Statkraft Opens First Solar Park in Italy
ITALY - Norwegian power generator Statkraft has opened its first solar power plant, Casale in Aprilia, Italy.

SunEdison to Build Europe's Largest Solar Plant
ITALY - SunEdison has received final approval from the Italian government to build a 72MW photovoltaic solar power plant in Northeastern Italy, near the town of Rovigo.

CPUC Approves New Solar Research Grants
US - UC San Diego is getting a half-million dollars to study ways to improve solar power in cloudy conditions.

ABB Wins $30 Million Solar Order in Spain
SPAIN - Power and automation technology group, ABB, has won a $30 million order from GA Solar, part of the Gestamp Corporation, for a 13MW photovoltaic (PV) power plant in northern Spain.

CNPV in Partnership with Techbank
CHINA - CNPV Solar Power SA, a manufacturer of solar photovoltaic products has joined forces with South Korean photovoltaic company, Techbank Company Limited.

First Solar in Power Deal with PG&E
US - First Solar has reached a power purchase agreement to supply Pacific Gas and Electric Company with renewable electricity from a 300MW photovoltaic solar power plant that it is developing...

SunPower and K6 Partner on Two Solar Plants
ITALY - SunPower Corp. and K6 S.a.S. have joined forces to build two 1MW photovoltaic (PV) solar power plants in the Puglia region, Italy. The two plants are located in Casamassima and Conversano...

Vikram Invests in Solar PV Plant
INDIA - - Shri Buddhadeb Bhattacharya, the Chief Minister of West Bengal, is to inaugurate the Solar Photovoltaic Module Manufacturing Plant of Vikram Group of Industries at Falta, Special Economic...

Moves to Restrict Clean Energy Grants Attacked
US - In the wake of a new report revealing that a clean-energy grant programme in the stimulus has paid out more than $1 billion to foreign manufacturers, US Senators Charles E. Schumer, Bob...

Konarka in Collaboration with Konica Minolta
US - Konarka Technologies isd to form an R&D collaboration and strategic investment agreement with Konica Minolta Holdings.

Western North Carolina's Largest Solar Array Online
US – Progress Energy Carolinas solar photovoltaic (PV) array in western North Carolina is now online and generating electricity.

SunPower Signs 32MW Solar Deal With Toshiba
JAPAN - Toshiba is to order 32MW of high-efficiency solar panels from SunPower this year as part of Toshiba's new residential solar offering in Japan, to be launched on 1 April.

SolarWorld in Joint Venture with Qatar Foundation
QATAR - SolarWorld AG has acquired a 29 per cent stake in the newly founded Joint Venture Qatar Solar Technologies (QST) headquartered in the Emirate of Qatar.

Solutia to Acquire Etimex Solar
GERMANY - US company Solutia Inc is to buy Etimex Solar GmbH, a wholly owned subsidiary of Etimex Holding GmbH, which is controlled by funds affiliated with Alpha Gruppe.

Three US Wind Farms for BP
US - Previewing the company's annual strategy presentation to the financial community, BP Group Chief Executive Tony Hayward said this week the company had established strong momentum in its...

MPSC Approves Detroit Edison's First Solar Contract
US - The Michigan Public Service Commission has approved Detroit Edison's first Engineer, Procure and Construct contract for the utility's SolarCurrents renewable energy program.

EDF to Build Largest PV Plant in France
FRANCE - EDF Energies Nouvelles is to build the world's largest photovoltaic solar plant at Toul-Rosieres near Metz in Lorraine, France.

Work to Start on Largest Solar Plant in Colorado
US - MetLife and John Hancock Financial Services will finance the construction and third-party ownership of a 19MW solar photovoltaic (PV) power plant that SunPower Corp is contracted to build...

EU to Hit Renewable Targets
EU - The EU will meet its 2020 20 per cent renewable energy target - slightly exceeding it - according to an analysis by the European Wind Energy Association (EWEA) of all 27 Member States' national...

Measures to Deliver Renewables Targets Agreed
EU - By 2020 the European Union must source 20 per cent of its total energy (including heat, power and transport) from renewable sources. This target was set out in the Renewable Energy Directive...

Gaynor Hartnell Chief Executive of REA
UK - The Renewable Energy Association is the largest trade body for renewable energy in the UK and represents all renewable energy technologies. Gaynor Hartnell, who was formerly Director of...

OPDE to Build Solar Farms in Mexico
MEXICO - The Governor of the State of Durango (Mexico) and President of the National Conference of Governors CONAGO, Ismael Hernández Deras, and representatives of the Board of OPDE, Alejandro...

Chevron to Build PV Plant in New Mexico
US - Chevron Technology Ventures, is to build a 1MW photovoltaic solar plant at Chevron Mining's molybdenum mine in Questa, New Mexico.

Roman Solar Project to be Financed and Developed
ITALY - Fotowatio Renewable Ventures (FRV) plans to develop a 10-megawatt (MW) solar photovoltaic power plant in Fiumicino, Rome.

NT to Cut Fossil Fuel by Fifty Per Cent by 2020
UK - The UK conservation organisation National Trust is to reduce use of fossil fuels by 50 per cent within the next 10 years.