Ninety-four per cent of bathing sites in the European Union meet minimum standards for water quality, according to the European Environment Agency's annual report on bathing water quality in Europe. Water quality is excellent at 78 % of sites and almost 2 % more sites meet the minimum requirements compared to last year's report.

Although global capital spending this year in the photovoltaics (PV) supply chain is expected to fall to its lowest level since 2006, indications signal that the downturn in investment has hit bottom and that purchases of equipment may soon rebound.

Capital spending among PV companies is set to drop to $2.3 billion in 2013, down 36 percent from $3.6 billion in 2012, according to the PV Manufacturing & Capital Spending Tool from information and analytics provider IHS (NYSE: IHS). 

The recently announced transaction will reduce REC’s 2014 convertible bond by 50 percent through partial repayment and partial extension of debt maturity to 2016 and 2018. The refinancing of NOK 1.2 billion (EUR 160 million) is funded through an equity issue raising NOK 372 million (about EUR 50 million), NOK 0.4 billion (EUR 55 million) in existing available cash and increasing the size of the existing 2016 and 2018 senior bond facilities by about NOK 0.4 billion (EUR 55 million).

Today, U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA) released the following statement after the Senate confirmed Dr. Ernest Moniz to be Secretary of Energy by a vote of 97 to 0.

“Dr. Moniz is extremely qualified and will be ready to hit the ground running as Energy Secretary,” said Cantwell. “With today’s unanimous vote, Americans will have a new Energy Secretary who knows the importance of investing in 21st century energy innovation, and is prepared to tackle the many tough challenges that await him at the Department of Energy.

Applied Materials, Inc. (NASDAQ:AMAT), the global leader in  manufacturing solutions for the semiconductor, display and solar industries, today reported results for its second quarter of fiscal 2013 ended April 28, 2013.

Forget about your complicated tax credits, your net metering, and your feed-in tariff schemes. Let’s go solar the straightforward way: Mandate it!

Lancaster, Calif., in Los Angeles County, did so earlier this year, and the move had the feel of a one-off, the unique inspiration of a Republican mayor with an admirable love for renewable energy and a hankering for attention. But now the town of Sebastopol, in the apple- and grape-growing rolling hills of western Sonoma County, is following suit with a much more aggressive ordinance, suggesting that solar-by-fiat might be more viable as policy than we thought.

Solaria is moving into the Chinese solar market.

Solaria President Suvi Sharma said Solaria's low-concentration photovoltaic (LCPV) technology along with the company’s significant experience in China are reasons to believe it can succeed.  

The announcement that PG&E has stopped taking applications for its portion of the CSI residential program has caused a bit of nostalgia and something of a feel-good moment among some in the solar industry.

In a competitive, fast-moving market, how does a technology firm determine which materials and processes are needed to make the best possible device? How does a solar or battery or LED company, betting its future on a particular material, plan an experimental direction and investment program in research and development?

NextEra Energy Resources has acquired Smart Energy Capital, a commercial solar project developer with more than 75 megawatts of PV deployed across a number of states, according to sources close to the deal. Smart Energy Capital and NextEra have confirmed the transaction. Financial details were not disclosed.

SolarCity (Nasdaq: SCTY), a provider of distributed energy, just announced a $500 million lease financing agreement with Goldman Sachs (NYSE: GS). That translates to more than 100 megawatts of solar power.

GTM and Stephen Lacey have been looking very hard at energy efficiency audit scienceand businesses.

So has SolarCity. And SolarCity has decided to change its energy efficiency strategy. 

With a new secretary at the helm and the stimulus winding down, the Department of Energy is undergoing a number of changes. But amidst those changes, leaders at the department continue to push for more investments in clean energy.

The Army, Navy and Air Force are using more than 130 megawatts of solar for everything from powering remote special operations to air conditioning and lighting for U.S. base residences. And the forces intend to keep building toward 3 gigawatts of solar capacity by 2025 as part of a much bigger Department of Defense (DOD) commitment.

Tracer rounds from 50-caliber machine guns lit up the sky the night I landed at Baghdad International Airport.

Like hundreds of thousands of Americans over three decades, I was in the Middle East, in uniform, carrying a gun to protect our national energy interests. A little over a year later, I took off from Bagram Airfield, returned home, and co-founded Sunrun to help American homeowners get their energy from clean, affordable, and domestic solar power.

Construction has resumed on First Solar's 230-megawatt solar power plant in Antelope Valley.

Concerns about management of dust from Antelope Valley Solar Ranch One (AVSR1) have been resolved, according to First Solar (NASDAQ:FSLR) Global Communications Director Steve Krum.

Never-fail military microgrids are breaking new ground in distributed energy management. Now one of them is getting connected to the grid at large.

That’s the news from Fort Bliss, Texas, where the U.S. Army and Lockheed Martin cut the symbolic ribbon Thursday on the first Department of Defense grid-tied microgrid. The project, started in 2010, uses renewable energy (a 120-kilowatt solar array) and energy storage (a 300-kilowatt battery system), as well as the base’s existing backup generators, and ties it into a miniature grid via Lockheed’s Intelligent Microgrid Control System.

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has engaged the U.S. Department of Energy's National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) to help measure the region's solar resource.

SunPower Corp. (SPWR), the second-largest U.S. solar manufacturer, expects photovoltaic panels to become a standard feature in new home construction in the U.S., Chief Executive Officer Tom Werner said.

An international group of banks led by BayernLB has provided a financing framework totaling €85 million toGehrlicher Solar AG, including €30 million for avals (guarantees), for another two years. The mezzanine capital of €6 million was also extended by Bayern Mezzaninekapital GmbH & Co. KG for the same period.

JA Solar Holdings Co., Ltd. (Nasdaq:JASO) ("JA Solar" or the "Company"), one of the world's largest manufacturers of high-performance solar power products, today announced that it has repaid at maturity a total of $119 million, comprising the principal amount and accrued interest, of its 4.5% convertible notes due May 15, 2013.

ISRA VISION is expanding its range of production automation and quality inspection technology products by taking over GP Solar and GP Inspect, and in doing so it is branching out into the photovoltaic industry. Customers can benefit from the many years of experience in production and process support as well as from the company's expertise in every stage of the value added chain in the solar industry. With this expanded technical basis and the powerful innovative force behind it, manufacturers of photovoltaic systems can receive even better support in increasing their production efficiency and their bottom lines by reducing their overall costs.

REC, the largest European supplier of solar panels globally, announces that it has significantly reduced the debt maturing in the second quarter 2014.

The recently announced transaction will reduce REC’s 2014 convertible bond by 50 percent through partial repayment and partial extension of debt maturity to 2016 and 2018. The refinancing of NOK 1.2 billion (EUR 160 million) is funded through an equity issue raising NOK 372 million (about EUR 50 million), NOK 0.4 billion (EUR 55 million) in existing available cash and increasing the size of the existing 2016 and 2018 senior bond facilities by about NOK 0.4 billion (EUR 55 million).

On May 13th, 2013 Scatec Solar AS (Oslo, Norway) signed agreements with South Africa's Department of Energy to build two solar photovoltaic (PV) projects totaling 115 MW under the second round of the nation's Renewable Energy Independent Power Producer Program (REIPPP).

Japan Asia Group Ltd. (3751), a developer of clean energy projects, said plans to develop 500 megawatts of solar projects in Japan are moving ahead while it considers trimming European operations.

SolarCity Corp. (SCTY), a solar energy developer chaired by Elon Musk, won financing from Goldman Sachs Group Inc. for more than $500 million in rooftop solar systems that the company will complete this year.

The European Commission has agreed to impose average import duties of 47 percent on solar panels from China, according to officials, a move they say is to guard against the dumping of cheap goods in Europe.

Fentress Architects and Mortenson Construction celebrated breaking ground on the new $200 million, 467,000-square foot Charles Schwab campus that will be located on a 40-plus-acre site in Lone Tree, Colorado. Charles Schwab Corporation Founder and Chairman Charles R. Schwab, Governor John Hickenlooper, Mayor of City of Lone Tree Jim Gunning, and Douglas County Commissioner Jill Repella spoke at the event.

UK solar installation firm Engensa will today announce that it has been acquired by Chinese renewable energy giant Hanergy in a deal that could have significant implications for the global solar market.

Hanergy is China's largest privately owned renewable energy generator, largely thanks to its operation of 6GW of hydroelectric capacity. However, it is also engaged in a global acquisition push in the solar sector, which has seen it purchase two of the world's leading thin film solar technology specialists in the form of MiaSole and Solibro.

Trina Solar Ltd. (TSL), the Chinese panel maker with six consecutive quarterly losses, fell the most in seven weeks after saying first-quarter shipments will be lower than an earlier forecast.

Trina’s American depositary receipts, each worth 50 ordinary shares, declined (TSL) 8.8 percent to $5.41 at the close in New York, the most since March 25.

Greece has cut feed-in tariff rates roughly 44% for solar photovoltaic (PV) plants installed after February 1st, 2013.

Grid-tied ground-mounted PV plants smaller than 100kW installed from February 1^st, 2013 through January 31st, 2014 will have their rates reduced to EUR 0.095/kWh, with plants larger than 100 kW receiving EUR 0.120/kWh.

The loss before interest and taxes in the first three months of the year was 8.4 million euros ($11 million), compared with a loss of 13 million euros forecast by analysts in a Reuters poll.

Eurus Energy Holdings Corp., a Japanese developer of renewable energy projects, plans to build a 115-megawatt solar power station in northern Japan.

The company aims to begin construction in July and start running the station in Rokkasho village, Aomori prefecture, in November 2015, Mitsue Usami, a spokeswoman for Eurus, said in a telephone interview today.

DNV’s continued focus on safety and service quality and the ability to provide leading-edge technology advice and solutions contributed to the company’s strong market and financial performance in 2012. Revenues increased by 27% compared to 2011 and DNV strengthened its global position in all its key areas: maritime, oil & gas, energy & sustainability and business assurance.

A new report by Pricewaterhouse Coopers (PwC) refutes the argument that duties imposed on Chinese imports will damage the solar sector. The report counters the Prognos study commissioned by AFASE which predicts job losses if duties are imposed. A press release by EU ProSun states the AFASE report makes a number of scientifically unsupported claims, such as the estimate of potential job losses exceeding the actual total number of direct and indirect solar jobs in some countries.

Looking toward a sunny future within its expanding energy business, Nippon Paper Industries Co. said on May 14 that it will initiate the largest mega-solar project in the Shikoku region in collaboration with Mitsubishi Corp.

DEGER consolidates its position as the world’s leader for solar tracking: The company’s new generation of tracking systems combines numerous technical enhancements with a price level that is more than 20 percent lower than in the year before. The first product in this new generation is the DEGERtracker D100. The new systems are now immediately available in Europe.

The battle over net metering has been brewing for years, but it is beginning to bubble over now. Public disputes have emerged in California, Arizona and Texas, with other states surely close behind. But just as important, and less publicly discussed, is the vital role that utility rate design plays in the economics of distributed solar.

Today GTM Research released a free report on the subject titled Rate Design Matters: The Impact of Utility Tariff Structure on Solar Project Economics. The report was borne out of our ongoing modeling of solar projects in various locations to estimate when they will become economic without any state-level incentives. The good news is that there are places in the U.S. right now (think Hawaii, parts of California, and Arizona residential) where solar is cheaper than grid power when you take into account only the ITC and accelerated depreciation. The bad news is that the existence of this cost advantage depends entirely on a given customer’s electricity rate structure.

Rate structure is too often ignored in public solar discourse, particularly in discussions of “grid parity.” Apart from some issues I have with the concept itself, the main mistake most analysts make is in estimating not the cost of solar, but the cost of grid power. The EIAmaintains a great dataset on average electricity prices, but only full retail prices. And as any solar developer/installer knows, solar doesn’t always reduce a customer’s bill by the full retail rate. There are fixed charges on most bills (particularly in the commercial sector), not to mention nuances such as time-of-use pricing and tiered rates, that drastically alter the competitiveness of a solar project.

There are two risks to ignoring these factors. The first is that we overestimate the current competitiveness of solar and, thus, underestimate the need for runway in local and state-level incentives. The second is that the solar industry’s focus on net metering leaves an opening for unfriendly utilities to gut distributed PV markets through tariff revisions.

In the report, we use the example of Southern California Edison territory, where commercial solar customers can currently opt into a solar-friendly tariff (TOU-GS-3-R) instead of the default commercial rate (TOU-GS-3-B). The difference in the effective avoided cost for an average solar customer is $0.03/kWh -- more than enough to make or break a project. To put that number in context, $0.03/kWh can be equivalent as much as $0.80/W in PV system costs.

Based on conservative system price forecasts, the average commercial customer on the solar-friendly SCE tariff would see modest savings from PV through 2020 (even after the expiration of the ITC), while the average commercial customer on the default rate runs the risk of never achieving parity.

FIGURE: Commercial PV Economics in Southern California Edison Territory

Source: Rate Design Matters: The Impact of Utility Tariff Structure on Solar Project Economics

Our examples are representative rather than exact, but the contrast is striking. And it is not an issue unique to California. High demand charges in Texas have kept solar companies at bay there for years. In APS territory (AZ), demand charges that make up the default commercial rate (E-32) account for around half of a solar customer’s bill -- which is why we have low expectations for the commercial market after incentives dry up.

Rate design can cut both ways. While the introduction of a solar-friendly tariff can open a new market, negative revisions to existing tariffs can shut one down. So as PV penetration increases, be aware that the arcane, complicated world of utility rates and regulation will shape the future of the market.

Back to News

The European Union (EU) is moving ahead with tariffs on imported Chinese solar panels in an effort to protect its own module makers.

European Commission (EC) Trade Head Karel De Gucht will recommend the EC impose anti-dumping (AD) charges similar to those imposed last year by the U.S., according toReuters.

More than 400 solar industry experts got together in Phoenix, Arizona last month at Greentech Media's Solar Summit. By all measures it was a successful event. The panels and debates were thought-provoking. Information flowed in all directions. The weather was amazing. There was bocce for those interested in that type of thing. ABB acquired PV inverter firm on the eve of the event.

GTM Analyst MJ Shiao writes, "While there are numerous companies attacking the module-level power electronics (MLPE) space, three companies (Enphase, SolarEdge and Tigo) account for over 93 percent of the total market share of shipments.

Here's some news from those three market leaders.

SolarCity (SCTY) announced its Q1 2013 financial results today, in its first full quarter as a public company. All solar stocks did well today, although SolarCity's stock price withdrew in after-hours trading.

Here's a transcript of the call.

GTM Research's just-released white paper looks at the impact of utility rate design on distributed solar project economics and shows that tariff design can to make or break PV project economics.

Solar is particularly susceptible to rate design as the industry begins its transition to a post-subsidy reality. 

Today’s utility communications networks are being designed to accommodate a variety of smart grid applications. Everything from smart metering to distribution automation to demand response and more is expected to run over a communications network with the speed, reliability, and security that the utility requires for each of its business operations. While utilities are making decisions and investments on which network technology to deploy, many may not fully consider the broader impact that choice will have on the long-term utility operations. This paper will explore the utility distribution ecosystem and identify technologies and network architecture decisions needed to build a foolproof, multi-application communications infrastructure.

Advanced smart grid applications like distribution automation and demand response require significant scalability –– in processing speed, network bandwidth, storage capacity and more. But adding headroom after an AMI deployment is difficult; it must be built into the system from the start. In our new white paper, Landis+Gyr’s experts explain how to ensure your AMI system is optimized.

Learn more about how UL is making energy sources, products and systems cleaner, more efficient and more reliable by reading our Sustainable Energy Journal, featuring articles on Measuring Offshore Wind Power, The Safety of Smart Appliances and Advancing the Smart Grid.

Ruston, Louisiana is home to a young and transient population that places particular demands on its water and electric utilities. To accommodate such requirements—and to continue to deliver a high standard of service to permanent residents—the city introduced a smart grid solution that included MeterSense from Harris Utilities. A year post-implementation, the meter data management solution has helped drive operational efficiencies and improvements to customer service. It has also become the cornerstone for future enhancements to Ruston’s smart grid technologies.

Dowa Holdings Co. (5714), Japan’s biggest silver producer, will raise output 40 percent this year to meet solar-cell demand after the 2011 Fukushima disaster crippled a nuclear power plant and sent fossil fuel costs higher.

Rooftop solar companies SolarCity, Sungevity, Sunrun and Verengo have formed The Alliance for Solar Choice (TASC), which will initially focus on ensuring the continuation of net energy metering (NEM).

Planned European levies on Chinese solar panels will only go some way to halt a rout among equipment makers who face the paradox of a booming market but falling revenues - and could suffer even more if a trade war erupts.

IBC SOLAR AG, a global leader in photovoltaic (PV) systems, will present its innovative products and solutions at Energy Europe 2013 in Copenhagen, Denmark, from the 23^rd to 25^th May (stand C2-030). With over 250 specialist exhibitors from 15 countries and an estimated 15,000 visitors, the fair is the perfect platform to present information about IBC SOLAR’s comprehensive portfolio of PV solutions.  

According to preliminary, unaudited calculations CENTROSOLAR Group AG sold 20.4 MWp of photovoltaic modules and systems in the first quarter. That represents a decrease of 25 % on the previous year (27.4 MWp). This fall is almost exclusively attributable to market developments in Germany. A special boom there in the previous year, in anticipation of a change in the feed-in tariffs from April 1, 2012 led to relatively high sales. This year, the wintry conditions lasting into March moreover damped demand for solar systems. According to statistics from the Federal Network Agency, new installations of small and medium-size photovoltaic systems up to 500 kWp in the first quarter showed a slump of around two-thirds compared with the previous year.

The government of the Spanish region of Murcia has classified a 450 MW PV project that German developer Juwi Holding is planning to install in the region as a »Strategic Project« in order to simplify the authorization procedure. The classification of Strategic Project, which is assigned to infrastructure projects that will generate economic benefits for the region, enables developers to cut in half the time its takes to obtain the necessary authorizations for the project. According to the regional government, the project will enable the creation of 1,300 jobs thanks to an investment of €450 million ($591 million).

Hyundai Motor Co. (005380), South Korea’s largest automaker, plans to install the country’s biggest rooftop solar power plant at one of its factories to expand the use of renewable energy and help reduce global warming.

Silicon wafer maker MEMC Electronic Materials Inc (WFR.N) reported a slightly bigger-than-expected quarterly loss as sales at its solar energy business fell by about 30 percent.

A private non-conventional power producer has won the contract to set up a 60MW solar power plant in Tamil Nadu. Welspun Energy, which got the confirmation letter from the government for setting up the plant on Monday, has shortlisted two districts in the state.

A subsidiary of Yingli Green Energy Holding Company Ltd. (Baoding, China) has won a contract to supply 220 MW of multi-crystalline silicon solar photovoltaic (PV) modules to China Power Investment Corporation (CPI, Beijing, China).

China Merchants New Energy Group, a Hong Kong-based renewable-energy project developer, will form a joint venture with Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps Investment Co. to invest 3 billion yuan ($489 million) to develop solar farms.

Chinese solar-panel manufacturers will face import tariffs of up to 67.9% at European Union borders under a plan from the 27-nation bloc's executive body, according to a copy of the plan viewed by The Wall Street Journal.

On the occasion of the 2013 edition of Solarexpo, during a press conference held today to mark the opening day of the first Global Solar Summit (May 8 and 9, Milan-Rho Trade Fair), the Global Solar Alliance announced the enlargement of the network with the entry of two new members that represent the most important trade fair exhibitions in India and Korea in the field of renewable energies: Renewable Energy India and Green Energy Expo & Conference.  

 With 1,752 research, industry and market contributions (abstracts) from 76 countries applying for presentation at the Conference, the response to the Call for Papers for the 28th European Photovoltaic Solar Energy Conference and Exhibition (EU PVSEC) is compelling. The EU PVSEC 2013 will take place from 30 September to 04 October 2013 at Parc des Expositions Paris Nord Villepinte in Paris, France. The five-day Conference is combined with the three-day PV Industry Exhibition, held from 01 to 03 October 2013. 

aleo solar AG is adding frameless solar modules to its product range. These laminates are extremely versatile and allow a low-cost and flexible installation – on roofs and in building-integrated photovoltaic systems as well as in green field installations. Further advantages include the self-cleaning of the module due to its smooth surface and good rear ventilation for roof-parallel installations. Both has a positive effect on the module’s performance.

The German Engineering Federation (VDMA, Frankfurt am Main, Germany) reports that total revenues from solar photovoltaic (PV) components, equipment and manufacturing plants in Germany decreased 50% in 2012, with orders falling a further 26%.

alfasolar GmbH, a German PV module manufacturer, has announced that it filed for preliminary insolvency on April 24.
The County Court Hanover appointed Manuel Sack from the law office Brinkmann & Partner as preliminary insolvency administrator. alfasolar says production and business operations will continue, and management and employees will work to reposition the company.

Shares of First Solar Inc (FSLR.O) fell 11 percent on Tuesday after the solar panel maker said a weather-related project delay would push most of its earnings into the second half of the year.

Envaris GmbH (Berlin) has won a contract to build a 19.2 MW solar photovoltaic (PV) plant in Suffolk, England, which will the largest in the nation when complete.
The company is responsible for the mechanical and electrical installation of the plant.

Green Earth Power (Thailand) Co. Ltd., a privately-held company in Thailand, plans to invest about $275 million on a new solar power project in Myanmar.

The facility, located in Minbu city, 500 kilometers (311 miles) north of Yangon, will have generating capacity of 210 megawatts, Supasit Skontanarak, Green Earth’s managing director, said by phone from Bangkok today. The project will be completed within two years, he said.

The world added more than 31 GW of new solar photovoltaic (PV) capacity in 2012 – roughly the same amount as in the record-setting year of 2011 – according to a new report from the European Photovoltaic Industry Association (EPIA). This significant market growth came even during a period of economic crisis and industry consolidation.

The industry guide “Inverter, Storage and PV System Technology 2013" provides a comprehensive overview of the players, market conditions and future prospects in the inverter, storage technology and system monitoring sector. It is aimed at project developers, system integrators, planners, utilities, grid operators, investors and financing experts from the photovoltaics industry interested in receiving detailed information on the topic. 

Today, General Mills released its 2013 Global Responsibility Report, which outlines the company’s progress and commitments in the areas of health, environment, sourcing, workplace and community engagement. The full report can be accessed at www.GeneralMills.com.

CDC Development Solutions (CDS) announces the promotion of Harry Pastuszek to Vice President for Enterprise and Community Development. Joining the organization from Bechtel Corporation, as well as The World Bank Group’s International Finance Corporation, Mr. Pastuszek’s combined experience in extractives, international finance, corporate citizenship, and the nonprofit sector makes him a true asset to CDS’ senior management team and the delivery of its services.  He joined CDS last year as Practice Leader for Local Content Development.   

Brad Brooks-Rubin, Special Advisor for Conflict Diamonds and Conflict Minerals in the Bureau of Energy, Economic, and Business Affairs at the U.S. Department of State, announced as another speaker at the Global Conflict Minerals Symposium.  This event, presented by the Conflict Minerals Consortium coincides with the 1-year anniversary of the Dodd-Frank Section 1502 Conflict Minerals Final Rule.  

HP is in the fourth spot in Version 6 of the Greenpeace Cool IT rankings, up from 10th position last year. This success demonstrates the organization’s commitment to “enabling a modern, renewable-powered energy infrastructure”, putting HP on a par with Sprint IT and Indian electronics manufacturer Wipro (who all tied for the fourth position with 43 points) and trailing only Google, Cisco (tied first place with 58 points), Ericsson (second place with 51 points), and Fujitsu (third place with 44 points). Other big names placed lower in the rankings – IBM (with 35 points), Dell (with 27 points) – while Apple chose not to participate.

Japan and the European Union brought the case over a scheme intended to promote renewable energy in the province of Ontario.

It offered above-market prices for electricity supplied by renewable energy companies but only offered the premium to firms who bought most of their equipment locally.

Lightway Solar, a China-based solar projects developer, is outlining plans to invest RMB610m (€76m) to launch a line of photovoltaic plants totaling 50MW in Prundu, Romania.

The company has secured the approval from China's Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) for the project development.

The Alliance for Affordable Solar Energy (AFASE) has issued a statement warning that European duties on imports of Chinese solar photovoltaic (PV) modules above 15% will destroy 85% of European PV demand.

First Solar Inc. (FSLR), the largest U.S. solar manufacturer by shipments, said it’s pursuing as much as 5.5 gigawatts of prospective sales, mainly in the Americas, after its pipeline of orders was unchanged in the first quarter.

The UK solar PV market is making headlines again as its 500 MW of installed capacity accounted for 10% of the global installations in the first quarter of 2013. As a result, the UK market passed the 2 GigaWatt mark of cumulative installed solar capacity. 2012 hasn't been a bad year either. Government statistics confirm 779 MW of installed PV capacity in 2012. According to Solarbuzz, 11.3% of the UK’s electricity last year was generated from renewable energy sources.

Photovoltaic specialist Soleos Solar is launching a new solar module in June. The polycrystalline Soleos 250P module is manufactured in Europe. It has a rated output of 250 watts and a module efficiency of 14.94 per cent. It thus produces more output and has a greater degree of efficiency than its predecessors.

The 66 megawatt (AC) Alpine solar photovoltaic facility, which started commercial operations earlier this year, is currently the largest fully operational solar plant in California. The cost-competitive, renewable power generated by the facility is being sold to PG&E under a 20-year power purchase agreement.

ClearSky Advisors (Toronto, Canada) has released a report which predicts that Jordan will install 300 MW of solar photovoltaic (PV) capacity by the end of 2017, spurred by the nation's 2007 National Energy Strategy and a 2010 renewable energy law.

Warren Buffett, chairman of Berkshire Hathaway (BRK/A) Inc., has no plans to buy Suntech Power Holdings Co., the China Business News said, citing an interview with him.

The EU's trade chief will recommend placing punitive import duties on billions of euros of solar panels from China, people close to the matter say, putting up a barrier to protect European producers but risking upsetting Beijing.

Canadian Solar Inc. (CSIQ), the third-biggest solar panel maker, raised its guidance for first-quarter shipments and margins.

Canadian Solar expects shipments of 335 megawatts to 345 megawatts in the first quarter of 2013, the Guelph, Ontario- based manufacturer said today in a PR Newswire statement. That compares with its prior prediction of 290 to 310 megawatts, and shipments of 343 megawatts in the same quarter last year. The company also raised its forecast for the gross margin to a range of 9 percent to 10 percent, from an 8-to-10 percent range.

ABB, the leading power and automation technology group, has won an order worth around $25 million to supply electrical and control systems for a new 75 megawatt (MW) photovoltaic (PV) power plant in the Northern Cape province of South Africa. The order was booked in the first quarter.

SolarWorld Chief Executive Frank Asbeck said the company was close to securing funds from a Qatar investor, a move aimed at turning around the ailing solar group.

"We will publish the size of the potential stake at the extraordinary general meeting," Asbeck told Reuters on Thursday.

SunPower Corp. (SPWR), the second-largest U.S. solar manufacturer, said its first-quarter loss narrowed and sales exceeded company estimates as project installations increased.

The net loss narrowed to $54.7 million, or 46 cents a share, from $74.5 million, or 67 cents, a year earlier, San Jose, California-based SunPower said in a statement today. The company, which hasn’t reported a profit since 2010, was expected to lose 32 cents a share, the average of seven analysts’ estimates compiled by Bloomberg.

On the occasion of the first edition of the Global Solar Summit, that will be held on May 8th and 9th, in parallel with Solarexpo, at Milan-Rho Exhibition & Congress Center, please save the date on the press conference on May 8^th at 1,10 p.m. in the Press Room.

­Abengoa (MCE: ABG.B), the company that applies innovative technology solutions for sustainable development in the energy and environment sectors, has finalized the sale of its Brazilian subsidiary, Bargoa, which manufactures telecommunications components, to the US company Corning Incorporated. 

Suntech Power Holdings Company Ltd. (Wuxi, China) has announced preliminary results for the fourth quarter of 2012, reporting a 43% year-over-year decrease in revenues to USD 358 million.

China's JA Solar and Singapore-based Flextronics achieved the fastest growth among the top 10 producers of solar modules in 2012, as the two companies cashed in on the soaring demand for contract manufacturing in the solar value chain.

Lightsource Renewable Energy Ltd., the U.K. developer that installed a sun-power project on the roof of Bentley Motors Ltd., may invest as much as 400 million pounds ($623 million) this year in U.K. solar facilities.

 Suntech Power Holdings Co., Ltd. (NYSE: STP) (the "Company" or "Suntech"), one of the world's largest producers of solar panels, today announced preliminary financial results for the fourth quarter and full year ended December 31, 2012.