GE Energy has made the decision to put construction on hold at its Colorado thin-film fab for “at least” 18 months. The fab was to have an annual production of capacity of 400 MW when fully ramped, employing CdTe semiconductor technology.

On June 22, the Renewable Energy Corporation (REC) announced a number of financial restructuring measures including measures to restructure its revolving debt facility and to offer approximately 870,000 million new shares to raise around NOK1.3 billion (US$218 million).

Through a strategic alliance, formed in 2010, Turner Renewable Energy and Southern Company have acquired a 20 megawatt (MW) photovoltaic power plant in Nevada. The plant was built by SunEdison and will be completed during the third quarter of 2012.

On July 1 Australia’s new tax on carbon emissions came into effect, in the face of major opposition from conservative parties and public opposition. At the same time the new conservative Liberal-National Government in the state of Queensland has threatened to withdraw support for the Solar Dawn concentrated solar power (CSP) project.

First Solar was recently selected to supply and provide the EPC services for two projects in the first stage of the Australian Federal Government’s Solar Flagships program. The aim of the program is to see the establishment of the country’s first large utility-scale projects. First Solar’s Jack Curtis, the Vice President of Business Development Asia-Pacific for the company, spoke to pv magazine about the emerging utility-scale market in the country.

New South Wales’ (NSW) Independent Pricing and Regulatory Authority (IPART) has recommended that the feed-in tariff (FIT) to be paid to businesses and households that feed photovoltaic-generated electricity back into the grid to be increased substantially for the Australian 2012/13 financial year.

Photovoltaic installer Sunsolar Energy Systems has announced that it will build a 30 megawatt (MW) fab in the West-Midlands region of England. The company has been awarded a GPB5 million (US$7.8 million) grant from the government to build the facility and will invest a further GBP5 million themselves.

While recent price reductions in crystalline-silicon (c-Si) photovoltaics has seen pressure mount on alternative technologies, a new Lux Research report forecasts rapid growth in high-concentrating photovoltaics (HCPV). As such, the future of HCPV may be bright if companies in the field can survive the current tough market.

Chinese/Canadian photovoltaic manufacturer Canadian Solar has announced today that it will supply 40 megawatts (MW) of modules to Real Goods Solar.

In its latest Solarbuzz Quarterly report, NPD Solarbuzz has predicted that global photovoltaic demand will grow by eight percent in 2012, year-on-year (Y/Y), to 30 gigawatts (GW). The analysts predict that in an environment of “prudent” capacity utilization by manufacturers, equilibrium between supply and demand will be realized.