Royal Bank of Scotland has reached an agreement with a Japanese lender to sell a project finance portfolio worth nearly £4bn.
By Harry Wilson 7:00AM GMT 16 Nov 2010
Bank of Tokyo-Mitsubishi UFJ (BTMU) is paying an undisclosed price for a £3.8bn portfolio of loans to a range of power and natural resource projects.
The deal follows speculation last month that a sale of the loans, which are to European, African and Middle Eastern infrastructure projects, would be announced imminently.
BTMU said the acquisition of the RBS loan book would "significantly strengthen" its business in the regions as the Japanese financial group looks to become one of the world's leading project finance banks.
Wednesday, 17 November 2010
Aesthetic solar power the French way
Wednesday, 17 November 2010
Photovoltaics company Sanyo Component Europe GmbH will be showcasing a range of high efficiency HIT solar modules created for the French market at this year's Energaïa. The new cells are specially designed to meet tough French regulations on the aesthetics of solar installations.
The new solar cells developed by Sanyo are designed to adhere to the new French solar subsidy program which took effect on June 1, 2010. One of the key components of the new scheme is the BIPV (Building-integrated Photovoltaics) tariff distinction: under this system the French government distinguishes between buildings that use photovoltaics in a highly aesthetic manner and those that use them in a simplified manner, provided they generate at least 3kW of power over 30 square meters.
These distinctions in tariffs and other finer points of the new subsidy rules amount to discrimination against "uglier" solar installations and are designed to integrate with and promote the existing aesthetic of buildings.
Among the solar tiles Sanyo intends to exhibit at Energaïa is the HIT N235SE10, which with a cell conversion rate of 21.1 percent is one of the most efficient commercially available units in the world. The cells are grouped in a special honey comb shaped frame which allows for easier and more visually pleasing tessellation and can provide 3kW of power in an area of less than 20 square meters.
The honey comb rather than square shape of the Sanyo HIT cells makes them distinct from similar products sold elsewhere in Europe and the world, where it would appear aesthetics are not as high a priority when it comes to alternative energy.
These new products will bring Sanyo into increased competition with French solar companies such as DKSH France and BE Sol.
Energaïa, from December 8-11, is an international exhibition of the latest products in the field of alternative energy. In total 450 exhibitors from over 15 other countries around the world including China, the world's leading manufacturer of photovoltaics, are expected to attend. See http://www.energaia-expo.com for more details.
Photovoltaics company Sanyo Component Europe GmbH will be showcasing a range of high efficiency HIT solar modules created for the French market at this year's Energaïa. The new cells are specially designed to meet tough French regulations on the aesthetics of solar installations.
The new solar cells developed by Sanyo are designed to adhere to the new French solar subsidy program which took effect on June 1, 2010. One of the key components of the new scheme is the BIPV (Building-integrated Photovoltaics) tariff distinction: under this system the French government distinguishes between buildings that use photovoltaics in a highly aesthetic manner and those that use them in a simplified manner, provided they generate at least 3kW of power over 30 square meters.
These distinctions in tariffs and other finer points of the new subsidy rules amount to discrimination against "uglier" solar installations and are designed to integrate with and promote the existing aesthetic of buildings.
Among the solar tiles Sanyo intends to exhibit at Energaïa is the HIT N235SE10, which with a cell conversion rate of 21.1 percent is one of the most efficient commercially available units in the world. The cells are grouped in a special honey comb shaped frame which allows for easier and more visually pleasing tessellation and can provide 3kW of power in an area of less than 20 square meters.
The honey comb rather than square shape of the Sanyo HIT cells makes them distinct from similar products sold elsewhere in Europe and the world, where it would appear aesthetics are not as high a priority when it comes to alternative energy.
These new products will bring Sanyo into increased competition with French solar companies such as DKSH France and BE Sol.
Energaïa, from December 8-11, is an international exhibition of the latest products in the field of alternative energy. In total 450 exhibitors from over 15 other countries around the world including China, the world's leading manufacturer of photovoltaics, are expected to attend. See http://www.energaia-expo.com for more details.