SolarWorld is now accepting applications for the 2014 SolarWorld Junior Einstein Award. Now in its ninth year, the Junior Einstein Award is the oldest and most prestigious prize for young scientists doing research relevant to the photovoltaic industry. The award offers not only an attractive sum of prize money but also opens professional doors
Commentary: Solar Energy Steers Its Future By Reflecting On The Past
Toward the end of last year, the Toledo Blade ran this piece detailing what a “failure” the solar industry had been in creating jobs in its area. Instead of focusing on the successful companies in the area (you can look here for the grouping of solar companies — many of them manufacturing — around Toledo),
Commentary: Solar Energy Steers Its Future By Reflecting On The Past
Toward the end of last year, the Toledo Blade ran this piece detailing what a “failure” the solar industry had been in creating jobs in its area. Instead of focusing on the successful companies in the area (you can look here for the grouping of solar companies — many of them manufacturing — around Toledo),
New Study Finds U.S. Solar Jobs Grew 20% Last Year
U.S. solar companies continue hiring faster than the overall economy, and remain optimistic about future growth, according to fourth annual National Solar Jobs Census released by The Solar Foundation. As of November 2013, the solar industry has grown to 142,698 solar workers. This is an increase of almost 20% more than our 2012 findings and represents
Canadian Solar Connects Its 10MW Solar Power Plant In Jiangsu Province
Canadian Solar, a global solar power company, announced the successful completion and grid connection of a 10 MW ground-mounted solar power project in Sihong County of Jiangsu Province in eastern China. This project was developed by CSI Solar Power (China), a subsidiary of Canadian Solar, with Gaochuangte New Energy as the EPC contractor. Construction commenced in September 2013 and grid connection was
JinkoSolar Plans to Separate Its Solar PV Project Business
JinkoSolar, a global leader in the solar PV industry, announced that its Board of Directors has authorized the exploration of strategic alternatives with respect to JinkoSolar’s downstream solar PV project business. The Board intends to consider a broad range of alternatives including, but not limited to, an IPO, pre-IPO financing or merger and acquisition of the business.
How Smart Are Your Solar Modules?
Solar panels, or modules, are the heart of any solar power system because they convert sunlight to electric energy. Brought to you by Trina Solar Solar panels, or modules, are the heart of any solar power system. Solar panels that convert sunlight to electric energy are referred to as photovoltaic panels (PV for short).
Solectria Introduces New Transformerless Residential Inverter
Solectria Renewables, a U.S. PV inverter manufacturer, announced the introduction of its new PVI 3800TL transformerless residential inverters. The new 3.8kW single-phase inverter is the best residential solution available in the inverter market today. The PVI 3800TL features the highest peak (98%) and CEC (97.5%) efficiencies, as compared with other major inverter suppliers. Its small, compact, lightweight design
Are Super-Sized Solar Modules The Wave Of The Future?
A new approach to reduce the cost of large solar PV installations is the super-sized module described below. Brought to you by Spire Corp. The solar PV-utility market is experiencing significant growth that will continue through the foreseeable future. This rapid growth in market demand is driving development of utility and large commercial solar PV
What Kind Of Cable Should You Use In Your Solar Installation?
How Crucial Is Monitoring To The Success Of Solar?
Monitoring-software options in the market today provide a wide range of useful applications for developers, installers, and asset managers of PV systems. By Robert Schaefer, President and CEO of AlsoEnergy As the worldwide solar energy marketplace matures and evolves, several market forces are driving greater interest in software applications to monitor PV system performance.
PACE Could Help You Win The Commercial Solar Race
By Michael Wallander, Special To Solar Power World Are you one of the few providers left with the stamina to pursue commercial solar deals? For experienced providers, commercial solar has been like a mirage in the desert: enticing, spacious, flat rooftops inviting you ever onward, ever closer to signing a lucrative project. Maybe you’ve even
Do Opportunities In Solar For Owners And Operators Exist?
Renewable energy is a huge opportunity for American technology and business. If we don’t keep up with our foreign competitors, we’ll continue being eclipsed by other countries. By Kevin Smith, CEO of SolarReserve Solar energy developers worldwide are seeing opportunities like never before. Increasing demand for electricity, growth in emerging markets, and emphasis on
QBotix Signs 45 MW International Supply Contract with Castillium
QBotix, which harnesses the power of robotic tracking to optimize solar plant operation, announced its further international expansion through a 45 MW supply contract with United Kingdom-based developer Castillium. QBotix will provide the Robotic Tracking System (RTS) for use in Castillium’s pipeline of more than 200 MW of ground-mounted solar PV projects throughout the United
KYOCERA Solar Modules Aid Connecticut Residents
Connecticut residents who made a New Year’s resolution to reduce their environmental impact may be getting a boost without even realizing it. On December 23, 2013, a 5-megawatt AC (7.4MW DC) installation of high-reliability Kyocera solar modules began commercial operations at Somers, Conn., providing enough annual generating capacity to offset the power needs of approximately
Lessons From Established Solar Firms, Pt. 2: Scalable Design Services
If you’re one of the thousands of solar installers comprising the 64% of national marketshare, how can you compete with the big guys who make up the rest? In the last post in this series, we talked about moving to the cloud as a lesson to learn from how the big guys operate. Another target for cost
SunPower Corp., MidAmerican Solar, Adds Solar Development To Grid
MidAmerican Solar and SunPower Corp. announced the first portion of the 579-megawatt (MW) Solar Star development — two projects co-located in Kernand and Los Angeles counties in California — was successfully synchronized and is now delivering energy to the California ISO grid. By the time the entire project is completed, it’s expected to help California meet its mandate to generate 33%
JinkoSolar Signs $66.1 Million 15-Year Solar Project Loan Agreements
JinkoSolar, a global solar module manufacturer, announced that it has entered into project loan agreements with China Development Bank. Pursuant to the agreements, the Zhejiang Branch of CDB will provide a $66.1 million loan to develop JinkoSolar’s three PV solar projects located in Xinjiang and Qinghai Provinces. As a prioritized corporate client, JinkoSolar
Hanwha SolarOne to Supply 11.5 MW to Ikaros Solar
Hanwha SolarOne will supply 11.5 MW of high quality solar modules to Ikaros Solar Belgium NV. The modules are scheduled for delivery this month and next. Ikaros intends to install the modules in a solar park in Norfolk County, United Kingdom. Hanwha SolarOne will supply its 72-cell module HSL-72, characterized by excellent real-life performance and extended durability. Ikaros Solar operates
Combiner Boxes Emphasize Safety With Optimized Monitoring
Combiner boxes, which combine outputs from a number of solar strings into a single circuit and provide overcurrent protection, will continue to be a key element of the next generation of solar photovoltaic (PV) installations. Historically, these devices have been basic box and fuse holders that consolidate string output circuits into one circuit.
Main Street Power and Partners Complete 2.5MW Solar Energy Facility
Main Street Power Co., in partnership with MS Solar Solutions Corp., an indirect, wholly owned subsidiary of Morgan Stanley, completed a 2.5MW solar project on a brownfield site in Stow, Mass. The conversion of the Massachusetts DEP-monitored brownfield site into a productive, energy-generating resource supports the state’s solar siting priorities while keeping energy costs
Partners Complete 4 MW Solar System In Massachusetts
ten K Energy, groSolar and Integrys Energy Services announced today the completion of a 4 MW DC solar power project in Ashburnham, Mass. The ground-mounted installation was developed by Ten K Energy, designed and constructed by groSolar, and is owned by a subsidiary of Integrys Energy Services. A portion of the solar farm uses highly productive
TÜV Rheinland Forms Worldwide Inverter Testing Network
With an increasing importance of inverters as energy and data hubs, TÜV Rheinland has formed a worldwide network of testing laboratories for various power-level inverters called the Inverter Services Network (ISN), by uniting its nine facilities located in Australia, Germany, Greater China (Shanghai and Taiwan), Hungary, India, Italy, Japan, and the United States. Integrating these geographically
Hanwha SolarOne Signs Memorandum of Understanding with OneRoof Energy
Hanwha SolarOne Co., a global photovoltaic (PV) manufacturer of high-quality, cost-competitive solar modules, reached a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with OneRoof Energy, a complete solar services provider, to supply up to 50 megawatts of PV modules. Hanwha SolarOne and OneRoof Energy intend to enter a supply agreement to establish a reliable supply of modules for
You Can Take It To The Bank: Solectria Renewables Breaks Records
Solectria Renewables, a U.S. photovoltaic (PV) inverter manufacturer, announced record results for 2013, including seven years of consecutive profitability, a 43% year-over-year growth in megawatts (MW) shipped and 40% year-over-year growth in revenues…