Markets

In figures that appear to confirm post-Fukushima Japan’s dramatic shift away from nuclear power and towards photovoltaics, the domestic module market is shown to have expanded by over 30 percent, from the previous year. The Japanese Photovoltaic Energy Association (JPEA) released the figures that also show that over one gigawatt (GW) of modules were sold domestically, in the first three quarters of 2011 alone.

Following the High Court ruling at the end of January, which saw the U.K. Department for Energy and Climate Change’s (DECC’S) judicial appeal regarding feed-in tariff (FIT) changes thrown out, the department has officially announced it will be lodging another appeal.

Cambridge-based Eight19 today expanded its pay-as-you-go solar system into the world’s youngest country, Sudan. The company hopes to deploy 1,000 of its solar module, battery, light and phone charging systems to rural villages in the Nimule region.

Solar Frontier president, Shigeaki Kameda, attended a ceremony last month to activate the 10 megawatt (MW) Mt. Komekura Solar Plant, in the Yamanashi Prefecture, central Japan.

The Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) last week submitted a petition to have the standards for connecting smaller photovoltaic arrays to the grid changed. SEIA has sought to alter specifications that require installations to produce less that 15 percent of the annual peak load if they are to qualify for the “fast track” interconnection of small generation.

On February 13, San Jose, California-based SunPower Corporation filed a motion for a temporary restraining order in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California against the residential solar array supplier, San Mateo-based SolarCity Corporation, as well as five individuals: Tom Leyden, Matt Giannini, Dan Leary, Felix Aguayo, and Alice Cathcart.

Considering the year some had in 2011, SunPower seems to have emerged relatively unscathed. While the company suffered financial losses, it also posted revenue and shipment records. It believes it is well positioned for the future, however the analysts warn that it is “too early to get excited” just yet.

Australian scientists are working on a research project to network solar arrays across many roofs and households, into a “virtual power station”. The project hopes to improve the “predictability, quality and response” of power being put back into the local power grid.

Equipment manufacturer Applied Materials has posted strong first quarter (Q1) 2012 results, including a non-GAAP operating income of US$240 million, from net sales of $2.19 billion. Sales were down $50 million year-on-year, but up slightly up from the fourth quarter (Q4) 2011.

Following in the footsteps of companies like California-based SunRun and Solar City, a new start-up company, DZ-4, is looking to bring decentralized solar power to Germany’s masses. In the following interview, founder Tobias Schütt talks to pv magazine about his plans and explains why such schemes have not already been introduced in Germany.