Manufacturing

Greece’s Ministry of Environment, Energy and Climate Change has signed two new Ministerial Decisions, which have helped to “satisfy some of the photovoltaics (PV) sector’s demands regarding the uplift of certain legal-administrative barriers”, according to PV Legal.

Schott Solar and Solland Solar have signed a partnership agreement that comprises technology license agreements, joint research and development efforts and joint production for back-contacted solar modules.

Phoenix Solar AG is set to build a 2.2 megawatt (MW) Slovakian solar park following an agreement with green energy slovakia, s.r.o. This, says the company, will be its first project as general contractor in the country.

Sharp is expanding its European photovoltaics (PV) production after announcing that PV is one of the company’s “core” business fields. It added that turnover in the solar segment has increased by 65.7 percent to €533 million in the first quarter of this year, in comparison with the same period last year.

SunPower has announced that up to 1,000 local jobs are expected to be created after the company was selected to install a “minimum” of 20 megawatts (MW) worth of new solar projects at several U.S. government properties, including the Department of Energy’s National Renewable Energy Lab (NREL), the General Services Administration (GSA), the Navy and the Air Force.

Avancis has laid the foundation stone for its second solar module plant in Torgau, in the German state of Saxony. Construction work is expected to last for 18 months, said the company, with production at the 100 megawatt peak (MWp) factory set to commence in the first quarter of 2012.

Trina Solar (U.S.) Inc., has signed a sales agreement to supply around 35 megawatts (MW) of solar modules to SunEdison over the remainder of this year. The financial sum was not disclosed.

The Arizona Corporation Commission (ACC) has expressed its support for Tucson Electric Power’s (TEP’s) plan to purchase 97 megawatts (MW) worth of solar power systems in Tucson, Arizona, the U.S.

First Solar may be looking to takeover SMA Solar Technology AG after saying it would be willing to purchase each SMA share for €110, according to several brokers. Following this, SMA’s shares significantly rose by around five percent today to almost €85 on the German TecDAX stock index.

Germany-based Solar Millennium AG, Erlangen has sold 50 percent of the stakes in its 50-megawatt (MW) parabolic trough solar thermal power plant – Ibersol – to Ferrostaal AG, Essen for an undisclosed amount. Located in the province of Extremadura, Spain, construction is expected to begin on the plant this autumn. It is hoped by spring 2013, it will be connected to the grid.