Research into energy storage and related technologies has been given a boost in the US in the past few days, with a major utility company committing funding in Indiana for renewables integration and New York’s governor announcing the creation of a research facility.
One of Japan’s largest trading companies, Marubeni, which is already involved in both upstream and downstream sectors of PV industry, has entered the domestic market for residential solar.
US headquartered PV module encapsulant producer STR Holdings has secured a major new exclusive supply contract worth potentially 500MW per annum in volume sales through its majority shareholder, China-based PV project developer Zhenfa Energy Group. Financial details were not disclosed.
Solar power systems serving an oilfield in Qatar will be fitted with utility-scale energy storage batteries, helping to ensure the continuity of operations at 775 oil wells.
Bankrupt PV and sapphire equipment specialist GT Advanced Technologies (GTAT) has been able to secure US$95 million of debtor-in-possession financing to provide working capital needs during its Chapter 11 restructuring efforts.
PV and polysilicon equipment specialist centrotherm Group reported a return to profitability in 2014 on the back of recovering sales of €189.2 million, driven by an upturn in revenue from PV equipment sales and progress on building a polysilicon plant in Qatar.
The cost of solar in Japan declined as much as 15% in one year, but a lack of clear policy direction from the government has left a number of businesses with a “pessimistic” outlook of the industry’s future, according to a survey by the Japan Renewable Energy Foundation (JREF).
