Canadian Solar could buy Sharp’s US solar developer Recurrent Energy

Further reports have emerged that Sharp is nearing the sale of US solar developer Recurrent Energy, with news outlets claiming a deal has been agreed with Canadian Solar worth about ¥30 billion (US$247.5 million).

Japan-headquartered Sharp appears to have been trying to sell off Recurrent Energy for a short while, after a series of unconfirmed reports emerged in September that this was the case. At the time a company spokeswoman said that while the company was considering a number of options for Recurrent, including its sale, nothing had been decided.



In the latest turn of events, Japanese financial newspaper Nikkei reported over the weekend that Sharp had agreed the sale as part of an ongoing process to concentrate on its core businesses. So far this has included the company exiting its thin-film join venture (JV) with Enel at a cost of around US$141 million in July and the earlier closure of a PV module assembly plant in Wales, UK. Additionally, the company has been among many in Japan to suffer the effect of a controversial hike in consumption tax.

Recurrent was only purchased by Sharp in 2010. Nikkei claimed that the deal between the two parties had not yielded significant benefit to Sharp, with Recurrent not electing to use its new parent company’s panels in substantial volumes. According to Nikkei the deal with Canadian Solar could be completed by the end of the year.

Reuters news agency reported this morning that Sharp had said since the Nikkei report that it was considering various options including the sale of Recurrent Energy but was yet to make a final decision on the deal. Meanwhile, Sharp announced this morning in Japan that it completed and connected a 2.6MW solar farm project in Tochigi, eastern Japan at the end of November.

Foresight Solar Fund buys UK’s largest PV project

The Foresight Solar Fund has agreed to buy the 46MW Landmead solar farm, the largest in the UK.

The plant, in the county of Oxfordshire, is still under construction by German firm BELECTRIC with grid connection expected later this month. The plant expects to be accredited for support at 1.4ROCs under the renewable obligation. That scheme closes to projects over 5MW at the end of March.

The acquisition is agreed under a binding contract subject to the developer meeting all required criteria and the completion of grid connection.

On completion, the deal will take the Foresight Solar Fund’s UK assets to 231MW.

“This agreement with BELECTRIC to acquire the 46MW Landmead solar plant, will boost the company’s capacity by around 25%,” said Ricardo Piñeiro, director, Foresight Solar Fund. “Following acquisition, Foresight Solar Fund will own and operate four of the largest solar power plants in the UK, with an enterprise value in excess of £300 million, doubling the size of the company within 15 months of IPO,” added Piñeiro.

The company also owns the 32.2MW Wymeswold plant and the Bournemouth and Kencot plants, 37.3 and 37.2MW respectively.

Kong Sun to boost Chinese DG PV by 600 MW

Hong Kong investment company Kong Sun Holdings Limited has announced this week a partnership that will swell China’s growing distributed generation (DG) solar capacity by 600 MW over the next three years.

Kong Sun will partner with Chinese EPC firm Wuxi Liansheng to develop DG systems across China in a collaborative project due to commence in 2015.

The framework agreement announced by Kong Sun gives the company priority rights to invest in any DG project developed by Wuxi Liansheng that has a capacity greater than 5 MW. The investment company added that the expected internal rate of return (IRR) is higher than 12% per project.

 Kong Sun's movement into China’s growing DG sector could be a sign that the larger investment firms are beginning to support this growing segment of the market. Having previously operated solely within the ground-mount, utility-scale PV sector, this cooperation with Wuxi Liansheng, plus an earlier agreement announced late last month with Yucheng Hangyu, signifies a "furtherance of the Group's entrance into the DG PV power system market", read a company statement.

Kong Sun, formerly a large player in China's real estate market, switched its attentions to solar PV in the Fall of this year, quickly stockpiling a solar portfolio of 70 MW.

The company's pledge to help develop China's DG industry will be welcomed within the People’s Republic. Bold plans announced earlier this year to source 8 GW of a targeted annual growth capacity of 14 GW from DG have thus far fallen short.

In May, data from China's National Energy Agency (NEA) revealed that just 188 MW of DG capacity had been installed, and despite hopes being pinned on an end-of-year glut boosting numbers, solar analysts have warned that further contractions are likely at the end of the year – a situation that could allow Japan to end 2014 as the world’s largest market in terms of new PV capacity added.

SolarMax's parent company Sputnik Engineering bankruptcy spread supply chain

SolarMax's parent company Sputnik Engineering bankruptcy spread supply chain, the German company InTiCa facing € 2.5 million ($ 3.1 million) shortfall in its 2014 figures.

The electrical components of the inverter manufacturer quoted company "unexpected" filed for bankruptcy, has issued a profit warning. The manufacturer said it will no longer be able to achieve its 2014 earnings forecast.



InTiCa said the bankruptcy proceedings until the final determination of the results, in order to accurately calculate the final extent of the damage caused. The company said it is ready to accept an impairment loss and impairment of assets of up to seven hundred and fifty thousand euros, and the remaining 1.8 million euros previously earmarked for Sputnik's unsold inventory.

InTiCa said that given the Sputnik announcement, which is studying the inventory of "alternative internal and external applications."

Huawei held Europe intelligent photovoltaic plant spot in Germany

November 25, 2014, Huawei host the 2014 European Smart photovoltaic plant spot in Saarbruecken, Germany. The German spot Huawei smart PV power plant is another grand flagship event, covering the entire European market. From Germany, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, France, Spain, Belgium and China 130 partners and distributors together to discuss the global solar industry trends. Germany Greencells, Siemens, British Lightsource, Lee Teng-hui in Photovoltaic Technology Co., Ltd., Zhejiang Science and Technology Co., Ltd., with the King at home and abroad to share photovoltaic power station construction and operation and maintenance of the success stories. At the meeting, Huawei systematically expounded the latest achievements and progress of the world's photovoltaic power plant project intelligence solutions, and has released the latest solutions and product roadmap, to win live guests of attention and appreciation. Smart PV power plant solutions bring value being European and global customers widely recognized.

Meanwhile, the participating members visited the 7.8MW power plant (photovoltaic plant Huawei Smart Solutions), a live demonstration of fanless design, intelligent string detection, anti-PID, big data analytics, wireless private communication technology and other functions, so that the guests really feel to Huawei's range of innovative technologies, advanced concepts and global leader advantage.

Based on Huawei's 26 years of accumulated deep in the digital information and power electronics technology, Huawei launched the use of string inverters for photovoltaic power plants intelligent overall solution compared to a centralized inverter traditional solution with high power output, easy maintenance advantages. At the same time, Huawei also continue to rely on Nuremberg, Germany, and research and development team in Stockholm, Sweden, in high power conversion topology and control of the core technology, technical, structural design and high heat, such as weather and stock the next 5-10 years, technology, and actively respond to future challenges, leading the world solar inverter technology development.



Adreas Hffman (Germany Greencells CEO) Germany 7.8MW power plant operators stable over the past year, high power output, Huawei's intelligent photovoltaic system is highly recognized by investors and owners, the future will be launched in European countries with Huawei broader cooperation.

Solarcentury (EPC), said: In the past most centralized ground station, but since the beginning of this year, along with string pv inverters price advantage, as well as the flexibility of string solutions, using multiple MPPT technology, can reduce the block, dust, string mismatch effects, improve power generation. Moreover, the service easier. And indicators of satisfactory quality inverter Huawei successfully passed the rigorous testing Solarcentury glad Huawei will become our new partners.



Lightsource (EPC) Kate Baxter, head of strategy, says: Even before entering the UK PV market, Huawei, its good reputation, reliable technology and excellent business management already world-renowned. Early, we visited the factory in Shenzhen Huawei, very impressed; this spot, but saw their real technical strength, first-hand experience of their highly respected in the industry, the root cause.

SolarMax bankruptcy: the lack of a pan-European policies harm the industry

Switzerland inverters supplier SolarMax filed for bankruptcy, some experts expressed surprise at the speed of its. WinfriedHoffman ASE from the private consulting firm pointed out that the lack of cohesion and support policies are a failure of European politicians.

Hoffmann also SMA Solar-Fabrik company and a member of the Advisory Committee. Hoffmann believes, SolarMax bankruptcy is not just the issue of the European inverter market, but involves all parts of Europe throughout the PV value chain. This is a failure of the whole European industrial policy, European politicians do not give enough support to ensure fair competition worldwide.

SolarMax bankruptcy

Whether solar inverter China, Japan and the United States in providing high-quality products. So if Europe is to maintain manufacturing capabilities, quality alone is not enough, you need to have a clear strategy. Asian politicians know how to attract investment, they provide support for infrastructure, construction and financing aspects. If the sum of the situation facing European manufacturers are compared, it is an unfair contest.

He hoped that the current situation in Europe can be changed, people can realize the importance of large-scale production of products, capable of how to maintain and encourage investment in the European industry to know more about. Otherwise, Europe could be a really big problem.

The production process