Arizona solar area part of state's 192,000-acre renewables-friendly zone
U.S. Secretary of State for the Interior, Senator Ken Salazar, has announced the designation of more than 192,000 acres of public land in Arizona as suitable for utility-scale solar and wind projects as part of the Restoration Design Energy Project.
US losing its share of $1tn global solar revenues
A report into the future of the U.S. clean energy industry has called upon President Obama and Congress to introduce measures to ensure the country does not fall further behind in the global renewable energy revolution.
Chile prepares to add 2.2 GW of solar power generation
Chile’s National Energy Commission (CNE) says it is feasible to connect up to 2.2 GW of solar plants to the national grid over the next 15 years, in a newly published plan for the expansion of the national transmission system.
Upgrading grids "our lifeline" TÜV Rheinland chief
The CEO of solar testing company TÜV Rheinland has called on politicians in Germany and the European Union to make a huge effort to upgrade grids because, he told an audience at the Technical University of Kaiserslautern, “our current network is our lifeline”.
Oil price driving PV development in the Middle East
U.S. solar module manufacturer-turned-plant-developer First Solar is targeting the Middle East and north Africa as a growth market as oil and gas-rich nations look to reduce their domestic reliance on such fuels to maximize export returns.
Polysilicon price could rise in March slightly
There are indications falling polysilicon production is starting to address the long-standing global oversupply and helping the price of the solar material stabilize, according to consultants IHS i-Suppli.
Another $12m for SunShot initiative
The U.S. Department of Energy’s SunShot Incubator program has announced a further US$12 million of funding to develop solar hardware, and reduce the soft costs associated with installation and permitting.
Minister of Environment Peter Altmaier bolsters German module manufacturers
The German Minister of Environment Peter Altmaier attended the World Future Energy Summit this year.
Trina Solar dismisses rumors of $14bn debt
Chinese solar module giant Trina Solar has dismissed an analyst’s prediction that a $14bn off-the-books debt mountain will force it into insolvency within six months.
EMPA announces 20.4% efficient thin film CIGS-on-polymer cell
The record-breaking Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology (EMPA) claims to have engineered a thin flim CIGS solar cell on a flexible polymer substrate that is as efficient as polycrystalline silicon wafer-based cells.
