Utilities and independent power producers with ready access to the US bond market are ramping up their project development and ownership activities, and that may open up opportunities for other industry participants to follow suit. Recent developments indicate that institutional investors may have an appetite for solar energy bonds, as well.
Other than our 60+ stories from the past week, here are a few more noteworthy ones worth a look or two: Solar Energy http://youtu.be/zlCmFIMm8bM 1. MidAmerican Renewables, LLC Completes Acquisition of 550-MegawattAC Topaz Solar Farm from First Solar (solar farm in video above) MidAmerican Renewables, LLC, a subsidiary of MidAmerican Energy Holdings Company, … [continued]
Some recent solar energy news we haven’t hit yet: 1. Agendas for the 7th Annual Photovoltaics Summit and 4th Annual Concentrating Solar Thermal Power, scheduled for April 17-19 in San Diego, have been announced. 2. Kyocera has now launched “its highest-output solar module, the 80-cell KD 315,” the company notes. “The new module is ideal for large-scale … [continued]
2011 was a “break-out” year for emerging thin-film CIGS solar photovoltaic (PV) technology and manufacturers. The next four years will see the CIGS market double in size, according to a new industry report from Lux Research, which evaluates and ranks competitors across parameters, including technical value and business execution.
San Diego-based enXco has purchased Cielo Wind Energy’s 161-MW Spinning Spur Wind Ranch project. Producing enough clean, renewable energy to supply more than 54,000 households, enXco, Cielo – which will manage construction of the project – and North Dakota contractor Wanzek Construction plan an accelerated construction schedule in order to qualify for a federal wind energy production tax credit due to expire at year-end.
2012 may well shape up as a pivotal year for CIGS thin film solar PV technology. Japan’s Solar Frontier, the world’s largest manufacturer of thin-film CIGS solar PV modules, has closed a deal to supply EDF Energies Nouvelles’ enXco with as much as 150-MWp of CIGS modules for use in the latter’s 100+ MW Catalina Solar Project in Kern County, California.
As emerging clean technology companies reach stages of growth that require enormous amounts of deployment capital, investment figures for 2011 reflect that market dynamic.
Last year, global corporate and venture capital investments in cleantech grew 13% over 2010, reaching almost $9 billion, according to preliminary figures released from the Cleantech Group. Most of those investments are going to companies that have already picked up one or more rounds of funding, with 85% of dollars flowing into Series B rounds or later.
The most stunning increase in activity last year was in mergers and acquisitions, which grew by 154% in 2011. Because it’s often more attractive for cleantech companies to merge with a mature corporate parent rather than go public, the amount of exits in M&A have shot up dramatically. […]
Soltecture, a German manufacturer, announced that they attained a new CIGSe solar efficiency record of 13.4% (not a worldwide record), and they are producing their first 100 watt solar panels.
Yes, it’s that time again — another solar power efficiency record has been set! The category: thin-film solar module efficiency. The company: Solibro, a subsidiary of the large German solar company Q-Cells SE. The efficiency: 17.4% (of aperture area). The confirming party: the independent Fraunhofer ISE Institute. Where will the technology … [continued]
Ascent Solar Technologies develops innovative, lightweight, flexible, thin-film solar photovoltaic modules (that’s a mouthful, I know — read it again). Ascent’s flexible CIGS solar panels are so innovative they were named one of TIME’s are designed to integrate with limitless applications, transforming unused surface area into a source of clean, renewable energy.50 Best … [continued]
