Manufacturing

As the Renewable Energy World conference and trade show winds up in the Malaysian Capital, Kuala Lumpur today, photovoltaic industry participants have reported never-before-seen interest in solar.

SolarReserve has closed financing on its 110 megawatt (MW) Crescent Dunes solar project. When complete, it is expected to be the U.S.’ first commercial scale solar power tower with fully integrated energy storage, and the largest of its kind in the world.

Despite an increase in photovoltaic module shipments, revenues and gross profits are forecast to keep on shrinking into next year, according to new research, due to the “huge” oversupply, “fierce” competition and falling prices.

Suntech’s Zhengrong Shi has said that, by 2015, China could be the biggest photovoltaics market in the world.

It has been said that Russia has the potential to add between one and two gigawatts (GW) of newly installed photovoltaic capacity by 2020.

Due to the continuing weak solar market conditions and “significant” negative cash flow, REC is considering the permanent closure of three wafer facilities and one cell plant in Norway. Around 700 employees are expected to be affected.

Clean Power Finance and Google have established a new residential solar fund in the U.S.

Berlin-based Solon will inaugurate its 12.3 megawatt (MW) photovoltaic project in Italy today. Covering an area of 250,000 square metres, it is said to be the largest project of its kind in the country.

JinkoSolar is to supply China Guangdong Nuclear Solar Energy Development Co., Ltd. with 38 megawatts (MW) of its photovoltaic modules for use in two projects in China.

Premier Power has said it will build four photovoltaic power plants in Bulgaria, totaling 16.2 megawatts (MW).