Solar panels more popular than satellite TV with homebuyers

With the results of a new survey conducted by mortgage lender ING Direct recently revealing that British property buyers regard a solar PV installation as their most desirable "non-essential deal-sealer", Trina Solar's Ben Hill has spoken out to emphasise the need for panel manufacturers to step up their efforts to support installers as they look to meet increasing demand for solar technology. Solar panels were by some distance the most popular extra property feature, being named by 38 per cent of respondents to the survey and beating off competition as diverse as weekly refuse collection and satellite television connection (32 per cent each), good 3G mobile Internet coverage (20 per cent), and a garden pond (15 per cent). For Hill, Trina Solar's Head of Europe, these statistics are confirmation of the trends he is seeing in the UK market, where the number of homes generating their own energy using solar panels has risen by 349 per cent since August 2011: "The strong demand we are witnessing is a sure sign that the British public is embracing solar PV. More and more people are recognising the environmental and economic benefits that they can reap from installing solar panels," he said. But Hill cautions that manufacturers hoping to take advantage of the growing popularity of solar panels among British homebuyers need to make more of an effort to understand the business needs of their installer partners, providing services that match these requirements. "Mass-producing panels and leaving the matter of getting them onto roofs to someone else just does not cut it," he said. "There are still very few high-end manufacturers providing the training opportunities, support, and incentives that installers need. Trina Solar has just launched its UK truck roadshow to take its comprehensive installer programme out to the UK market, including visiting Solar Power UK on 2nd-4th October, and London on 8th and 10th October. "Giving installers and distributors this kind of assistance when it comes to increasing their competence and building their business can only be a good thing, especially as demand for solar PV continues to grow."

Trina Solar Records Excellent Results At Desert Knowledge Solar Centre

Trina Solar has announced that its monocrystalline modules recorded one of the highest average outputs in terms of actual electricity generated at Desert Knowledge Australia Solar Centre ("Desert Knowledge") in Alice Springs, Australia.

Based on independent and ongoing test data collected by Desert Knowledge at its demonstration site from December 1, 2008 to July 31, 2009, the Company's modules consistently held the top two position compared to modules from several leading European, Japanese, and American brands under the harsh Australia desert environment.

Performance comparison was made based on similar system size operating at full capacity and fixed ground mount installation.

Combining high performance with superior value, Trina Solar is dedicated to reducing the cost of solar provided electricity to accelerate the adoption of clean and efficient energy technologies.

Desert Knowledge is a 3.1 million Australian Dollars public initiative that showcases and demonstrates a range of solar power technologies in commercial-scale installations.

This is the first organization in Australia to publicly showcase a broad range of large scale solar installations.

Approximately fourteen different manufacturers and suppliers were chosen to demonstrate their technologies at Desert Knowledge's site.

Source - Solar Daily

Trina Solar Inaugurates Largest Single Rooftop Solar Installation In USA

Trina Solar has announced the commemoration and completion of the largest roof mounted solar array in the United States.

Trina Solar's Director of Sales and Marketing for North America, Jim Day, joined project partners and invited guests as Governor Jon Corzine of New Jersey and other officials dedicated the completion on March 5, 2009.

The Atlantic City Convention Center ("ACCC") project is North America's largest single roof-mounted solar array and consists of more than 13,400 modules.

The project, which provides approximately 2.4 MW at peak capacity, was completed in December, 2008, and can power up to 280 homes and effectively curtail the release of 2,350 tons of carbon dioxide every year.

The panels will produce about one-fourth of the building's energy and will provide the ACCC with energy savings of approximately $4.4 million over 20 years.

"We are very delighted by the completion of this significant project, which helps to bring clean, green solar energy solutions to Atlantic City," stated Jifan Gao, Trina Solar's Chairman and Chief Executive Officer.

"We are proud that Trina Solar's modules were selected for this landmark achievement. The success of this project demonstrates our capacity to deliver large scale commercial solar solutions to market as we continue to broaden our distribution networks and project partnership agreements in the U.S."

Source - Solardaily