Markets & Finance

Japan’s Ministry of Economics, Trade and Industry (METI), has requested an increase in the nation’s clean energy budget of 62%, partly to help relieve bottlenecks of solar power projects.

Running at near full-capacity for the first time since 2010, JA Solar’s quarterly revenue for six consecutive quarters has basically flatlined.

Bloomberg New Energy Finance has issued forecasts for the amounts of distributed PV and utility PV to be installed in China between this year and 2030.

Renewable energy technology developer Abengoa has completed construction of South Africa’s first solar tower.

JFE Engineering has been contracted to build a 21.7MW photovoltaic power plant on the northern Japanese island of Hokkaido by Japanese investment management firm Sparx Group.

In an attempt to debunk recent reports from Bloomberg New Energy Finance (BNEF) and IHS over the timing and location of the next wave of PV equipment capital spending, NPD Solarbuzz expects the upturn to be delayed due to PV module manufacturers adopting ‘fabless’ and ‘virtual manufacturing’ strategies through to the second-half of 2014.

German environment minister Peter Altmaier has predicted new PV capacity in Germany will fall to around half what it was last year.

Solar operator Edisun Power Europe has delayed the announcement of its half-year results that were due to be released on Wednesday of this week.

Solar and wind power could be price competitive with gas-fired plants in the west of the US by 2025, according to a new study by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL).

The Swiss government is considering massive solar subsidy cuts in a move the country’s PV industry has warned could have “profoundly” damaging effects.