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The last of Japan’s 50 nuclear reactors was shutdown over the weekend, as the country heads into the electricity-hungry summer months. With proposed feed-in tariff (FIT) rates promising healthy returns to investors, the stage appears set for a photovoltaic boom.

While the U.S.-based photovoltaics company continued to suffer losses in the first quarter (Q1) of 2012, its balance sheet showed some improvement on last year. There is still some way to go, though, before it is in the black. Issuing its full year (FY) guidance, SunPower is confident it can achieve revenues of US$2.6 billion to $3 billion, and reduce costs to $0.86 per Watt.

U.S.-based vertically integrated thin film manufacturer First Solar has posted a non-GAAP loss for the first quarter (Q1) of 2012 of US$449 million or US$5.20 per share. The company also announced new management in the shape of James Hughes as CEO and Raffi Garabedian as CTO. In related news, major construction has begun at its 550 megawatt (MW) at Topaz Solar Farms project.

Germany’s centrotherm photovoltaics AG has recorded €255.4 million of new orders in the first quarter (Q1) of 2012. Despite this success, the company recognizes the still tense solar situation, which was reflected in its Q1 earnings results.

Henning Schorisch demonstrated cautious optimism with regard to the future of the insolvent photovoltaic manufacturer. Thus no layoffs of the 1,300 employees are pending in the near future and the company has again ramped up production.

While criticism is often aimed at renewables for playing a major role in increasing consumers’ electricity bills, new data from Australia predicts that only three percent of forecast price rises in the country will be due to support for renewables. The newly-formed Renewable Energy Certificates (REC) Agents Association released the figures.

CEO’s from the international photovoltaics community have today announced the establishment of a Global Solar Council. The goal is to sustainably and cost-competitively expand the worldwide deployment of solar energy, by emphasizing the importance of “supportive” policies and trade environments.

Haste makes waste – unless, of course, it makes your company among the first to be audited and certified as a preferred vendor under the domestic content provision of the Ontario Power Authority’s updated Feed-in tariff (FIT.2) program.

The U.S. Department of Labor has said the manufacturing employees laid off by SolarWorld Industries America Inc., following the shutdown of its Camarillo photovoltaic module production plant in California, are entitled to federal trade-adjustment assistance.

Chinese photovoltaic players were out in force at the second Renewables Indonesia International Trade Fair on Energy Sustainability, Green Resources and Environmental Technology, which kicked off today in the densely packed capital city of Indonesia. A stark need for renewables in the country has been identified.