The US DOE has advised of a US$12 million investment in the SunShot Incubator program; funding which will go towards advancements in hardware, reduction of soft costs and the development of pilot manufacturing and production projects in the American solar energy and manufacturing industry. The Incubator program is best known as a launchpad for new start-ups and business units within existing companies to move solar technology development forward at a faster pace.
A US$646 million US DOE loan and loan guarantee for First Solar’s 230MW Antelope Valley Solar Ranch One (AVSR) PV power plant project in northern Los Angeles County, California has hit a snag over an outstanding construction permit issue. The timeframe for initial funding of the loan has been pushed back to February 24, 2012 but if the issue isn’t resolved by that date, First solar said it could have to acquire the project from customer, Exelon for approximately US$75 million.
California’s Vote Solar Initiative advised that January saw a record amount of homes and business in the state going solar. According to the initiative, January saw 42.4MW of behind-the-meter solar installed, which is the largest amount in the history of the California Solar Initiative program. Additionally, 49.5MW of incentive applications were received, and while that number doesn’t mark a record, it is said to be higher than normal.
SunPower has become entangled in a lawsuit directed at the US Departments of the Interior, Treasury and Navy. Judicial Watch, an organization that investigates government corruption and Human Events, a weekly American conservative magazine, filed a Freedom of Information (FOIA) act to sue the Obama administration on February 1, 2012.
PV module encapsulant material supplier, STR Holdings warned late last week that sales would not meet previously guided levels. The company had previously guided sales to be in the range of US$44-US$48 million. However STR has revised guidance to approximately US$36.5 million, well below that level.
PPG Industries advised that its flat glass business in Fresno will be expanding its production capability in order to better allow the manufacturing of the company’s Solarphire PV glass. The move aims to serve solar customers throughout California, the West Coast and even Asia with a faster shipping timeframe.
Dow Corning’s JV polysilicon subsidiary, Hemlock Semiconductor was impacted by overcapacity in 2011. Like major competitor, Wacker sales were lower and demand weakened. Overall, Dow Corning recorded record sales of US$6.43 billion in 2011 while adjusted net income decreased 15% compared to 2010. The company does not breakout polysilicon sales.
At the end of last year Hawaii installed its largest PV system; continuing its renewable energy efforts, Honeywell Building Solutions will be running a two-year pilot program with Hawaiian Electric. Honeywell will use this time to demonstrate how demand response technology can help to integrate more intermittent renewable energy to the electric grid, in order to maintain grid reliability as Hawaii reduces fossil fuel dependence.
Fotones de Chile has revealed plans to establish a 180MW project - the country's largest to date - consisting of six 30MW PV power plants in the town of Maria Elena in the Tocopilla province of Antofagasta. Work is scheduled to begin later this year, pending all necessary permissions. The project is entitled Planta Fotovoltaica Encuentro Solar, and will involve the installation of close to 2.5 million PV modules.
SunPower, Joint Venture Silicon Valley and Wells Fargo have teamed-up to construct three solar parking canopy systems for Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority (VTA), totalling 2.1MW. Using a Power Purchase Agreement to finance the systems, it is anticipated that VTA will save US$2.7 million in electricity costs over the next 20 years.
