Italy-based Silfab SpA has said it is to open a 180 megawatt (MW) solar module manufacturing plant in Ontario, Canada. CAD$15 million has been invested into the first phase of development.

Italy is to significantly reduce its feed-in tariffs (FITs) for solar energy, starting from next year. According to EuPD Research, the Conferenza Stato e Regioni – the Italian Committee of Representatives of Italian regions and the central government – announced that incentives for all installation types will be lowered every four months next year.

A new study has stated that Europe is leading the way in terms of photovoltaics (PV) installations. The JRC’s Institute for Energy (IE), which published its ninth Annual Photovoltaics Status Report today, has said that out of the estimated 7.4 gigawatts (GW) of newly installed PV modules worldwide last year, 5.8 GW was located in Europe.

Plans to add 22 megawatts (MW) of utility-scale solar power in New Mexico, the U.S. by electric utility company PNM Resources, have been approved by the New Mexico Public Regulation Commission. Set to be installed across various sites in New Mexico, the U.S. Regulators capped the facilities’ cost at USD$101.7 million. Construction is expected to be completed by the end of next year.

Bringing a boost to the U.S. solar industry, Pennsylvania Governor Edward G. Rendell has announced that USD$20.5 million in state and federal investments will be injected into 40 clean energy projects. It is hoped that up to 1,400 jobs in the country’s solar sector will be created.

Tempress Systems, Inc., solar subsidiary of Amtech Systems, Inc. based in the Netherlands, has announced it has received around USD$37 million in new solar orders for its diffusion processing systems, from several new and existing customers in Asia.

Martifer Solar says it is to install a three-megawatt peak (MWp) solar power turnkey project, composed of three ground-mounted photovoltaics (PV) plants, in Italy’s Lombardy region, located near Milan. When completed, says the company, it will be one of the region’s largest ground mounted PV projects.

Chinese solar wafer maker LDK Solar Co Ltd has said it has filed a lawsuit against solar module maker Canadian Solar Inc, demanding compensation in connection with the termination of a supply contract.

Canadian Solar and Blue-Tech Srl have announced the completion of four photovoltaics (PV) projects in Northern Italy.

Schott Solar and Solland Solar have signed a partnership agreement that comprises technology license agreements, joint research and development efforts and joint production for back-contacted solar modules.