Tucson Electric Power (TEP) was awarded the 2012 Investor Owned Utility (IOU) of the Year by the Solar Electric Power Association (SEPA) this week for its leadership and investment in solar energy. TEP has over 45MW of solar generating capacity and expects to have more than 240MW of solar generating capacity by the end of 2014.
Having scrapped import duties on solar systems, Pakistan could be become a highly viable emerging market for photovoltaics, due to its high insolation values and growing energy demands. Adding to a string of recent PV power plant projects, Conergy is partnering with developer Ensunt and DACC Power Generation Company (DPGCL) to build a 50MW solar park in Bahawalpur, Cholistan region.
NanoMarkets has released a new report focusing on the BIPV market, “BIPV Roofing Markets.” The report states that by 2016, the total market value for BIPV roofing products will reach US$3.9 billion. NanoMarkets went on to advise that it expects the market for today’s overlay products, such as building-attached PV) to see a steady growth pattern, but fully integrated BIPV roofing panels will hold the market longevity and opportunity.
It was recently announced that Solea AG, Ontario Solar Provider (OSP) and Solar Provider Group have formed Solea SP, a JV with a focus on utility-scale ground mounted solar farms in North America. Head-quartered in Toronto, Canada, with a satellite office in San Francisco, Solea SP advised that additions to its management team will be released in the following weeks.
With victory in site for the Coalition for American Solar Manufacturers (CASM) following the US Department of Commerce’s preliminary determination against Chinese manufacturers, the American wind industry jumped on the band wagon last December and filed a complaint against its Chinese counterparts with the DoC.
Having recently teamed with Suntech, state-owned firm Phono Solar has signed a new agreement with GCL-Poly to build PV power plants in China. GCL-Poly already has plans to move downstream, having partnered with Winsun New Energy and Shunfeng Photovoltaic for projects in both China and Europe.
Yingli Green Energy’s success continues with the formation of the company’s US nationwide Powering Advancement with Solar and Soccer (PASS) programme. The initiative combines the financial and educational benefits of a solar power system donation with the active lifestyle benefits of soccer.
Despite the feed-in tariff cuts in April, the French energy regulation commission (CRE) has released figures showing that installation requests have not stagnated over the last three quarters.
Flemish minister for energy Freya Van den Bossche has reformed green energy support. The government intends to overhaul its renewables certificates' scheme, where renewable energy producers receive a certificate for every megawatt generated, alongside phasing out subsidies.
Hamburg-based asset manager Luxcara has been the recipient of a 12MWp PV power plant in Aquitaine, south-western France, said to have been purchased by EDF EN for around €49 million. Luxcara’s Luxemburg-based Flaveo SA, SICAV-FIS fund has received the "Béguey" plant, which has a capacity of close to 12MWp and is equipped with inverters from SMA Solar and modules from First Solar.
