Feed-In Tariffs
Solar Infrastructure Investment 2012 to Explore Solar as an Asset Class
29 February 2012POSTED IN Business News
Solar Infrastructure Investment 2012, which takes place on 17-18 April 2012 at the Courtyard Rome Central Park in Rome, Italy, will provide for the first time an exclusive forum to explore solar as a new and attractive asset class.
German FiT Debate : The dawn of the lobbyists
28 February 2012POSTED IN Editors Blogs
Following the announcement by two ministers of the German cabinet last week to massively cut the Feed-in-Tariffs (FiTs) as of 9 March, lobbying in Germany’s capital Berlin has intensified to reach at least an attenuation of the steep measures. BSW-Solar – the major association of the German PV industry – today admitted that the proposal last week came as a surprise, since the already long scheduled FiT cuts of 15% in January this year had no chance yet to come into effect.
Australian Government Sets Higher than Expected Targets for Renewable Energy Schemes
27 February 2012POSTED IN Politics and Policy News
The Australian government announced the binding Small Scale Technology Percentage and the Renewable Power Percentage for 2012.
German FiT Debate Comes to an End – for the time being
23 February 2012POSTED IN Editors Blogs
After long and controversial discussions in the German coalition between the ministry of economics and technology and the ministry of environment, the debate about the future feed-in-tariff (FiT) came to an end today, as the two ministers, Philip Rösler and Norbert Röttgen, presented the coalitions’ plans on how to change the renewable energy act (EEG). Speculations grew high in the last days and weeks, in particular after Rösler positioned himself against the current support scheme for PV installations and made his own suggestion for a radical cut down of subsidies, including a cap of some 1,000 MW installed annually.
Chinese Tier-2 PV Module Prices Fall Below $1/W in January 2012
16 February 2012POSTED IN Business News
The average price of Chinese Tier-2 crystalline photovoltaic (PV) modules fell to $0.96 (USD) per watt (W) in January 2012, according to the latest "PV Module Price Tracker–Monthly–World" from IMS Research.
Interview with SolarWorld CEO
16 February 2012POSTED IN Guest Blogs
As all eyes in the solar industry are watching Germany right now as the country’s feed-in tariff changes are being negotiated, SolarWorld CEO, Frank Asbeck shares his views. In the following interview he gives reasons why solar energy makes sense from financial and environmental perspectives. He takes the position that capping PV in Germany would annihilate Germany’s pioneering position. And he responds to questions about the trade case against China, pointing out that much of the competition in the industry today is a result of the rules of German law that was imposed upon the with its step-by-step reduction of subsidies.
Access the Growing Japanese PV Market at PV Expo 2012
13 February 2012POSTED IN Business News
The 5th International Photovoltaic Power Generation Expo (PV Expo 2012) will take place on 29 February - 2 March 2012 at the Tokyo Big Sight in Japan as part of World Smart Energy Week 2012.
Trina Solar Receives ICIM Certification
13 February 2012POSTED IN Business News
Trina Solar, an integrated manufacturer of solar photovoltaic (PV) products, today announced that its multicrystalline modules manufactured with European-sourced silicon wafers have been certified by the independent Italian institute ICIM (Istituto di Certificazione Industriale per la Meccanica) and fulfill GSE requirements for a 10% feed-in tariff premium in Italy.
Taiwan Reduces Solar Feed-in Tariff
09 February 2012POSTED IN Politics and Policy News
Taiwan has announced its new Feed-in Tariff (FiT) structure.
PV Inverter Market Achieves Record Shipments in 2011
08 February 2012POSTED IN Business News
The PV inverter market achieved a new record in 2011 with shipments exceeding 26 gigawatts (GW) for the first time according to preliminary results from IMS Research.
Satcon Makes PV Deal with Great Wall Computer Company
07 February 2012POSTED IN Business News
US-based Satcon Technology today announced a partnership with Great Wall Computer Company (GWPC), a majority-owned subsidiary of China Electronics Corporation (CEC). The inverter manufacturer says the agreement will allow it to capitalize on the estimated 14GW of utility-scale projects under development, fueled by China’s Feed-In Tariff program.
North American Utility-Scale PV Installations Up
06 February 2012POSTED IN Business News
Sharp reductions in market prices combined with the impact of regional and national policies pushed the North American photovoltaic market to a new quarterly peak with .93GW installed in Q4’11, according to the latest North American PV Markets Quarterly report issued by NPD Solarbuzz. The solar incentive policy mix in both the United States and Canadian markets drove up demand in large-scale ground-mount systems, which was 59% of this total. Regionally, New Jersey, California, Arizona, and Ontario accounted for two-thirds of Q4’11 demand.
Greece Cuts Solar FiT 12.5%
02 February 2012POSTED IN Politics and Policy News
Greece announced cuts in solar subsidies, “to ensure the viability of the financing mechanism in order to secure the operation of the units already installed and to develop new ones," the energy ministry said in a statement.
China Cuts Solar Subsidies
02 February 2012POSTED IN Politics and Policy News
The Chinese Ministry of Finance has cut incentives for grid-connected PV installations under its Golden Sun program.
Solarcentury Resigns from BPVA
31 January 2012POSTED IN Politics and Policy News
Solarcentury, one of the two solar firms that in December 2011 filed a legal challenge against the UK government’s decision to cut feed-in tariff schemes for solar installations, has resigned from the British Photovoltaic Association (BPVA). The move follows the BPVA Chairman's application to intervene on the side of the Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) in the UK Court of Appeal.
CNPV Solar Modules Certified for Low Carbon Footprint, 10% Italian FiT Premium
30 January 2012POSTED IN Business News
CNPV Solar Power SA, a designer, manufacturer and supplier of crystalline solar photovoltaic (PV) modules, today confirmed TÜV Rheinland's verification that its monocrystalline and polycrystalline modules meet the International Organisation of Standardisation (ISO) CD14067 standard.
2012 Solar Power Generation USA Conference This Week
28 January 2012POSTED IN Business News
On the heels of a visit from President Barack Obama, the City of Las Vegas will host the 2012 Solar Power Generation USA (SPG) this week on 31 January-2 February 2012 at the Rio All Suites Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada.
UK FiT Fallout Continues
26 January 2012POSTED IN Politics and Policy News
The UK Minister of State for Energy and Climate Change Greg Barker today faces calls for his resignation following the Court of Appeal’s ruling that the government’s planned cuts to the Feed-in Tariff (FiT) were legally flawed.
UK Government Loses Appeal on FiT Cuts
25 January 2012POSTED IN Politics and Policy News
The UK Court of Appeal ruling on the government's cuts to the Feed-in Tariff (FiT) was rendered this morning.
UK Contingency FiT in Place While Appeal Presses Forward
23 January 2012POSTED IN Politics and Policy News
DECC has today laid before Parliament draft licence modifications which, subject to the Parliamentary process set out in the Energy Act 2008, makes provision for a reduced tariff rate (from 1 April 2012 onwards) for new solar PV installations with an eligibility date on or after 3 March 2012 under the Feed-in-Tariffs scheme (FITs).
