March 9,2010 –
Researchers at Caltech have devised a flexible solar cell that incorporates silicon wire arrays each acting as a high-efficiency solar cell, which also greatly reduces the amount of silicon material required.
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Photovoltaic Systems
Photovoltaic Systems and Home Solar Power News
First Solar Signs Contract with PG&E for 300 MW Photovoltaic Solar Power Project
Posted in March 8th, 2010
TEMPE, Ariz.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–First Solar, Inc. (Nasdaq: FSLR) today announced a power purchase agreement to supply Pacific Gas and Electric Company with renewable electricity from a 300 megawatt (AC) utility-scale photovoltaic solar power facility that First Solar is developing in Southern California.
The Desert Sunlight project, to be located near Desert Center in eastern Riverside County, Calif., will have a total capacity of 550 megawatts, enough to power approximately 160,000 area homes – or about 480,000 residents. The other 250 MW portion of the project is already under contract to Southern California Edison. First Solar’s power purchase agreements with PG&E and SCE are subject to the approval of the California Public Utilities Commission.
First Solar will build the Desert Sunlight project using its industry leading thin-film photovoltaic solar modules and providing its project development, engineering, procurement and construction capabilities. With construction expected to start by the end of 2010 and completion as early as 2013, the project will displace 300,000 metric tons of CO2 per year, the equivalent of taking 60,000 cars off the road. It will also create approximately 430 construction jobs. The project’s permit application has been fast tracked by the Bureau of Land Management.
“First Solar is one of the few companies that has all the capabilities required to realize very large, utility-scale solar projects like Desert Sunlight, which are important in helping our customers and California reach the state’s renewable energy goals,” said Rob Gillette, First Solar chief executive officer.
First Solar has 1,700 megawatts of utility-scale power projects with power purchase agreements in North America.
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Satcon to Supply 18 Megawatts of PowerGate® Plus PV Inverters Across 40 Power Plants Under Ontario Feed-In Tariff Program
Posted in March 8th, 2010
BOSTON–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Satcon Technology Corporation (NASDAQ CM: SATC), a leading provider of utility scale power solutions for the renewable energy market, today announced that it will deliver 78 of its industry leading PowerGate® Plus solar PV inverters to OZZ Solar Inc. The power conversion solutions will be deployed on commercial rooftop projects across the province of Ontario, and will be fully compliant under the Ontario Feed-In Tariff (FIT) program launched in 2009.
The 40 rooftop projects under development by the OZZ Solar Inc. program will utilize Satcon’s PowerGate Plus 250kW and 100kW solar PV inverters, customized for 600 VAC, which became generally available in January of 2010. As the world’s leader in grid connected commercial and utility scale solar PV solutions, Satcon’s technology provides the industry leading Levelized Cost of Energy (LCOE), critical to attaining the most profitable power production under the recent FIT program.
“These installations mark the beginning of major growth for large scale, grid-tied rooftop solar power plants in Canada and are a significant step in the implementation of Ontario’s Feed-In Tariff program,” said Jonathan Goldman, Executive Vice President of OZZ Solar Inc. “These projects required the most advanced, highest performing, and most reliable systems that could deliver reliable performance in the harsh Ontario climate. Satcon’s best-in-class solutions and their commitment to partner with us to drive value from the design stages over the entire lifespan of the project were the key factors in our decision to partner with them.”
The PowerGate Plus 250kW and 100kW 600 VAC output inverters meet all requirements mandated under FIT regulations, and are specially designed to operate at full performance at temperatures as low as negative 40 degrees Celsius/negative 40 degrees Fahrenheit. In addition, the PowerGate Plus solutions will be manufactured in Burlington, Ontario, making them the only large scale inverter solutions that are 100% compliant with the Ontario FIT local content requirements.
“With these first set of projects, OZZ Solar is stepping to the forefront of commercial solar development in Ontario,” said Pete DeGraff, Satcon’s Vice President of Worldwide Sales and Marketing. “With a long history of manufacturing world-class products in Ontario, Satcon is a proud partner in OZZ Solar’s commercial solar projects, and a highly committed local developer to the Ontario government’s commitment to clean energy production.”
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AEG Power Solutions Acquires a Majority Stake in skytron energy
Posted in March 8th, 2010
ZWANENBURG, the Netherlands–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Regulatory News:
AEG Power Solutions, a global player in industrial power electronics, strengthens its position as a solutions provider for megawatt utility-scale photovoltaic (PV) power plants with the purchase of a majority stake in skytron energy. Founded in 1996, Berlin-based skytron provides leading-edge metering, monitoring and supervision solutions to companies in engineering, procurement and construction (EPCs), as well as to independent power producers (IPPs). The technological leader in its field, skytron has been the recipient of a number of prestigious awards, including the highly coveted Intersolar Award. The amount of the transaction, which was paid in cash, is not being disclosed.
Commenting on the acquisition, Bruce Brock, Chief Executive Officer of AEG Power Solutions, said: “Combining skytron’s monitoring and supervision products with our power electronics and experienced global services network will allow us to offer PV power plant operators highly reliable technology and expertise for the integration, implementation, and operation of rugged solutions for greater system availability and higher energy yields.”
“This is the partnership we were looking for,” commented Martin Sauter, Chief Executive Officer of skytron energy. “We needed a strong industrial partner to support our growth and give us access to the global market. The alliance will enhance our access to funds to improve our leading-edge technology while allowing us to provide our customers with strong service in all the emerging PV markets.”
Skytron will be a strategic business area within AEG Power Solutions, and continue to act as an independent monitoring solutions provider. AEG PS will invest in skytron’s technology to deliver leading-edge solutions for current markets and customers, as well as address AEG PS’s many industrial vertical markets and the powering of the Smart Grid.
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Jobs In Solar: Solar Is Hot!! (Palm Springs/Desert)
Posted in March 8th, 2010
Date: 2010-03-08, 8:36PM PST
Reply to: job-hkkp3-1635330476@craigslist.org
If you want to capitalize on the wonderful incentives and rebates, this is the year to do so. Can you close deals? Do you know the Palm Springs area? Then you might be able to make lots of deals and lots of money in the next couple of months. The economy is bad,,but solar is great! Call me at 951-224-1493 now!
Location: Palm Springs/Desert
- Compensation: commission
- Principals only. Recruiters, please don’t contact this job poster.
- Please, no phone calls about this job!
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Cotton is the fabric of your lights, your MP3 player, your cell phone
Posted in March 8th, 2010
Consider this T-shirt: It can monitor your heart rate and breathing, analyze your sweat and even cool you off on a hot summer’s day. Or a solar-powered dress that can charge your MP3 player? This is not science fiction — this is cotton in 2010.
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Free Workshops for K-12 Educators!
Posted in March 8th, 2010
Energy Smart Students Workshops
These FREE workshops are open to K-12 teachers, educators in not-for-profit agencies, pre-service teachers, college professors, and other educational professionals. They offer FREE NY State Ed Dept-aligned curriculum, Professional Development credit, and refreshments!
Integrate energy education into your lesson plans. Register today at GetEnergySmart, 1-877-NY-SMART, or info@nyess.org
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Wind Energy in the Classroom Teacher Training Workshop
Wind Wisdom for School Power…Naturally (sm) offers a hands-on introduction to the technology and engineering involved in renewable wind energy and provides a context for teaching scientific principles related to properties of the wind, energy transformations and electricity.
At the workshop educators who serve students in Grades K-6 will receive hands-on science and engineering activities, a free wind energy education kit, and curricular units for K-4 and 5-6.
- Wind Wisdom Workshop: April 15, 4:00pm-6:30pm at Solar One
To Pre-Register (required): visit NESEA Educators Events and click on the date of the workshop you wish to attend (4/15). Email registration form to agrindrod@nesea.org or fax to 413-774-6053.
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