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After years of speculation and waiting, it seems South Africa is set to receive its first renewable energy feed-in tariff (Refit) for solar PV by the end of the year. Representing one of the “biggest shifts in South Africa (SA) in the last few years”, Ryan Hammond director of Solairedirect Southern Africa tells pv magazine that following its successful implementation, he is confident it won’t be long before grid parity is reached. However, he said the proposed incentives could prove to be too attractive.

Trina Solar Limited has said it is looking to expand its annualized in-house production capacities of ingot and wafer, as well as photovoltaics (PV) cell and module production capacity by the end of next year to approximately 1.0 gigawatts (GW) and 1.5 GW respectively. It cited yield increases achieved from improved cell conversion efficiency rates, improved production efficiencies and manufacturing line enhancements as key reasons for this expansion.

Following delays, First Solar has reportedly said it expects construction to begin on its two gigawatt (GW) solar power plant in Inner Mongolia next year, according to Reuters, who was quoting China Business News.

Schott Solar PV, Inc., VE Group LLC and Affordable Solar Group LLC have today unveiled what they say is New Mexico’s largest solar array, located at The Bell Group’s headquarters’ parking structure in Albuquerque, the U.S.

AU Optronics Corp. says it has completed the carbon footprint verification on a multi-crystalline PV module, according to the international carbon footprint standard PAS2050*. EcoDuo PM220P00 is the world’s first PV module to have obtained carbon footprint verification, states the company, thus helping to reach a critical milestone on carbon footprint management of PV key components.

Scientists at the Zentrum fur Sonnenenergie-und Wasserstoff-Forschung Baden-Württemberg, Germany (Centre for Solar Energy and Hydrogen Research, ZSW) say they have achieved a new world record for copper, indium, gallium and diselenide (CIGS) solar cell efficiencies. At 20.3 percent, the Stuttgart researchers state that the new results should “significantly” improve the cost-effectiveness of CIGS thin film photovoltaics (PV) over the medium term.

The U.S. is expected to install around 1.9 gigawatts (GW) of photovoltaics (PV) annually by 2014, according to new research, which states that the country’s market is growing at fast pace, thanks to government support and decreasing installation costs.

Ohio’s largest operating solar installation has been officially opened by Governor Ted Strickland. The 12-megawatt (MW) PSEG Wyandot Solar Farm, in Wyandot County, Ohio, the U.S. is comprised of more than 159,000 ground-mounted solar panels and is spread across 80 acres of land. It is owned by the Public Service Enterprise Group (PSEG) Solar Source.

Over USD$4 million has been awarded to the Rockford Solar Project in Illinois, the U.S. Under the plans, the project is set to be around 62 megawatts (MW), thus making it the largest PV development in the Midwest, and one of the biggest in the U.S.

Bosch Solar Energy AG has officially opened its new 12,000 square meter crystalline solar cell production plant, the first phase in the extension of its solar production facilities in Arnstadt, Germany.