Applied Materials, Inc. has announced its plans to restructure its Energy and Environmental Solutions (EES) segment, to put a primary emphasis on opportunities in crystalline silicon (c-Si) solar and advanced energy, including light emitting diode (LED) technology. As part of the restructuring, Applied says it will discontinue sales to new customers of its SunFab fully integrated lines for manufacturing thin film solar panels.

Utility-scale solar is set to be a big new trend, Brad Meikle, senior analyst and managing director of Renewable Analytics has told pv magazine. He also issued pricing advice on how module manufacturers can create a larger market for themselves.

Premier Power Renewable Energy, Inc. is set to build 1.9 megawatts (MW) of solar electric generating capacity in greater Los Angeles, the U.S. at two locations for Puma North America, lessee of Brookvale International, LLC. The two buildings, in Carson and Torrance, are part of Puma North America’s warehouse and distribution facilities.

Semiconductor manufacturer MicroLink Devices, Inc. has been awarded a USD$5 million grant from the State of Illinois to build a state-of-the-art manufacturing plant to produce high efficiency, light weight solar cells.?

Canadian Solar Inc. and Green City Energy have jointly installed a one-megawatt (MW) solar system in the city of Haertensdorf, Germany in what they say is the record time of two months. The system, located in Saxony, was completed before June 30.

Solutia Inc. has said it is to expand its operations in China to include the production of Vistasolar ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA) encapsulant at its Suzhou facility.

The Georgia Solar Energy Association (Georgia Solar) has called for the U.S. state of Georgia to install 100 megawatts (MWs) of solar power by 2013.

Engineering and construction company M+W Group has won an order to plan and build a large photovoltaics (PV) power park in central Italy. The project is to be delivered as a turnkey plant and will have a maximum output of 14.5 megawatts (MW), according to the company. It is hoped it will be connected to the national grid by the end of this year.

Phoenix Solar AG has been commissioned by Canada-based energy company Etrion Corporation as general contractor for the turnkey construction of a 3.5-megawatt (MW) ground-mounted photovoltaic plant in Borgo Piave, Italy. The contract value is approximately €10 million.

??NJR Clean Energy Ventures (NJRCEV), a subsidiary of New Jersey Resources, has announced an agreement with Adler Development of Edison, NJ to lease space atop four fully occupied buildings in central New Jersey, the United States for rooftop solar systems. The USD$17 million project will be capable of generating 3.9 megawatts (MW) of energy, according to the company.