Italy

California-based solar developer Premier Power has started constructing a 16.2-megawatt solar farm in Bulgaria.

DuPont, the leading U.S. chemical maker, and Yingli Green Energy Holding Co., a top Chinese PV panel manufacturer, reached a $100 million deal this week with the goal of boosting supplies of solar-energy materials and promoting broader adoption of solar energy worldwide.

Solar energy equipment manufacturer Satcon Technology Corporation has unveiled a restructuring initiative which includes cutting its global workforce by 35%.

Enel Green Power S.p.A., the renewable energy division of Italy's largest utility, has announced that a consortium of investors led by JPMorgan Chase would invest some $340 million in two U.S. wind farms in return for a stake in the projects and voting rights.

With the solar photovoltaic (PV) industry in a downturn on the heels of the worst recession in U.S. history, and the price of PV module parts plummeting, it’s good to read some positive news for a change.

Based out of Arizona, First Solar Inc. (Nasdaq: FSLR), the world's largest solar company, has made three announcements this week demonstrating the company's dominance and growing reach in the global solar market.

Enel Green Power has received final regulatory approval to construct its groundbreaking hybrid solar and geothermal power plant in Nevada.

A consortium of Siemens Energy, a division of German-based Siemens AG (NYSE: SI), and Prysmian Cables & Systems, a division of Italy-based Prysmian SpA (Milan: PRY.MI), has won a $400 million turnkey contract to design, supply and install a HVDC (high-voltage direct-current) link to connect the power supply networks of New Jersey and New York, the companies announced today. Construction has begun and the link is scheduled to come on line in the summer of 2013.

Shares of rooftop solar technology and products company Energy Conversion Devices, Inc. (NASDAQ: ENER) (market cap $82 million) recovered slightly in early today after falling more than 14% Tuesday on huge losses in its Q3 2011 ended March 31, 2011, including a massive write-down of assets whose values have dropped in the face of declining sales. The company’s shares have fallen more than 66% in 2011 as the company has battled deteriorating sales, particularly in key markets France and Italy where governments have reduced solar power adoption incentives. 

Solar Trust of America, a U.S. joint venture of German-based companies Solar Millennium AG (XETRA: S2M.DE) and Ferrostaal AG, said today it will form a joint venture with German-based SolarHybrid AG to develop, build and manage utility-scale solar projects in North America.