Fraunhofer develops software for renewable-energy forecasting
German commercial research body and transmission grid operator develops software to accumulate renewable energy production data and produce more accurate forecasts. The software developed by the team in Ilmenau in central Germany, can also provide day-ahead forecasts that are updated every 15 minutes.
3.5 to 21 percent installation growth in 2012
IMS Research reported today that photovoltaic installations worldwide are expected to grow to between 27.8 gigawatts (GW) and 32.6 GW in 2012, up from 26.9 GW in 2011.
A strong early PV demand in 2012
The latest quarterly report from NPD Solarbuzz has indicated that strong 2012-beginning market demand has been stimulated by the uncertainty in photovoltaic policies in Europe, and established a foundation for manufacturers to increase shipments this year.
Phoenix Solar faces delays in negotiations
Due to the cuts in feed-in tariffs (FITs), there has been a delay in financing negotiations and the moratorium has been extended for Phoenix Solar. Financial and annual reports for 2011 have thus been postponed.
Solar Millenium US investments file for Chapter 11; company gets sued
Solar Millenium faced a double-low as the company revealed that its U.S. subsidiaries and investment have filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy. Former CEO Utz Claassen also decided to sue the company and part of its subsidiaries for defamation.
Standards development for smart grid
The IEEE Standards Association has announced five new standards and a modified standards development project to aid the efficient rollout of smart grids worldwide.
Australia: Location-specific feed in tariffs launched
In remote parts of the vast state of Western Australia, photovoltaics are about to get more attractive for businesses and households. An electricity retailer in the state has launched an energy buyback scheme for photovoltaics where residents in remote areas will receive more for the photovoltaic electricity they feed back into the grid.
Solar Frontier supplies 3.8 MW to juwi-developed project
Solar Frontier announced that it has supplied modules to a 3.8 megawatt (MW) installation for the Public Service Electric and Gas Company (PSE&G) electric utility in New Jersey, the U.S. Juwi solar developed the project.
Germany: VDMA forecasts lower sales, excess capacity
The German Engineering Federation or VDMA (Verbandes Deutscher Maschinen- und Anlagenbau) has conducted a current business climate survey and forecasts that the order situation of manufacturers of photovoltaic components, machinery and equipment in Germany at the end of the first quarter of 2012 has cooled considerably.
Q-Cells will file for insolvency proceedings
Q-Cells will file for insolvency proceedings on April 3, 2012, at the insolvency court in Dessau. The executive board reached the decision after an intensive review of alternatives for the implementation of financial restructuring came to no avail.
