Markets

The third quarter (Q3) of 2011 was not kind to the photovoltaic inverter market. According to new research, revenues fell by 20 percent year on year. Germany has been identified as the main culprit behind the declining figures. Short-term price stabilization and a growing market provide some relief, however.

Environmental NGO Friends of the Earth has announced today that the British High Court has agreed to hear the NGO’s application to challenge the government’s slashing of the photovoltaic feed-in tariff (FIT). The High Court has previously rejected the permission for a legal challenge, on November 25.

The University of the South Pacific has connected Fiji’s largest grid-connected photovoltaic system, to the island of Suva’s electricity grid on Saturday. The landmark installation is a part of a wider project by Fiji and the university to equip Pacific Islanders with the requisite skills to see the photovoltaic industry provide electricity to communities throughout the region.

PV Japan has opened today while a battle over the composition of the committee, which will determine the specifics of the renewable energy feed-in tariff (FIT), rages.

The United States International Trade Commission (USITC) voted unanimously (6-0) on Friday, December 2, to go forward with an investigation into whether “dumped and subsidized” imports from China have materially injured the U.S. domestic solar industry.

Despite significant financial incentives and a large project pipeline, comparatively few photovoltaic systems have been installed in Ontario thus far. The solar industry is now relying on faster approval phases, greater acceptance on the part of the banks and dynamic adjustment of the feed-in tariffs (FIT) to decline prices.

Solar product manufacturer, JA Solar has completed its previously announced takeover of Silver Age Holdings Limited.

Cutting red tape is the focus of the U.S. Rooftop Solar Challenge, which was yesterday awarded $12 million by the Department of Energy (DOE) SunShot program. The project will see 22 regional teams working towards cutting costs and reducing barriers for residential and small commercial photovoltaic systems.

A study released this week, by the Australian Photovoltaic Association (APVA), has shown that while photovoltaic systems are approaching or have realized retail cost competitiveness throughout the country, large-scale ground mounted installations require government support to compete on the wholesale market.

Imec and Kaneka have developed a silver-free heterojunction silicon solar cell, with a conversion efficiency of over 21 percent. Imec speaks to pv magazine about the achievement and states that the use of copper in commercial cell production could come sooner than many think.