South Africa has the space and the sunlight, so what better region to plan a 5-gigawatt solar park that could not only generate massive amounts of solar energy, but also serve as a field test for emerging technologies in PV energy, concentrating photovoltaic PV and concentrating solar power, or CSP.
The goal is ambitious, but the path
Even outsiders know that the solar energy industry has experienced huge growth during the past few years. This is particularly true of 2009, where solar energy prospered in spite of a worldwide recession. In the U.S., this prosperity is largely due to the 2009 American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.
A reader points out that in talking about utility scale solar, only mature technologies are used — usually 20 to 30 years mature or more. He observes how long it’s taken PV to be seriously considered for plants over 10mW. But he goes on to talk about the Stirling Dish System, noticing that the system holds the efficiency world record for sun to grid electricity at 31.5%, and has
Canada’s construction electricians will soon have an independent, third-party set of standards to help prepare them for work with solar PV projects. The Canadian Standards Association (CSA) has announced, in conjunction with the National Electrical Trade Council (NETCO), a certification program for construction electricians installing PV systems in
We have seen a marriage of the energy efficiency and solar energy industries as the US has worked to green its buildings. In fact, some financing programs require that all cost-effective efficiency
Fighting a war on the ground in Afghanistan has to be one of the hardest things a young person can do.
Fortunately, the U.S. Department of Defense, or DOD, is on the ground with our troops offering help and support – albeit in some very unexpected ways.
According to Tony Bui, an engineer with
If micro-inverters are the current craze in the solar industry, then I predict that solar energy monitoring systems will be the next big thing.
Micro-inverters (and other parallel technology) are given lots of attention because they can increase the efficiency of a system by up to as much as 10%-20%. Similarly, solar electricity systems that are hooked up to monitoring systems have a 10% energy production increase over systems that are not hooked up to monitoring systems, according to Will Shortt, CEO of Deck
Miguel Sebastian, the Spanish minister of Industry, recently announced his plans to cut the feed-in tariff for solar energy in Spain. His decision will not be effective until sometime this month, when the National Energy Commission and the Estate Commission give the last word.
The decision is part of the government’s
Big solar news from Illinois last week. The Wanxiang America Corporation held a ribbon cutting ceremony for a new $12.5 million, 40,000 sq ft solar module plant in the town of Rockford. It’s yet another example of how product follows policy and how manufacturing follows markets. It is yet another example of how strong solar programs beget new jobs. And of how the
US private equity firm Blackstone has decided to invest $300 million in one of the leading solar PV companies in India, Moser Baer (Private) Limited.
Moser Baer (NSE: MOSERBAER) has a diversified portfolio ranging from manufacturing of computer peripherals to fabrications of solar panels. While their
Combining their expertise, Jim Bolger, President of EarthFX Energy, and John Bosman, CEO and President of Bostech Mechanical, are currently preparing to open The Sustainable Living Centre in Maryhill, Ontario.
The new centre will highlight a wide range of green-energy products and services, with
International fuel designer and manufacturer, Quantum Technologies, recently signed a memorandum of understanding with German solar company, Asola, to establish a manufacturing plant in Ontario. The joint venture have the two companies team up with Canadian partner, Evergreen Power Ltd, to produce and distribute high quality solar modules
The Ontario Power Authority has offered a contract to the city of Belleville to install a new grid-tie solar project. The solar farm will be installed on the roof of the Quinte Sports Centre at an estimated cost of $4 million. The city accepted the terms of the contract late last month, which allows for the production of nearly half a megawatt of renewable energy.
Solar power is helping out the environment in more ways than one. In addition to producing green electricity, solar energy is helping to cure brownfields, or industrial or commercial properties that have been compromised by environmental contamination. The worst of these plots of tarnished land have been designated for special attention by the EPA as part of the