Staff Reporter

 A consortium of 13 Japanese companies will establish the "International Nuclear Energy Development of Japan Co., Ltd." or JINED today.

Ceylon Electricity Board has awarded a contract to China National Electric Equipment Corporation to build a 35MW hydro power plant.

The Indian state of Bihar will receive $132 million from ADB for electricity system upgrades.

Solarfun has already reached its 2010 year-end capacity expansion targets as of October. These are the 360 MW in ingot manufacturing capacity, 400 MW in wire saw capacity, 500 MW of cell capacity and 900 MW in module capacity. This represents increases of 100 MW in cell capacity and 200 MW in module capacity compared to the end of the second quarter of 2010.

ABB will supply power substations to help Rio Tinto increase production capacity at iron ore mines in the Pilbara region. The substations, worth $47 million, are to be constructed at the Marandoo and Tom Price mine sites.

GE inaugurated its first manufacturing facility in Vietnam to produce wind turbine components.

First Solar Inc. will build two new manufacturing plants, including one in Vietnam. Both the Vietnam plant and another one to be built in the United States are scheduled to be completed by 2012 and to create jobs for 600 people apiece. Together the plants, once fully operational, are expected to produce 500 megawatts' worth of thin-film photovoltaic modules annually, according to Arizona-based First Solar. In addition to the increase in manufacturing employment, First Solar expects to generate over 1,000 construction jobs through the installation of solar power plants. First Solar added that negotiations and site assessments are ongoing in both countries and will be finalized and announced at a later date.    "These expansions provide proximity to growing U.S. demand while supporting our roadmap to drive down the cost of clean, sustainable solar electricity," said First Solar CEO Rob Gillette.    The new plants announced on Oct 14, combined with these previously announced expansions, will nearly double production capacity from 1.4 GW in 2010 to more than 2.7 GW in 2012.  

GE will supply over $450 million worth of advanced technology equipment and services a combined heat and power plant in Korea.

Chubu Electric Power extended the scheduled shutdown, beginning in late September, of Hamaoka Nuclear Power Station Reactor No. 5.

ADB will help Asia and the Pacific develop the know-how and capabilities to make solar energy.

ADB and the Japanese government will fund studies into the feasibility of wind power facilities in the northern Philippines. It seeks to help reduce the country’s reliance on coal and oil-fired power, and cut greenhouse gas emissions.

ADB is lending Bangchak Petroleum Company up to US$140 million to build two solar power plants in central Thailand.

Jiangsu Linyang will be responsible for designing, engineering and constructing an 8.1 MW PV power plant in Heyuan . It will also supply the PV modules to be used in this project. These were among the terms of the contract that Jiangsu Linyang, a wholly owned subsidiary of Solarfun, has entered into with Guangdong Guohua New Energy Investment Co., Ltd. This solar power project, subsidized by the national Golden Sun program, will be owned by Guohua New Energy, a Heyuan-based company founded in September, 2009. This project is expected to become operational by December 30, 2010. When completed, the plant is expected to cover a total area of approximately 30 hectares and generate approximately 8.1 MWh of electricity per year. "We are excited to have been selected for this important project. It is the largest EPC project for Solarfun in China and should help position us well for further growth from other similar projects in the future. This project builds on our prior project experience in China,” commented Dr. Ping Peter Xie, Chief Executive Officer and President of Solarfun.

Even without carbon price introduction, investment in Australia's National Electricity Market gas-fired electricity generation plant could reach AUD7.8bn over the next six years.

ABB will supply Generator Circuit Breakers to major hydropower plants coming up in China. The deal is part of power sources to China’s “West to East power transmission” program. ABB will deliver HEC7/8 Generator Circuit Breakers, featuring the world’s largest breaking capacity, to the Xiluodu HPP, Xiangjiaba HPP, Jinping-I&II HPPs, and Guandi HPP projects, ensuring their safe and efficient operation.