.
German EPC company Solea has developed and completed construction of a 7.7MW ground-mounted PV project in record time.
On February 23, the German federal environmental ministry released a proposal for its new renewable energy laws, including cuts in FiTs by 30%, effective March 8, 2012.
NexPower Technology, Taiwan-based thin film manufacturer, is supplying thin film modules to one of the largest PV projects in the New Jersey area, a ground mounted installation generating 10MW of energy. Construction is expected to begin soon.
A 684kW PV system for Fort Hood’s Liberty Village military housing has been activated, the US Army base’s leadership announced.
Axium Solar installed the 3,000 Schott Solar ground-mounted PV panels on a four-acre site. Universal Services Fort Hood (USFH), owner of the project, provided funding of US$3 million and will operate and maintain the installation.
The Federal Network Agency recently confirmed earlier reports that in 2011, a 7.5GW capacity of solar was installed in Germany, amounting to nearly 238,000 units installed in total. Bavaria led the way with 1.75GW installed followed by Brandenburg with 1GW. The agency acknowledged that the regional shift was due to the expansion of open space systems.
