S.A.G Solarstrom has secured the required €80 million ($116 million) financing commitment from the Deutsche Bank Group, to build its 48 megawatt (MW) project in northern Italy. 12 MW is currently already connected to the grid.

The government adopted the Renewable Energy Act [EEG] Amendment today, which will abandon nuclear and offer some support for renewable sources.

juwi solar Inc. is gearing up to construct the U.S.’s first utility scale ground-mount CIS (copper, indium and selenium) solar plant. It is scheduled for completion at the end of 2011.

With a rapidly expanding solar sector and a growing number of installations, Ontario has rapidly emerged as a major photovoltaic market. However, a local solar manufacturers in the Windsor area are accusing local utilities of lagging behind with grid capacity and threatening jobs.

An expert group has delivered today a Key Enabling Technologies (KETs) report to the European Commission in an attempt to keep high-tech industries, such a photovoltaics, internationally competitive.

Suntech’s best-selling building integrated photovoltaic (BIPV) product, has been approved by CEIAB in France and qualifies for the highest solar feed-in tariff for end customers.

Banks, corporations and insitutional investors are making funds available for U.S. solar power projects as the market expands. Some investments are facilitating certain solar companies to make the shift from photovoltaic installer to turnkey provider.

The move by French oil giant Total, to deepen its involvement in the photovoltaic industry by purchasing 60 percent of SunPower’s stock, has closed costing them $1.4 billion. SunPower’s stock responds with slight increase in share price.

A nine megawatt (MW) photovoltaic system will be constructed on the rooftop of a giant refrigerated warehouse in New Jersey, by a partnership between the family owned Holt Logistics and SunPower Corporation. The project will cost $42 million and is expected to be completed before the end of the year.

A recent report believes South Africa could be the next photovoltaics superstar, if the government implements a strategy supporting the technology. However, there are a number of barriers hindering growth, particularly in the residential sector.