SMA America has opened its new service center in Rocklin, California, that has been dedicated to provide customers with technical support over the phone, internet and on-site throughout the U.S. and Canada. SMA America assures that every call is received by a live person at the new service center, which also offers its customers that ability to email service representatives for help.
Alternate Power International, in conjunction with Sustainable Energy Technologies, has announced a partnership between the two companies that will see API bundle Sunergy inverters with its Sun-Spy SST-10 solar tracker for the micro-FIT and FIT markets. Taking into account API’s forecasted 2011 demand, Sustainable Energy will produce up to 5MW of Sunergy inverters and offer its technical support in order for API to achieve the most advantageous tracker performance.
Southwest Solar Technologies (SST) has completed the first stage of its solar park in Phoenix, Arizona. The focal point of the 18-acre facility is a 75-foot wide solar dish, which plays a key role in SST’s solar dish turbine technology.
According to a new report from market research firm Photon Consulting, the PV industry is looking at a supply-driven price crash on the back of expected strong feed-in tariff cuts in Germany over the next two-years, which will dampen demand sufficiently to cause a glut in modules and impact the entire supply-chain.
Building work on Boralex and Q-Cells’ 4.5MW solar park in southern France is set to commence after the firms finalised financing and planning for the €14.6-million venture.
Kyocera’s new “Solar Power Expo” website has been created with the goal to educate all ages about the use of solar power and promote how solar energy can help tackle the environmental problems that the world faces daily. The user friendly and interactive site gives visitors the faux experience of attending an outdoor solar power exposition. Five different “pavilions” allow the solar tourist to engage in activities that introduce solar power, Kyocera’s history in solar power and environmental activities.
Elkem Silicon Materials (polysilicon) and Elkem Solar (solar wafers) are part of a business divesture plan of Norwegian conglomerate Orkla to primarily state-owned Chinese chemical firm, China National Bluestar. The US$2 billion all-cash transaction also includes Elkem’s aluminium and carbon’s businesses. Completion of the deal is expected during the first half of 2011.
5N Plus, a producer of high-purity metals, compounds and wafers for electronic applications, has converted its US$3 million debenture with Sylarus Technologies into a 66.67% majority interest. 5N has also agreed to provide additional funding of US$766,000 in the form of secured debt, to enable the repayment of short-term debt contracted by Sylarus.
In the fast-track to become integrated PV manufacturer’s, major U.S.-based firms such as First Solar, Sunpower, and SunEdison are rapidly closing on major PV project developers from Germany, according to a recent survey from market research firm IMS Research.
SunPower has signed a power purchase agreement with Southern California Edison (SCE) to build and operate three plants with a total capacity of 711MW in California. The 325MW and 276MW facilities in Rosamond and 110MW Los Banos plant will all use SunPower’s 425-watt panels, T0 Tracker and Oasis power block.
