Only days after signing a deal to expand ABB’s activities in PV, CEO Joe Hogan has resigned from his post. Hogan cited “private reasons” for his departure.

Australia’s Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) is prosecuting companies trading under the names Euro Solar and Australian Solar Panel. The firms are accused of claiming that their solar modules were Australian-made, when in fact they were imported from China.

University of New South Wales (UNSW) researchers have released results indicating that lower-quality silicon can be used to produce high efficiency solar cells. The development is based on controlling the charge state of hydrogen atoms within silicon to help correct defects on an atomic level.

Swedish CIGS equipment supply startup Midsummer has announced that it has sold its first turnkey system to a European customer. The sale was made in March with the system to be delivered in late 2013.

The second stage of the Australian Capital Territory’s (ACT) Solar Auction has received 15 proposals. 20 MW of capacity will be funded under the government program. Meanwhile a new report has argued that rooftop photovoltaics is saving Australian electricity consumers money.

The U.K.’s Solar Trade Association has added its voice to the opposition to EU Commission trade duties on Chinese solar modules.

An attempt to repeal the U.S. state of North Carolina’s Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Portfolio Standard (REPS) legislation has been defeated. A vote at the committee stage of the repeal legislation’s progress was defeated 18 votes to 13.

U.S. thin film producer and project developer First Solar has agreed to the sale of its 139 MW Campo Verde Solar Project to Southern Power and Turner Renewable Energy. The sale is expected to go through when the plant begins commercial operation this year.

U.S.-based flexible CIGS manufacturer SoloPower has confirmed that it is scaling back its operations, as it searches for a strategic investor.

A coalition of solar companies and physicians has been formed in California, to push back against utility company attempts to wind back net metering for solar customers.