Constellation Energy has initiated its solar panel leasing program for residential customers in Maryland, New Jersey, New York, Massachusetts, Ohio and Pennsylvania. Customers in Maryland will have the solar offer conducted through Constellation’s subsidiary, BGE Home.
Realforce Power, a China-based cell, module and integrated system provider, has completed work on a PV array on the roof of a technology institute in Shandong province. With a capacity of 2.5MW, it is one of the largest rooftop systems in China and will cut coal emissions in the province by 1,227 tonnes.
DuPont Microcircuit Materials (MCM) has announced the release of its latest photovoltaic metallization paste, with 15% less silver than previous pastes. The introduction of the Solamet PV51M comes as part of the company’s continued attempts to reduce the silver content of its pastes by 20%, in the face of rising silver prices.
The German government could impose harsher-than-expected cuts to solar energy subsidies next year due to a rise in solar panel installations, according to a Reuters report. In June and July, around 1.25GW of PV capacity was installed in Germany, a figure higher than the figure achieved in the preceding five months of the year combined, and while Germany's network regulator declined to comment on these reported figures, government sources have indicated this will prompt a 15% cut to incentives in January.
One of Japan’s main power suppliers, Kansai Electric Power, has started commercial operation of its 10MW PV plant in Sakai City, Osaka, reports Bloomberg. The plant, which started partial operation in October 2010, is one of the largest in Japan and generates enough electricity to power around 3,000 homes.
REC’s new achievements for its solar modules should entice customers to look twice at the companies solar modules. REC revealed that its crystalline solar modules had not only cut their carbon footprint, but had also achieved an enhanced energy payback time and that it was now offering extended linear warranty for its solar modules sold as of September 1, 2011.
Project Panda, a research partnership started in 2009 between Yingli Green Energy Holding, the Energy Research Center of the Netherlands (ECN) and Amtech Systems’ solar division Tempress Systems, revealed that its N-type Metal Wrap Through (N-MWT) PV cell and module technology had reached a cell efficiency of 19.7% and a module efficiency of 17.6%.
Day4 Energy and Roth & Rau have joined forces to produce the world’s first 19.3% efficient module. The module combines R&R’s heterojunction and Day4’s DNA technologies, which helps minimise efficiency losses from cell to module and create substantial reduction in silver paste consumption.
This summer solar developer Espe Sunparc has completed the installation of a 10MW PV project portfolio in Italy. All 10 projects were installed between July and August and are located across fove regions. The portfolio is expected to generate 14 million kWh of electricity per annum.
Less than a week after shutting down manufacturing operations, Solyndra followed through on its announced intention to file for Chapter 11 bankruptcy. The beleaguered CIGS thin-film PV firm said it hopes to reorganize and find a buyer and would like to avoid liquidating its assets.
