Sopogy’s Concentrating Solar Collectors have received OG-100 classification from the Solar Rating and Certification Corporation (SRCC). The certification qualifies Sopogy’s collectors for the solar programmes of a number of US states and validates the performance of Sopogy’s collector technology. The SRCC is the US’s independent accreditor for solar thermal products and Sopogy’s MicroCSP collector passed all of the third-party laboratory and outdoor tests; it was awarded the OG-100 certification after meeting all durability, safety and thermal performance requirements.
In a bid to generate 5% of the emirate’s electricity needs from renewable sources by 2030, Dubai authorities were cited by a Reuters India report as being on the verge of announcing details of a large solar power plant in the region. Saeed Mohammed al-Tayer, vice chairman of Dubai's Supreme Council of Energy, has said that although the 5% target will comprise several forms of renewable energy sources, “[t]his is mainly going to be solar”.
Despite a survey from Mercom Capital Group revealing that just 56% of Indians have heard of renewable energy, nearly three-quarters of the country's energy customers are willing to pay more for uninterrupted power and the opportunity to use renewable sources. These findings will help dispel the misconception at government level in India that the public are unwilling to pay more for electricity and offers further encouragement to India’s renewable energy sector.
Earlier this year, National Solar Power announced that it had narrowed its list of potential sites for its 400MW solar project to seven counties in the US southeast. After months of deliberation the company made its final decision with plans to build what is being called the largest solar farm in the US southeast in Gadsden County, Florida. While its final decision has been made, National Solar Power does note that the six other counties in Florida, Georgia and North Carolina will continue to be considered for future solar farm projects.
In a move likely to expand the module manufacturer’s reach in Asian markets, Solaria Energía y Medio Ambiente has signed a cooperative agreement with Chengdu, China-based Dongfang Electric Corporation (DEC), and has secured a purchasing credit line worth US$30 million from DEC for the purchase of cells and project components.
According to news reports, US-based solar installation firm, SolarCity will not be able to complete and comply with documentation deadlines of September 30 to be considered for a US Department of Energy loan guarantee, previously announced.
Despite boardroom spats, technology deviation, and financial concerns, Solar Millennium said that Hannes Kuhn has resigned from company's supervisory board with immediate effect.
SunEdison’s 53.5MW multi-site solar PV project in New Mexico looks set for completion by the end of this year, and has been buoyed by the news that it has secured financing of over US$200 millions from financier Wells Fargo. MEMC subsidiary company SunEdison has now activated three of the five power plants that together make up the 53.5MW total, and the remaining two plants are scheduled for completion before year’s end.
Solar Millennium has claimed that its Kuraymat, Egypt solar-thermal power plant, in operation since June, has been surpassing field performance by 8%. The parabolic trough technology hybrid plant holds an overall 150MW electric capacity and in addition to solar energy, uses natural gas to allow for 24-hour operation.
Dunmore advised of its newly added capacity for the manufacturing of solar backsheets, which incorporate DuPont Photovoltaic Solutions’ Tedlar polyvinyl fluoride (PVF) film. The added capacity aims to give manufacturers a larger supply so that they can increase their production and diminish material inventory fluctuations across the industry.
