Concentrix Solar’s CPV modules get IEC certification
January 29, 2010 | Comments Off
Concentrator photovoltaics company Concentrix Solar has received the IEC 62108 certification for its CX-75 Flatcon CPV module generation. The industry standard confirms that the modules and assemblies have passed the required battery of tests and are suitable for long-term operation in a wide range of outdoor climates.
Order Focus: Amtech’s Tempress unit adds another $19 million in solar production tool bookings
January 29, 2010 | Comments Off
Amtech Systems said that its solar capital equipment subsidiary, Tempress Systems, has garnered approximately $19 million in orders for its photovoltaic diffusion processing systems from several new and existing customers in Asia. The company expects the orders to ship in the second half of this year.
Project Focus: ECD, Enfinity join forces to develop, build 10MW of rooftop solar systems in Ontario
January 29, 2010 | Comments Off
Energy Conversion Devices and Enfinity plan to collaborate on the development and construction of a 10MW portfolio of rooftop solar installations throughout Ontario this year, taking advantage of the Canadian province’s new feed-in tariff program. ECD said its United Solar Ovonic subsidiary will provide both the Uni-Solar amorphous-silicon thin-film photovoltaic laminates and its new PowerTilt product for the projects.
Order Focus: Trina Solar inks deal to supply 40MW of PV modules to ITEC in 2010
January 29, 2010 | Comments Off
Trina Solar has signed an agreement with ITEC of Germany to supply 40MW of PV modules during 2010. The deal calls for 18MW to be shipped in the first half of the year, with agreed prices for the first quarter.
Crude Oil Prices
January 29, 2010 | Comments Off
Energy Conversion Devices and Enfinity Corporation Plan to Co-Develop 10 Mw of Rooftop Solar Projects in Ontario, Canada
January 29, 2010 | Comments Off
Jan 28, 2010 – Energy Conversion Devices, Inc. (ECD) (NASDAQ: ENER) and Enfinity Corporation announced plans to collaborate on the development of a 10MW portfolio of rooftop solar installations in Ontario, Canada.
ECD and Enfinity will partner to co-develop a series of rooftop solar projects throughout Ontario, Canada under the province’s new feed-in-tariff program. The companies expect to complete construction of approximately 10MW of projects during 2010. ECD, through its wholly owned subsidiary, United Solar Ovonic, will provide a combination of UNI-SOLAR® photovoltaic laminates and its new PowerTilt™ product for the projects.
The rooftop installations will be on a number of different roofing materials, and ECD’s new PowerTilt product is particularly well-suited for the Ontario market given its easy installation on any roof type, light weight, and higher energy production. ECD will also provide development equity during the construction phase of the projects.
Enfinity will lead the rooftop acquisition from its Ottawa office, and will arrange construction debt and take-out equity financing for the projects. Upon commercial operation, the projects portfolio will be sold to the permanent equity owners.
Mark Morelli, ECD’s president and CEO, said, “We are pleased to announce this expanding partnership with Enfinity with the collaboration on this Ontario portfolio. Since announcing the Framework Agreement with Enfinity last year, thus far we have partnered on nearly 6MW of projects in Belgium and France that are being supplied by our roofing materials channel partners. This co-development approach in Ontario is a further example of our demand-creation strategy where we will partner on solar projects that have attractive rates of return for project investors. The Ontario Power Authority has demonstrated an impressive commitment to the promotion of renewable energy development and ECD intends to be a major player in the province in the years to come.”
“We consider ECD to be one of our key global partners, and together we are moving quickly on this co-development effort,” explained Rafael Dobrzynski, CEO of Enfinity Corp. “The feed-in-tariff structure in Ontario rewards investors with higher incentives for distributed rooftop solar and it is the objective of Enfinity to finance and develop projects that produce steady, predictable power for stable and secure investments. The UNI-SOLAR laminates are ideal, having proven capable of meeting our performance requirements given the environmental and climate variables of this region.”
New Product: SunPower ‘T20 Tracker Evolution’ delivers maximum energy with 128-cell, 400-watt mo
January 28, 2010 | Comments Off
Product Briefing Outline: SunPower has introduced the next generation of its T20 Tracker, which it claims is the most powerful solar tracker on the market today, incorporating SunPower’s high-efficiency 128-cell, 400-watt solar panels for maximum energy output.
New Product: Schmid’s Tabber Stringer provides high precision combined with minimum handling
January 28, 2010 | Comments Off
Product Briefing Outline: The Schmid Group has launched a new Tabber Stringer created in cooperation with the Wolf company. The system is designed to offer high precision performance combined with minimum handling and a soldering method that is claimed to reduce the risk of cell damage during processing and handling.
New Product: Rehm’s Visu2 software enables greater efficiency and yield solar cell metallization
January 28, 2010 | Comments Off
Product Briefing Outline: The RFS and RFS-D Fast Firing Systems and the RDS 2100 and 3000 drying ovens feature Rehm Thermal Systems Visu2 software, which drives a range of advanced process features and thermal control to enable PV manufacturers to move their processes to greater levels of efficiency and yield. Visu2 incorporates process and product traceability tools, remote diagnostics and an extensive product library within an intuitively designed interface that is claimed to dramatically accelerate set up time and reduces operator training.
Project Focus: GA-Solar to build 300MW solar PV power plant in New Mexico
January 28, 2010 | Comments Off
Spanish renewable energy firm GA-Solar will develop and build a massive solar photovoltaic power plant in New Mexico’s rural Guadalupe County, according to an announcement made by Gov. Bill Richardson. The project, to be sited on 2500 acres of land, could be scaled to more than 300MW and represents an investment of $1 billion by the solar company and its parent, Corporación Gestamp.