The first photovoltaic projects under the Philippines’ long-awaited FIT program are set to be completed in 2014. The AFP are reporting that a government official has confirmed that the first photovoltaic installations will be between 3 – 5 MW.

The European Photovoltaic Industry Association (EPIA) has wasted no time in adding its voice to the debate over 2030 EU climate goals, kicked off by the release of a European Commission (EC) Green Paper yesterday in Brussels. EPIA has called for a “three-target approach.”

While some firms along the photovoltaic supply chain scale back production and even shutter fabs, Dow has announced this week the start up of a new line for its Enlight polyolefin encapsulant film in Germany. The line will supply the European market, complementing production facilities in Asia and North America.

In another sign that the booming Japanese market is delivering considerable demand to photovoltaic manufacturers, thin film producer Solar Frontier has announced today that it is restarting its 60 MW Miyazaki No. 2 fab. The company said that it is considering producing “new products” at the fab.

In its 2012 EPC rankings, IMS Research has found that First Solar became the world’s biggest, in terms of MW completed. First Solar completed more than 500 MW of projects last year, the report has found. IMS Research is now a part of IHS.

Researchers have published results showing that organic solar cells can be produced on cellulose nanocrystal substrates (CNC). The cells are easily recyclable and are being touted as the first solar cells from materials that literally grow on trees.

A new campaign to introduce the solar leasing model to Australian households was kicked off today. The campaign is called “Every Rooftop” and is the result of a collaboration between solar developer Ingenero and the NGO Green Cross Australia.

The first stage of the U.K.’s largest smart grid project has returned results indicating that consumers are ready to embrace Time of Use (TOU) electricity tariffs, if they stand to benefit from lower electricity charges.

The Solar Trade Association (STA) has posted its disappointment over the 2013 U.K. Budget, handed down by chancellor George Osborne yesterday. On a range of measures, there appears little support for photovoltaics.

The first project stemming from Solar Frontier and Belectric’s collaboration in Japan has been connected to the grid today. The 3.3 MW photovoltaic power plant was completed by the companies, with Shoseki Engineering and Construction (SEC), in the town where Solar Frontier’s 900 MW fab is based.