Europe

CIGS thin-film module producer Avancis has reported a record conversion efficiency of 17.9% with a 30x30 cm² champion mini-module, certified by Fraunhofer ISE.

Europe has surpassed 100GW of installed grid-connected solar PV capacity, according to new data from research firm IHS.

Integrated PV module manufacturer SolarWorld has reported preliminary first quarter 2016 sales of €212.6 million on product shipments of 341MW.

Solar PV and polysilicon manufacturing equipment specialist centrotherm said that its current order backlog stood at over €146 million (US$165 million) at the end of the first quarter of 2016.

Abengoa, which entered insolvency proceedings last November, has been granted bankruptcy protection under Chapter 15 over the objections of a group of insurance companies who claimed the Spanish renewables company’s talks to restructure billions in debt was unfair to US creditors.

UK 'green' utility Ecotricity has announced the purchase of failed renewable energy developer SunEdison's UK rooftop solar business.

Shifting solar power for several hours using flow batteries will quickly become economically viable if the energy storage systems are also allowed to provide other services, such as grid-balancing, one maker of the devices has claimed.

Solarworld-headed manufacturer group EU Prosun said rival Solar Alliance for Europe (SAFE) is “twisting or simply ignoring” data from an analyst report to make it appear to support the latter’s position on the EU-China anti-dumping dispute.

Energy giant Total has said it wants to be a top three player in the solar energy industry within the next 20 years.

Laser systems specialist LPKF Laser & Electronics has secured a major systems order from an unnamed customer within the PV manufacturing sector.