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UK-based thin-film start-up, Oxford Photovoltaics, has secured at least a further £8 million (US$12.1 million) in venture capital funding to further plans to commercialise its blend of perovskite materials under a licensing model.

Microinverter technology provider Enphase Energy has agreed to a strategic partnership with smart energy management solutions company MyLight Systems.

PV mounting systems provider GameChange Racking has announced that it has contracted 10.9 million kgs (24 million pounds) of steel in order to reach the first half of 2015’s 500MW of consumer demand for GameChange’s ground and rooftop PV racking systems.

US-based polysilicon producer REC Silicon is planning to attempt to shift its current FBR-based (fluidised bed reactor) polysilicon production sales away from China over tariff duty uncertainties and the eventual ramp of its JV FBR-base plant in China in 2017.

Korean polysilicon producer, OCI Company has reported a 17% increase in polysilicon sales in 2014 as its plants run at full capacity.

The parent company of GCL Poly has taken over the management of embattled module manufacturer Chaori Solar.

The director of the US Department of Energy’s (DoE) solar cost cutting programme has hailed the “phenomenal jobs growth rate” that the US solar industry has enjoyed in recent times.

Insolvent PV equipment and wet processing specialist, RENA GmbH has been acquired by Swiss private equity firm, Capvis for an undisclosed sum.

Monocrystalline wafer producer, Longi Silicon Materials and electronics giant and PV inverter producer, Huawei Technologies have signed a memorandum of cooperation to pursue smart technology options to boost PV power plant performance and reliability.

India’s solar manufacturing sector appears to have received a boost, with solar cell manufacturer Indosolar signing a wafer supply agreement worth US$200 million with Korean company Osung.