Solar Power Technologies (SPT) has announced that its Clarity solar monitoring system is ETL-certified and will be listed in the Intertek database of certified products, for use in the USA and Canada.
Solar IV, the first solar plant in Vineland, New Jersey, has been completed and begun commercial operation. Vineland Solar IV, developed on 38 acres in Delsea Drive by OCI Solar Power, contains more than 13,000 PV modules and the project generates a total of 3MW. The energy is sold to the Vineland Municipal Electric Utility and will power local homes and businesses.
Canadian Solar and Lightsource Renewable Energy have announced the completion of joint projects in the UK. Ground-mounted PV plants were built in Cornwall (Bodmin), Lincolnshire (Spalding) and Somerset (Taunton), with a combined capacity of 6.4MW.
AEG Power Solutions, part of parent company 3W Power, has updated its guidance for its financial performance for 2012. The company, which is currently the subject of a friendly takeover bid by Andrem Power, which is itself wholly owned by Nordic Capital Fund VII, expects its revenue to grow to between €430 and €460 million from €428 million in 2011. However, profitability margins are expected to fall as a result of economic factors.
The Guardian has reported Israel’s plans to demolish solar panels in Imneizil in Area C of the West Bank. The two €30,000 panels, constructed by Spanish NGO Seba in 2009, have been labelled “illegal” by Israeli authorities due to building work carried out without a permit.
PowerGuard's unique PowerClip extended warranty protection has been adopted by module manufacturer China Sunergy. This year alone Lightway Green New Energy, SunEdison, Talesun and Long Energy, to name but a few, have joined the scheme.
A new research program to bring ‘Black Silicon’ antireflective layer process and materials to commercialization has been signed between Natcore Technology and material inventor, the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) with funding of US$150,000.
China-based solar grade silicon producer, JACO has claimed it has achieved several key milestones in its ability to supply SoG for wafer production. Having entered production of its Gen 1 process in 2011, JACO said that it reached a key cost target of US$15/kg that also equated to a CapEx cost of US$15/kg and an electricity consumption cost of 15kwh/kg.
Diversification in both business segments and on a regional basis proved successful for Portugal-based Martifer Solar which said its revenue increased 33% to €293.2 million in 2011. Unlike some of its rivals, the company also posted positive EBITDA of €20.1 million and a net profit of €9.5 million. The company noted that was the fourth consecutive year of positive financial results.
ESA Renewables is taking solar guarantees one step further with the launch of their Solar Power Production Guarantee program, which promises specific monthly energy production for solar energy systems under an ESA O&M agreement. If the system fails to meet ESA’s annual guaranteed power production levels, the company will compensate the solar project’s owners for the difference between guaranteed and actual energy generated.
