Australia: fixed rate utility charges floated
The government of the state of Western Australia (WA) has suggested introducing a fixed fee for grid connection for solar households in the face of falling utility revenues.
Trina, Yingli, SunPower top Solar Scorecard
Of the leading 40 solar companies, environmental and consumer advocacy group Silicon Valley Toxics Coalition found that Trina Solar, Yingli and SunPower bested industry rivals in areas such as worker safety and module toxicity.
US: Greenwood Energy acquires Massachusetts projects
Renewable energy investment company Greenwood Energy is set to invest in Massachusetts after signing a deal to acquire two developments from Borrego Solar Systems.
Researchers boost CdTe cell efficiency from below 8% to 11.5%
Scientists at Switzerland’s Empa have increased efficiency levels of flexible cadmium telluride solar cells by successfully doping them with copper.
Gujarat lights up canal with 10 MW project
The Indian state of Gujarat is set to expand canal-top solar power generation with a new 10-kilometer long photovoltaic project.
Trina, Yingli eyeing Suntech
Chinese manufacturers Trina Solar and Yingli Green Energy are both reported to be considering a partial or complete acquisition of the debt-stricken Suntech. Analysts say the move is not to be unexpected.
IBM releases RE output system
Global IT company IBM has announced that it has developed a system to predict renewable energy output, across various sources including solar photovoltaics. The system is already being employed on a 670 MW project in China.
Solar debate lights up Edinburgh fest, reveals UK’s lack of vision
At this year’s Edinburgh International Book Festival, a popular debate series showcased the benefits and drawbacks of solar and nuclear power and highlighted Britain’s yearning for quick fixes.
Russia set to draw up national RES map
While Russia lags far behind most developed Western countries when it comes to renewable energy, the government is now creating a single RES development map to better gauge the country’s potential.
US solar sector eager to reinforce energy grid
A new report by the U.S. Department of Energy calls for increasing the resiliency of the country’s electric grid to weather outages. The nation’s solar sector is eager to help.
