U.S. solar company First Solar (Nasdaq: FSLR) and utility Southern California Edison (SCE) announced agreements to build two large-scale photovoltaic power projects in Riverside and San Bernardino counties in Southern California. First Solar will engineer and construct the two power plants, with a combined capacity of 550 megawatts (MW). The power purchase agreements still have to be approved by the California Public Utilities Commission, but if completed, the projects will be many times larger than largest photovoltaic plants currently operating in the U.S. The projects are the 250-MW Desert Sunlight project near Desert Center, Calif., and the 300-MW Stateline project in northeastern San Bernardino County. Both are expected to be completed in 2015.
New Zealand power company Meridian Energy has purchased Cleantech America, Inc., a San Francisco-based developer of utility scale photovoltaic solar farms. Meridian is a government-owned enterprise and the largest electricity generator in New Zealand that generates power only from renewable resources. Cleantech America’s first project was the 5-MW CalRENEW-1 photovoltaic solar facility in Mendota, CA, which sells power to Pacific Gas & Electric Co. Meridian said the acquisition will allow it to move into the U.S. market and begin adding solar to its portfolio. Financial terms or the sale were not disclosed.
Two German companies have joined forces to enter the U.S. utility-scale solar market. Solar thermal company Solar Millennium and plant construction firm MAN Ferrostaal announced a joint venture, called Solar Trust of America, LLC, to provide turnkey development, construction and financing of large-scale concentrated solar power (CSP) plants in the southwest United States. Solar Trust of America will employ Solar Millennium’s Flagsol parabolic trough technology exclusively. Solar Millennium has alread signed agreements with Southern California Edison to provide up to 726 MW of power.
Japan’s Toshiba Corporation (6502.T) has won a contract to develop a 7.5-MW photovoltaic (PV) project for Chubu Electric Power Co., Inc. (TOKYO: 9502). This is the first such contract for Toshiba, which entered the solar industry in January of this year. The company’s new Photovoltaic Systems Division is focusing on system design and integration. The plant for Chubu Electric is scheduled to come on line in autumn 2011. Toshiba said it plans to expand this business segment rapidly both in Japan and overseas.
Oerlikon Solar announced that Nano Solar Technology Ltd. (NST), a newly formed Russian high-tech firm, has ordered a 120-megawatts (MW) end-to-end production line for thin film solar modules. Nano Solar Technology is a joint venture between Renova Group (W7A.BE) and the Russian Corporation of Nanotechnologies (Rusnano). If completed as planned, the production line will be one of the largest in the world for thin-film solar with a capacity to produce about 1 million solar modules annually.
Rentech, Inc. (NYSE AMEX: RTK) has signed a multi-year agreement to supply eight airlines with up to 1.5 million gallons per year of renewable synthetic diesel for ground service operations at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX). The deal was actually made with Aircraft Service International Group, which provides ground service to the group of airlines, which includes American Airlines, Continental, Delta and United. The fuel will be produced from green waste at Rentech’s proposed Rialto Renewable Energy Center and is expected to have a carbon footprint of near zero. Delivery of the fuel is scheduled to begin in 2012.
BP (NYSE: BP) and Martek Biosciences Corporation (Nasdaq: MATK) signed a Joint Development Agreement (JDA) for biofuels. The partnership will specifically focus on the conversion of sugars into biodiesel. Martek and BP will work together to establish proof of concept for large-scale microbial biodiesel production through fermentation. Martek will perform the biotechnology research and development, and BP will contribute to funding and distribution of end products. The companies say advantages of sugar-to-biodiesel over conventional biodiesel made from vegetable oils include access to a wide variety of biomass feedstocks, including non-food feedstocks like woodchips and sugar cane waste. Also the fuel can be tailored for use as jet-fuel.
GE Energy (NYSE: GE) will acquire offshore wind turbine technology through the purchase of Norwegian-based ScanWind for about $18 million. Scanwind was founded by Sweden’s Morphic Technologies AB in 1999 to develop and commercialize direct-drive wind turbine technology suitable for offshore deployment. GE said the technology will expand their wind turbine options for customers.
Loading...