Concentrating Solar Power (CSP)
HCPV Solar Manufacturing Plant Opens in Poway, California
26 July 2010POSTED IN Business News
Energy Innovations, Inc., a producer of highly concentrated PV (HCPV) solar energy systems, opened its new 60,000 square-foot headquarters in Poway, Calif. The new facility, which was relocated from Idealab in Pasadena, Calif., will house the company’s corporate offices, design center and global manufacturing operations.
Concentrating Solar Thermal: Sun Power Even in the Dark
26 July 2010POSTED IN Applications Features
Building a robust, renewable-energy, electrical grid will require a potpourri of technologies that together must meet must-take, peak-, intermediate- and base-load needs. PV and wind provide power only when the resource is available making these technologies suited for must-take and peak-load generation. Yet electrical demands continue after the sun goes down—or there is no wind—when people return home from work. Thus, the ability to store energy is a key component for supplying intermediate- and base-load demands.
Fraunhofer ISE Study of Medium and Small Scale Solar Thermal Power Stations
26 July 2010POSTED IN Applications News
The Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems ISE is carrying out research on small and medium-scale solar thermal power stations, called MSS-CSP.
Analyzing the Emerging Technology of Concentrated Solar Power Report Now Available
22 July 2010POSTED IN Business News
Research and Markets has announced the addition of the "Analyzing the Emerging Technology of Concentrated Solar Power" report to their offering.
With the advent of technology, a new generation of power plants has emerged. These power plants, with concentrating solar power systems, use the sun as a heat source. There are three main types of concentrating solar power systems: parabolic-trough, dish/engine, and power tower.
US Solar Demonstration Zone
14 July 2010POSTED IN Politics and Policy News
US Department of Energy (DOE) Secretary Steven Chu joined U.S. Department of Interior (DOI) Secretary Ken Salazar and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid of Nevada recently to announce the site of the new Solar Demonstration Zone, which will provide more than 25 square miles dedicated to the demonstration of cutting-edge concentrating solar power (CSP) technologies. Photo courtesy of Solar Program Staff.
Pacific Blue’s Role in Huge US Solar Plant
07 July 2010POSTED IN Business News
Pacific Blue Energy secured the option to purchase 807 acres of solar energy zoned land in Gila Bend, Arizona. Located thirty miles West of downtown Phoenix, the three noncontiguous parcels will be the site of the world’’s largest CSP plant to date.
Renewables Account for 62% of New Electricity in the EU in 2009
06 July 2010POSTED IN Applications News
The "Renewable Energy Snapshots" report, published by the JRC's Institute for Energy (IE), shows that renewable energy sources accounted for 62% (17GW) of the new electricity generation capacity installed in the EU27 in 2009.
Obama Awards $2B to Solar Energy Firms
04 July 2010POSTED IN Politics and Policy News
In President Obama’s weekly national address he announced that the Department of Energy (DoE) is awarding $2 billion to two solar firms, Abengoa Solar and Abound.
Foster Wheeler to Supply Solar Steam Generator Equipment in Spain
15 June 2010POSTED IN Business News
Foster Wheeler AG announced today that a subsidiary of its Global Power Group has been awarded a contract to design, supply and provide site advisory services for two sets of solar steam generators as well as low pressure and high pressure feedwater heaters.
US DOE Awards Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne $10.2 Million Contract for Concentrated Solar Power Tower
04 June 2010POSTED IN Politics and Policy News
The US Department of Energy (DOE) awarded Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne an award of up to $10.2 million to design and develop technologies aimed at significantly lowering electricity costs using a concentrated solar power tower with thermal storage (CSP power tower).
GrafTech Awarded $1.15 million DOE Grant for Solar Thermal Storage System
02 June 2010POSTED IN Politics and Policy News
GrafTech International Ltd., in partnership with a team led by SENER Engineering and Systems Inc. with the participation of the University of California, Berkeley, received a $1.15 million US Department of Energy (DOE) grant to construct a high-efficiency thermal storage system for solar plants.
S&C to Engineer SunCatcher Solar Energy Plant in US
17 September 2010POSTED IN Applications News
S&C Electric Company, a leader in integrating renewable energy sources to the grid, today announces that it was awarded a contract to perform engineering services for one of the largest solar plants in the world, Calico Solar, near Barstow, California.
Fraunhofer Prize Awarded for High Efficiency Solar Cell Research
19 May 2010POSTED IN Applications News
Dr. Andreas Bett and Dr. Frank Dimroth of the Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems ISE in Freiburg are named the recipients of the 2010 Joseph von Fraunhofer Prize for developing the metamorphic triple-junction solar cell consisting of III-V compound semiconductors: gallium indium phosphide, gallium indium arsenide and germanium.
US DoE Secretary Announces up to $62 Million for Concentrating Solar Power Research and Development
10 May 2010POSTED IN Politics and Policy News
Department of Energy (DoE) Secretary Steven Chu today announced the selections of projects for investment of up to $62 million over five years to research, develop, and demonstrate Concentrating Solar Power (CSP) systems capable of providing low-cost electrical power.
Abengoa Solar Begins Commercial Operation of the Company’s First 50-Megawatt Parabolic Trough Plant
05 May 2010POSTED IN Applications News
Abengoa Solar has initiated commercial operation of Solnova 1, the new parabolic trough technology plant located at the Solúcar Platform, following the successful completion of the operation and production testing conducted over the course of three days. During this phase, plant performance matched theoretical electrical power generation design, thereby validating the tremendous potential of parabolic trough technology.
Abengoa Solar's Solnova 1 50-Megawatt Parabolic Trough Plant
Sandia Wins National Technology Transfer Award for Work With Stirling Energy Systems
28 April 2010POSTED IN Applications News
Sandia National Laboratories has won a national Federal Laboratory Consortium awards for its efforts to transfer technology to solar energy supplier Stirling Energy Systems, Inc.
The SunCatcher is the outcome of a collaboration between Sandia National Laboratories
researchers and engineers from Stirling Energy Systems, Inc., who work together
at the labs' National Solar Thermal Test Facility in Albuquerque.
This radial design is being produced today.
(Photo courtesy Randy Montoya/Sandia National Labs)
Phoenix Solar AG and MiaSolé Sign Framework Agreement
17 August 2010POSTED IN Business News
Phoenix Solar AG and MiaSolé signed a framework agreement, which runs until 2013, enables Phoenix Solar to extend its product portfolio with another quality supplier capable of highly cost-efficient manufacturing.
To Concentrate or Not to Concentrate (As Much)….A Question Facing the CPV Market
28 April 2010POSTED IN Applications Features
The annual capacity of photovoltaic (PV) installations has increased dramatically from year to year—from just over 150 MW in 2007 to almost 300 MW in 2008. While the rooftop installations are greater in number, commercial installations generate more power, according to the “2008 Solar Technologies Market Report” from the US Department of Energy, Energy Efficiency & Renewable Energy. Flat-plate PV is the most economical choice for these space-constrained applications, but many believe that concentrating photovoltaics (CPV) will bring photovoltaic technology from rooftops down to ground-based utility-scale power generation—and at a cost competitive with fossil fuels.
Nur Energie joins the Desertec Industrial Initiative
13 April 2010POSTED IN Business News
Nur Energie, a solar project developer with operations in France, Italy, Greece and Tunisia, has joined the Dii as an Associated Partner.
CSP Report Released by Floyd
06 April 2010POSTED IN Applications News
Floyd Associates, a consulting firm based in Beverly Hills, California, released the “Solar Power Industry Report—Major Solar Thermal Players.”
