According to Renusol, their products allow solar arrays to be installed on...

Renusol supplies Edmundsonwith mounting range

Cologne-based PV mounting systems manufacturer Renusol has reported that it now supplies its complete range of products to Edmundson Electrical, a UK-based distributor of electrical equipment. According to Renusol, their products allow solar arrays to be installed on roofs of any kind as well as in ground-mounted systems.

“Renusol is one of the best known brands in Europe and provides intelligent mounting solutions for any type of roof," said Andrew Fawcett, business development manager at Edmundson Electrical, which sells PV products under the Greentech brand in 22 of its Edmundson and Electric Center branches in the UK.

Fawcett said they chose Renusol because of their track record. "We were won over by the fact that the manufacturer has more than 15 years of experience and because it develops mounting systems that are incredibly sophisticated and easy to use.”

Cleanergy provides mounting solution for Japan project

Cleanergy has announced it is supplying mounting systems for one of Japan’s largest solar projects, a 24.8 MW power plant situated in a 37-hectare forest in Nasushiobara.

The ground-mount product to be installed is SolarTerrace II-A from Cleanergy’s PV-ezRack range.

Construction began in June 2014 and the plant is expected to become operational in September 2015.

Eos sells battery system to GDF Suez

Eos Energy Storage announced that European energy giant GDF Suez has purchased its low-cost zinc hybrid cathode battery system for R&D testing. The sale marks the next phase in Eos’s pilot demonstration program after 3^rd-party testing with DNV GL, and paves the way for commercial deployment in European markets.

GDF Suez will now install and test the Eos battery system at their new Batteries Lab at Laborelec, in Linkebeek, Belgium. Part of the GDF Suez Research & Technologies Division, Laborelec research centre focuses on electrical power technology and covers the entire electricity value chain, from generation and transmission to distribution, storage and end-use.

Bakersfield to get a 10 MW PV power plant

Renewable energy developer Algonquin Power & Utilities Corp. announced plans to build a 10 MW PV project in the city of Bakersfield, California, in 2015. Named as Bakersfield II Solar, the plant will be located on 64 acres of land and situated next to the operational, 20 MW Bakersfield I Solar.

Construction of Bakersfield II Solar is planned to begin in mid-2015, and operation is expected in the first quarter of 2016. The project is the outcome of a 20-year purchase agreement signed in September 2014 between Algonquin Power and an unidentified California based electric utility company.

Vikram on the hunt for PV cell manufacturing JV

India-based PV module manufacturer and EPC contractor Vikram Solar is looking to expand their upstream presence by venturing into solar cell production. The internationally active company plans to raise its module production capacity to 350 MW by the second quarter of 2015, and 600 MW by the fourth quarter of the same year.

Vikram is currently weighing several options, including joint venture agreements with global solar cell makers, to set up a 250 MW cell manufacturing plant by the first quarter of 2016. The company aims to serve the increasing demand for domestically-manufactured cells in India.

California developer to acquire 22 MW PV project in Japan

California-based Solar Power Inc.has agreed to buy a 22 MW solar farm in Sukagawa City, in Japan’s Fukushima Prefecture. Construction of the project is planned to begin in April 2015, and the plant is anticipated to come online about one year later. The company’s subsidiary SPI Solar Japan GK is also considering the development of an additional 3 MW at the site.

Serbia's largest PV plant commissioned

Serbia's largest solar PV plant, located in the Eastern municipality of Kladovo over 4.5 hectares, has officially commenced operation. The 2 MW PV plant will meet nearly half of Kladovo's energy demand during the summer months.

Built at a cost of EUR 3 million, the project should also help Serbia increase its renewable energy generation, which currently stands at 21%, not far from the country’s goal of 27% by 2020. Project developer Solaris Energy said it was planning for two more 2 MW blocks with an investment of three million euros.

IBC Solar, Solsquare join hands in Namibia

PV system provider IBC Solar AG has extended its partnership with Namibia’s PV installer Solsquare Energy, who has now become IBC’s exclusive distribution partner for the growing Namibian PV market. Both parties are said to be benefitting from this agreement. While IBC Solar can avail the market know-how of its local partner, Solsquare has the guarantee of a reliable supply of IBC’s PV products.

Solar energy is used in a variety of areas in Namibia, according to IBC, ranging from agriculture and businesses to private households. In most cases, the energy is used for self-consumption rather than fed into the local grid, especially in water pumping systems.

"The Namibian photovoltaic market is very dynamic. There is a considerable demand for durable and efficient solutions. This makes the partnership not only fruitful for both companies, but most of all beneficial for the customers," said Antje Anzi, Director International Sales at IBC SOLAR.

Hanhwa SolarOne to set up 230 MW PV module factory

China-headquartered Hanhwa SolarOne is expanding its domestic manufacturing capacity in a bid to strengthen its presence in the growing Korean solar market.

The expansion involves building a 230-MW PV factory that can generate enough modules to supply the city of Gimpo in the west of Seoul. Hanhwa aims to begin the operation from May 2015 by investing $11.6m. With the facility, the company expects to gain annual sales of $125m and more than $6.2m of operating profit.

Europe’s largest PV project awarded

The contract to build Europe's largest PV power project has been awarded to a consortium comprising Eiffage – acting through its Clemessy subsidiary – Schneider Electric, and Krinner. The €285m facility will include an extra-high voltage substation and will be located in Bordeaux, France.

Clemessy subsidiary RMT will be responsible for the engineering studies, Eiffage Energia for connection work, Eiffage Travaux Publics for earthworks, Schneider Electric for the electrical conversion chain and Krinner GmbH for screw-in foundations and PV structures. The power plant is being built by French renewable-energy developer Neoen, and once operational in October 2015, will provide a total peak capacity of 300 MW, enough to meet the power demand of Bordeaux’s entire population.