[amor de cosmos]

Japan May Cut Solar Tariff by 14% as Operating Costs Decline
21 February 2014

Feb. 21 (Bloomberg) — Japan may cut its tariff on purchases of solar power by 14 percent to reflect the lower costs of operations and maintenance, according to estimates by Bloomberg New Energy Finance.

The tariff may fall to 31.1 yen (30 cents) per kilowatt hour plus tax, the London-based researcher said in a report dated yesterday. The current rate is 36 yen per kilowatt hour plus sales tax. The sales tax, currently 5 percent, will be raised to 8 percent in the year beginning April 1.

A committee of experts advising the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry is reviewing tariffs for renewable energy including wind and geothermal for fiscal 2014. The reviewed rate would be applied to new applications.

The ministry has reduced its operations and maintenance cost estimates for solar projects to 8 million yen per megawatt a year from 9 million yen per megawatt, BNEF said in the report.

The ministry also raised its capacity factor estimates to 13 percent from 12 percent, according to the report. Capacity factor indicates how often an electric generator runs for a certain period of time.

http://about.bnef.com/bnef-news/japa...costs-decline/

SunEdison Builds U.S. Defense Department’s Largest Solar Plant
20 February 2014

Feb. 20 (Bloomberg) — SunEdison Inc., the solar developer and polysilicon supplier formerly known as MEMC Electronic Materials Inc., completed the U.S. Defense Department’s largest solar installation.

The 16.4-megawatt project on Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, southeast of Tucson, Arizona, will save the base $500,000 annually for the next 25 years, St. Peters, Missouri-based SunEdison said today in a statement.

The solar farm will supply 35 percent of the base’s electricity, the equivalent of powering more than 5,000 homes, according to the statement. The Air Force wants to generate 25 percent of its energy from renewable sources by 2025.

SunEdison in April received a $35 million loan to construct the solar farm.

http://about.bnef.com/bnef-news/sune...t-solar-plant/

New Japanese Electric Buses Soon To Be Solar Powered
By Nino Marchetti
Electric Vehicles, Transportation
February 20, 2014

Though most of the time when you hear about electric buses these days it is because of Chinese manufacturer BYD, others do have contributions to the developing mass transit space as well. One of these is Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, which is supplying two units in “a zero emissions transportation system being planned by the city of Kitakyushu, Fukuoka Prefecture, Japan.”

The buses, which Mitsubishi said are full-size, low-floor models for the city’s regular route network, operate on the company’s lithium-ion rechargeable batteries. They measure 11.065 meters (m) in length, 2.495 m in width and 3.475 m in height, and weigh 11,250 kilograms (kg).

Making use of a specially developed charger that enables full recharging in approximately half the required time, the buses are able to travel up to 80 kilometers (km) on a full charge, at a top speed of 85 km per hour. The load capacity is said to be 72 passengers.

Some interesting random aspects of this project include plans in October for renewable energy generated by solar power that will be stored in an energy storage system for use in recharging, as well as word that the battery being used on board the buses “already achieved a significant track record through its widespread adoption in cargo container-type energy storage systems, hybrid forklifts and other advanced products.”

http://earthtechling.com/2014/02/new...solar-powered/

First Solar’s Quiet Reveal of Its TetraSun High-Efficiency Silicon
Watching First Solar maneuver into the silicon solar fray
Eric Wesoff
February 20, 2014

It's still early days for First Solar and its efforts to move into silicon solar. But First Solar is "still on plan" with its silicon solar product rollout, according to sources close to the company. These plans will enable First Solar to move from the lumpy revenue of utility-scale solar to the higher-volume, higher-ASP world of distributed generation, a longstanding gap in the firm's addressable market.

Those plans have the company making the aspirational claim of starting "commercial-scale manufacturing of the new technology in the second half of 2014." That's just around the corner.

First Solar, a long-time thin film manufacturer, moved into silicon with its acquisition of high-efficiency silicon solar startup TetraSun in April 2013. This is the cadmium-telluride vendor's first foray into silicon, although it has explored CIGS.

In its move to market, First Solar recently released a few details about the new technology it's trying to commercialize:

• The proprietary cell design potentially allows efficiencies over 21 percent
• Cells are built using 156 mm n-type wafers, which have higher efficiencies than p-type monocrystalline cells because of their higher minority carrier lifetime
• The 156 mm wafers provide more active cell area per module and increased power output compared to 125 mm wafers
• The metallization process utilizes less than 50 μ narrow copper electrodes, which yield better conductivity and less resistive losses than industry-standard, screen-printed silver fingers. Copper-plated metallization induces minimal stress on wafers, improving mechanical yield and reliability, according to the firm. (There are downsides to copper as well, however.)
• Lower temperature coefficient (-0.3%/ °C) results in better energy production compared to traditional crystalline technologies (typical -0.45%/°C).
• No light-induced degradation and no potential-induced degradation

http://www.greentechmedia.com/articl...ciency-Silicon

Solar renaissance is under way, says IHS
21. February 2014 | Applications & Installations, Global PV markets, Industry & Suppliers, Investor news, Markets & Trends, Top News | By: Max Hall

Production capacity investments by Canadian Solar and SunPower will be the first of many, predicts IHS. The market research company is also predicting microinverters will start to gain traction this year.

Market research company IHS has pointed to manufacturing capacity expansions by Canadian Solar and SunPower as further evidence its prediction of a 2014 solar renaissance was correct.

IHS said today, the recent announcement by Chinese manufacturer Canadian Solar it hopes to raise module production capacity to 3 GW to meet global demand together the news SunPower's capital expenditure expectations have doubled for the year, backs its bold predictions about the global market for solar.

IHS reiterated its prediction manufacturers will boost capital spending 42% this year to US$3.37 billion and a further 25% next year, to $4.22 billion, in an effort to meet demand after a torrid 2013.

The consultancy is also forecasting global solar installations will rise to 40-45 GW this year and, in a separate announcement today, that microinverters will play an increasingly significant role in the global inverter market.

Canadian Solar cited a planned rise in production capacity as one of the reasons behind a recent fundraising round, adding the module production capacity at its Ontario factory rose from 330 MW at the end of December to 530 MW, a month later.

U.S. company SunPower revised its capital investment expectations for this year up 90% to $150-170 million from last year's $70-90 million.

http://www.pv-magazine.com/news/deta...ihs_100014313/

Netherlands reached 665 MW of cumulative PV capacity in 2013
21. February 2014 | Markets & Trends, Global PV markets, Industry & Suppliers | By: Ian Clover

Figures released by the country's Ministry of Infrastructure and Environment reveal that Amsterdam leads the way, with more than 16 MW of solar power installed.

Latest figures from the Netherlands' Ministry of Infrastructure and Environment have revealed that the country ended 2013 with 665.47 MW of solar PV capacity installed.

These figures are the first official update on the country's solar performance since September last year, when the Dutch Association of Energy Network Operators published its findings that 455 MW of PV capacity had been registered with energy portal www.energieleveren.nl.

As expected, Amsterdam leads the way with 16. 1 MW of solar capacity installed. In second spot is the municipality of Haarlemmermeer, a polder on the shoulder of Amsterdam that has a total of 8.5 MW of PV capacity installed.

After which, solar capacity in the Netherlands appears rather evenly spread out, with cities such as Utrecht (5.9 MW), Tilburg (5.7 MW), Eindhoven (4.4 MW) and The Hague (4.3 MW) each boasting modest levels of capacity.

http://www.pv-magazine.com/news/deta...013_100014308/

Chile connects more than 100 MW of solar projects to grid
20. February 2014 | Global PV markets, Industry & Suppliers, Markets & Trends | By: Blanca Diaz, Edgar Meza

The country's grid-connected solar capacity soared from 6.7 MW in December to more than 100 MW the following month.

Chile saw an explosion of solar capacity in January, thanks in large part to a large-scale PV installation that was partially connected to the grid in the Atacama region.

At the end of December, Chile had 6.7 MW of grid-connected solar. The following month, that figure had soared to more than 100 MW.

According to Chile's Center for Renewable Energy (CER), solar energy capacity climbed to 102.6 MW in January, an increase of 95.9 MW from December.

http://www.pv-magazine.com/news/deta...rid_100014305/
http://www.pv-tech.org/news/chiles_p...t_comes_online

CDB provides United Photovoltaics financing for 1GW of planned PV projects
By Mark Osborne - 20 February 2014, 17:57
In News, Power Generation, Finance

United Photovoltaics Group, formerly Goldpoly New Energy Holdings has secured financing for 1GW of planned PV projects in China from the Shenzhen Branch of China Development Bank (CDBSZ).

The financial details of the deal with CDBSZ were not disclosed except that the financing arrangement would be for a term of five-years. The financing arrangement enabled United Photovoltaics to better undertake forward planning requirements.

Crowd-funding agreement

United Photovoltaics also said that it had launched a crowd-funding internet based financial vehicle with Renewable Energy (Hong Kong) Trade Board (EBODHK) and Wangxin Finance Group (NCF Group), for the development and construction of PV power plant projects in China.

United Photovoltaics may be the first company in China to adopt the crowd-funding model.

CDBSZ is also participating in the crowd-funding vehicle by providing an escrow/custodian account for each project.

http://www.pv-tech.org/news/cdb_prov...ed_pv_projects

SunEdison’s US$6.4 billion Saudi manufacturing complex moving forward
By Mark Osborne - 20 February 2014, 16:41
In News, Fab & Facilities, Finance

SunEdison’s recently announced feasibility study to potentially establish a fully integrated PV manufacturing complex, including FBR polysilicon production in partnership with the Saudi Arabian government may be closer to reality than previously thought.

SunEdison recently revealed plans for the US$6.4 billion complex and highlighted that it was working with the Public Investment Fund (PIF) of the Government of Saudi Arabia and the Saudi Arabian Investment Company (Sanabil Investments) on the feasibility of the project.

The company noted that a preliminary study had already been carried out with the National Industrial Clusters Development Program (NICDP) in 2013.

However, Ahmad Chatila, CEO of SunEdison said in a conference call discussing fourth quarter financial results that he was “very exited about the initiative, and we'll talk more about it in the future as it gets finalized and moves forward".

Chatila’s comment strongly suggests that the possibilities of the potential massive deal contained a higher level of certainty than previously believed and also tie in with SunEdison’s plans to require as much as US$15 billion in annual project financing to support its plans to become a leading global downstream PV project developer.

http://www.pv-tech.org/news/sunediso...moving_forward

SunEdison targeting US$15 billion annual project finance business
By Mark Osborne - 20 February 2014, 15:12
In News, Power Generation, Finance

Major PV energy provider SunEdison is planning to grow its PV project business to a scale that would require up to US$15 billion a year in project finance capital. The company says this would be fuelled through tapping public capital markets via its yield co vehicles as well as debt and equity deals.

Management noted in a conference call to discuss fourth quarter 2013 financial results that the company had a strategic plan to be a leader in the downstream PV project business on a global basis and cover utility, commercial and residential markets.

“It's a multichannel approach, utility, commercial and residential,” commented Ahmad Chatila, CEO of SunEdison in the conference call. “So that's number one. Number two, if you really want to scale the business, we're talking US$10 billion, potentially US$15 billion a year worth of project finance and debt and equity. You cannot do it through negotiating with large institutions. You have to do it through public markets really. And you have to do it globally.”

High demand for yield co

According to SunEdison management, the recent plan to initiate its first yield co financial vehicle and the first major PVEP to do so, had already generated a lot of interest from the likes of sovereign wealth funds.

“You're definitely seeing people who are looking for yield coming after these [PV] projects,” said Brian Wuebbels, CFO of SunEdison in the conference call. “So whether it's sovereign wealth funds, whether it's insurances, whether it's utilities… there's just a tremendous appetite out there for the projects.”

*snip*

Distributed generation model

One area that has not received much attention is SunEdison’s plans for its distributed generation model. Currently the company is selectively testing the market by providing installers with its outsourced PV modules and offering installers credit facilities for securing third-party leasing deals with residential and commercial customers.

Competitors such as SunPower and SolarCity have built strong market presence by offering such customers no upfront cost for PV installations. SunEdison is undertaking trials of this business model in the US and UK.

Chatila noted in the call that the company was still attempting to create the right formula for the model so that it becomes another major market for the it. However, Chatila said that more insight and possible announcements in relation to the distributed market would occur in the second half of 2014.

PV project pipeline

SunEdison reported that it completed 333MW of PV projects in the fourth quarter of 2013, a record for the company. The company noted that ASPs were US$3.15/W in the quarter for fully developed projects. The company said that it had 504MW of new projects under construction at year end that would also be completed over the next few quarters.

The company said that its global PV project pipeline stood at 3.4GW, up 800MW from the previous year, while the backlog increased by 200MW in the same period. O&M assets under management reached 1.9GW.

http://www.pv-tech.org/news/sunediso...ance_business1

Three Strategies for Low-Income Solar Programs
Kat Friedrich, Clean Energy Finance Center
February 21, 2014 | 0 Comments

The phrase ‘low-income’ rarely appears in solar energy press coverage in the United States. But some enterprising organizations have set their sights on expanding the market for residential solar photovoltaics to include low-to-moderate-income communities.

Three approaches — group discount programs, affordable leases, and community solar installations — are making solar power available to these communities in some states.

While group discount programs and affordable leases are designed for homeowners, community solar installations also include renters and property owners whose homes are not suitable for solar panels.

The barriers that currently prevent solar power from reaching some low-income communities include requirements related to home ownership and credit scores.

Bob Wall, associate director of outreach at Connecticut’s Clean Energy Finance and Investment Authority (CEFIA), said he recommends that other solar programs expand their reach within low-income communities by driving down soft costs and streamlining the permitting process.

“This subject has been a challenge historically for CEFIA because we were restricted to working with renewable energy systems at a time when it was very early in the market development and the cost was prohibitive for many residents,” Wall said.

Group Discount Programs

Affordable Leases

Community Solar Installations

http://www.renewableenergyworld.com/...solar-programs

SolarCity Hired To Reduce Electricity Bill by 80% For Unical Aviation
February 20, 2014 Frank Andorka : 0 Comments

Unical Aviation, a global aircraft parts supplier, will fuel its growth with savings it expects from making an unusual move for its industry: going solar (with the help of national solar installer SolarCity).

The company, whose clients include the Boeing Co., most major airlines and the military, hired SolarCity to install a sprawling series of solar arrays on its roof that will provide more than one megawatt of generation capacity.

Unical expects the solar systems to cut its mushrooming monthly electricity bill by as much as 80 percent.

“We went solar first and foremost for environmental reasons,” says Leonardus Karsana, Unical executive vice president. “But financially, it was a no-brainer. Our electricity bill rises each year, and we’re consuming much more electricity because we’re growing so rapidly. We hired 70 people over the past year and now have a total of 370 employees.”

Unical expects to save $200,000 on utility costs in the first year alone, and millions more over the solar power system’s lifetime.

“Everyone is going to switch to solar, especially in sun-drenched states,” Karsana said. “It’s just a matter of time.”

http://www.solarpowerworldonline.com...ical-aviation/
http://www.solarnovus.com/aviation-f...ion_N7488.html

REC Group, Fraunhofer ISE Collaborate On High-Efficiency Solar Cells
February 21, 2014 Frank Andorka : 0 Comments

REC Group, a global supplier of solar energy solutions, will collaborate with the Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems ISE to develop high-efficiency solar cells based on n-type monocrystalline wafers.

N-type solar cells have a higher efficiency potential than traditional p-type solar cells. Moreover, they do not display the light induced degradation that conventional p-type solar cells suffer from. However, n-type cells are more complex to manufacture and traditionally require expensive silver contacts on both sides of the cell.

Fraunhofer ISE has now developed a high-efficiency cell structure that avoids the use of an expensive silver contact grid on the back of the cell. Instead, this cell structure makes use of a combination of dielectric layers and localized contacts.

REC, which has experience in the development and optimization state-of-the-art manufacturing processes, will work together with Fraunhofer ISE to translate this technology from lab scale to a full production-ready concept.

http://www.solarpowerworldonline.com...y-solar-cells/
http://www.solarnovus.com/rec-and-fr...lar_N7490.html

Studying Photosynthetic Antenna Proteins Could Make for Better Solar Cells
Written by Sandra Henderson 21 February 2014

Researchers at Stanford University in California (US) have garnered new insights into one of the molecular mechanisms behind light harvesting in photosynthetic organisms. Understanding natural designs of photosynthetic antenna proteins at the single-photon level could foster better solar cells in the future. One particular inquiry was how the same molecular machinery can perform efficient light harvesting at low light while safely dissipating excess excitation energy at high light.

The ability of plants and other photosynthetic organisms not only to capture solar energy but also to survive under both full sunshine and deep cloud cover has evolved over billions of years. So what does nature know that is eluding solar scientists? Employing the single-molecule Anti-Brownian ELectrokinetic (ABEL) trap, a solution-phase single-molecule technique, Stanford especially wanted to learn how individual photosynthetic antenna proteins can be robust to varying conditions in nature.

“In our just-published work on the bacterial antenna LH2, Dr Schlau-Cohen discovered new states of the LH2 complex with different degrees of quenching,” reports Hsiang-Yu Yang, a graduate student in Professor W.E. Moerner's research group. Postdoctoral scholar Gabriela Schlau-Cohen, along with Yang et al., is the author of the article "Single-Molecule Exploration of the Photodynamics of LHCII Complexes in Solution,” in Biophysical Journal. “By analysing the transition between these states, she found a photo-activated, reversible quenching process that may be one of the molecular mechanisms of photoprotection, or the way in which the organism protects itself from damage by excess light.” Plants do this by safely dissipating excess excitation energy to prevent the formation of triplet chlorophyll, which can generate deleterious singlet oxygen. This regulation, known as non-photochemical quenching (NPQ), enables plants to balance efficient light harvesting and photosynthesis under fluctuating sunlight conditions without damage to the photosynthetic machinery.

Yang believes that incorporating this concept into future designs of biomimetic light-harvesting materials or photovoltaic devices may help advance their capability to work under fluctuating light intensity and improve their durability.

http://www.solarnovus.com/understand...vel_N7487.html