Nearly two weeks after the US Department of Commerce issued its preliminary decision to establish antidumping duties on China-manufactured solar products, JA Solar Holding’s has issued its response. The DOC’s preliminary decision, which is expected to be finalized in Q4 2012, would subject an antidumping tariff rate of 31.18%.
Ensuring sufficient future supply of its ‘Tedlar’ polyvinyl fluoride (PVF) film for PV module assembly requirements has been completed, according to DuPont. The US$295 million investment in new capacity has more than doubled production, the company said. DuPont has recently secured long-term agreements with Tier 1 PV module manufacturers such as Suntech, Yingli Green, Trina Solar and China Sunergy.
The California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) voted 5 to 0 on the passing of a new rule regarding net metering, chiefly to refine the calculation for California’s 5% net metering cap. The Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) worked with members and stakeholders as part of the Coalition for Solar Rights petitioning the CPUC to review the calculation of the cap, which is anticipated to be reached as early as next year by some utilities. The CPUC vote essentially clarified the net metering calculation while also calling for further studies into the process.
The Chinese Ministry of Commerce has identified six renewable energy initiatives in the US that the Chinese government believes is flouting World Trade Organization (WTO) rules on subsidies and countervailing measures in addition to the 1994 GATT Agreement.
The US Department of Energy's National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) has confirmed a 15.5% aperture area efficiency on commercial size flexible PV module (total area 1.68m2) from thin-film manufacturer MiaSolé. MiaSolé’s record represents over 2 points of improvement compared to the previous world record for flexible PV of 13.4% set earlier this year by SoloPower.
Almost a week after the preliminary determination announcement from the US Department of Commerce, organisations and corporations continue to make statements.
Hoku Corporation released a statement advising of the current state of the company, which included a confirmation that it had stopped all construction activity for its Hoku Materials polysilicon production site, which is not yet in commercial operation. As of March 31, the company estimates that it had nearly US$7.7 million in cash and US$278.8 million in liabilities, including US$74.4 million in accounts payable at Hoku Materials.
Developments in the South American market, particularly in Brazil, have created such a buzz that it will play host to Intersolar’s first South America Summit in São Paulo in August 2012. Countries in the region are seeing dramatic increases in energy consumption of up to 30% per year, chiefly as a result of industrial development. At the same time, in nations such as Brazil, solar power is currently on the brink of grid parity.
E-CL and Quiborax are teaming up to build a 2MW solar park, which will be the first to be connected to the Northern Interconnected System (SING) in Chile. The project will help provide electricity to mining development in the XV region of Arica and Parinacota.
Ideal Power Converters (IPC) advised that its 30kW PV inverter, IPV-30kW-480 had been confirmed by Intertek as conforming to UL standard 1741 and is now included on the California Energy Commission’s (CEC) list of approved PC inverter products. As part of the CEC list, IPC’s inverter can be installed in California and across the US.
