Shares of MEMC Electronic Materials fell the day after the wafer maker's second-quarter profits dropped 96% on another steep fall in sales, though its semiconductor business showed improvement even as its solar end continues to struggle.

Shares of solar-energy company LDK Solar rose sharply on July 24 after the Chinese company raised its second-quarter revenue and shipment forecasts. LDK plans to report its results on August 12.

Q-Cells, the world's biggest manufacturer of solar cells, on July 14 blamed tough market conditions for its decision to scrap its full-year sales outlook and warned it would post a big loss in the second quarter. The update shocked investors, leaving the stock more than 14% lower...

With more automation processing, the solar industry can cut the amount of human labor needed dramatically.

Charlie Gay, the president of Applied Solar (APSO.OB), the solar arm of semiconductor-equipment-maker Applied Materials (AMAT), says solar panel makers are experiencing steady cost reductions by making solar panels steadily thinner. Manufacturers can't reduce the X and Y dimensions of the solar cell easily – that would reduce the surface area exposed to the sun, which in turn would reduce the power that a given panel could produce. But by producing thinner wafers, the amount of raw material gets reduced without reducing performance.

Fresco Solar says it will build solar photovoltaic ground arrays of 1MW or more anywhere in the United States for US$2.95 per watt or US$2.95 million per megawatt system. The package includes delivery, installation, and testing of the racking, panels, and inverters as well as associated foundations and wiring. The price does not include sales and use taxes, local permits and fees, and any land development costs.

The Milan trade fair has said it is commissioning the world's biggest rooftop photovoltaic power installation covering some 270,000 square meters.

The company generated more than a million pounds of hazardous waste last year, according to a report filed with the Massachusettes Department of Environmental Protection, even though its new US$450 million factory in Devens wasn't operating at full capacity.

Concentrating photovoltaic (CPV) solar power--which marries traditional solar photovoltaic technology to large-scale concentrated solar power plants--could ramp up utility-scale solar production especially in niche markets.

Solar-power company LDK Solar boosted its wafer shipment forecast for the second quarter on stronger-than-expected demand but issued a revenue view below Wall Street estimates.

Semiconductor player RF Micro Devices announced it is cooperating with the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) to develop a commercially viable and high volume-capable compound semiconductor-based process for high-performance photovoltaic (PV) cells.

The Chinese solar company is now choosing among four sites for its first, 100-megawatt factory to build solar panels in the US, says an executive.

Hoku Scientific said it could be forced to delay completing construction of a polysilicon plant in Idaho if the company is unable to raise capital. Because of its financial woes, the Hawaii-based fuel cell-maker said it may not be able to continue ''as a going concern'' for the next 12 months.

Germany-based concentrated photovoltaics (CPV) pioneer Concentrix Solar says that its plant in southern Spain is now consistently delivering the record power efficiency first achieved a year ago.

Although some have predicted exploding growth for thin-film photovoltaic technologies, the sector's expansion is likely to be tempered by dropping polysilicon prices, according to a new report from IC Insights.

Solar power leaders remain hopeful in what could be a huge upturn in US solar demand, but continue to be careful about the rest of 2009 after being hit hard from the global credit predicament.

China said it will introduce a preferential tariff it will pay energy companies that use solar power for their generating capacity, as part of the government's push for greater use of clean technology.

Solar power stations that concentrate sunlight could generate up to one-quarter of the world's electricity needs by 2050. The technology, best suited to the desert regions of the world, could also create hundreds of thousands of new jobs and save millions of tonnes of CO2 from entering the atmosphere.

The SEMI PV Group has recommended that China should accelerate its adoption of PV-generated electricity to reach the global average by 2014.

Solar power plants in deserts using mirrors to concentrate the sun's rays have the potential to generate up to a quarter of the world's electricity by 2050, a report by pro-solar groups said on Monday.

Prime Minister Kevin Rudd says that a new solar energy plant will stimulate Australia's economy and make the country a leader in renewable energy.

Strong macro factors could boost solar companies, though weak demand, falling module prices and dim profit reports from Chinese solar companies could pressure the sector in the near term.

China's unprecedented growth in recent years has come at a terrible price. Ahead of most forecasts, China in 2008 passed the US to become the world's largest source of greenhouse gases.

Berlin-based Solon has announced its first quarter of 2009 ended March 31, 2009 fell short of expectations. The long and harsh winter in southern Germany had a negative impact on demand for solar energy systems, as did the continuing lack of sufficient funding for larger photovolatics projects.

Applied Materials executives said customer confidence is improving, but cautioned that the company is seeing "a very dynamic environment" in all of its major segments. China's stimulus plans may continue to support cellphone and PC consumption there, said CEO Mike Splinter following release of fiscal Q2 financial results.

Australia's government will invest A$4.5 billion ($3.4 billion) in the development of infrastructure to generate energy from clean sources such as solar and wind power and to reduce carbon emissions.

The manufacturing sector in the US continues to shrink ?X but could the renewable-energy rush spur a manufacturing revival?

The president announced the establishment of a new Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy, or ARPA-E. With a proposed budget of US$400 million, ARPA-E will focus on research into clean alternatives for carbon-based energy.

All of Wal-Mart's solar projects will generate enough clean energy to power the equivalent of 2,600 homes and avoid 22,500 metric tons of carbon-dioxide emissions each year — tantamount to taking about 4,000 cars off the road. The company is considering other sites for solar arrays.

If Ontario's Bill 150 (the Green Energy and Green Economy Act) is passed as expected in May, Ontario will become the first North American jurisdiction with an incentive system modeled after the German feed-in tariffs (FITs), according to incentive expert Paul Gipe.

Japan's subsidies for home solar panels have attracted far fewer applicants than planned, industry data showed on Wednesday, underscoring the likelihood of bold government steps to promote solar power.

Although solar module makers are trying to get rid of excess inventory, the price of conventional home solar systems remains somewhat unfazed because of other factors, like declining subsidies.

Japan slipped from the number two position in the world as of the end of 2008 in grid-connected existing solar photovoltaic capacity, replaced by Spain, according to a recent study by an international body.

A growing number of states are moving to require home builders to offer solar electricity and hot-water systems in new homes, right alongside more traditional options such as fancy kitchen countertops and special window treatments.

BP on Wednesday said it would cut 620 jobs from its solar power business and that two plants in Spain and part of a plant in the US would be shut as it looks to reduce costs at its renewable energy division.

The nation's largest developer of renewable energy has planned to unveil a green power purchase program that could shake up the market by channeling all of the money into new wind and solar projects.

Some are suggesting it's time to buy beaten-down solar stocks, while others are arguing there's value because bad news is priced in and good news is starting to emerge. Wall Street analysts, often criticized for being blindly bullish on stocks, are this time among the sector's staunchest bears.

The Chinese government alerted all silicon, ingot, wafer, cell, and panel manufactures that it intends to announced a very aggressive Solar subsidy that is equivalent to US$3 per installed watt, in cash, as an incentive to aid the Chinese population to install solar. The Japanese may soon follow suit with an announcement of a substantial subsidy for solar installation.