62 MW solar farm for Chicago-Rockford International Airport
Rockford Solar Partners, LLC and New Generation Power have received approval from the U.S. Department of Energy and the Federal Aviation Administration to develop what they say will be the biggest U.S. commercial airport solar farm.
First Solar sells 550 MW Topaz solar project
First Solar is in “definitive” agreements with MidAmerican Energy Holdings Company to sell its over USD$2 billion, 550 megawatt (MW) Topaz Solar Farm. The financial details have not been released.
First Intersolar China gets off to a slow start
Solar Promotion International’s first Chinese trade show got off to a slow start today in Beijing, China, with fewer than expected visitors and exhibitiors attending the event. It is clear that China’s photovoltaic industry is expanding agreeably, however.
Australias 500,000 solar homes
In a report released yesterday at the UN climate negotiations in Durban, the Clean Energy Council of Australia has revealed that more than 500,000 homes in Australia feature photovoltaic systems.
BIPV prospects in Japan bright, despite declining margins
PV Japan kicked off yesterday in Tokyo, Japan, under sunny skies portending a bright future for Japan’s photovoltaic, and BIPV market. However, it is clear that overcapacity, and declining prices and margins have impacted both exhibitor numbers, and company strategies.
REC expands Japanese module business
While most recent news from Norwegian polysilicon and module producer REC, has involved it scaling back its higher-cost manufacturing operations, the company has signaled its intentions to move into the Japanese market.
Launch of Malaysian FIT prompts flurry of PV proposals
Malaysia has launched its new feed-in tariff (FIT) system for renewable energy. On December 1, it began accepting applications for projects from 2012 to 2014 through an e-FIT online system. By December 2, 201 proposals for 143.78 megawatts (MW) worth of photovoltaic projects had been submitted.
Roth & Rau reaches 21 percent wafer efficiency
Roth & Rau AG says it has reached a new milestone, having achieved 21 percent efficiency on a 156 mm wafer. The company expects the heterojunction technology to be ready for mass production “in the near future”.
PV inverter market suffers falling revenues, but still set to grow
The third quarter (Q3) of 2011 was not kind to the photovoltaic inverter market. According to new research, revenues fell by 20 percent year on year. Germany has been identified as the main culprit behind the declining figures. Short-term price stabilization and a growing market provide some relief, however.
High Court to hear application to challenge FIT
Environmental NGO Friends of the Earth has announced today that the British High Court has agreed to hear the NGOs application to challenge the governments slashing of the photovoltaic feed-in tariff (FIT). The High Court has previously rejected the permission for a legal challenge, on November 25.
