Solar is going “through the roof” in the United States, according to a report released by the Washington, DC-based Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) and the San Francisco-based Vote Solar Initiative on September 12. In fact, the top 20 commercial solar users in America have installed more than 1.2 million photovoltaic panels, combined, covering more than 544 acres of rooftops.

Is the United States helping to finance and fulfill the Jawaharlal Nehru National Solar Mission (JNNSM) – or “helping itself” to a large, unprotected segment of India’s solar market?

Calls for renewable energy quota systems in Germany are amassing and becoming louder, particularly from the country’s Free Democratic Party (FDP). Under Economy Minister, Sven Morlok (FDP), the Saxony Government yesterday presented a report, which suggested an alternative funding model.

The 10 top technologies industry analysts expect to be developed in Brazil’s photovoltaic sector over the next 15 years have been unveiled in a new study commissioned by the Brazilian Agency for Industrial Development (ABDI).

The Solar Power International (SPI) event has opened today, at the Orange County Convention Center in Florida, and initial reports from the show are that traffic is slow. The show, which is essentially spread across one giant exhibition hall, is expected to attract around 20,000 visitors and 1,100 exhibitors.

At the end of Q2 2012, China continued to dominate the worldwide renewable energy market, with Germany and the U.S. nose-to-nose in second place, and India and the U.K. just behind, according to Ernst & Young’s latest quarterly Renewable Energy Country Attractiveness Indices (CAI) report. Activities centered strongly around the smart grid.

SunPower Corp. today announced the launch of the industry’s first combined warranty that covers both power and product for 25 years. The company is also shifting to a linear power warranty that offers the lowest power degradation over the life of the system.

The U.S. solar sector has just finished its second-best quarter in history, having installed 742 MW of photovoltaic power – and its best quarter on record for utility deployments – according to a report released today by Boston-based GTM Research and the Washington, DC-based Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA). Photovoltaic installations were up 45% over Q1 2012, and up 116% over Q2 2011.

By Q1 2014, the amended WEEE Directive, which obliges producers to take back, for free, and recycle photovoltaic modules, must be transferred into national law in all EU countries. This was underlined to pv magazine by PV Cycle spokeswoman, Alina Lange. However, who the producer is, still has to be defined.

Cumulative Indian solar capacity now stands at around 1,040 MW, of which 830 MW were installed this year. Despite the crossing of this significant milestone, there are still many challenges facing the Indian solar industry, including missed deadlines and high inflation.