Solar thermal project developer BrightSource Energy has placed the top bid for Palen, a 500MW solar thermal plant, at a Delaware auction of property of Solar Trust of America, which went bankrupt in April this year. The as-yet unbuilt solar thermal plant is said to have been bought by BrightSource for an unconfirmed amount of up to US$30 million.
Ministers and senior officials witnessed the signature of a partnership agreement to enhance the mapping of renewable energy resources in the region. On June 19, at Rio+20 United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development, the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) and the Latin American Energy Organization (OLADE) agreed to assess the renewable energy potentials on a global scale. Initially, it will cover wind and solar, but is to progressively extend to other renewable energy resources.
Canadian solar power producer Etrion has opened an office in Santiago, Chile, the company has announced. The company is trying to break into the Chilean market and is currently in negotiations for a power purchase agreement (PPA) for the construction of a 5MW PV project in Chile. Etrion is expecting to sign more PPAs for possible PV projects throughout the year.
First Solar and enXco, a subsidiary of EDF Energies Nouvelles, signed a solar module supply agreement, which will see First Solar deliver 61MWp of its thin-film modules. Delivery is set to start in September and will supply enXco’s Catalina Solar Project in Kern County, California.
During Intersolar Europe 2012, KACO new energy signed a memorandum of understanding with Samsung SDI, which will see both companies support each other in defining optimal energy storage systems. Sangjin Park, CEO of Samsung SDI and Ralf Hofmann, CEO of KACO new energy both signed the MOU.
The Toshiba Corporation has announced that it will commence the construction of PV plants totaling 100MW in Minami Soma on the battered northeastern coastline where a tsunami and an earthquake caused the worst nuclear disaster since Chernobyl a year ago.
Lancaster, California, US, has received the Energy Globe Award to recognize the installation of its many alternative energy projects. The city’s "Home of the Future" project, conducted in conjunction with KB Home and China-based BYD, was the focus as a public-private partnership of international proportions.
Bisol Group has attributed a 130% increase in year-on-year production to its confidence in a people-oriented corporate culture and producing only high quality and eco-friendly products. In the first half of 2012 the company’s mono- and polycrystalline PV module lines were booked to capacity. Bisol claims that it is finishing the first half of 2012 by more than doubling production compared to last year.
The dust is yet to settle on tariff determinations against Chinese manufacturers, but the Coalition for American Solar Manufacturing (CASM) has released a statement warning of a “conspiracy to commit offence or to defraud the United States”. According to CASM, Chinese solar cell and panel exporters are reportedly planning to evade antidumping/countervailing orders. It asserts that this will not be effective, could be illegal and may expose US importers, in addition to Chinese exporters, to liability under US law, including significant financial penalties and criminal prosecution.
Solon Corporation has agreed to build a 1.15MW PV system for the Tanque Verde Unified School District (TVUSD) in Tucson, Arizona, the company has announced. The system will be installed across the four campuses of Tanque Verde High School and Elementary School, the Emily Gray Junior High School and the Agua Caliente Elementary School. Solon Corporation will design and construct the system and maintain its operation once completed; the energy generated will we sold to TVUSD under a 25-year PPA. The project is expected to commence operation in early 2013.
