Soitec SA (Bernin, France) has announced the industry's first four-junction solar photovoltaic (PV) cell. This cell has achieved a peak conversion efficiency of 43.6%, as confirmed by co-developer Fraunhofer ISE (Freiburg, Germany). Read more...

Soitec SA (Bernin, France) has announced the industry's first four-junction solar photovoltaic (PV) cell. This cell has achieved a peak conversion efficiency of 43.6%, as confirmed by co-developer Fraunhofer ISE (Freiburg, Germany). Read more...

On May 21st, 2013 solar advocate and Los Angeles City Council Member Eric Garcetti was elected mayor of Los Angeles, California. He will replace current Mayor Anthony Villaraigosa, who was prevented from running by term limits. Read more...

On May 22nd, 2013 the solar-powered Solar Impulse plane took off from an airport in Arizona on the second leg on its trip across the United States. Read more...

On May 19th, 2013 the Federation of German Industry (BDI) cautioned against proposed EU tariffs on solar photovoltaic (PV) imports from China. Read more...

The US city of Washington DC has issued a request for proposals (RFP) for the development of a solar photovoltaic (PV) and/or wind project to supply roughly 150 GWh annually. Under the RFP, the city's Department of General Services (DGS) would purchase both the electricity and the associated renewable energy credits on an annual basis. George Washington University (GWU, Washington DC, U.S.) has issued a companion solicitation for a 75 GWh project. Read more...

A bill to substantially weaken the Renewable Energy Standard (RES) in the US state of Missouri has failed to pass by the end of the legislative session. HB 44 would have allowed utilities to count electricity from large, imported and in-state hydropower facilities in meeting the state's RES goals, thereby removing the incentive to build new renewable energy. The bill passed the Missouri House of Representatives but died in the state's Senate. Read more...

IHS Inc. (Englewood, Colorado, US) has released a report which forecasts that global solar industry capital spending will fall to USD 2.3 billion in 2013, its lowest level since 2006. “PV Manufacturing & Capital Spending Tool” predicts that capital spending will rebound to USD 3.0 billion in 2014. IHS also expects a strong decline in spending on concentrating solar power (CSP) and thin-film solar photovoltaic (PV) technologies. Read more...

German and Brazilian officials have inaugurated a 1.4 MW solar photovoltaic (PV) plant on the roof of a soccer stadium which will participate in the 2014 World Cup in Belo Horizonte, Brazil. The series of PV plants planned for the roof of the stadium will total 2.5 MW when complete. German State Secretary Hans-Jürgen Beerfeltz, (Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development; BMZ), utility CEMIG (Belo Horizonte, Brazil) and Antonio Anastasia, the governor of the Brazilian state of Minas Gerais, participated in the inauguration. Read more...

Cupertino Electric Inc. (San Jose, California, US) has completed the first phase of a parking lot canopy and shade structure-based solar photovoltaic (PV) system totaling for a school district in California's Central Valley. The first phase of the Clovis Unified School District solar energy system is now fully operational at five schools. Cupertino Electric expects to complete all four phases in December 2013 at which time it will span 21 sites and total 5.86 MW. Read more...

SMA Solar Technology AG (Niestetal, Germany) has been awarded with the 2013 Smart Energy Award during the second International Smart Energy Congress in the energy information and communication technology category by Hesse's environment minister Lucia Puttrich. The company received the award, recognized as the Hessian state award for intelligent energy, for its energy management solution SMA Smart Home. Read more...