Most solar power component makers are coping with lower margins these days because of an industry downturn -- but solar inverter makers are suffering less.

The big number is 50. When companies can produce solar photovoltaic modules for less than 50瞽 per watt, solar energy will be able to compete directly with coal.

According to the latest quarterly report from Mercom Capital Group, M&A activity in the third quarter could signal the start of a period of consolidation within the PV industry. Mercom Capital reported that there was US$563 million spent in 20 M&A transactions in the quarter with details disclosed for only eight of these downstream market deals.

Moser Baer Clean Energy Limited commissioned Asia's largest solar farm in Banaskantha district of Gujarat.

Germany, the world's biggest solar panel market, added 664MW of the devices in June, a 69% drop from the same period last year, according to preliminary figures from the German power grid regulator.

Solar manufacturers including a unit of SolarWorld AG are preparing a U.S. trade complaint against China, as they seek to counter low-cost, subsidized imports, according to people familiar with the matter.

Two days before a looming deadline, the U.S. Department of Energy finalized two loan guarantees Wednesday from the same economic-stimulus program that backed Solyndra LLC.

Some may think of the solar energy industry as new and even in need of government help, but those who have worked in it for decades say plenty of privately funded solar power companies are thriving.

The renewable energy sector and in particular, solar is becoming increasingly popular at Google, having now invested more than $850 million in the renewable energy sector. The latest US$75 million investment is in Clean Power Finance's ?？hite label' financing solution for the US residential market for solar PV installations.