World Bank approves $519 million for 350 MW of solar CSP in Morocco
The second and third phases of the Noor project will include both parabolic trough and solar power tower CSP components. When complete this will be the largest single-site grouping of CSP projects in the world.
SunEdison begins production of electronic grade polysilicon using fluidized bed reactor technology
SunEdison’s high pressure fluidized bed reactor (HP-FBR) process produces high-purity polysilicon using 90% less energy than the dominant Siemens method. The company plans to ramp the plant to 13,500 metric tons annually in Q1 2015.
California sets a new utility-scale solar generation record at 4.9 GW
Despite shorter fall days, California continues to break solar generation records. The new record set on September 29th is 800 MW more than a record of 4.09 GW set in March, showing the rapid rate of PV deployment.
New York State to support 214 MW of new solar PV
New York will provide an estimated US$94 million in incentives for 142 PV projects at businesses, schools and universities, government buildings and non-profits, which were awarded through a competitive solicitation.
JA Solar breaks 20% barrier with new multicrystalline silicon PV cell
The Chinese PV cell maker credits proprietary light trapping and surface passivation technologies for its world record cell. NPD Solarbuzz says this is part of a breakthrough into higher efficiencies for multicrystalline silicon PV.
TMEIC to make inverters in Texas
Despite a booming market in Japan, the world’s fourth-largest inverter maker has expanded to the United States, and IHS says that it expects more inverter companies to follow suit.
U.S. government releases draft of Desert Renewable Energy Conservation Plan
The state of California and U.S. federal officials have released the latest draft of their plan for renewable energy in the California desert, which environmentalists say does not go far enough to protect biologically sensitive areas.
Mercom: 48 GW of solar PV to be installed globally in 2014
Despite a slow first half of the year, Mercom Capital has raised its forecast for global PV installations to 48 GW, as the second year of accelerating market growth.
Meyer Burger to supply Q-Cells with PERC PV cell upgrade equipment
Meyer Burger will ship the systems in late 2014 and the first half of 2015 to Hanwha Q-Cells facilities in Germany and Malaysia, to enable increased cell efficiencies.
California approves solar permit streamlining
California Governor Jerry Brown has signed a bill which advocates say will greatly simplify and standardize local permitting in the state, removing a key market barrier for residential solar in some areas.
