As the July feed-in tariff (FIT) deadline for U.K. photovoltaic installations looms, the cathedral city of Peterborough, in Cambridgeshire 120 kilometers north of London, has gone ahead with a scheme to install 1.5 megawatts of capacity to council properties in the city.

The Export-Import Bank (Ex-Im Bank) of the United States has announced two new loans for Indian photovoltaic projects totaling $25 million. This is in addition to $75 million in solar transactions in the financial year 2011 through June 30, brings the total of Indian solar transactions to $500 million, worth 315 megawatts (MW) of installed capacity.

The European Photovoltaic Industry Association (EPIA) will, for the first time, bring together industry leaders and the financial community for a Photovoltaic Investors Day on September 6.

As energy reduction and renewable electricity initiatives continue to capture the public’s imagination in Post-Fukushima Japan, Sekisui Jushi Corporation (SJC) and Kyocera Solar Corporation have announced the co-development of the Eco-Shell shelter.

While in many parts of the world the photovoltaic and wider solar industry has had a rocky ride in 2011, in the U.S. it remains one of the strongest growing industries. As the market matures, declining module prices and streamlined project development and installations are behind the growth.

The Suntech 300W Vd series photovoltaic module has been released for the Israeli market. Suntech claims the multicrystalline module achieves an efficiency of up to 15.5 percent.

While recent figures show that the vast majority of photovoltaic installations in the U.S. remain in states with existing solar economies and feed in tariff schemes, a new online campaign hopes to raise awareness amongst legislators as to the possibilities for job creation in the solar sector.

Chinese manufactures of photovoltaic crystalline silicon cells and modules, China Sunergy, has opened its U.S. headquarters in San Francisco.

While estimates of how many jobs are being created in “green industries” are never easy, a report by nonprofit research institution Brookings has found that 2.7 million workers are now employed in industries that also benefit the environment, such as photovoltaics.

The three-day photovoltaic industry event Intersolar North America has opened its doors to visitors from 62 countries. 2011 marks the 20th anniversary of the event.