A five-year global solar forecast by the European Photovoltaics Association (EPIA) has confirmed other recent reports of a major shift in activity away from solar’s traditional stronghold in Europe.
Tokuyama Corporation, a Japanese silicon producer, has teamed up with 1366 Technologies, a solar wafer manufacturer, with a key focus on research and development.
Citizens Solar Holdings, a company which forms part of non-profit firm Citizens Energy, has secured a US$26 million credit facility which will be used to fund the construction of five PV projects in Massachusetts, US.
Thailand-based Green Earth Power (GEP) has signed a memorandum of understanding with Myanmar’s Ministry of Electric Power to construct a US$275 million plant.
German manufacturer SMA is to supply 114 of its Sunny Central 900CP XT inverters to what is said to be Europe’s largest thin-film PV power plant in Templin in Brandenburg, Germany.
Leading PV energy provider (PVEP), First Solar reported first quarter revenue of US$755 million in the quarter, a decrease of US$320 million from the fourth quarter of 2012 but exceeded slightly the top range of guidance.
Specialist encapsulant supplier STR Holdings continued to see sales slump in the first quarter of 2013, despite many module manufacturers raising production utilization rates on improved demand.
The European Union added 16.5GW of new PV capacity in 2012, representing a 25% decline compared with the 22GW figure recorded in 2011, according to figures published by EurObserv’ER.
