Utilities
Colorado Expands Solar Rewards Program
19 June 2013POSTED IN Politics and Policy News
The Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) and Colorado Solar Energy Industries Association (COSEIA) today applauded a decision by the Colorado Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) to increase the 2013 capacity of Xcel Energy's popular Solar*Rewards program for small-sized solar installations throughout the state. In April, SEIA, the COSEIA, and Xcel Energy jointly proposed this capacity increase in order to avoid possible disruption to the successful program.
Conergy Installs 4.6MW of Solar in South of France
17 June 2013POSTED IN Applications News
Conergy completed two orders for installations in La Fare-les-Oliviers, a village near Aix-en-Provence in the South of France.
First Solar Granted PPA for 50MW Solar Plant in New Mexico
06 June 2013POSTED IN Business News
First Solar, Inc. and New Mexico State Land Commissioner announced today that First Solar, Inc. has been granted a power purchase agreement (PPA) from the New Mexico Public Regulatory Commission, clearing the way for First Solar to begin construction on the state's largest solar power plant to be located on State Trust Land in Luna County. The PPA will provide El Paso Electric Power with 50MW of solar energy for 25 years.
Canadian Solar Expands Presence in South American Market
04 June 2013POSTED IN Business News
Canadian Solar Inc. today announced that is has opened a sales and business development office in Sao Paulo, Brazil to expand and strengthen the company's South American sales network and broaden regional customer service capabilities.
Audi Factory Powered with Solar Panels
29 May 2013POSTED IN Applications News
The Audi A1 produced in Brussels, Belgium, will be manufactured using solar energy, provided by solar panel manufactuer REC.
Gehrlicher Solar Heads to Mexico
23 May 2013POSTED IN Business News
Gehrlicher Solar announced the company’s expansion into Mexico, having set up an office in Mexico City where the company will work closely with local developers, commercial customers, government agencies and the local utility, the Comisión Federal de Electricidad (Federal Electricity Commission) to engineer, procure and construct high performance PV systems specifically for the Mexican market.
Lux Research Report Forecasts Photovoltaics Market to Reach $155 Billion in 2018
21 May 2013POSTED IN Business News
The solar photovoltaic (PV) market is poised to rise from the ashes of its 2011 crisis to grow to $155 billion in 2018, as market forces engineer a turnaround to a healthy 10.5% compound annual growth rate (CAGR), says Lux Research.
TÜV Rheinland PTL Initiates Creation of New ANSI Standards
17 May 2013POSTED IN Applications News
TÜV Rheinland PTL, a standards developing organization (SDO) for the American National Standards Institute (ANSI), has successfully initiated the creation of three new American National Standards and is seeking the industry participation in the respective standards working groups.
First Solar Sells 139MW Campo Verde Solar Project
24 April 2013POSTED IN Business News
First Solar, Inc. announced it has sold the 139-megawattAC (MW) Campo Verde Solar Project to Southern Company subsidiary Southern Power and Turner Renewable Energy. Under the terms of the agreement, First Solarwill complete construction of the project and will operate and maintain the power plant for 10 years. Construction of the Campo Verde project began in December 2012 and commercial operation is expected in fall 2013.
Historic Growth for Solar in US
12 April 2013POSTED IN Politics and Policy News
For the first time, solar energy accounted for all new utility electricity generation capacity added to the US grid last month, according to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission’s (FERC’s) March 2013 “Energy Infrastructure Update.” More than 44 megawatts (MW) of solar electric capacity was brought online from seven projects in California, Nevada, New Jersey, Hawaii, Arizona, and North Carolina. All other energy sources combined added no new generation.
Duke Energy Acquires California Solar Projects from SolarWorld
10 April 2013POSTED IN Business News
Duke Energy Renewables, a commercial business unit of Duke Energy, today announced it has acquired two commercial solar power projects near Twentynine Palms, California (US), from project developer SolarWorld.
Renewable Energy Provides 82% of New Electrical Capacity in US
09 April 2013POSTED IN Applications News
According to the latest "Energy Infrastructure Update" report from the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission's Office of Energy Projects, renewable energy sources (i.e., biomass, geothermal, solar, water, wind) accounted for 82% of all new domestic electrical generating capacity installed in the first three months of 2013 for a total of 1,546MW. The balance (340MW) came from natural gas. Coal, nuclear power, and oil have provided no new generating capacity thus far this year.
Solon Expands Solar Power Services Throughout North America
29 March 2013POSTED IN Business News
Solon Corporation, a provider of turnkey solar power plant services in the United States, announced that it has expanded across several growing solar markets in North America.
UK Completes First Stage of Smart Grid Project
26 March 2013POSTED IN Applications News
The UK's largest smart grid project has completed the first stage of its research into electricity consumption after establishing a series of ongoing trials with 12,000 customers.
MEMC Proposes Name Change to SunEdison, Inc.
13 March 2013POSTED IN Business News
MEMC, a leader in semiconductor and solar technology, announced a plant, subject to shareholder approval, to change its name to SunEdison, Inc. SunEdison is a subsidiary of MEMC.
Gehrlicher Solar Expands in the US
12 March 2013POSTED IN Business News
Gehrlicher Solar America Corp. (GSAC) announced the opening of its newest office in Boston, Massachusetts.
Solon Completes Arizona Multi-Campus Solar System
28 February 2013POSTED IN Applications News
Solon Corporation has completed construction of 1.15MW of solar systems for the Tanque Verde Unified School District (TVUSD) in Tucson, Arizona (US).
Spread over four campuses (Tanque Verde Elementary School, Aqua Caliente Elementary School, Emily Gray Junior High School and Tanque Verde High School), the solar systems are a combination of shade structures and rooftop systems. With more than 4,000 solar modules, the systems will offset a large portion of the daytime electricity requirements of each campus.
Canadian Solar and Strata Solar Partner on Utility Scale Projects
25 February 2013POSTED IN Business News
Canadian Solar, Inc. announced that it has invested in and partnered with Strata Solar on a suite of utility-scale solar power projects located in North Carolina (US). The projects, developed jointly, will total approximately 85MW divided amongst 15 unique solar installations.
AV Solar Ranch One Achieves 100MW Milestone
20 February 2013POSTED IN Applications News
First Solar today announced that the Antelope Valley Solar Ranch One project has achieved a peak generating capacity of 100MW connected to the electrical grid.
The project, which is under construction in northern Los Angeles County, is currently California’s largest operating photovoltaic power plant and will have a generating capacity of 230MW upon completion, expected later this year.
Solon Completes 5MW Prairie Fire Solar Plant
20 February 2013POSTED IN Applications News
Solon Corporation today announced the completion of the 5MW Prairie Fire Solar Plant in Tucson, Arizona (US), for Tucson Electric Power (TEP).
