April 25, 2013 The emerging market for Silicon Carbide (SiC) and Gallium Nitride (GaN) power semiconductors is forecast to grow by a factor of 18 during the next 10 years, energized by demand from power supplies, photovoltaic (PV) inverters and industrial motor drives.
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April 24, 2013 Reflecting a major shift in the global solar market after four years of severe erosion, prices for photovoltaic (PV) modules in the key European market are rising due to number of factors, including the newly restored balance between supply and demand. Read more

April 24, 2013 Organic Photovoltaic (OPV) technology developer Solar Press is investigating the energy harvesting potential for flexible plastic based OPV modules to be used as a power source for remote, autonomous sensors within buildings. Read more

April 18, 2013 Energized by a surge of shipments in Asia, global PV inverter market revenue in 2012 rose to $7.1 billion, up from $6.7bn in 2011, according to the latest PV inverter market report from IMS Research, now part of IHS Inc. Read more

April 17, 2013 Cree, Inc. and Delta Energy Systems are claiming a breakthrough in the photovoltaic inverter industry with the release of Delta’s new generation of solar inverters, which utilize SiC power MOSFETs from Cree.
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April 2, 2013 Solar photovoltaic demand from the Emerging Asia Pacific and Central Asia (EAPCA) region is forecast to exceed 3 GW by 2017 according to findings in a new report released by market analyst, NPD Solarbuzz. Read more

March 27, 2013 First Solar became the world’s largest photovoltaic (PV) EPC (engineering, procurement and construction) contractor in 2012, with more than 500 MW of projects according to a new report from IMS Research part of IHS Inc. Read more

March 20, 2013 Solar cell technology developer Solar Press has signed a long term partnership agreement to develop and sell turn-key manufacturing solutions for Organic Photovoltaic (OPV) modules with coating and printing business, KROENERT.
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March 18, 2013 The Japanese photovoltaic market looks set to grow by 120 percent in 2013 and will install more than 5 GW of new capacity, according to a new report entitled 'The PV Market in Japan' released by IMS Research. Read more

February 25, 2013 Experts from the University of Sheffield's Department of Physics and Astronomy and the University of Cambridge have created a method of spray-coating a photovoltaic active layer by an air based process - similar to spraying regular paint from a can. Read more

February 18, 2013 The new Photovoltaic Systems Center in Neuchâtel has become operational as a new division of CSEM. The center is dedicated to applied research and technology transfer in the domain of solar energy. Read more

February 13, 2013 Toshiba Electronics Europe (TEE) has unveiled a photocoupler that will reduce PCB space and power consumption in IGBT and MOSFET designs that need galvanic isolation. Target applications include factory automation equipment, motor drives, digital home appliances and photovoltaic power micro-inverters. 
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February 11, 2013 The world's cumulative solar photovoltaic (PV) electricity capacity surpassed 100 GW in 2012, achieving just over 101 GW, according to new market figures released by the European Photovoltaic Industry Association (EPIA).
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January 15, 2013 A new PV module shipment record of 11 GW was reached in the fourth quarter according to the IHS Solar Integrated Market Tracker from information and analytics provider IHS. Read more

January 10, 2013 Amid rapidly falling prices, mounting losses and massive operational costs, the upstream solar photovoltaic (PV) supply chain is undergoing major consolidation, with the number of companies participating in the market expected to plunge by 70 percent this year. Read more

January 2, 2013 News stories about ultracapacitors and supercapacitors were the focus of a lot of readers this year as designers sought new ways of storing energy to power their design solutions.



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December 20, 2012 “The photovoltaic industry is in the midst of wrenching change—buffeted by government incentive cuts and nose-diving prices that has hurt solar suppliers worldwide, rocked by trade disputes among its major players, and hamstrung by a sputtering global economy,” said Ash Sharma, director, solar research at IHS. Read more

December 17, 2012 More than 70 companies and associations in the solar photovoltaic (PV) electricity sector have co-signed a letter to European Energy Commissioner Günther Oettinger, calling on the EU to take action against Member States that are enacting retroactive measures or moratoria on support schemes for renewables. Read more

November 22, 2012 The European Photovoltaic Industry Association (EPIA) has launched a new version of the organization’s website, www.epia.org, with a stronger focus on important news for the solar photovoltaic (PV) industry.

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November 7, 2012 Scientists from Stanford University have built the first solar cell made entirely of graphene sheets and carbon nanotubes, a promising alternative to the expensive materials used in photovoltaic devices today. Read more

October 23, 2012 New research in the latest edition of the NPD Solarbuzz PV Equipment Quarterly report shows that production equipment order cancellations and push-outs by solar photovoltaic (PV) manufacturers during 2012 exceeded $3 billion by the end of Q3’12. Read more

October 12, 2012 Soitec has completed delivery on a total of 5 megawatts (MW) of its Concentrix concentrating photovoltaic (CPV) systems to seven solar power plants throughout Italy. Read more

October 11, 2012 Global photovoltaic inverter shipments are forecast to reach a record of 8.6 GW following a decline in the third quarter of 2012 according to the latest report released by market analyst, IMS Research. Read more

October 8, 2012 Vishay Intertechnology has introduced a new photovoltaic solar panel protection rectifier with a high current rating of 10 A and high reverse voltage of 1000 V in the P600 axial package. Read more

September 27, 2012 The concentrated photovoltaic (CPV) market is forecast to double in 2012 and reach almost 90 MW or $325 million according to market analyst, IMS Research. Read more

September 24, 2012 Imec and the chemicals company Solvay have announced an organic photovoltaic module with a world-record certified efficiency of 5.5 percent. Read more

September 12, 2012 AMETEK Programmable Power has expanded the company’s Elgar TerraSAS line with the ETS Series Standalone Photovoltaic (PV) Simulator.
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September 5, 2012 Microinverters and power optimizers continued to be the fastest growing segment of the photovoltaic (PV) inverter market, growing by 180 percent in 2011, according to a new report published by IMS Research.

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August 17, 2012 Photovoltaic module prices continued in a downward trend in July 2012, falling by more than two percent compared with June’s average prices and 44 percent down annually, according to the latest monthly module price report from IMS Research.
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July 26, 2012 ROHM Semiconductor has developed a 2nd generation high-voltage (1200 V) Silicon Carbide power MOSFET designed for inverters and converters in power conditioners for industrial devices and photovoltaic power generation.
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July 25, 2012 The global photovoltaic (PV) inverter market is predicted to grow by 23 percent in 2012 and hit almost 32 GW according to the 5th edition of IMS Research’s annual report on this industry.
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July 12, 2012 Amphenol Industrial Global Operations is now offering a molded in-line fuse that helps protect photovoltaic systems from ground fault current damage. Used by PV system engineers, EPCs, solar contractors and design engineers, Amphenol's HelioFuse is rugged and easy to install. Read more

July 5, 2012

ROHM has developed second-generation SiC (Silicon Carbide) Schottky barrier diodes ideal for power supply circuits in PV (photovoltaic) power conditioners, industrial equipment, servers, air conditioners, and more.

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June 26, 2012 Market analyst, IMS Research is reporting that average gross profits of crystalline photovoltaic (PV) industry module manufacturers dropped to nine US cents per watt in the first quarter of 2012.
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June 19, 2012 To convert as many of the sun's wavelengths as possible, researchers aim at changing the concentration of indium in photovoltaic materials such as indium gallium nitride (InGaN) to tune the material's response so it collects solar energy from a variety of wavelengths. Read more

June 13, 2012

A Limoges-based French company, DisaSolar has reached an agreement to work as a R&D partner with the Holst research center (TNO, IMEC, ECN) in the Netherlands.  The organizations will focus on developing organic photovoltaic (OPV) technology.

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June 7, 2012 OutBack Power Technologies, Inc., a designer and manufacturer of power electronics for renewable energy, back-up power and mobile applications, has unveiled the company's grid-interactive Radian Series GS7048E Inverter/Charger, offering 230 V of adjustable power for residential, industrial, and commercial applications. Read more

May 15, 2012 Solar photovoltaic demand during 2H'12 will see increasing contributions from emerging markets in North America and Asia Pacific, with 60% of PV demand coming from non-European regions according to new research featured in NPD Solarbuzz's PV Market Quarterly report. Read more

May 14, 2012 As the result of a French-American collaboration spearheaded by the Centre de Recherches sur les Macromolécules Végétales, a new combination of polymers associating sugars with oil-based macromolecules is helping to design ultra-thin films capable of self-organization with a 5-nm resolution. Read more

May 8, 2012 Mitsubishi Electric Corporation has unveiled the company’s sixth-generation Mega Power Dual (MPD) Series of three insulated-gate bipolar transistor (IGBT) modules. Read more

May 3, 2012 Researchers at the University of Basel in Switzerland are claiming a new approach to creating sustainable and renewable photovoltaic devices. Read more

April 30, 2012 Heliatek GmbH is claiming a new world record for organic photovoltaic (OPV) cells with 10.7% cell efficiency on 1.1 cm2. Heliatek commissioned SGS, an accredited and independent testing facility, to  measure the efficiency of the company's latest OPV cells. Read more

April 27, 2012 Saft and Nedap, the Dutch manufacturer of intelligent technology solutions, have agreed to join forces to create effective energy storage systems, based on state-of-the-art lithium-ion (Li-ion) battery technology. Read more

April 11, 2012 The average price of photovoltaic (PV) wafers in the first quarter of 2012 fell by more than 70 percent in a year according to the latest research released by market analyst, IMS Research. Read more

April 3, 2012 Strong early-year photovoltaic market demand in 2012, stimulated by a shifting and uncertain policy environment in Europe, has established the foundation for PV manufacturers to increase shipments during 2012 concludes the new Solarbuzz Quarterly report released by NPD Solarbuzz. Read more

March 26, 2012 A team of MIT researchers have added a new dimension to improving the performance of solar photovoltaic cells and bringing down their cost.  The researchers are building cubes or towers that extend the solar cells upward in three-dimensional configurations.  Read more

March 20, 2012 Global solar photovoltaic (PV) market installations reached a record high of 27.4 GW in 2011, up 40% Y/Y, according to the annual PV market report, 2012 Marketbuzz issued by NPD Solarbuzz. Market growth overall in 2011 was driven by strong second half demand ahead of further deep cuts in solar incentives. Read more

February 14, 2012 Soitec SA said its Concentrix Solar division has raised funds to build a 50-megawatt solar power plant in Touwsrivier, Western Cape, South Africa. Read more

February 13, 2012 A three-year European research project aims to push solar-cell efficiency towards 25 percent and reduce power conversion losses by 20 percent. Read more

February 10, 2012 A joint research project between the University of Southampton and lithium battery technology company REAPsystems has discovered that a new type of battery has the potential to improve the efficiency and reduce the cost of solar power. Read more

January 30, 2012 The latest European PV Markets Quarterly report from market analyst NPD Solarbuzz forecasts that a 23% Q/Q rise in the Q4’11 European photovoltaic market has created short-term optimism in the industry, which has been amplified by the slowdown in module price decline over the past month. NPD Solarbuzz predicts the Q4’11 demand boom will accelerate the tightening of PV incentive policies that is gripping Europe, most notably in the key German market and most recently in Spain with announcement of a moratorium on new renewable energy plants. Read more

January 3, 2012 The two plants will be the first large-scale solar photovoltaic energy projects in Latin America. 113,600 thin-film amorphous hydrogenated-silicon modules produced by T-Solar's Orense, Spain factory will be deployed over 206 hectares of land in the Arequipa region in southern Peru. Isolux Corsán, T-Solar's parent company, has been retained as EPC contractor and will carry out construction works. Read more

December 26, 2011 As we are hurtle inexorably into 2012 now is time to unveil EE Times Europe Power Management's Top 10 most popular news stories of 2011. The results are based on the news stories that were accessed by EE Times Europe Power Management's readership since January 1, 2011. Read more

December 19, 2011 Financial challenges are forcing solar photovoltaic (PV) companies to prioritize a return to profitability and shift focus from seeking market share, finds NPD Solarbuzz’s latest Solarbuzz Quarterly report . The market analyst predicts that global demand is projected to grow 6% in 2012, so market declines in Europe will be offset by 43% growth outside that region. Solar companies will consequently face the challenge of re-building margins during a period of increasing diversity in end solar market mix. Read more

December 16, 2011 Soitec announced it has purchased a manufacturing facility in Rancho Bernardo, Calif., within San Diego City limits, and will soon begin fitting the factory to produce its concentrator photovoltaic (CPV) modules for the U.S. renewable-energy market. The site, acquired from Sony Electronics, will enable a manufacturing capacity of 200 megawatts (MW) of Soitec's fifth generation Concentrix CPV modules and with future expansion to double the capacity to 400 MW per year. Read more

December 12, 2011 Texas Instruments Incorporated is claiming the industry's most accurate difference amplifier for high common-mode-voltage applications up to +275 V. The company's INA149 increases overall measurement accuracy more than two fold compared to the closest competitor.  The device claims to be the first difference amplifier with guaranteed 90 dB CMRR performance in harsh, high temperature environments up to 125 degrees C. Read more

December 9, 2011 Dow Corning has entered into a long-term supply agreement with Air Products for electronic-grade silane, a material used for manufacturing of flat panel displays, semiconductors and photovoltaic cells. Read more

December 2, 2011 A conversion efficiency of 23.3% on interdigitated back-contact (IBC) silicon solar cell has been demonstrated by Interuniversity Microelectronics Centre (Imec) working together with its silicon photovoltaic industrial affiliation program partners Schott Solar, Total, Photovoltech, GDF-SUEZ, Solland Solar, Kaneka and Dow Corning. Read more

November 28, 2011 At the 21st International Photovoltaic Science and Engineering Conference, held on November 28th – December 2nd in Fukuoka, Japan, Kaneka and imec will present silver-free heterojunction silicon solar cells. The results were obtained by applying copper electroplating technology, which was developed by Kaneka based on imec's existing copper electroplating technology, A conversion efficiency of more than 21% was achieved in 6-inch silicon substrates with an electroplated copper contact grid on top of the transparent conductive oxide layer. Read more

November 16, 2011 Soitec, a world leader in generating and manufacturing revolutionary semiconductor materials for the electronics and energy industries, is entering into a joint venture with Reflexite Energy Solutions Inc., a U.S.-based global supplier of microstructured optical components for the solar power, lighting, instrumentation and display industries. Read more

November 15, 2011 The European photovoltaic market is projected to see a Q/Q rise of 22% in the Q4’11according to the latest quarterly report by market analyst, Solarbuzz. Read more

October 28, 2011 SOLON Corporation, a leading provider of utility-scale and commercial photovoltaic (PV) system solutions to the North American market , has selected Saft to provide a Li-ion battery for its Energy Storage Management Research and Testing (SMRT) site. The design and construction of the site will be managed by SOLON, in conjunction with Tucson Electric Power (TEP) and the Arizona Research Institute for Solar Energy (AzRISE) at the University of Arizona. Read more

October 28, 2011 Imec and its 16 project partners announce that they have launched the European FP7 project X10D, a project aiming at developing tandem organic solar cells with an increased conversion efficiency and lifetime, and a decreased production cost. The ultimate goal of the X10D project is to bring organic photovoltaic technologies (OPV) towards introduction into the competitive thin-film PV market. Read more

October 19, 2011 Soitec has introduced the company’s fifth generation of concentrator photovoltaic (CPV) systems with enhanced features and performance characteristics specifically designed to benefit large-scale utility power plants. The new product configuration delivers higher efficiency and lower cost of electricity. Read more

October 19, 2011 Mitsubishi Electric Corporation has begun full-scale tests of smart grid and related smart-community technologies at the company’s production sites in Japan. The aim of the project is to develop and test products including commercial systems,equipment and solutions for annual sales worth 1.3 trillion yen (about 17 billion USD) by March 2016. Read more

October 18, 2011 Mouser Electronics has launched a new Solar Technology Product Knowledge Center (PKC) training site for electronic design engineers. Read more

October 18, 2011 Molecular Solar Ltd, a spin-out company from the University of Warwick, is claiming a breakthrough in the performance of solar photovoltaic (PV) cells. The company has achieved and demonstrated a record voltage for organic photovoltaic cells that means these highly flexible, low cost solar cells can now be devolved for commercial uses in a wide range of consumer electronics. Read more

October 17, 2011 University of Michigan's Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, has developed the reflective photovoltaic color filter device that can convert absorbed light to electricity. A new kind of screen pixel using such color filters could doubles as a solar cell and could boost the energy efficiency of cell phones and e-readers. The technology could also potentially be used in larger displays to make energy-harvesting billboards or decorative solar panels. Read more

October 12, 2011 RF Micro Devices, Inc. is implementing a strategic initiative to extend RFMD's industry leadership in compound semiconductor technologies into a broad array of adjacent non-RF growth markets. The strategic initiative includes the formation of a new business group, the Compound Semiconductor Group (CSG), which will operate alongside RFMD's Cellular Products Group (CPG) and RFMD's Multi-Market Products Group (MPG). Read more

September 26, 2011 The latest Solarbuzz Quarterly report concludes that the continued solar module overproduction will lead to sustained price pressure across global photovoltaic (PV) markets which are already reeling from factory gate prices now down 33% Y/Y. Read more

September 7, 2011 AMETEK Programmable Power has introduced a 3U high single box PV simulator. The PV-simulator-in-a-box uses the same AMETEK Windows-based software as the turn-key TerraSAS solutions. Read more

September 6, 2011 An organic polymer-based single junction solar cell with 6.9% performance in an innovative inverted device stack has been revealed at the European Photovoltaic Solar Energy Conference and Exhibition (PVSEC) in Hamburg, Germany by Belgian research centre, imec, in partnership with Plextronics and Solvay. Read more

September 5, 2011 A new study by the European Photovoltaic Industry Association (EPIA) forecasts that solar photovoltaic (PV) electricity can be competitive with grid electricity in some European markets as early as 2013, and in all market segments across the continent by 2020. Read more

August 30, 2011 MTPV LLC, a startup developing chips used to convert heat to electricity, has received $6.5 million in funding from 13 investors, according to a regulatory filing made Monday (August 29). Read more

August 22, 2011 Researchers at the UCLA Henry Samueli School of Engineering and Applied Science have created a novel concept for harvesting and recycling energy for electronic devices, one that involves equipping these devices' LCD screens with built-in photovoltaic polarizers, allowing them to convert ambient light, sunlight and their own backlight into electricity. Read more

August 17, 2011 In the world of solar energy, organic photovoltaic solar cells have a wide range of potential applications, but they are still considered an upstart. While these carbon-based cells, which use organic polymers or small molecules as semiconductors, are much thinner and less expensive to produce than conventional solar cells made with inorganic silicon wafers, they still lag behind in their ability to efficiently convert sunlight into electricity. Read more

August 11, 2011 TESEQ has introduced a new Line Impedance Stabilization Network (LISN) for conducted emissions testing of Grid Connected Power Conditioners (GCPC). The DC-LISN-M2-25-V1 is designed for measuring unsymmetrical disturbances on DC power ports in the frequency range from 150 kHz to 30 MHz. Read more

July 28, 2011 Saft is to deploy the company's state-of-the-art lithium-ion (Li-ion) energy storage systems as part of the MILLENER smart grid project, which has a target of installing energy management facilities in France's island territories.    Read more

July 26, 2011 Prof. Eicke Weber, spokesperson for the Fraunhofer Energy Alliance, says that the transition to renewable energy is set to deliver an economic pay off in the years to come and points out that various studies show a shift to alternative energy sources will raise the GNP in the coming decade and create new jobs Read more

July 11, 2011 Schurter has introduced a new standard DC filter series FMER SOL suited for use on the DC side of the inverter in photovoltaic systems. The filters are cURus approved up to 1000 VDC and an ambient temperature up to 75°C. Read more

July 8, 2011 A hybrid photovoltaic-piezoelectric device has been developed at the Institute of Material Research and Innovation (IMRI) of the University of Bolton which is capable of generating electrical energy from solar, wind and rain energy. The organic photovoltaic cell based on P3HT and PCBM has been developed on a piezoelectric PVDF polymer substrate. Read more

July 4, 2011 The new Solarbuzz Quarterly report pinpoints that weak European photovoltaic (PV) market demand in the first half of 2011 caused global solar module inventories to soar at the end of Q2'11. Read more

June 22, 2011 Continued government policy adjustments are causing major shifts in the sizes, growth rates and customer segment mix of photovoltaic (PV) markets in 2011, according to the conclusions of three new Regional Downstream PV Market reports issued by market analyst, Solarbuzz. Read more

June 16, 2011 Maxim Integrated Products has introduced the industry's first IC to integrate all of the power-management functions for ambient energy harvesting, as well as for charging and protecting micro-energy cells (MECs), a form of solid-state battery. Operating at an ultra-low current level, the MAX17710 accepts energy from a variety of poorly regulated energy harvesting sources with output levels ranging from 1 uW to 100 mW. Read more

June 13, 2011 Concentrated photovoltaic (CPV) systems supplier, Circadian Solar, has taken on additional premises in the UK in preparation for pilot production of its concentrated photovoltaic (CPV) systems. Read more

June 13, 2011 QSolar Limited has accelerated shipments of the company's solar photovoltaic (PV) panels to European clients. QSolar's product shipments were of the 230 W and 250 W panels and represent a 100% increase compared with the previous quarter's shipments. Read more

June 10, 2011 Future Energy Solutions is demonstrating a micro-inverter reference design board at the InterSolar 2011 exhibition, which aims to provide a model for the rapid development of highly efficient and reliable micro-inverter end products. The reference design is suitable for micro-inverters serving Photovoltaic (PV) solar panel arrays rated up to 200 W and comprising up to 72 cells. Read more

June 9, 2011 National Semiconductor Corp. has introduced the SolarMagic arc detection reference design that comprises analog front end integrated circuits (ICs) and multi-band dynamic filtering firmware which the company claims is the first commercially available chipset to detect hazardous DC arc faults in photovoltaic (PV) systems. Read more

June 7, 2011 Trojan Battery Company is expanding its product offering with the launch of its Industrial flooded line of batteries for renewable energy (RE) and backup power applications. Designed to support large daily loads where the batteries are cycled regularly, Trojan's deep-cycle Industrial batteries are ideal solutions for a wide range of photovoltaic (PV) systems. Read more

June 6, 2011 Molex's SolarSpec smart junction box makes it easy for manufacturers of solar photovoltaic (PV) panels to provide their products with module-embedded safety and monitoring functions, as well as convenient, safe and dependable connection facilities. Read more

May 12, 2011 Flextronics International Ltd., and MEMC Electronic Materials Inc.'s Singapore subsidiary have expanded their agreement to produce solar panels for MEMC's SunEdison subsidiary. Read more

May 11, 2011 Yamaichi Electronics has introduced the TF junction box for thin film modules, which is the first thin film junction box that has kink protection with ‘Hermetic Sealed’ technology. This is the first time the technology has been used in a junction box. Read more

May 10, 2011 Yamaichi Electronics has developed the new, cost-effective Eco-Si J-Box, which is a new photovoltaic junction box for crystalline solar modules for the Y-Sol product family. The device also offers the advantages of the ‘Hermetic Sealed’ overmolding technology. Read more

May 4, 2011 Solar photovoltaic micro-inverter manufacturer Enecsys Ltd., (Cambridge, UK) has secured £25 million ($41 million) in Series B equity financing to invest in its growth plan. This brings the amount invested in Enecsys to $55.3 million. Read more

April 18, 2011 The scale of expansion plans announced by PV cell manufacturers look set to create a $15.2 billion revenue opportunity for PV equipment suppliers during 2011, an increase of 41% Y/Y, according to the latest Solarbuzz PV Equipment Quarterly report. Read more

March 25, 2011 Euroclamp's MVP35 high power PCB terminal block has been designed for photovoltaic industry applications and is suitable for any high voltage or amperage application with ratings of 1000 V at 125 A. Read more

March 15, 2011 Worldwide solar photovoltaic (PV) market installations reached a record high of 18.2 GW in 2010 according to the annual PV market report, Marketbuzz 2011, pubished by solar energy consultancy, Solarbuzz.  Read more

March 14, 2011 National Semiconductor Corp. has introduced ten new SolarMagic ICs, the first in a series developed to reduce cost, improve reliability and simplify design of photovoltaic (PV) systems. Ranging from the industry's first full-bridge gate driver to a micropower voltage regulator, the new ICs are designed for a variety of photovoltaic electronic applications, including those found in microinverters, power optimizers, charge controllers and panel safety systems. Read more

March 10, 2011 Soitec’s Concentrix concentrated photovoltaic (CPV) technology has been selected by Tenaska Solar Ventures to produce 150MW of clean energy for San Diego Gas & Electric. The new CPV solar power plant, named Imperial Solar Energy Center (ISEC) West, will be constructed on a 1057-acre site in Southern California’s western Imperial County, and is expected to be completed in 2015. Read more

March 4, 2011 RF Micro Devices has announced it has successfully achieved another significant performance milestone related to the commercialization of high-performance photovoltaic (PV) cells. Read more

February 28, 2011 A collaborative project between Solaris Synergy from Israel and the EDF Group from France is focusing on the development of floating solar power plants which aim to overcome the need for vast land areas needed to build traditional solar cell systems and should reduce high maintenance costs Read more

February 24, 2011 Schurter has unveiled the company’s new standard DC filter series FMER SOL which has been developed for use on the DC side of the inverter in photovoltaic systems and other DC systems Read more

February 22, 2011 The European Photovoltaic Industry Association (EPIA), which is the world’s largest photovoltaic industry association, has published a report that shows in 2010 solar photovoltaic power (PV) was the leading renewable energy technology in terms of new capacity growth by almost 13,000 MW in Europe. The energy output of these new PV installations corresponds to the electricity production of two large coal-fired power plants. Read more

February 7, 2011 The Micro- and Nanotechnology Research Group of the Universitat Politecnica de Catalunya (UPC) has produced silicon photovoltaic cells with a conversion efficiency of 20.5%, the highest level achieved in Spain using this material. The figure is comparable to results obtained by leading research groups in the field at the international level. Read more

February 3, 2011 Finder has extended its relay range with versions designed to suit photovoltaic (PV) inverters, domestic appliances and other equipment needing reinforced insulation, high ambient temperature handling and full disconnection contacts. The latest product introductions comprise the 45.31 16A rated mini PCB relay and 3 special variants of the 66 Series 30A rated power relays. Read more

February 1, 2011 Sanyo Component Europe announces that its new high efficiency HIT photovoltaic modules have completed MCS accreditation and are eligible for the UK Feed-in-Tariff (FIT) subsidy system. The new modules include the N series, including the 240W module which has a cell conversion efficiency of 21.6% and a world’s top level module efficiency for crystalline based silicon modules of 19%. Read more

December 21, 2010 Market research specialist, The Information Network, reports that equipment used to manufacture photovoltaic cells will grow 34% in 2010. Read more

December 17, 2010 International solar energy market research and consulting company, Solarbuzz, reports global photovoltaic demand was 4.0 GW in Q3’10 and up 107% on one year earlier. Total industry revenues for the quarter were $17.9 billion, up 74% on the same quarter last year. Read more

December 17, 2010 Concentrated photovoltaic (CPV) systems supplier, Circadian Solar, has achieved a temperature-corrected peak module aperture efficiency of 30% during trials at its test site in Lisbon. The efficiency result continues to be reproduced with a number of different modules over the course of the trials. Read more

December 9, 2010 Bruker Energy & Supercon Technologies, Inc. (BEST) and PVA TePla AG (PVA) have signed a cooperation agreement on the joint development of a more efficient monocrystalline Si-growing process for photovoltaic (PV) applications. Read more

December 8, 2010 Specialist distributor Switchtec is offering a range of DC switch disconnectors and string boxes for photovoltaic (PV) applications.  The Telergon switches are ideal for renewable energy applications that require the DC supply to be isolated from a photovoltaic array. Read more

December 7, 2010 National Semiconductor Corp. has released the company’s SolarMagic MYPVDATA Solar Operations Center (SOC) which is software as a service (SaaS) developed to help users analyse data collected from the array by delivering meaningful information through an easy-to-use web-interface, so maximum energy can be harvested. Read more

December 2, 2010 The new Solarbuzz PV Equipment Quarterly report shows that according to its PV book-to-bill analysis in Q3’10 (ending 30 September), the PV Book-to-Bill ratio fell after an eight-quarter high during Q2’10, to a three-month average of 1.16. Read more

November 26, 2010 A £4.4 million solar energy project led by Glyndŵr University could create more than 50 new jobs in North Wales, UK, and provide a breakthroug in bringing affordable renewable energy to thousands of homes. Read more

November 3, 2010 Finder has introduced surge protection devices (SPD) designed specifically for photovoltaic (PV) panel installations. Additions to the company’s 7P Series of SPDs, three new Type 2 surge arresters will protect PV systems from the effects of lightning strike and electrical switching transients. The products are already supporting the company's own PV panels at its primary manufacturing plant. Read more

October 20, 2010 Countries of the Sunbelt (located within +/- 35° latitude around the equator) today represent about 75% of the World population and 40% of the global electricity demand. Furthermore, about 80% of the forecasted growth of the world electricity demand in the coming 20 years will originate from fast developing economies in this region. Characterised by an intense solar irradiation and often high electricity prices, countries of the Sunbelt, where photovoltaic energy has a unique competitive potential, constitute an immense opportunity for PV to become mainstream by 2020 and a major electricity source by 2030. This is the conclusion of the study conducted by the European Photovoltaic Industry Association (EPIA). Read more

October 19, 2010 Concentrated photovoltaic (CPV) systems supplier, Circadian Solar has appointed Hans-Juergen Cramer as the company’s chairman. The strategic appointment comes as Circadian Solar moves towards volume manufacture of its CPV systems. Read more

October 18, 2010 A high performance, synchronous boost converter that incorporates maximum power point control (MPPC) and starts up with inputs as low as 250 mV has been unveiled by Linear Technology. The LTC3105 operates over a wide input range of 0.2 V to 5 V, making it ideal for harvesting energy from high impedance alternative power sources, including photovoltaic cells, thermoelectric generators (TEGs) and fuel cells. Read more

October 7, 2010 Spire Semiconductor LLC, a subsidiary of Spire Corp., claims to have produced a world record efficiency concentrator photovoltaic (CPV) solar cell. The 0.97-cm-square cell was measured by the U.S. Department of Energy's National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) to have a peak efficiency of 42.3 percent. Read more

September 27, 2010 According to the results of the new UK PV Market 2010 report published by market analysts, Solarbuzz, the solar photovoltaic (PV) feed-in tariff (FIT) program introduced by the United Kingdom in April 2010 has catapulted the UK into the mainstream of global PV market activity. Read more

September 27, 2010 Canada and a number of European countries including the Czech Republic, Germany, Italy, France and the U.K. are gearing up subsidies for photovoltaics. The new efforts will surpass subsidies offered by Spain and Germany that generated a gold rush from 2007-2010, said Vishal Shah and analyst with Barclays Capital Clean Technology in a report released Friday (Sept. 24). Read more

September 20, 2010 After a weak start in 2010, Q2'10 global photovoltaic (PV) demand soared to 3.82 GW, up 54% Q/Q, according to a report issued today by Solarbuzz, an international solar energy market research and consulting company. The PV industry remains on target to deliver over 15 GW installations this year. Read more

September 9, 2010 Carbon nanotubes studded with phospholipid disks enable solar cells to perform self-repairing operations similar to plants performing photosynthesis. The resulting photoelectrochemical solar cells are claimed by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) researchers to be twice as efficient as the best solid-state solar panels. Read more

September 8, 2010 AEG Power Solutions (AEG PS) has unveiled its new Thyrobox PI power system for the first time at the 25th European Photovoltaic Solar Energy Conference and Exhibition (Feria Valencia, Valencia, Spain,).  The company claims the system will set new efficiency standards in polysilicon production. Read more

September 6, 2010 At the 25th European Photovoltaic Solar Energy Conference (Valencia, Spain), imec unveiled several large-area silicon solar cells with a conversion efficiency above 19%. Two types of cells were realized namely with Ag-screen-printed contacts and plated Cu-contacts. Efficiencies of cells with screen-printed contacts were up to 19.1% whereas 19.4% was obtained with Cu-plated contacts. Read more

August 26, 2010 Low-power MPT612 solution from NXP targets wide range of MPPT applications using solar photovoltaic cells, fuel cells NXP IC provides 98 percent-efficient power extraction in solar PV applications Read more

August 16, 2010 LDK Solar, manufacturer of multi-crystalline solar wafers, polysilicon and PV products, was invited by the Anhui Provincial Government to invest in a world class solar cell and module facility in Hefei High-Tech Industrial Development Zone in order to establish a renewable energy manufacturing hub in the Province. The facility will include a total annualized capacity of 1.0 gigawatt of crystalline-based solar cells and 500 megawatts of solar modules, and production is expected to commence in the second quarter of 2011. Read more

August 12, 2010 Research undertaken by Gartner, Inc. and the Solar Electric Power Association (SEPA) has revealed that utilities are becoming increasingly interested in procuring photovoltaic (PV) solar power generation systems and PV is one of the leading technologies considered for near-term renewable energy by utilities. Read more

August 4, 2010 Global photovoltaic (PV) systems installations will grow 43 percent next year to 20.2 gigawatts, despite concerns about reduced incentives for solar offered by governments, according to the latest forecast by market research firm iSuppli Corp. Read more

August 2, 2010 Italy’s biggest photovoltaic panel factory is to be developed following the signing by Enel Green Power, Sharp and STMicroelectronics of a binding letter of commitment for a project financing agreement for 150 million euros. Read more

July 9, 2010 Solar-Fabrik AG has entered into supply agreements with JA Solar Holdings Co., Ltd., a leading manufacturer of high-performance solar power products. Read more

July 7, 2010 Market analyst, Solarbuzz reports that the Asia Pacific photovoltaic markets are poised to make a significant contribution to global photovoltaic (PV) market growth in 2010 following improvements in the policy environment in most of the key countries in this region. Read more

July 1, 2010 Yamaichi Electronics has developed its Hermetic Sealed technology especially to meet the requirements of photovoltaic modules deployment. The connectors were designed to be both reliable and cost effective with voltage ratings up to 1,000 V DC. Read more

June 24, 2010 Nine countries are forecast to exceed 250 MW in 2010, up from six countries in 2009 predicts the latest photovoltaic (PV) market analysis from Solarbuzz, an international solar energy market research and consulting company. Read more

June 21, 2010 Siemens Energy has received an order from Italy for a photovoltaic plant with a peak output of 15 megawatts (MW). The customer is Ital Green Energy, a subsidiary of the Marseglia Group. The San Donaci solar power plant located in the Apulia region is to be connected to the Italian grid by late 2010 and will then supply clean electricity to around 5,500 Italian households. Besides plant design and engineering, Siemens will provide inverters, transformers, medium-voltage equipment as well as the monitoring and control system, and will also erect the plant. Read more

June 17, 2010 Continuing to expand into new markets, silicon foundry giant Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. Ltd. (TSMC) appears to have made its formal entry into the solar business. Read more

June 2, 2010 Strategic analyst for the global renewable energy industry, GTM Research has released a research note that estimates global photovoltaic cell production grew by 51 percent in 2009. Read more

June 1, 2010 At InterSolar in Munich, Germany (9-11 June 2010) SunSil Photovoltaic Products is planning to launch the next generation of solar PV systems for the commercial and residential markets that will increase yields for its owner by up to 30 percent. Read more

May 25, 2010 Silicon Valley-based renewable energy consultancy, SolarVision Co. (SVC), is expanding its practice to address emerging niche areas and is adding several new energy professionals to its global team. Read more

May 20, 2010 Molex Incorporated has released the SolarSpec Junction Box and Cable Assemblies designed for installation on the back of mono- and polycrystalline photovoltaic (PV) solar modules. Read more

May 17, 2010 austriamicrosystems is claiming the world’s first integrated solution for voltage and current monitoring in power inverters. Read more

May 14, 2010 A new mapping system for studying photovoltaic surfaces has been developed by a group of researchers of the University of Cadiz in Spain. Read more

May 12, 2010 Circadian Solar, one of the Europe’s leading developers of concentrated photovoltaic technology, has been named 16th in a list of the top university spin out businesses, compiled by The Telegraph, one of the UK’s national daily newspapers. Read more

April 30, 2010 Jeremy Leggett, a former director of Greenpeace and adviser to the UK government on renewable energies, says he believes that the UK solar photovoltaic market is set for steady growth following the introduction of the new feed-in tariffs (FIT) on April 1, 2010. Read more

April 12, 2010 Newly connected solar photovoltaic (PV) capacity in Germany rose to 1.46 GW in December 2009 which is almost three times the previous record rate of monthly connections of 0.50 GW set in November 2009. Read more

April 5, 2010 The Elgar brand TerraSAS Solar Array Simulator from AMETEK Programmable Power offers a fully integrated solution for the design, development and production testing of inverters and micro-inverters for domestic and industrial solar energy systems. Read more

April 5, 2010 Researchers with Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab) have uncovered a new mechanism by which the photovoltaic effect can take place in semiconductor thin-films. Read more

March 25, 2010 The SEMI Photovoltaic Group Europe has formed a new European group for crystalline solar cells. This founding group of eight crystalline solar cell manufacturers (Q-Cells, Deutsche Cell, Bosch Solar Energy, Schott Solar, Sovello, Sunways, SolarWatt/Systaic Cells and Solland) is working together in a pre-competitive environment to address the technology challenges facing the photovoltaic industry. Read more

March 15, 2010 World solar photovoltaic (PV) market installations reached a record high of 6.43 GW in 2009 with European countries accounting for 4.75 GW, or 74 percent of world demand in 2009. Read more