MAN Ferrostaal has increased its share in the Solar Power Group (SPG) by around 19 %, now owning a total 43.8 % of the company. The Solar Power Group is active in the field of solar thermal power generation and develops and constructs components for solar power plants based on the so-called Fresnel technology. {pagebreak}… Read more »
Speakers at EPIA’s 3rd International Conference on Solar Photovoltaic Investments confirmed that, like all industries, the solar photovoltaic (PV) sector has not been spared by the credit crunch. Medium to large scale PV plants are taking longer to be financed than ever before. They alsostressed that the fundamentals of the PV sector remain intact, if… Read more »
Subsidiaries in Japan for home solar panels are having a hard time attracting applicants. This may suggest that the government could soon step in to promote the solar power industry, according to Reuters. A new stimulus plan is expected to spend more money on solar projects. This is, in fact, the fourth such package in… Read more »
Q-Cells and LDK Solar have announced the official formation of a Joint Venture to promote and supply PV systems for large-scale solar power plants in both Europe and China, confirming recent rumours regarding a pending alliance. The new business partners said that a 40MW project located in Europe had already been secured, which will see… Read more »
SolarWorld AG could stand to be one of the biggest winners as a result of President Obama’s pledge to heavily invest in the renewable energy sector in the United States. The company is one of the few German companies to remain relatively unscathed by the financial crisis so far and analysts believe the United States… Read more »
Singapore’s per capita greenhouse gas emissions are similar to that of Europe, and it imports all its fuel, which on paper makes solar power very attractive. “There’s a lot of roof top space in almost any housing — why not have an array of solar water heaters?” said Yatin Premchand of the Singapore Environment Council…. Read more »
US LAW FIRM REPRESENTS INDIA CLEANTECH COMPANY IN LANDMARK SOLAR ENERGY DEALBrown Rudnick, an international law firm, has represented the ACME Group, a provider of energy, environmental, and telecommunications infrastructure solutions in India, in the company’s solar energy deal with eSolar. {pagebreak} Under the agreement, eSolar signed an exclusive license agreement with ACME to build… Read more »
ENN Solar Energy Co., Ltd. has just announced that it has produced China’s first 5.7m2 high-efficiency, tandem junction thin film photovoltaic panels using a SunFabTM Thin Film Line, rated at 60 megawatts per year, supplied by Applied Materials, Inc. {pagebreak} Working together at ENN’s leading-edge facility in Langfang, China, ENN and Applied achieved this milestone… Read more »
Japanese consumer electronics giants Toshiba and Sharp are in talks on a possible tie-up in the solar power generation field, the companies admitted last week. “It is true that we are holding talks on the solar cell business with other companies, including Toshiba,” Sharp Corp. spokeswoman Miyuki Nakayama said, declining to give further details. {pagebreak}… Read more »
In the city of Moers near Duisburg, 120 project partners, customers and suppliers have inaugurated Germany ‘s largest photovoltaic plant using thin-film technology on a pitched roof. 24 March 2009. The system provider Solaxis GmbH and Solardach GmbH have jointly developed a solar power plant on the roof of Riedel Recycling. {pagebreak} The solar modules… Read more »
Tactile pressure indicating film provides a simple cost-effective method for process control and monitoring of solar module production equipment Sensor Products Inc. introduces Pressurex®, a surface pressure indicating film that reveals pressure magnitude and distribution between any two contacting or mating surfaces. In the Photovoltaics industry, {pagebreak} the need to reduce peripheral cracks on solar… Read more »
Solar energy capacity in the United States grew by 17 percent in 2008, according to a preliminary report released by the Solar Energy Industries Association. But Rhone Resch, the president of the solar group, warned that the financial crisis has hit the industry hard, since financing for projects has largely dried up. {pagebreak} “We’re not… Read more »
High-speed, reliable, and affordable metrology solutions for every class of thin-film photovoltaic material used in today’s industry San Diego CA, March 2009. Filmetrics announces the launch of its thin-film photovoltaic (TFPV) dedicated measurement systems. {pagebreak} With the release of the F10-PV and the F37-PV Filmetrics now offers commercially available tabletop and in-line metrology solutions for… Read more »
If domestic solar panels become as common on the plains and rooftops of the United States as they are abroad, it may be because the financing technique that gave Europe an early lead in renewable energy is starting to cross the Atlantic. {pagebreak} The idea is to pay homeowners and businesses cash for producing green… Read more »
A world-renowned manufacturer within the PV industry, Bruker-Spaleck has built its business upon innovation and diversification. Heinrich Schillings talks to PES about the past, present and future of the company. {pagebreak} PES: Bruker-Spaleck is well-known for its manufacture of flat wires which are used in a variety of applications. Can you tell us something of… Read more »
Going back to basics for massive gains in speed and yield A company built on simple solutions to complex issues, Eurotron offers a complete solution for the photovoltaic module manufacturing process for backside contact cells. They’ve developed a flexible production line which can adapt to your customised production needs, and in doing so, have pioneered… Read more »
Growth in energy demand combined with the increasing deterioration of existing energy networks, means energy generation and management are now vitally important. The International Energy Agency’s ‘alternative scenario’ commissioned by the G8 reported that most OECD countries are at a critical point in their energy investment cycles, with the need for replacement enabling them to… Read more »
Automating Solar Manufacturing: Taking Advantage of Lessons Learned Solar Energy and Grid Parity There’s no doubt that the solar photovoltaic (PV) industry is hot. According to Solarbuzz, LLC an international solar energy research and consulting company, world solar photovoltaic (PV) market installations reached a record high of 2,826 megawatts (MW) in 2007, representing a growth… Read more »
WIND AND SOLAR IN THE CARBON MARKET – CURRENT STATUS AND OUTLOOK During the first two weeks of December 2008, Poznan, Poland’s fifth largest city, hosted the United Nations Climate Change Conference, the 14th session of the Conference of Parties (COP 14) to the United Nation Framework Convention on Client Change (UNFCCC). {pagebreak} The negotiations… Read more »
The Mediterranean Solar Plan – a necessity, not an option Benita Ferrero-Waldner, EU Commissioner for External Relations and European Neighbourhood Policy, makes an impassioned plea for the diversification of solar initiatives in Europe. {pagebreak} When Russia cut gas supplies to Ukraine in 2006, European supplies were not seriously affected. When it did so this year,… Read more »
Gases and chemicals contribute a significant part of the bill of materials for PV cells, and as the industry grows, material suppliers will face a number of key challenges to meet demand. Kaytie Lilley of Linde Electronics offers PES an illuminating view of the sector. The production of photovoltaic (PV) electricity has doubled every… Read more »
Copenhagen must build the road to a sustainable global energy future In February, Stavros Dimas, European Commissioner responsible for the environment, delivered an address to EU Sustainable Energy Week 2009, in which he impressed upon delegates the importance of the imminent Copenhagen United Climate Agreement {pagebreak} – described as: “the world’s last chance to bring… Read more »
European BIPV projects grow – but legislation is still urgently needed A recent report has shown that the European Building Integrated Photovoltaics (BIPV) market in last year was estimated at €143 million with a total installed capacity of 25.7 MW for the commercial, residential, industrial and public markets combined. {pagebreak} Currently, there is substantial amount… Read more »
In the race to produce the cleanest and most efficient forms of renewable energy, a vital point is often overlooked – that the renewables themselves need to become a lot more renewable. This theme emerged at a recent Energy Conference in London, with delegates hearing that the most advanced “renewable” technologies are too often based… Read more »
Blessed with massive budgets, the military is often an ‘early adopter’ when it comes to technology. Recent reports suggest that US is putting up massive funding for three ground-breaking projects – all of them centred on solar power. {pagebreak} Portable power packs During a battle, the ability to redeploy troops swiftly and without detection can… Read more »
In this enlightening interview, Joachim Melis, Vice President Worldwide Sales for Adept Technology GmbH, puts forward his personal take on the current state of the industry and looks to the future… PES: How did you come to be involved in the renewables industry? {pagebreak} Joachim Melis: Adept Technology has been active in the solar industry… Read more »
In this exclusive column, written especially for PES, Andrew Cahn, Chief Executive of UK Trade & Investment, argues that Great Britain serves as an excellent springboard for renewables growth across the world. {pagebreak} The global energy sector currently represents one of the most exciting export opportunities for UK companies. UK energy companies already generate revenues… Read more »
All of Europe’s energy needs could be supplied by building an array of solar panels in the Sahara, the recent climate change conference in Copenhagen has been told. Technological advances coupled with falling costs have finally made it realistic to consider North Africa as Europe’s main source of imported energy. {pagebreak} And by harnessing the… Read more »
Trina Solar Limited, a leading integrated manufacturer of solar photovoltaic products from the production of ingots, wafers and cells to the assembly of PV modules, founded in 1997, announced its financial results for the fourth quarter and fiscal year 2008. {pagebreak} Full Year 2008 Results Financial and Operating Highlights — Solar module shipments were… Read more »
A company built on simple solutions to complex issues, Eurotron offers a complete solution for the photovoltaic module manufacturing process for backside contact cells. They’ve developed a flexible production line which can adapt to your customised production needs, {pagebreak} and in doing so, have pioneered a 100MW line for the future. PES asked company… Read more »
Solar power history will be made in Southern California, after it was announced that Southern California Edison and Israeli firm, BrightSource Energy, have signed the world’s largest solar energy deal. Now awaiting approval from the California Public Utilities Commission (this could happen by as early as 2013), the Israeli-California sun project will power almost one… Read more »
5th PV Industry Forum in Munich, May 25 – 26, 2009 International trends in photovoltaics at the PV Industry Forum The photovoltaics market in flux: growing production capacities and altered political and economic parameters {pagebreak} Future developments, prospects and technological trends in the international photovoltaics market will be the focus of the 5th PV Industry… Read more »
The price of solar panels could fall by as much as 40 per cent by the end of the year as huge increases in polysilicon supplies lead to a sizable fall in production costs for solar panel manufacturers. Industry analyst New Energy Finance reported that polysilicon prices hit a peak of $400 per kilogram last… Read more »
Tokyo Electric Power Co. will build a solar power plant in the state of California through its subsidiary Eurus Energy Holdings Corp., according to a recent report. The company apparently plans to begin operations at the 1000 kilowatt plant by 2010 on a site yet to be selected, the Nikkei business daily reported. {pagebreak} Eurus,… Read more »
Southfield, MI – Schreiner ProTech is now marketing an array of specialized labels and identification-preparation equipment for solar panels and components. Drawing on its extensive solar product experience in Europe, Schreiner is nowaggressively seeking new customers in North America for its UL/CSA-approved solar labeling solutions. {pagebreak} The manufacturing of photovoltaic (PV) solar modules makes exacting… Read more »
The notion of Space-Based Solar Power (SBSP) is not new. There has long been talk of 24-hour-a-day solar power beamed from space via microwave to any point on earth. However, a new company named Space Energy, Inc. believes it well placed to develop SBSP satellites to generate and transmit electricity to receivers on the Earth’s… Read more »