The European heat pump sector witnessed a challenging market environment in 2010. It was characterized by a multitude of factors, some of which were positive and others negatively influencing heat pump sales. Overall, the market showed a slightly negative trend. The reasons for this range from the global economic and financial crisis to the relative [...]

Rooftop solar panels are attracting a new demographic of customers who are choosing to lease rather than buy, and enjoying the low upfront costs and immediate savings. The new third-party-lease business model lets homeowners save money the very first month, rather than breaking even a decade later after an initial investment of $10,000 or $20,000. [...]

Solar school adds new online training courses for renewable energy professionals and enthusiasts alike Infinite Solar Inc., the leading provider of renewable energy training, is launching Infinite Solar Online, Internet-based solar training programs that expand its traditional curricula to an online format. These programs provide students with practical knowledge and relevant skills that can be [...]

New Global Customer Survey Reveals Increasing Acceptance of Chinese PV Inverters A new survey of more than 400 buyers of PV inverters has revealed a growing acceptance of Chinese products, with close to 30% of respondents indicating they were of acceptable quality, according to IMS Research. The recent survey, conducted in Q4 last year also [...]

Specialist distributor Donauer Solartechnik is opening a branch in Muscat, the capital of Oman, on 1 February. The solar company from Gilching near Munich is a partner in the joint venture with Saleh Ahmed Al Badi, who will direct the Donauer branch in Muscat. Previously, he was member of the executive board of Haya Water, [...]

Global investment in clean energy reached a new high of $260bn (€203bn) last year, despite the financial crisis and the anti-environment agenda of Republicans in the US Congress, a United Nations investors’ summit was told on Thursday (12 January). Data from Bloomberg New Energy Finance, which tracks clean energy investment, showed a 5% increase compared [...]

On 31 October 2011, the Government published a consultation on Feed-in Tariffs (FITs) for solar photovoltaics (PV). This was in response to a substantial increase in deployment of PV, prompted by falling prices, with levels at nearly double the original projections for the first two years of the scheme. The consultation set out  proposals for [...]