A new U.S. entrant to the silicon-cell machinery market, Twin Creeks Technologies, today released a wafer production system that it claims can produce solar cells for less than US$0.40 per Watt (/W).

As some companies layoff staff in an attempt to contain costs, U.S. flexible CIGS manufacturer, Solopower is searching for staff for its Oregon fab’s expansion.

Chinese photovoltaic module manufacturer, JinkoSolar, has posted a net loss of US$58.3 million for the fourth quarter (Q4) of 2011. The company attributed the poor result to prices falling faster than anticipated. JinkoSolar did however manage to post full-year income of US$43.4 million, a decrease of 69 percent from 2010.

A collection of six companies manufacturing thin film photovoltaics has formed an industry coalition called PVthin. The association aims to promote the benefits of thin film technologies and represent the industry segment in public policy debates.

In an environment where very hot, humid conditions are common in the wet-season months, remote Aboriginal communities have begun turning to photovoltaic installations to reduce power bills. Power-hungry air conditioners are used extensively during the summer months – known as the wet season – and rising electricity prices have been impacting on communities.

In what is a microcosm of the environment facing photovoltaics in many parts of the world, in the UK innovative installations have been going up, while a new report has been produced critical of the country’s renewable energy goals.

Australian dye-sensitized photovoltaics developer Dyesol, which is developing Dye Solar Cell (DSC) applications, has taken steps to sure up its share price. At the same time, the “father” of DSC has been awarded the 2012 Albert Einstein World Award of Science.

In what it claims is a world record, Japanese CIGS manufacturer Solar Frontier today announced that it has achieved an aperture are efficiency of 17.8 percent, on a 30cm by 30cm submodule. The record was achieved at the company’s Atsugi Research Center.

Solar-industry pioneer BP-Solar has halted all of its solar operations, while continuing to pursue other renewable-energy technologies such as wind and biofuels. The decision to abandon its solar efforts was made in December 2011, with the company informally releasing the information in the following months.

Details have emerged today that BP Solar will withdraw from the consortium that was successful in bidding to install the Moree Solar Farm, under a Government solar program. The photovoltaic power project is partly Government-funded and is be 150 megawatt (MW) in capacity.