Category: Solar


PlanetSolar's solar boat gets its power from SunPower's solar cells

March 1st, 2010 | Posted in Solar

PlanetSolar unveiled the world's largest solar boat, which will be powered exclusively by SunPower's solar cells. The company's plan is to launch its catamaran for testing in late March and then embark on a round-the-world tour in early 2011.

The boat will get its power from approximately 38,000 of SunPower's next generation cells, with each cell offering an efficiency of at least 22%. The catamaran is expected to be the fastest solar boat to cross the Atlantic Ocean and the first to cross both the Pacific and Indian Oceans. Stopovers include Hamburg, London and Paris in Europe, New York and San Francisco in the U.S., and Singapore and Abu Dhabi. The solar boat will be available for public display during each of its stops, offering an educational opportunity to all visitors…

[source: PlanetSolar]


MetLife and John Hancock finance SunPower's 19 MW Xcel Energy PV power plant in Colorado

March 1st, 2010 | Posted in Solar

MetLife and John Hancock Financial Services will finance the construction and third-party ownership of a 19 MW (AC) PV power plant that SunPower is contracted to build for Xcel Energy in Colorado's Alamosa County. Construction on the plant, which will be the largest solar power plant in Colorado, will begin this spring, with operations expected to commence before the end of the year. Approximately 100 jobs will be created during construction.

The plant will use SunPower T20 Tracker systems, which tilt toward the sun as it moves across the sky, increasing energy capture and providing more power on hot summer days when utilities need it most. SunPower Trackers generate up to 30% more energy per land area than conventional systems and, therefore, reduce land-use requirements.

CP Energy Group served as an advisor to MetLife on the transaction.

[source: MetLife]

Yingli Green Energy to supply 285 MW of PV modules to Gehrlicher Solar

March 1st, 2010 | Posted in Solar

Yingli Green Energy has signed a three-year framework agreement to supply 285 MW of PV modules to Gehrlicher Solar over a three-year period through 2012. The PV modules to be supplied by the company are expected to be installed mainly in residential, commercial roof-top and ground-mounted power plants across key European PV markets.

According to Yingli's CEO, Mr. Liansheng Miao, the deal provides the two companies with additional visibility on sales and supply volumes as well as a solid foundation for long-term cooperation.

He went on to add: "We believe the establishment of our partnership with Gehrlicher Solar, one of the leading system integrators with a diversified portfolio of customers in Europe, will further strengthen our position in this important region. In establishing this partnership, we were particularly impressed by Gehrlicher Solar's successful track record in the PV industry, their focus on innovative solar PV solutions as we approach grid-parity, and their business partnership philosophy."

[source: Yingli Green Energy]

DoE approves $1.37 billion in conditional loan guarantees for BrightSource Energy's 400 MW CSP complex

February 26th, 2010 | Posted in Solar

U.S. Energy Secretary Steven Chu announced conditional commitments for more than $1.37 billion in loan guarantees under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act to BrightSource Energy to support the construction and start-up of three utility-scale CSP plants with a combined capacity of 400 MW. This would nearly double the existing generation capacity of CSP in the U.S.

The three-plant Ivanpah Solar Complex will be located on federally-owned land in the Mojave Desert in southeastern California, near the Nevada border, and will be the world's largest operational CSP complex, producing enough energy for about 140,000 California homes.

According to BrightSource estimates, the construction will employ approximately 1,000 people, whereas its operation will create 86 permanent jobs. The company's construction contractor has entered into project labor agreements with various trade unions for the construction of the project.

As for the loan guarantee, it is conditioned on financial and environmental requirements BrightSource must meet before closing on the loan — including local, state and federal regulatory approvals. The Bureau of Land Management will continue leading a National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) review with support from the Department of Energy.

BrightSource's technology uses thousands of heliostats, with each heliostat having two mirrors that track the sun in two dimensions, allowing the capture of a greater percentage of solar energy than some other solar thermal technologies.

The first plant is expected to begin construction in H2 2010 and come on line in 2012. Commercial operation for the second plant is slated for mid-2013 and the third later in 2013. Electricity from the project will be sold under long-term power purchase agreements with Pacific Gas & Electric and Southern California Edison Company (SCE).

[Via: DoE]

Iberdrola building PV solar plant in Italy

February 23rd, 2010 | Posted in Solar

Iberdrola Ingeniería y Construcción is developing a photovoltaic solar power plant in Italy. The contract, worth EUR 27 million, will have 8 MW of capacity. The plant is located near Puglia, in the southeast of Italy.

Financing comes from Unicredit Mediocredito Centrale. The capacity will come in the shape of 1 MW modules, eight of them, and installation will be done in two phases. The first phase will see 6 MW completed before the next summer, while the remaining 2 MW will be installed at the end of the summer.

Iberdrola opened a subsidiary in Italy at the beginning of this year to contribute to a more direct entrance and positioning in the Italian renewable energy market.

[source: Iberdrola]

Israel talks renewable energy with Egypt and Jordan

February 23rd, 2010 | Posted in Biomass Solar

Just because Israel doesn't get along with most Arab countries in the region, it doesn't mean the cooperation is impossible. Global warming is everyone's problem and solving it should go beyond boundaries and even some principles. On that note, today we're talking about Israel and its plans to work with Egypt and Jordan on renewable energy projects.

In the case of Egypt, the two countries are talking about possibly establishing a joint solar project in Egypt's Sinai Desert, which has clear skies, flat topography and annual average solar concentration of 2,300 KWh per square meter making it suitable for the installation of commercial solar technologies. Under the still-being-negotiated deal, Egypt would give the land and Israel the technology, whereas the energy generated would be used by both countries.

On the other hand, there were talks about building a bio-diesel plant along the border between Jordan and Israel. Salah Azzam, director of the Bio-Fuels Division at the National Energy Research Center in Jordan, outlined plans for the establishment of such a project by the end of 2010.

"This project could serve as a great boost for establishing peace and security in the region and could promote peace efforts between Israel and its neighbors," Azzam said.

[Via: Reuters]

eSolar, Ferrostaal partner to deploy turnkey solar thermal plants

February 23rd, 2010 | Posted in Solar

eSolar and Ferrostaal are teaming up to deploy turnkey solar power plants in Spain, the United Arab Emirates and South Africa. Under the agreement, eSolar will provide solar field and receiver technology, while Ferrostaal will provide the power block as well as manage the overall realization as general contractor, including financing activities.

Both parties have something to gain – Ferrostaal now adds solar power tower technology to its current concentrating solar thermal portfolio, which includes parabolic trough and Fresnel lens. On the other hand, eSolar adds significant global reach through a partner with the experience and financial strength to execute projects rapidly.

In other words, we should expect to hear more from both eSolar and Ferrostaal in the coming months…

[source: eSolar]

BudaSolar Technologies scores contract for 85 MWp PV module factory in China

February 23rd, 2010 | Posted in Solar

China City Investments signed contract with Hungary's BudaSolar Technologies as technology provider for the turnkey delivery of production lines at the capacity of 85 MWp/year using Silicon based thin film PV technology. Additionally, BudaSolar will also deliver a TCO coating system fully matched to the requirements of the PV production lines.

The agreement is the first phase of the Dalian City Industrial Park Project targeting the development of a complex, vertically integrated production center with cumulated PV production capacity of 1 GW to be achieved in 10 phases. The preparation for the project start in Q2 2010 is already going at full speed and parties expect completion of the PV factory and production ramp up during the second half of 2011.

As part of the project, large numbers of technical staff and management will be trained in Europe.

[source: BudaSolar]

China Solar Power to open third solar cell manufacturing facility in Suzhou Industrial Park, China

February 17th, 2010 | Posted in Solar

China Solar Power (CSP) has signed an investment agreement with Suzhou Industrial Park for its third solar cell manufacturing facility in China. The company plans to invest up to $180 million to build an aSi PV solar module facility and several advanced technology centers, with expected production of 200 MW.

This will effectively make CSP the first thin film solar company at Suzhou Industrial Park, which BTW was established in the mid-1990s as a joint venture between Suzhou and Singapore.

CSP's first thin film PV plant commenced commercial operations in October 2009 and is located city of Yantai, Shandong Province in Northern China. It utilizes production equipment supplied by Japan's ULVAC.

[source: China Solar Power]

Fluor secures 50 MW CSP engineering services contract from Elecnor

February 17th, 2010 | Posted in Solar

Fluor Corporation has scored an engineering services contract from Elecnor for a new 50 MW CSP plant in Badajoz, Spain. Under the deal, Fluor will provide detailed engineering and other associated services for the project. The engineering is expected to be complete by Q2 2011. Fluor's Asturias and Madrid, Spain operations will lead the engineering effort with support from its southern California operations center.

The value of the contract was not disclosed, but we do know Fluor will book it in its Q1 2010 report.

[source: Fluor Corporation]

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