NEWS I REVIEW
SoloPower’s flexible CIGS modules breaks barriers
SOLOPOWER says its next generation panel has achieved an aperture area efficiency of 13.4%. This, says the firm, is a record for flexible CIGS based modules. The result was verified independently by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL).
“Importantly, the cells were made in SoloPower’s San Jose manufacturing facility, so we know we have the systems in place to deliver high-efficiency, light- weight, flexible modules to our customers around the globe,” says SoloPower CEO Tim Harris.
“This benchmark is a testament to our technology team and to our commitment to continuously pushing the envelope in power and performance, while reducing costs for our customers.”
“SoloPower’s achievement of an aperture efficiency of 13.4% for our flexible CIGS modules is a result of efficiency improvement projects that have been in place during the past two years,” adds Mustafa Pinarbasi, CTO at SoloPower. “We were the first company to certify flexible CIGS modules to UL 1703 and
5.3 MW Conergy solar power plant connects to grid
A solar park equipped with Conergy products has been connected to the grid in southern Spain. It covers an area of almost 36 hectares near the town of Mazarrón and was supplied by two local Conergy partners Valfortec and Solaer.
This means over 22,000 modules were used on over 50 kilometres of Conergy SolarLinea mounting systems. This energy is fed into the Spanish power grid by over 380 Conergy IPG T inverters.
IEC standards (61646 and 61730) in 2010. We have improved the efficiency from 11.2% to 13.4% with new processes implemented in our roll to roll production line and have a strong pipeline of improvements yet to come this year.”
At this time, SoloPower is hiring engineers and technicians for its high- volume manufacturing facility in Portland, Oregon, which will begin commercial production later this year. SoloPower’s operations in Portland are ultimately expected to have a capacity of 400 MW and employ 450 people.
Most warranties will be transferred
THE newly founded SOLON Energy GmbH is giving customers of the insolvent SOLON SE the opportunity to continue most warranties on modules. Owners of roof-mounted systems are requested to register online by the end of August 2012. They will then receive confirmation from SOLON that outstanding warranty obligations will be continued free of charge.
“By transferring warranties, we are sending a clear signal that long-term customer relationships have a high priority for us,” said Stefan Säuberlich, CEO of SOLON Energy GmbH.
Special module types (like GSE thin film and OEM modules) are excluded from the provision.
Provisions can be arranged individually for customers with ground-mounted systems. Operators should contact SOLON in such cases.
All original warranty commitments will remain in effect for customers who purchased their modules and systems from the subsidiaries
SOLON Corp. (USA) and SOLON S.p.A. (Italy).
SOLON’s quality promises a ten-year product warranty and five-stage performance warranty over 25 years will continue to apply to the purchase of new PV systems and modules. SOLON Energy will also continue to offer free SOLON solar all-risk insurance for the first two years.
Fidel Roig, Valfortec’s Managing Director, Ignacio Arganza, Solaer’s Managing Director, adds: “We have installed Conergy components with a total output of over 20 MW since 2009 already and we are fully convinced these products deliver high yields, are easy to configure and to install. In addition Conergy provides first class technical support.”
With close to 2,800 hours of sunshine a year and an irradiation level exceeding 1,700 kilowatt hours per square metre, southern Spain also represents an extremely attractive location for solar plants.
The new Conergy park will generate over 8.1 gigawatt hours of clean energy annually, sufficient to supply 2,700 households throughout the year. At the same time, the solar park will prevent the emission of over 4,000 tons of CO2
.
“Currently, it is only possible to construct and connect projects that were approved before the moratorium, such as the Conergy park near Mazarrón,” says Luis Jiménez Gutierrez, Managing Director of Conergy Spain. “Obviously, a moratorium is never a cause for joy. But according to its own statements, the government is holding firm to its view that there will be some appropriate support measures to smooth the path of Spain’s photovoltaic sector towards grid parity. We are therefore definitely optimistic and expect the government to implement measures in this area in the near future, which will ensure planning security for the entire industry.”
Issue II 2012 I
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