Feed-In Tariffs
Japan's Solar Tariff Increase Sees Rise in Stock Prices
19 June 2012POSTED IN Business News
Shares of solar power specialists rose on Monday after Japan moved to boost its spending on electricity from sunlight as an alternative to nuclear power.
French Solar Firm Receives DoE Funds to Manufacture in US
19 June 2012POSTED IN Politics and Policy News
Soitec (Euronext Paris), a specialist in generating and manufacturing semiconductor materials for the electronics and energy industries, announced that one of its US Solar Energy subsidiaries has been selected by the US Department of Energy (DOE) to receive a SUNPATH award in the amount of $25 million to support its new North American solar manufacturing facility in San Diego, California (US).
Exclusive Interview: Q-Cells is here to stay
18 June 2012POSTED IN Business Features
German PV manufacturer Q-Cells, once the largest manufacturer of solar cells in the world, has seen difficult times this year with its preliminary insolvency announced in early April. At last week’s Intersolar Europe, Andreas Breyer, Senior Editor, Germany of Solar Novus Today (SNT), spoke with Thomas Raadts, Senior Vice President Marketing & Product Management of Q-Cells, about the current situation and the corporate strategy of Q-Cells, the paradigm shift in the industry away from FiT systems toward a levelised cost of electricity (LCOE), and the expectations that the company had for Intersolar Europe 2012.
Applied Materials' International Summer Solstice Solar Energy Survey
18 June 2012POSTED IN Business News
In celebration of the summer solstice on 20 June 2012, the day the sun shines for the longest period of time all year in the northern hemisphere, Applied Materials, Inc. today announced the results of its fourth annual solar energy survey, which measures consumer understanding and awareness of this renewable energy source.
Intersolar Europe 2012: CEO forum on turning today’s challenges into tomorrow’s opportunities
15 June 2012POSTED IN Editors Blogs
The CEO panel discussion concluded the second day of the Intersolar Europe 2012 and brought together four industry leaders, namely Dr. Peng Fang, CEO of JA Solar Holdings, Udo Möhrstedt, CEO of IBC Solar AG, Rafael Schröer, Managing Director of Kyocera Fineceramics, and Dr. Shawn Qu, Chairman, President and CEO of Canadian Solar. It was agreed among the panelists that crystalline silicon will continue to dominate the market in the years to come. Cell efficiency will further improve but be limited at a level below 25%.
Intersolar Europe 2012: Smaller show, growing market
14 June 2012POSTED IN Editors Blogs
The opening of this year’s Intersolar Europe 2012 in Munich, Germany on Wednesday took place under difficult market conditions, characterized by a fierce international competition, an erratic PV subsidy policy as well as a lack of political decisions in many countries, and massive overcapacities.
Intersolar Europe 2012: Bosch Solar releases free sales app
13 June 2012POSTED IN New Products
Bosch Solar Energy AG has released a free new application to support its distribution partners, called Bosch Solar to Go. It brings together all necessary information, from specification sheets and technical documentation to product brochures and video material to support sales, ready to be sent via email with just one click. The new Bosch Solar to Go app is available in German and English and will be released first for the Apple iPad.
Intersolar Europe 2012: Technologies, production and an increase in mid-size markets
12 June 2012POSTED IN Editors Blogs
Two days before the largest solar trade show opens its doors, the solar business was already gathering in the International Congress Center in Munich for the 2012 edition of the Intersolar Europe conference. About 2,500 participants are expected who will listen to the presentations of some 400 speakers this week from 11 to 14 June. Conference topics include PV power plants, storage systems, grid integration, and global PV markets, among others.
The Rise and Fall of the European FiT
04 June 2012POSTED IN Business Features
The feed-in tariff (FiT) has been responsible for the rapid growth in solar capacity in much of Europe, but with the global financial crisis the FiT has lost favour leaving the future growth of solar energy unsure.
European Commission Calls for Coordinated Approach to Renewables
08 June 2012POSTED IN Politics and Policy News
The European Commission is calling for a more coordinated approach to the support and use of renewables beyond the region-wide target of 20% renewables by 2020.
Intersolar Europe 2012: SolarWatt presents solar power systems
07 June 2012POSTED IN New Products
SolarWatt AG will present its new solar power systems at Intersolar Europe 2012 on 13-15 July at the New Munich Trade Fair Centre (hall A1, booth 450) in Munich, Germany. The systems complement SolarWatt's photovoltaic (PV) solutions with an energy storage device and an energy manager, so that the entire solar power system can intelligently and gradually take over on-site solar power generation for buildings based on customer needs.
RES Canada Completes Large-Scale Solar FiT Project
05 June 2012POSTED IN Applications News
Renewable Energy Systems Canada today announced the completion of SunE Rutley, Ontario’s first large-scale solar Feed-In-Tariff (FiT) project.
CentroPlan Proves Germany Still Ripe for PV After Rise in FiT
31 May 2012POSTED IN Business News
CentroPlan, a joint venture of Centrosolar Group AG and Pohlen Bedachungen GmbH, is currently planning 100 photovoltaic (PV) roof systems with an aggregate output of 8 megawatts peak (MWp) on the outlets of a South German discount grocery chain, to be installed by Pohlen Solar, a fully-owned subsidiary of Pohlen Bedachungen.
The Market Case for Solar in Developing Countries
30 May 2012POSTED IN Editors Blogs
Solar energy is a big problem solver in places with little or no access to electricity. While supplying solar power in under-developed areas is a good thing to do, socially and environmentally, it’s also good for the economic growth of the industry.
Chinese Solar Stocks Fall as US Anti-Dumping Tariffs Take Effect
29 May 2012POSTED IN Politics and Policy News
Chinese solar stocks have slumped because of the anti-dumping tariffs of more than 31% imposed by the US on solar panels from China. The US Department of Commerce stated that last year the US purchased $3.1 billion (USD) of Chinese solar cells. The total represents more than half of the American market.
Rumania: Vast potential for solar energy
29 May 2012POSTED IN Editors Blogs
With fading FiT-schemes in the leading European solar countries, some neighbouring nations are now gaining the attention of PV investors, and Rumania is one of them. The country, which joined the European Union in 2007 together with Bulgaria, appears to offer quite favourable conditions for foreign investors: Total GDP is four times higher than 10 years ago, and inflation has dramatically stabilized to 1.8% in April, coming from high double-digit numbers only a couple of years ago.
Update to UK Feed-in Tariffs
25 May 2012POSTED IN Politics and Policy News
The UK Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) introduced regulations to put the Feed-in Tariffs (FITs) scheme on a more predictable, certain and sustainable footing for householders, businesses and the solar industry.
Intersolar Europe 2012: New solutions for power storage and grid integration
24 May 2012POSTED IN Applications News
The solar industry is working on developing new solutions for power storage and grid integration. This topic forms a focus at Intersolar Europe 2012. More than 140 suppliers will present their latest developments in the field of PV energy storage systems at the Intersolar Europe exhibition on 13-15 June in Munich, Germany.
UK FiT Changes: How they affect the industry
23 May 2012POSTED IN Guest Blogs
Recently, there has been quite a lot of disruption to the UK solar industry with the government debating changes to the feed-in tariff. The whole mess has now been resolved with those who had their solar panels installed before the 3rd of March receiving the higher FiT of 43p for every kW/h and those after receiving this higher rate until the 1st of April, when it will be lowered to the new rate of 21p for every kW/h.
China Sunergy Delivers 5MW Solar Modules to Bulgaria
17 May 2012POSTED IN Applications News
China Sunergy Co., Ltd. today announced that it has completed delivery of 5 megawatts (MW) in solar modules to Bulgaria for the Yerusalimovo Solar Park. The modules were sold to Mitsubishi International GmbH and are being installed and managed by Helios Power.
