In a sign that Greece’s plan for vast expansion of photovoltaic capacity is gaining support at the highest levels of government, the European Council has mentioned it in a communiqué regarding currency stability measures.

Manufacturing equipment supplier Manz has today revised down its earnings for 2011 on the back of weak demand for solar equipment. The company has a turnkey CIGS line and is a single machine supplier to select customers.

Industry analysts Jefferies have taken the reductions in Germany’s feed-in tariffs as an indication of approaching retail grid parity.

Integrator Belectric and Solar Frontier have announced today the completion of their 4.2 megawatt (MW) photovoltaic power plant in Bessan, France. It is the first such installation in France using copper, indium, gallium, (di)selenide (CIGS) thin-film modules. The project also represents the Japanese manufacturer’s entry into the French photovoltaic market.

The German Federal Network Agency (“Bundesnetzagentur” “BNA”) has announced the new photovoltaic feed-in tariffs (FIT) for 2012. They will be cut by 15 percent from 2011 rates.

Massachusetts-based laser technology developer SiOnyx has announced that its Black Silicon technology can achieve silicon photovoltaic cell efficiency increases from 17 percent to 17.3 percent.

The fallout from JinkoSolar’s admitted environmental contamination continues as a class-action lawsuit is filed. Lawyers Howard G. Smith have launched the legal action on behalf of investors who have purchased JinkoSolar stock on the New York Stock Exchange.

German module manufacturer and downstream developer Solar-Fabrik AG has announced today the closure of its Solar Energy Power (SEP) cell fab in Singapore. Solar-Fabrik had owned a 90 percent share in SEP since 2006.

Conergy is currently installing one of Italy’s largest rooftop photovoltaic plants at the exhibition center halls in Parma.

Project developer and integrator Gehrlicher Solar has announced bold intentions to develop photovoltaic power plants in southern Spain worth between 200 and 400 megawatts (MW).