Markets & Finance

Polysilicon producer, REC Silicon reported second quarter revenues of US$126.8 million, compared to US$113.3 million in the previous quarter, due to higher demand for fluidised bed reactor-based granular polysilicon and a 4% increase in selling prices.

PV is set to become the second most important source of power in the US after natural gas by 2040, according to the US government's Energy Information Administration (EIS).

Solar installations in the US have increased by over 40% year on year, according to the 2014 edition of US clean tech research firm Clean Edge's annual Clean Tech Leadership Index (CTLI).

Solar and wind energy provider Juhl Renewable Energy Systems, a subsidiary of Juhl Energy, has been appointed the lead contractor for all rooftop PV systems installed through Solar Chicago, a programme serving Chicago, Illinois and other surrounding communities.

A boom in the use of electric vehicles will help push the energy storage market to US$50 billion by 2020, a study by Lux Research has concluded.

The US is lagging behind the likes of Australia and Germany in pushing down the labour costs associated with residential PV installation, a Rocky Mountain Institute study has revealed.

PV project developer, SPI Solar, has completed its private placement of newly issued shares that raised a total of US$21.75 million in new funding.

Shunfeng Photovoltaic International has postponed a large stock share issue announced in May 2014 due to recent volatility on international and Hong Kong stock markets.

The New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) is looking for contractors to build and operate rooftop PV as part of a solar rooftop rental programme planned for the Indian city.

The World Trade Organization (WTO) has ruled that US import duties applied to Chinese solar products in 2012 broke global trade rules.