The Indian Suzlon Group is increasing its influence over its German subsidiary Senvion SE. On December 1, Kirti Vagadia from India became the new CFO at Senvion. Chief Strategy Officer (CSO) Alex De Ryck, on the other hand, is leaving the company on 15 December.

A consortium comprising Eiffage, acting through its Clemessy subsidiary (consortium leader), Schneider Electric and Krinner has been awarded a contract for the construction of a solar farm and an extra-high voltage substation – representing the largest photovoltaic power project in Europe – in Cestas, near Bordeaux, France. The consortium will also be responsible for the plant’s operation and maintenance.

Until recently, light trapping within periodically nanostructured solar cells could only be analysed using indirect methods, as captured light is not visible from outside of the solar cell. However, the quantum mechanical tunnelling effect of light allows it to be tracked if a light-conducting component is brought extremely close to the cell’s surface. Through use of a glass fibre tip, the researchers were able to measure the amount of light that had actually been captured in the solar cell using a method called near-field optical microscopy.

Light trapping plays a particular important role in optimizing thin-film solar cells. These solar cells are easier to manufacture and require less material than conventional crystalline solar cells, but they are not yet as efficient. The layer in which energy conversion takes place is only about one thousandth of a millimetre thick. Therefore, longer wavelengths in the infrared region are only poorly absorbed when the cell is exposed to direct sunlight.

Periodically nanopatterned interface layers allow for better absorption of the incident light. These interfaces couple incident light into the thin silicon layer. Based on the new experimental approach, scientists from the Institute of Energy and Climate Research at Forschungszentrum Jülich showed that there is a direct link between the nature of the nanostructure, the absorption of specific wavelengths of light, and in particular the efficiency of the solar cell. The approach, presented in the specialist journal Nano Letters (DOI: 10.1021/nl503249n), also opens a range of new possibilities for investigating applied nano-optical components.

An audio-headset factory in Tijuana, Mexico, is now home to the largest, privately owned roof-mounted solar installation in all of Latin America. The 1.16-megawatt system features solar panels, racking and system engineering from SolarWorld, the largest solar manufacturer in the Americas for nearly 40 years.

PlanET Biogas UK Ltd. has recently commissioned their fifth Biogas plant into service. The 1.5 MW plant is situated on Singleton Birch’s Ltd. site at Melton Ross, Barnetby, North Lincolnshire. In future, Singleton Birch Ltd, focussed on processing and delivery of limestone, will produce 40% of their onsite power requirements from biogas. Four local farmers are providing 30,000 tonnes of feedstock every year.

The solar collector market in India has registered almost 45 % decline during 2013-14 in business caused by the delay in refunding the capital subsidy introduced 2 years ago. Under the National Solar Mission launched in 2011, 30 % capital subsidy, i.e. INR 3,000 (€ 38) per m2, had to be offered for solar water heaters.

Due to the stagnating demand for photovoltaic systems, the board of directors of SMA Solar Technology AG has reduced its turnover and earnings forecast for 2014 and can no longer rule out a loss. For this reason, the company has announced a reduction in its workforce.
According to the new forecast, the board now expects a turnover between 850 and 950 million euros instead of the previously expected 1.0 to 1.3 billion euros. At best, SMA can now expect to break even. In the worst case scenario, it will have to deal with a loss of approximately 45 million euros.

Alstom has signed a contract to deliver five offshore wind turbines for Deepwater Wind’s 30 MW pilot project Block Island off the coast of Rhode Island, USA. The project, which will go into operation in 2016, is one of the first offshore wind farms in the USA and also the first offshore project for Alstom’s Haliade 150-6 MW.

Here you can find a small selection of comprehensive market overvies from the solar thermal sector:

Market Overview: Vacuum Tube Collectors

Market Overview: Flat Plate Collectors

Market Overview: Solar Stations

Market Overview: Thermosiphonic Systems