March 9th, 2010 | Posted in
Solar | No Comments
Yingli Green Energy announced a 300 MW PANDA mono-crystalline silicon-based manufacturing capacity expansion project at its Baoding headquarters. The company will finance the project from a loan of RMB 1.5 billion and a working capital credit facility of RMB 250 million, both granted by the Bank of Communications, Hebei Branch (BOCOM).
The new production lines will be designed to produce next-generation high efficiency PV cells based on the technology developed through Project PANDA – which is a collaboration among Yingli Green Energy, the Energy Research Centre of the Netherlands and Amtech Systems.
Commenting on the announcement, Yingli Green Energy's Chairman and CEO, Liansheng Miao, said: "We believe this expansion will allow us to meet the increasing demand for our bankable, cost-effective products and further drive down costs through increased cell conversion efficiency and the larger scale of manufacturing. On the Project PANDA pilot line, we have already successfully produced next-generation cells with an average efficiency rate of 18% or higher. Looking ahead, we expect to increase the average efficiency rate to at least 18.5% on the commercial production lines by the end of this year. Combined with the existing 600 MW production capacity in Baoding and the 100 MW capacity under construction in Hainan Province, this new expansion project is expected to bring our total production capacity to 1 GW by the end of 2010. With this expansion in place, we will be better positioned than ever to solidify our leadership in the global PV market."
[source: Yingli Green Energy]
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March 9th, 2010 | Posted in
Wind | No Comments
Vestas is to supply 17 of its V90-2.0 MW units under a supply contract signed with Camas Energy S.r.l. and W3 S.r.l., for the Maida wind farm, which is being developed in the Calabria region of Italy. Along with the wind turbines, Vestas will also provide service and maintenance for five years, as well as its VestasOnline Business SCADA system.
Delivery of the wind turbines is scheduled for the second half of 2010, while the wind farm is to be completed by the end of 2010. The Maida wind farm is located in one of Italy's best regions for wind energy – Calabria. This region is now seeing wind energy development, previously usually associated with Italian regions in the south. Once completed, the Maida wind farm will produce enough clean electricity to supply about 37,000 average Italian households.
[source: Vestas]
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March 9th, 2010 | Posted in
Wind | No Comments
US Renewables Group has launched Westerly Wind, a company that will provide development capital for wind energy projects for small wind energy developers, who are currently struggling to advance projects due to difficult economic times.
Westerly Wind will focus at all stages of wind energy development, working with developers, communities and other stakeholders in the industry, with a goal to push these projects towards completion. One of the main changes in the current industry approach is that wind developers can no longer enter a wind energy project and "flip" it early on in the development process. Things are moving towards actually bringing projects very close to construction, before they can actually be sold to another company which will simply execute the project and start exporting power under a PPA.
[source: US Renewables Group]
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March 9th, 2010 | Posted in
Wind | No Comments
The US Department of Energy is conditionally loaning USD 117 million to an "innovative" wind energy project on Hawaii. The island state is going to get a wind farm with 30 MW of capacity, using 2.5 MW wind turbines, but with an additional component which will ensure electricity load stability – batteries for storing produced energy. The Kahuku wind farm, to be developed by Kahuku Wind Power, will be receiving the 117 million from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.
Once completed, the Kahuku wind farm will output electricity estimated to be enough to supply about 7700 average homes on the island state with clean electricity. The construction of the wind farm will provide about 200 jobs.
The Kahuku wind farm will be located on the island of Oahu. Hawaii has set a very high goal for renewable energy, which is to achieve 70% of electricity generation from renewable energy sources by 2030. At the moment, each of the islands is using its own separate power grid, mostly using fossil fuels to produce electricity. The company sponsoring the project is First Wind Holdings.
[source: US DoE, image: Hawaii State]
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March 5th, 2010 | Posted in
Wind | No Comments
Suzlon is planning to install 728 MW of new wind power capacity during 2010. The nine new projects will feature a total of 351 wind turbines, will be able to produce clean electricity for about 220,000 average homes in seven US states. The company will be supplying the units for projects being developed by Duke Energy, Iberdrola Renewables and other renewable energy developers.
Nearly all the new projects will be using the S88-2.1 MW wind turbines, which has been proven around the world in various conditions.
With the 728 MW of capacity planned for this year, Suzlon should have a total of 2480 MW installed in the US by the end of 2010.
[source: Suzlon]
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March 5th, 2010 | Posted in
Wind | No Comments
NRG Energy announced the company has signed a letter of intent with AEP Energy Partners for purchasing the South Trent 101 MW wind farm located near Sweetwater, Texas. The wind farm consists of 44 2.3 MW Siemens wind turbines, and can generate enough clean electricity for about 80,000 average local households during peak generation times.
The South Trent wind farm is exporting electricity under a long-term PPA for the next 20 years. Once the acquisition is complete, NRG Energy will own and operate its fourth onshore wind farm. The company already owns and operates Elbow Creek wind farm (120 MW), Langford wind farm (150 MW) and owns a 50% stake in the Sherbino wind farm (150 MW), all located in Texas.
[source: NRG Energy, image: NRG Energy]
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March 5th, 2010 | Posted in
Wind | No Comments
OwnEnergy, a development platform for community wind in the United States, and Horn Wind have completed the Windthorst 1 wind farm near Windthorst, Texas. The wind farm has 51 MW of installed capacity, and is a joint-venture project between the two companies. A majority stake in the wind farm has been sold to a global renewable energy company.
The wind farm was developed in the spirit of community wind which includes characteristics like local ownership, increased local jobs, greater involvement, control and financial upside for members of the local community. OwnEnergy co-owns wind projects and operates them in collaboration with local partners. OwnEnergy and Horn Wind will continue to have long-term interest in the wind farm.
[source: OwnEnergy, image: OwnEnergy]
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March 5th, 2010 | Posted in
Hydro | No Comments
From the SEA report - map showing wave energy potential around the UK.
Tidal and wave energy in England and Wales are have received a push forward as the first full wave and tidal assessment document was released – the Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) report.
According to the Department of Energy and Climate Change, the report will additionally clear the way for carbon dioxide storage, as well as offshore wind and oil and gas activities in the country, at the same time ensuring environmental concerns have been answered with progress of UK offshore development.
DECC hopes the new document will help identify opportunities for new development with respect to the environment. Having included wave and tidal energy in the assessment for the first time, the government is supporting commercial deployment of these technologies. The SEA document, together with another forthcoming document – the Marine Action Plan – are hoped to be able to generate the kind of safe investment environment that will attract investors to put their money into UK renewable energy projects.
England and Wales will be getting the most benefit from SEA. Both regions are welcoming new wave and tidal developments, both for the many megawatts of clean electricity that will come with them, but also for the fact that these projects will bring many jobs.
Wave and tidal energy have already begun their course in the UK, with the establishment of research and development centers, such as the one in Orkney, Scotland. The SEA document, and the upcoming Marine Action Plan, will add significant momentum for the development of marine energy in the UK.
You can read the entire SEA report here.
[source: DECC]
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March 4th, 2010 | Posted in
Solar | Comments (1)
Kyocera’s new solar cell manufacturing plant in Yasu City, Shiga Prefecture, Japan
Kyocera has recently completed construction of a new solar cell manufacturing plant, further increasing capacity on its way to reach annual production target of 1 GW by March 2013. The new facility is located in Yasu City, Shiga Prefecture, representing the largest Kyocera Group manufacturing plant in Japan.
The new plant is also the company's second solar cell manufacturing plant along with the existing Shiga Yohkaichi Plant. When compared to the existing one, the new plant employs an enhanced manufacturing line, which increases productivity by 20%.
The main product to be manufactured at the Yasu Plant is the company's newly enhanced cell with an average energy conversion efficiency of 16.9%. These cells are used in Kyocera's 215-watt solar module, which is sold around the world.
And if you didn't know, Kyocera was the first company in the world to start mass production of multicrystalline silicon solar cells in 1982.
[source: Kyocera]
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March 4th, 2010 | Posted in
Wind | No Comments
From an LM Glasfiber blade testing facility.
LM Glasfiber has signed a cooperation agreement with Chines wind turbine manufacturer Envision, for the supply of 2000 MW worth of wind turbine blades. For this purpose, LM Glasfiber has opened a new blade manufacturing facility, its fourth, which will supply blades to Envision. The facility will be located in Jiangyin, China. Production is expected to start in Q2 this year.
At the same time, LM Glasfiber has announced it will be supplying its new rotor blade concept through this contract, the GloBlade. The new model offers a change from the industry standard for blades, featuring an innovative aerodynamic design developed in the companies wind tunnel, allowing an increase of annually produced electricity of 4-5% over 40.3 blades. The company said this opens new market opportunities for developers around the world for wind class III.
LM Glasfiber has this way strengthened its presence in the Chinese wind energy market, but has also created an opportunity to spread its presence in more areas around the world, which have lower wind resources.
[source: LM Glasfiber, image: LM Glasfiber]
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