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.
Solar racking and mounting system supplier Silverback Solar has extended its engineered racking system warranty to 20 years. Although the previous warranty duration was not specified, the company has made the decision following 10 years’ real-life testing of the systems’ impervious coatings on the attachment and connector equipment, as well as Allied Tube and Conduit’s Gatorshield steel tubing, which is an integral part of Silverback’s mounting systems.
As the 2011 US Department of Energy’s (DOE) Solar Decathlon readies to officially kick-off its fifth biennial competition, SunPower advised that six of the 19 collegiate teams competing chose the company’s solar panels for their solar homes.
