Ben Willis

Manufacturer Kyocera Solar is planning to lay off staff at its manufacturing plant in San Diego, California, because of weak demand for US-made solar modules.

The global market for energy storage in PV is forecast to grow to US$19 billion by 2017 from just $200 million last year, according to research by IHS.

New solar joint venture SF Solar Power has unveiled plans to install an 11.6MW PV plant at Kansai International Airport in Osaka, Japan.

US manufacturer and developer First Solar has sold its 139MW Campo Verde solar project in California to Southern Company subsidiary Southern Power and Turner Renewable Energy.

Chinese PV manufacturer ReneSola has agreed a deal to supply 44MW of its modules to German EPC company Enerparc.

Shares in China’s troubled PV manufacturer Suntech rallied yesterday following unconfirmed rumours that US investor Warren Buffet is considering buying the company.

US solar thermal developer BrightSource Energy has shelved a 500MW concentrating solar (CSP) plant in California, according to reports.

Bill Gates has given financial backing to the development of a new energy storage system aimed at cutting the intermittency of renewable energy technologies such as solar.

Chinese manufacturer Suntech has announced the resolution of its ongoing dispute with its partner GSF Capital.

Energy storage is the fastest growing requirement of PV inverter buyers around the world, according to a report by IHS Research.