Germany: Solar conference told Saudi Arabia will export as much solar energy as petrol
Saudi Arabia will export as much solar energy as it does petrol today, according to the countrys Minister for Petrol and Raw Materials Ali Al-Naimi, who was speaking at a one-day Saudi-German solar conference, held today in Magdeburg, Germany.
Spanish government keeps solar industry in FITs suspense, after announcing fraud investigation
Spain’s Asociación Empresarial Fotovoltaica (AEF) announced at a press conference held last week that negotiations on future solar subsidiaries have been postponed for the next two months, while the country’s government awaits the results of an investigation to find out which PV plants were illegally connected to the power grid in September 2008.
UNSW PV Center of Excellence will not close its doors pv magazine learns
pv magazine has learned from Professor Martin Green that Australia’s University of New South Wales (UNSW) Photovoltaic Centre of Excellence will not be closing its doors, despite losing financial support from the ARC Centre of Excellence program from the end of this year.
Manz Automation outlines strategy to pv magazine for positioning CIGS as lowest cost module available
Speaking to pv magazine, Manz Automation AG CFO, Martin Hipp underlined four strategic aims the company intends to achieve in the next few years under its new partnership with Würth Solar GmbH & Co. KG and the Zentrum für Sonnenenergie- und Wasserstoff-Forschung Baden-Württemberg (ZSW Center for solar energy and hydrogen research).
UNSW Photovoltaic Centre of Excellence to close after losing government funding to car scheme
The University of New South Wales (UNSW) Photovoltaic Centre of Excellence is reportedly being forced to close its doors after Australias Labor government stopped its funding, as part of the partys proposed cuts to finance a “cash-for-clunkers” low-emissions car program, the Greens say.
Panasonic looks set to buy out Sanyo; deal not yet confirmed, however, pv magazine learns
The Sanyo Electric Company, a major player in the photovoltaics (PV) industry with its HIT (crystalline silicon) solar cell, has announced Japan-based Panasonics plans to buy the company out. A spokesperson has told pv magazine the deal has not yet been confirmed, however. Panasonic currently owns a 50.05 percent share in Sanyo.
9REN completes 80 million funding for 5 Italian PV parks
European renewable energy company, 9REN Group has received 80 million in financing for 22 megawatts (MW) of photovoltaic (PV) projects in Italy with a syndicate of three banks.
Sulfurcell signs 16 MW in supply agreements in China and India
Germany-based CIS thin film manufacturer Sulfurcell GmbH has signed supply agreements with new customers in India and China in excess of 16 megawatts (MW). CEO and company founder Dr. Nikolaus Meyer also states that the company is hoping “to help shape the building-integrated photovoltaics (BIPV) segment with expertise and innovations” in the next few years.
Scatec Solar to install 7.2 MW of solar PV rooftop systems in Italy; barrel vault roofs present challenge
Norway-based Scatec Solar has signed a 20 million agreement with the Solar Life Energy investment group to build a total of 7.2 megawatts (MW) of solar photovoltaics (PV) systems on ten industrial warehouse roofs in Milan, Italy. A spokesperson for the company told pv magazine that construction is due to begin immediately, while production should begin this September.
Germany predicted to see three GW in PV installations in the first half of the year
For the first half of this year, the German Federal Network Agency is expecting to see an increase in photovoltaics (PV) installations of more than three gigawatts (GW). During this time, around 135,000 data specifications have been submitted to the agency, of which more than 50,000 alone were made in June.
