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Two research scientists from Boston University’s Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering have presented their findings on self-dusting solar panels to the 240th National Meeting of the American Chemical Society (ACS). During the meeting, they described how a self-cleaning coating – based on technology developed for space missions to Mars – on the surface of solar cells could increase the efficiency of producing electricity from sunlight and reduce maintenance costs for large-scale solar installations.

Research scientists from Boston University’s Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering have presented their findings on self-dusting solar panels to the 240th National Meeting of the American Chemical Society (ACS).

Multi-crystalline solar wafer manufacturer, LDK Solar Co Ltd, has started construction on a 1.5-gigawatt (GW) solar cell and module facility in Hefei, China, according to China Business News. It says that the project is worth around RMB 2.5 billion.

MiaSolé, located in the U.S. will be supplying Germany-based juwi Solar GmbH with 608.5 megawatts (MW) of copper indium gallium (di)selenide (CIGS) photovoltaics (PV) modules.

The French Ministry of Economy, Industry and Employment has announced it will be cutting all feed-in-tariffs (FITs) for new photovoltaics (PV) installations by 12 percent from September 1. Small residential PV systems, with a maximum capacity of three megawatts (MW) or less is the only category not to be affected.

SunEdison has installed a 296 kW rooftop mounted photovoltaics (PV) system in San Diego, the U.S. as part of AT&T’s national solar initiative. San Diego Mayor, Jerry Sanders, officially switched the system on yesterday. Additionally, AT&T outlined five other Californian solar contracts it has with SunEdison, which, including the San Diego system, are expected to see around two megawatts (MW) of PV capacity installed by the second quarter of next year.

Solar microinverters and DC-DC power optimizers are forecast to generate more than USD$1.5 billion in revenues over the next five years, according to IMS Research. It says that shipments of the devices are forecast to grow over 100 percent per year and will total more than 16 million in the same period.

After years of speculation and waiting, it seems South Africa is set to receive its first renewable energy feed-in tariff (Refit) for solar PV by the end of the year. Representing one of the “biggest shifts in South Africa (SA) in the last few years”, Ryan Hammond director of Solairedirect Southern Africa tells pv magazine that following its successful implementation, he is confident it won’t be long before grid parity is reached. However, he said the proposed incentives could prove to be too attractive.

Trina Solar Limited has said it is looking to expand its annualized in-house production capacities of ingot and wafer, as well as photovoltaics (PV) cell and module production capacity by the end of next year to approximately 1.0 gigawatts (GW) and 1.5 GW respectively. It cited yield increases achieved from improved cell conversion efficiency rates, improved production efficiencies and manufacturing line enhancements as key reasons for this expansion.

Following delays, First Solar has reportedly said it expects construction to begin on its two gigawatt (GW) solar power plant in Inner Mongolia next year, according to Reuters, who was quoting China Business News.