Regional governments in Australia continue to suspend photovoltaic feed-in tariff (FIT) schemes, with Western Australia the latest to do so. Applications to the scheme have been immediately suspended as of August 1.

China has continued its march into the renewable energy and photovoltaic sector with a new feed-in tariff (FIT) scheme, to compliment its already rapidly expanding module and equipment businesses. The Chinese National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) today announced the details.

Japanese thin-film manufacturer Solar Frontier has announced today that its new 900 megawatt (MW) CIS thin-film factory has reached full commercial operation, with all production lines open. At full capacity and in combination with the two existing plants, the new facility brings Solar Frontier’s annual capacity to around one gigawatt (GW).

Chinese photovoltaic manufacturuer Suntech Power Holdings has recently received the necessary certification that will allow it to expand into the French building integrated photovoltaic (BIPV) market.

First Solar Inc. has announced that it has set a new world record for cadmium-telluride (CdTe) thin-film photovoltaic solar cell efficiency, using commercial-scale equipment and materials. The U.S. Department of Energy’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) has confirmed the result.

The German states of Brandenburg and Saxony will be home to 11 Parabel photovoltaic installations, which together will be worth six megawatts (MW).

German industrial group Bosch has continued its solar expansion by opening a new photovoltaic center in Arnstadt, Germany.

News agency Reuters have reported that BP Solar will close its Maryland facility as the company moves away from module sales and production.

Phoenix Solar has been selected to build two photovoltaic power plants in France, with a combined capacity of 24 megawatts (MW). Construction on the plants is scheduled to begin in a matter of weeks.

The latest quarterly report into the photovoltaic industry, by IMS Research, shows falling module prices and big reductions in gross margins for module suppliers.