Power Plants

BioSolar has advised that the production samples of its BioBacksheet technology have finished most of the Underwriter’s Laboratories (UL) material property tests and is on its way to receiving full UL certification. Tests on the product have included: material identification, partial discharge test and resistance to catching fire among other UL led testing. The last test, a measurement of relative thermal index (RTI) will soon be conducted.

Unirac and Canadian Solar Solutions have come together to offer its residential and commercial customers 30MW of Canadian Solar’s PV systems coupled with Unirac’s mounting solutions for rooftop installations in Canada. Canadian Solar will provide the engineering, procurement and construction services for the projects, while Unirac will supply its racking technology. Both companies look to their partnership as a way for their customers to further take advantage of Ontario’s FIT program.

Ferro’s Electronic Materials division will be ramping up its production capacity for electronic grade silver powder and silver flake with the addition of production lines and new process automation at its South Plainfield, New Jersey plant. The company anticipates the changes will increase the production capacity by 30% with all upgrades completed by July.

One of the largest solar power plants at a U.S. institution of higher learning has been completed and connected to the grid. The 5.3MW photovoltaic system spread out on a 30-acre site, developed in two phases by Fotowatio Renewable Ventures (FRV) at Colorado State University's Foothills Campus in Fort Collins, began producing electricity in December.

Parity Solar has installed a built-in photovoltaics (BIPV) system at the New Area Court House complex in Zhenjiang, China. The crystalline and thin-film modules are being installed over the skylight on the complex’s roof and will have a power generation capacity of 200kW.

Abengoa has signed a contract with Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited (BHEL) to work together on a range of Concentrating Solar Power (CSP) projects in India.

Kyocera has become the latest beneficiary of the Japanese government’s School New Deal initiative, after it was chosen to install more than 1,200 PV systems in schools across the country.

Solar power is coming back to Adrano, home of the one of the first CSP systems. Enel Green Power is starting construction on a new 9MW photovoltaic power plant on the Sicilian site where the historic Eurelios CSP array once operated.

9REN has obtained a new order from Helios to develop, build, and manage a 1MW PV power plant of 1MW in Buseto Palizzolo in the Italian province of Trapani.The location of the new project is close to a 1.9MW system previously contracted with Helios and already under construction.

Despite the confusion over the GSE’s PV installation figures for 2010, Barclays Capital PV analyst Vishal Shah said in an investors note that no matter what the actual installation figure will be for 2010, it is increasingly likely that the Italian government would have to pay for 6GW worth of subsidies at the 2010 FiT rate.