Work begins on world's largest solar bridge
Construction has begun on the world’s largest solar bridge in the UK, according to Network Rail. The new Blackfriars station, which will be built on a bridge over the River Thames, will consist of 4,400 photovoltaic panels.
Satcon inverters selected for 40 MW Canadian plant
Worldwide utility-scale inverter company Satcon, which has its headquarters in Boston, U.S., has been selected by Q-Cells to provide inverters worth 40 megawatts (MW). The inverters are for the Starwood project in Ontario, California.
Saudi inaugurates first solar power plant
Saudi Arabia’s first solar power plant was inaugurated on October 1.
US: Solar-enhanced oil recovery
Solar energy’s viability to more efficiently produce oil is being tested by Chevron Technology Ventures. BrightSource Energy is the technology provider and the company in charge of engineering, procurement and construction.
Agreement reached on Topaz solar farm
First Solar’s subsidiary Topaz Solar Farms has reached an agreement with North County Watch and Carrizo Commons to dismiss their lawsuit against the 550-megawatt Topaz Solar Farm project that First Solar is developing in San Luis Obispo County.
New polysilicon production plant in Qatar
Qatar Solar Technologies has announced today that it will build a polysilicon facility worth US$1 billion in Ras Laffan Industrial City, north of Doha. The site is to occupy 1.2 million square meters of land in Ras Laffan.
Off-grid: Lack of mass production as an obstacle
The off-grid market is also currently profiting from the declining module and system prices in the ongrid segment. Yet in many developing countries, particularly in southern Africa, both the industry and policy makers are challenged to make photovoltaic technology more attractive and to develop transparent markets. This was an important message sent out by an off-grid workshop to which the wholesale dealer Phaesun extended invitations on the occasion of its tenth corporate anniversary on the weekend.
Closer PV cooperation needed
Solar cell and module manufacturers will have to cooperate more closely with machinery and systems manufacturers. This was one of the central demands made at a meeting of Solarinput that brought all of the participants together in Germanys Erfurt.
Copper nanowire to help drive solar cell production costs down
A new high-performance, flexible copper nanowire, first developed at Duke University in the U.S. last year and now being commercialized at a spin-off company called NanoForge Corporation, may drive down the cost of solar cell production.
California: 35 MW PV project completed
Cupertino Electric, Inc. has completed two ground-mount photovoltaic projects worth 35 megawatts (MW) in Central California.
