Markets & Policy

As an expected 20,000 solar devotees gather in San Francisco, the U.S. for the Intersolar North America trade show and conference, it is clear the industry’s mood is in an upswing. With global solar shipments up 92 percent in the second quarter, compared to the same quarter a year ago, and research firm iSuppli projecting a 92.9 percent increase in installations for the full year, attendees say it has become easier to be optimistic.

Photovoltaics (PV) module shipments increased for the fifth consecutive quarter in the second quarter of this year, to 3.7 gigawatts (GW), thus generating USD$7.1 billion in revenues, according to IMS Research’s latest quarterly report on the solar cell and module market.

The state’s failure to pass the New York Solar Jobs and Development Act is putting the Empire State further behind other states in the Northeast, according to the New York Solar Energy Industries Association (NYSEIA), which advocated for passage of the landmark solar power bill.??

Asia-Pacific photovoltaics (PV) markets are poised to make a significant contribution to global PV market growth this year, according to the Solarbuzz Asia and Pacific Major PV Markets 2010 report, following improvements in the policy environment in most of the key countries in the region.

Global sales of photovoltaic (PV) panels reached USD$37.2 billion last year, said the European Photonics Industry Consortium’s (EPIC) Report on Photovoltaics: PV Market Overview 2009. During the same period, PV electrical generation capacity installed was 7.3 gigawatts (GW).

Italy is set to cut its production incentives for Europe’s third-biggest solar power market in 2011-2013 to adjust them to falling solar systems prices, said the Industry Ministry Undersecretary.

Germany’s upper house of parliament has agreed to a compromise proposal to reduce the cuts for solar power incentives. The law can now enter into force.

Germany’s Bundesrat upper house of parliament has agreed to a compromise proposal to reduce the cuts for solar power incentives. The reductions will be implemented over a three month period.

CNPV Solar Power SA has said it has been granted full approval for its complete range of modules under the UK Microgeneration Certification Scheme (MCS). The MCS certificate is a pre-requisite for selling solar panels in the UK market within the government financial support program.

pvxchange has announced it has brokered more photovoltaics (PV) modules and inverters in the first half of this year than during the course of the whole previous year. At the same time, another 1,000 participants have registered on the online trading platform since the beginning of this year.