SCHOTT Solar and Solland Solar (Netherlands) announced a strategic partnership agreement, under which the two companies will license technology, perform joint R&D activities and jointly produce back-contacted solar modules. One of the bigger goals of the companies is to achieve serial production of solar modules with up 16% efficiencies by 2011.
Three companies have entered into an agreement for co-developing the largest to be onshore wind farm in Ireland. Coillte, an Irish company involved in forestry, land and renewable energy, Finavera Renewables and Scottish and Southern Energy are going to be collaborating on the Cloosh Valley wind farm, located in County Galway.
The project will be executed in two phases, the first of which will feature 22 wind turbines, totalling in 50 MW of installed capacity. Once at full capacity (105 MW), the wind farm will be able to generate enough clean electricity to supply about 60,000 average homes.
So far, Coillte has about 400 MW in its wind energy portfolio, making the company the second largest wind energy developer in Ireland.
[source: Coillte, image: Finavera Renewables]
Andasol 1 parabolic trough power plant.
Solar Millenium has completed the sale of stakes in the Ibersol power plant to Ferrostaal, which now owns 50% of the project. This represents one of the final stages before the beginning of construction at what's to be Spain's fourth parabolic trough solar power plant project.
According to media sources, and unnamed officials from the French Energy Ministry, France seems to be planning a huge array of offshore wind farms totalling in 3 GW of installed capacity. The whole endeavor will require an estimated EUR 10 billion in investments. The planned projects will involve the installation of some 600 wind turbines, for which tenders will be announced by the French Energy Minister in September this year.
Following an 8.5 MW supply deal recently, MiaSolé announced another supply agreement with juwi Solar. This time, the long-term agreement will result in 600 MW of solar modules (CIGS), to be delivered over the duration of the period under the agreement. The first shipment of 50 MW will be delivered in 2011.
juwi Solar is pursuing a rapid growth strategy, to take advantage of the growing solar energy market worldwide.
[source: MiaSolé, image: juwi Solar]
US based company Enviva LP, subsidiary of Intrinergy, and Electrabel, a Belgian utility and subsidiary of GDF Suez, have entered into a long-term supply agreement under which Enviva is to supply the company with 480,000 metric tons of wood pellets annually. The biomass supply will be used as a renewable fuel source for feeding Electrabel's biomass power plants in Belgium.
MiaSolé, manufacturer of CIGS thin-film PV modules, has entered into a supply agreement with juwi Solar for an additional 8.5 MW of solar modules. The order is actually broken down into two supply deals, one for 7.5 MW of modules, to be installed on groud mounted installations in solar projects in Germany, while the other 1 MW of modules, for projects in both Germany and United States, in Texas, have already been delivered in Q2 2010.
MiaSolé anticipates a lont-term relationship with juwi Solar, involving large scale solar energy projects.
[source: MiaSolé]
Nordex announced new orders from Portugal and China. The company is to deliver a total of 40 1.5 MW and 2.5 MW turbines to customers in these countries.
An 84 MW community wind farm project has been approved for development in County Clare, Ireland. The project, to be developed by West Clare Renewable Energy (WCRE), will feature 28 3 MW wind turbines, which will be spread out across the western slopes of Mount Callan, a small mountain near Ennis and Miltown Malbay. The project represents a EUR 200 million investment.
Once completed and operational, the wind farm will be capable of generating enough clean electricity to supply all homes and business in County Clare. The project is expected to create about 300 local jobs.
Bosch Solar Energy announced the formal opening of the company's new solar cell production facility in Armstadt, Germany. The facility, once fully completed, will have production capacity of about 10,000 cells an hour, or about 90 million solar cells a year. Bosch Solar Energy is investing a total of EUR 530 million into this location, with the goal to integrate the production process to be able to output all solar products from ingots, to finished and assembled solar modules.
