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.
Suniva has announced its high-efficiency crystalline silicon solar cells have been installed at a 1MW, 4.5 acre, solar farm at Chattanooga Airport, Tennessee, US. Implemented by Inman Solar, this installation is the first phase of a 3MW project by Chattanooga Metropolitan Airport Authority (CMAA), designed to reduce pollution, waste and energy consumption. Since December, the solar farm has generated nearly 90,000kWh of electricity with no pollution.
Fluor Corporation announced it had been selected last year for its EPC services to contribute towards Arlington Valley Solar Energy II’s (AVSE II) 125MW solar facility in Maricopa County, Arizona. Fluor has also acquired a contract for ongoing operations and maintenance services. In 2002, Fluor designed and constructed the Arlington Valley Combined Cycle Facility nearby.
For the first time, the US Department of Commerce has issued a finding, ahead of the preliminary determination on duties, scheduled for March 2. In order to prevent “a massive, evasive surge of Chinese solar cell and panel imports”, the department has proposed that countervailing duties will apply to all imports of cells and modules from Chinese exporters that were brought into the United States starting December 3, 2011.
The Coalition for Affordable Solar Energy (CASE) has commissioned an economic analysis to counter the petitions to the US Commerce Department and the US International Trade Commission by SolarWorld, demanding 250% tariffs on Chinese imports. The Brattle Group has found that a 100% tariff on imported solar PV cells and modules from China would result in as many as 50,000 net lost jobs in the US over the next three years. Furthermore, retaliatory tariffs placed on US exports of polysilicon to China would put nearly 11,000 more American jobs at risk in the first year following tariff imposition.
Following its win at the 2011 Solar Decathlon event, the University of Maryland has found a buyer for its winning entry, WaterShed. Pepco, the electric service provider, has purchased the solar-powered house and will transport the building to one of its facilities in Montgomery County, Maryland where it will act as a ‘living classroom’ to illustrate the clean energy possibilities.
The Ontario Superior Court of Justice gave Timminco, and its subsidiary Bécancour Silicon, an extension of the Companies’ Creditors Arrangement Act stay of proceedings. The stay proceeds will now be allowed to continue until April 30.
The US Department of Commerce has agreed to postpone the date for its preliminary decision on the CASM-led US versus China trade dispute to March 2, 2012. The original date of February 13 was deemed to soon by SolarWorld, the leader of the CASM movement, and the 18-day extension will delay the decision by the Department of Commerce.
National Solar Power and Liberty County, Florida, have entered into a 100MW solar energy project agreement. The project, representing a US$350 million investment at full build out, is National Solar Power’s third in Florida with the others being in Gadsden and Hardee counties.
