UK
Britain's Largest Solar Farm Completed
29 July 2011POSTED IN Business News
Britain's first combined green energy zone has been completed after the UK's largest solar farm was connected to the national grid.
Gross Profit Declines in PV Price War
19 July 2011POSTED IN Business News
A period of highly competitive pricing from photovoltaic (PV) module suppliers has led to gross profit margin reductions of more than 25% in the last six months, according to the latest analysis from IMS Research.
‘Cling-Film’ Method Makes Efficient Polymer Solar Cells
04 July 2011POSTED IN Research
Scientists from the University of Sheffield and the University of Cambridge have shown that very simple and inexpensive manufacturing methods in which flexible layers of material are deposited over large areas like cling-film can be used to make efficient solar cell structures.
Aide Solar Receives UK MCS Accreditation
30 June 2011POSTED IN Applications News
Aide Solar, a large-scale producer of photovoltaic modules and a subsidiary of the Panjit Group, today announced that its photovoltaic (PV) Modules have received accreditation under United Kingdom’s (UK) Microgeneration Certification Scheme (MCS).
IMS Research High on PV Module Recovery
29 June 2011POSTED IN Business News
After declining for two consecutive quarters, PV module shipments are set for a strong recovery in the second half of 2011, according to the latest report from IMS Research. Rapidly falling PV module prices will be a key factor in re-establishing demand in the second half of the year.
Ricoh's London Billboard Powered by Solar and Wind
28 June 2011POSTED IN Applications News
Ricoh Europe today unveiled Europe’s first "eco-board", a billboard powered 100% by wind and solar power.
Nanotechnology Keeps Lights On in Off-Grid Countries
23 June 2011POSTED IN Applications News
At The Economist Conferences UK Energy Summit today, the CEO of Eight19, Simon Bransfield Garth, explained how printed-plastic PV technology will use nanotechnologies to keep the lights on for those currently off-grid in developing countries.
Satcon Second Largest Provider of Utility-Scale Inverters
22 June 2011POSTED IN Business News
Satcon Technology Corporation, a provider of utility-scale power conversion solutions for the renewable energy market, announced today that it has achieved the second largest share in the worldwide utility-scale inverter market for 2010.
Joint Research Yields Largest Dye-Sensitised Solar Module to Date
14 June 2011POSTED IN Applications News
Dyesol, a global supplier of dye-sensitised solar cell (DSC) technology, announced that its joint research effort with Tata Steel has created the largest DSC module to date.
UK Government Cuts FiT for Large Solar Projects
13 June 2011POSTED IN Politics and Policy News
The UK government announced new tariffs for large scale solar after a fast track review looked at reducing the tariffs on large projects to protect funding for smaller products.
UK CPV Systems Supplier, Circadian Solar Preps for Production
13 June 2011POSTED IN Business News
Circadian Solar, a concentrated photovoltaic (CPV) systems supplier, has taken on additional premises in the UK in preparation for pilot production of its concentrated photovoltaic (CPV) systems.
First Solar PV Modules Receive MCS Certification
08 June 2011POSTED IN Business News
First Solar, Inc. today announced that its thin-film solar photovoltaic (PV) modules have received accreditation under the UK's Microgeneration Certification Scheme (MCS). This opens the door to the use of its modules in systems that benefit from the UK's Feed-in Tariff (FiT).
GE Smart Meters Make UK Community More Energy Efficient
02 June 2011POSTED IN Applications News
GE smart meters played a vital role in helping the community of North Leigh, Oxfordshire, United Kingdom, reduce its energy consumption by 10% for three consecutive months, and in recognition of this achievement, the village received a £20,000 award from U.K. utility Scottish and Southern Energy (SSE).
PV Installations to Exceed 21GW in 2011
31 May 2011POSTED IN Business News
IMS Research predicts that more than 21 gigawatts (GW) of new photovoltaic (PV) capacity will be installed in 2011, up from ~18GW in 2010 according to its latest quarterly report on PV demand.
Hydrogen from Ethanol and Sunlight
29 May 2011POSTED IN Research
In a step toward using hydrogen as an alternative to fossil fuels, researchers from the Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya in Barcelona, the University of Aberdeen in the UK, and the University of Auckland in New Zealand have used ethanol and sunlight to generate hydrogen.
PV Inverter Shipments Decline 39%, Germany Losing Market Share
26 May 2011POSTED IN Business News
Global PV inverter shipments declined to 4 gigawatts (GW) in the first quarter of 2011, 39% lower than the previous quarter, but 31% higher than in the first quarter of 2010, according to IMS Research's latest quarterly report on the market.
Canadian Solar Announces 15 MW Sales Agreement with Isolux for Three UK Solar Farms
26 May 2011POSTED IN Business News
Canadian Solar Inc. today announced that it will supply 15 MW of solar modules for three UK solar farms, constructed by Spanish renewable energy project company Isolux.
Hanwha SolarOne Modules Receive Certification
24 May 2011POSTED IN Applications News
Hanwha SolarOne Co., Ltd., a vertically integrated manufacturer of silicon ingots, wafers and photovoltaic cells and modules in China, announced quality certifications for its new crystalline solar modules in the British, North American, and German markets.
Research Update: Alternatives to ITO electrodes for organic PV
01 May 2011POSTED IN Applications Features
Organic solar cells are flexible, transparent, and lightweight, and it is these characteristics that give them the potential to be used in unconventional ways such as to turn windows into power generators. However, the standard indium tin oxide (ITO) used for transparent conducting electrodes comes with several drawbacks. For one, the rare earth mineral indium is limited in supply and thus expensive. ITO also doesn’t always work well in organic photovoltaic devices. It has a high surface roughness, can be unstable, and tends to crack upon bending when applied to a plastic substrate.
PV Module Shipments and Prices Decline Sharply
10 May 2011POSTED IN Business News
Photovoltaic (PV) module shipments declined in the first quarter of 2011 (compared to the fourth quarter of 2010) for the first time since the beginning of 2009, according to IMS Research.
