Finance

French, Swedish, Italian and Greek companies this week signed contracts to install underground and subsea cabling to connect the Cyclades to the mainland grid. The connections will boost solar project development in the isalnds.

Republican-turned-Democrat Charlie Crist says incumbent Republican governor Rick Scott oversaw bill rises to fund utility infrastructure including natural gas pipes and nuclear. The utilities have donated $3.55m to Republicans during the campaign and $500,000 to Democrats.

In another push for DG, China’s National Energy Administration says small-scale generation pilot areas must be started by the end of the month to qualify for support. Manufacturer Renesola says a Q4 solar gold rush would drive up panel prices.

Australian research organization CSIRO says its solar cells, printable onto plastic, are nearing market. CSIRO says domestic solar dye cell manufacturer Dyesol is interested in commercializing the technology.

Here we are again, everything you could possibly need to know about this week in solar shoe-horned into one handy email. Those of you old enough can think of it as a sun-drenched That Was The Week That Was.

The Dutch group has taken over the insolvent German PV group, which will continue to operate under the Wagner Solar brand and retain 80 employees at its two sites in Hesse.

More and more farmers are combining sheep and chickens with rows of PV panels and producing a double output of food and clean, home-grown power, according to a new report, says the BRE National Solar Centre.

Describing the deal as “a significant milestone” in its global expansion, SPI said it would pay nearly $92 million in cash and company shares for Sinsin Renewable Investment Limited.

Following its acquisition by Taiwanese group Sunrise Global Energy, production at the former Bosch-owned Aleo Solar in Prenzlau, Germany, has begun again. The PV manufacturer is now producing its high-efficiency 300 W modules at the 120 MW capacity fab, where 190 employees have retained their jobs.

Swiss power and automation giant ABB intends to establish itself as the “leading entity” in the battery storage sector. It set out this vision in its Capital Markets Day event in London on Tuesday.