Concentrating solar power companies, Abengoa, BrightSource Energy, and Torresol Energy announced the formation of the Concentrating Solar Power Alliance (CSPA). Market research group SBI Energy predicts a rise in the CSP market for 2012 and with the PV industry in such turmoil, there is a hole just waiting to be filled.
Premier Power Renewable Energy advised that construction on its 16.2MWp Zdravetz utility-scale solar plant in Bulgaria has begun with completion expected during Q2 2012. The company originally entered into an agreement, along with its JV with Plaan Czech, in September 2011 to build the solar plants in Bulgaria. The project is being installed on land that was once a coal mine and will receive around US$0.30 for every kWh generated over the next 20 years from the energy administration.
Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited (BHEL) has revealed that it has commissioned a total of 13MW of grid-connected solar power plants throughout India for the current financial year. All of the projects that make up this 13MW total have been commissioned on an EPC basis, and include a 3MW plant in Raichur, Karnataka; a 5MW plant in Rajasthan; two 2MW plants in Maharashtra and over 1MW in the Lakshadweep Islands.
Bloomberg is reporting the Energy Conversion Devices (ECD) has struck a deal with Baraclit, an Italian building-material company, which will integrate ECD’s solar products into its roofing materials. No details on compensation or the amount of materials to be supplied were revealed.
Construction of a new solar project on New Jersey’s Rutgers University is underway with financing being provided by Key Equipment Finance and KeyCorp. SunDurance Energy is the solar integrator for the project, which will use over 40,000 high-efficiency panels mounted on canopy structures over two large surface parking areas on the Livingston Campus.
ET Solar advised that on March 20, at Ecobuild 2012, it will debut its new high-efficiency Moly PV module series. The PV modules use the new mono-like cell technology, quasi-mono cell, which are said to achieve conversion efficiencies up to 18.2% and contain a lower amount of oxygen than traditional monocrystalline cells.
The Kauai Island Utility Cooperative (KIUC) issued a RFO on March 2 for the pursuit of a second solar PV project ranging in size from 8 to 10MW. The RFO was issued to landowners for sites to host the PV project and to PV project developers who have a project and site identified and can propose a turnkey construction solution to KIUC.
The US arm of Martifer Solar has received funding totalling US$3 million from the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) as part of the Authority’s Solar Electric Incentive Program. The funds are designed to offset system installation costs in New York State as part of the renewable energy portfolio standards in New York City and Westchester regions. NYSERDA was said to have allocated a total of US$30 million in grant money to eligible solar contractors through a highly competitive grant process.
PV inverter market leader, SMA Solar Technology, has provided 2012 guidance that has sent shockwaves through the investment community as revenue and margins are expected to take a significant nosedive. Management said in a statement that 2012 sales would be between €1.2 billion and €1.5 billion, while EBIT margin would be between 5-10%. SMA Solar reported preliminary 2011, full-year financial results in January of €1.7 billion in sales and EBIT of more than €240 million. The mid-point of the guidance, which the company had previously declined to provide due to uncertainty in the market, will represent over a 20% decline in revenues and a 60% fall in EBIT.
GE Energy Financial Services announced that over the past year, the company has more than doubled its global solar power investment commitments to US$1.4 billion, leading to nearly US$ 5 billion in projects. The company notes that its 1GW portfolio spans 48 solar power plants in six countries, including Australia, Canada, Italy, Portugal, Spain and the US.
