Europe

Meyer Burger Technology has had an impressive few weeks scoring two big orders and has added a third order from a customer in Asia. The US$57.1 million (CHF55 million) deal will see MB Wafertec, a division of Meyer Burger, supply slicing, bricking and automated gluing systems while wafer inspection systems will be delivered by Hennecke Systems. Delivery is scheduled for 2011.

Solon SE has sold its Swiss subsidiary, Solon Inverters AG, to Delta Energy Systems. The companies have chosen not to disclose the details of the sale, which is the latest stage in Solon SE's plan to concentrate resources on key markets and products.

Manfred Bächler has resigned from his position as Phoenix Solar's chief technology officer. Bächler will also be stepping down from the Phoenix Solar executive board, citing personal reasons for his decision.

In a bid to kick-start the photovoltaics sector in the Netherlands, Van der Valk Solar Systems, the manufacturer of components for the horticultural industry, has joined forces with GH Solar. So far, solar progress in the country has been slow, due to lack of a renewable subsidy structure; however the introduction of a feed-in tariff is expected in the near future.

The Czech Senate has approved a new law, which will add a 26% tax on solar energy production over the next three years, as well as 32% tax on carbon credits awarded to solar companies in the next two years. The new taxes will apply to all photovoltaic plants that were guaranteed to receive a fixed feed-in tariff (FiT) for a period of 20 years.

Currently, the Vénissieux, France location that Bosch Solar Energy plans to set up as a PV module assembly plant is being used as diesel system location where common-rail injection pumps are manufactured. As the demand for such products has declined, Bosch began looking for a new use of the location and eventually, the company decided to bring their assembly plant to the locale.

Scheuten Solar has finished work on three turnkey PV systems for Italian furniture manufacturer Natuzzi SpA. The rooftop facilities in Santeramo in Colle, Matera and Laterza consist of approximately 14,000 panels, took two-and-a-half months to complete and will reduce Natuzzi's annual CO2 emissions by 3400 tonnes.

SunPower has signed loan agreements worth €195.2 million to finance the final two phases of the Montalto di Castro solar park in Lazio, Italy. The solar bonds are expected to be funded by the end of December and will help add 44MW to the facility, which will have a final capacity of 72MW.

SunPower has signed loan agreements worth €195.2 million to finance the final two phases of the Montalto di Castro solar park in Lazio, Italy. The solar bonds are expected to be funded by the end of December and will help add 44MW to the facility, which will have a final capacity of 72MW.

Rhodia is planning to install 12,000m² of PV panels at the Rhodia Belle-Etoile site in Rhône, France. Solairedirect, the solar module manufacturer, and OFI Asset Management will partner Rhodia on the project, which will boast a peak capacity of 2MW and produce two million kilowatt hours of electricity per annum.