Solar panel testing company is placed into administration
Property and asset consultants at Lambert Smith Hampton ( LSH ) have been instructed to carry out a sale of the assets of IPSol Energy , a Nottingham-based solar panel testing company , following the appointment of administrators last month .
IPSol Energy has been operating since May 2009 and is the UK ’ s only UKAS accredited solar panel testing company , providing business and technical solutions to the solar PV market with a focus on testing and certification . Whilst the company has become well established , it has suffered along with the renewables industry in general with the reduction in subsidies , resulting in cash flow problems . Ultimately this has forced the company to cease trading .
LSH has been instructed to sell assets including two ACS solar panel environmental testing chambers ( 2011 ), a Pasan solar panel UV test unit and a solid state solar simulator .
A spokesman said : “ This sale is perhaps indicative of a wider difficulty in the alternative energy sector , which has experienced a degree of consolidation over the last year or so . However , there is still interest in renewable energy resources and an appetite for good equipment from firms which have established good traction in the market . “
Schneider Electric launches Light It Up
Schneider Electric , the global specialist in energy management and automation , has launched Light It Up , its programme to bring access to electricity to rural communities across the Asia Pacific region .
Schneider Electric believes that access to energy is a basic human right , and it is committed to putting safe , reliable , efficient and sustainable energy within reach of a great many households . From mid-September to early November this year , Schneider Electric employees will distribute more than 1,800 units of the Mobiya solar lamps to communities in 12 countries across the region .
Globally , around 1.3 billion people still lack access to modern energy , while another billion have only unreliable electricity networks . A significant proportion of the world ’ s energy poor are in Asia . In countries like Myanmar and Cambodia , the rural electrification rate can be as low as 18 %.
In the past six years , Schneider Electric has contributed to providing five million people with access to energy . The goal is to reach 50 million within the next 10 years .
With the Light It Up campaign , solar lamps will be distributed in rural areas across Bangladesh , Brunei , Cambodia , Indonesia , Laos , Malaysia , Mongolia , Myanmar , Pakistan , the Philippines , Thailand and Vietnam , connecting over 1,300 families to electricity and lighting , and helping to improve living conditions .
North Star Solar announces battery deal with Leclanché
North Star Solar has announced a strategic partnership with Leclanché to use the battery company ’ s TiBox home energy storage system . The TiBox uses Lithium Titanate cells and was selected by North Star primarily for its battery chemistry strength and reliability .
North Star has developed a unique financing model that allows end-users to enjoy high savings in electricity costs with repayments coming directly from energy savings – no upfront payments required . The TiBox is integral to North Star ’ s offering based largely on the high number of cycles .
North Star CEO Paul Massara said : “ The 20-year life and 20,000 cycles of the TiBox sits well within our model and we are very excited about our partnership with Leclanché .”
North Star partners with local authorities and housing associations nationwide . Having recently announced its first deal with Stanley Town Council , County Durham , several more are set to follow soon .
Anil Srivastava , CEO of Leclanché , said : “ Leclanché is excited to be selected as the supplier for Battery Energy Storage Systems by North Star Solar . This new operational model opens the way to a far more efficient use of overall energy . Smart cities and connected homes are a new step illustrating a wider revolution in the energy generation and distribution market .”
Solar steam to be focus of academic report
Renewables technology developed by Bourne-based Lark Energy , part of The Larkfleet Group of Companies , is to be the subject of a research paper by leading academics .
Dubbed ‘ solar steam ’, the technology concentrates the power of the sun ’ s rays to heat water to create steam , which can be used as an energy solution in industrial processes .
As part of a Knowledge Transfer Partnership ( KTP ) researchers based at Lark Energy and Cranfield University are exploring the possibilities of the new technology . The results will be submitted to peer-reviewed academic journals for publication later this year .
KTPs enable businesses to improve their productivity and competitiveness through government-funded partnerships with colleges and universities . A KTP is a three-way partnership between the business , an academic institution and a recent graduate . The recent graduate is employed at the business and brings new skills and knowledge . The business gains access to academic expertise that it wouldn ’ t normally have in-house .
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