Changzhou, China: Trina Solar's Glass Supplier to Invest in Changzhou Trina PV Industrial Park. One of Trina Solar's key solar module glass suppliers, Beijing Hua Mei Dazheng Technology Co. Ltd, has signed an investment agreement to establish a production facility in the Changzhou Trina Photovoltaic Industrial Park.

Tokyo, Japan: Sanyo to Expand Cell Production Capacity. Sanyo Electric's subsidiary Shimane Sanyo will start up a new HIT solar cell production line, in anticipation of an active demand for photovoltaic systems worldwide stimulated by economic packages as represented, the company says, by the "Green New Deal".

Seoul, Korea: LG Display to Build Thin Film Solar Cell Pilot Line. LG Display, a manufacturer of thin-film transistor liquid crystal display technology, today announced plans to focus its R&D capabilities on a thin-film type solar cell and nurture it as a future growth driver.

Stuttgart, Germany: M+W Zander Completes 500MW Expansion for Q-Cells. Engineering company M+W Zander has designed and built a new solar cell manufacturing facility for Q-Cells, Malaysia, and has handed over the facility on schedule.

Sydney, Australia: Silex Systems to Acquire BP Solar Australia Facility. Silex Systems Ltd (Silex) has announced the conditional acquisition of all the manufacturing assets and equipment of the Sydney Olympic Park (SOP) Solar manufacturing facility.

Moscow, Russia: RUSNANO and RENOVA Plan Thin Film Production. The Supervisory Council of the Russian Corporation of Nanotechnologies, RUSNANO, has approved the corporation’s participation in a project to produce solar modules using thin-film technology.

Marlboro, MA, USA: Evergreen Solar Announces Wafer Factory and Subcontractor Relationship. Evergreen Solar has entered into a frame agreement with Jiawei Solar (Wuhan) Co. and the Wuhan Donghu New Technology Development Zone Management Committee which calls for a significant expansion of String Ribbon wafer manufacturing in Wuhan, China.

Lehigh Valley, PA, USA: Air Products Signs LOI with Best Solar. Air Products has signed a letter of intent (LOI) to provide liquid bulk and on-site gases to China's Best Solar Hi Tech Co., Ltd, which is building a new thin-film photovoltaic facility in Nanchang City, Jiangxi Province, China.

Plainview, NY, USA: Veeco Instruments Enters into Strategic Partnership with Daiyang Metal. Veeco Instruments has entered into a strategic partnership with Daiyang Metal Co., Ltd. of Korea, a leader in the production of cold rolled stainless steel, to be its supplier of equipment to manufacture CIGS (copper, indium, gallium, selenium) solar cells.

Nanjing, China: China Sunergy Receives Solar Cell Sales Order from Asola. Cell manufacturer, China Sunergy has entered into a solar cell sales agreement with asola Advanced and Automotive Solar System GmbH ("asola"), a German solar module manufacturing company.

Kyoto, Japan: Kyocera Breaks Ground on New Module Plant. Kyocera has started construction on a new solar module manufacturing plant in Tianjin City, China in order to expand production capacity at Kyocera (Tianjin) Solar Energy Co., Ltd.

Acton, Australia: Spark Solar Seeks Investors for Solar Cell Manufacturing Plant. Spark Solar Australia Pty Ltd has developed the first project to be awarded Major Project Facilitation status by the Rudd Labor Government.

Hohenstein-Ernstthal, Germany: Roth & Rau AG to Supply Production Lines to Korea. Roth & Rau AG has received an order to supply two turnkey production lines worth EUR 26.0 million.

Arnhem, The Netherlands: Nuon Opens Test Plant for Flexible Solar Cells. Nuon has opened the first test plant for the production of flexible solar cells in the Netherlands.

Tripoli, Greece: HelioSphera Inaugurates Thin Film Manufacturing Plant. HelioSphera (formally known as Next Solar) officially inaugurated its state-of-the-art plant in Tripoli, last week.

Munich, Germany: New Partners Found for Solar Cell Manufacturing Plant. With the support of the Portuguese state, Centrosolar's negotiations with financing banks and a new partner for the planned cell plant located near Porto (Portugal) have been brought to a successful conclusion.

Osterweddingen, Germany: Malibu Opens Thin Film Manufacturing Plant. Delivering a major step forward in sustainable solar power, Malibu today launched the world’s first thin-film solar module factory that completely eliminates the use of nitrogen trifluoride (NF3).

Munich, Germany: CentroSolar Shuts Down Module Manufacturing Facility. Ubbink Solar Modules B.V., a 100% subsidiary of CentroSolar Group AG is to close down its solar module plant located in Doesburg (NL). Ubbink Solar Modules B.V. will remain in existence as a legal entity and will continue to meet all its financial obligations.

Munich, Germany: Wacker Schott Solar Expands Solar Grade Silicon Capacity. WACKER SCHOTT Solar GmbH, a joint venture between Wacker Chemie AG (Munich) and SCHOTT Solar AG (Alzenau), officially commissioned a new factory building in Jena yesterday.

Lavera, France: Air Liquide Supplies Gases to Five Solar Cell Manufacturers. Since the start of the year, Air Liquide has signed several new gas supplies contracts with solar cell manufacturers in 5 countries and will invest globally €13 million to meet the needs of those customers.

Merrimack, NH, USA: GT Solar Commissions First Greek Integrated Solar Wafer and Cell Turnkey Solution. GT Solar has received final acceptance for the design, installation and commissioning of the first integrated photovoltaic solar wafer and cell turnkey fabrication line in Greece.

Padua, Italy: Helios Technology Reaches 60MW Cell Capacity. Helios Technology S.p.A. has reached its 60 MWp cell capacity target at its new Carmignano di Brenta (Padua-Italy) facility.

Munich, Germany: Linde to Supply One of Italy’s First Thin-Film Solar Cell Plants. Linde Gases, a division of The Linde Group, has been awarded the exclusive contract to supply high purity gases to one of Italy’s first thin-film solar module manufacturing plants.

Sandvika, Norway: REC Cuts Wafer Production by 35%. REC Wafer has decided to temporarily take out approximately 35 percent of its production capacity due to a challenging market situation and low demand visibility.

Sterling Heights, MI, USA: FATA Automation Delivers Solar Panel Lamination Lines. FATA Automation, Inc. has announced their expansion into the alternative energy sector by delivering a number of automated lamination lines to Rochester Hills based Uni-Solar Ovonic

Washington, DC, USA: ExIm Bank Approves Loan Guarantee for German PV Manufacturing Plant. The Export-Import Bank of the United States has approved an €11 million loan guarantee to support the financing of $14 million in exports of solar-cell manufacturing tools and equipment by Applied Materials Inc. of Santa Clara, California, to Signet Solar LLC of Dresden, Germany.

Sandvika, Norway: REC Halts Production at New Polysilicon Plant. REC Silicon has temporary halted production at its new polysilicon plant in Moses Lake, Washington (Silicon III).

Constance, Germany: Sunways Terminates Polysilicon Plans. For the time being, Sunways AG will not continue to pursue the acquisition of a polysilicon production line.

Athens, Greece: Greek Parliament Approves Thin Film Manufacturing Plant Subsidy. HelioSphera has just announced the approval of its subsidy application by the Greek Parliament.

Stuttgart, Germany: Ersol Solar Energy to Raise Production Capacity to 630 Megawatts. At a groundbreaking ceremony in Arnstadt, Germany, attended by Federal Chancellor Angela Merkel, the Bosch Group has begun the expansion of its solar production, setting up a new manufacturing facility for crystalline solar cells and modules.

Freiburg, Germany: Solar-Fabrik Opens New Module Manufacturing Plant. Solar-Fabrik AG has opened a new production facility for manufacturing solar power modules in Freiburg.

Budapest, Hungary: EnergoSolar to Supply Equipment for Chinese Thin Film Manufacturing Plant. EnergoSolar Hungary Equipment Manufacturing Ltd. and Parity Solar have signed a contract for a new production line of solar modules in Jiangsu province, China.

Boston, MA, USA: SatCon Doubles Global Manufacturing Capacity. Inverter manufacturer, Satcon Technology is to expand global manufacturing capacity to over 600 megawatts in 2009 between its manufacturing facilities in Burlington, Ontario, Canada and Shenzhen, China.

San Jose, CA, USA: SunPower Signs Module Assembly Agreement with Jabil Circuit. SunPower Corporation has signed a multi-year solar panel manufacturing agreement with Jabil Circuit, Inc., to build panels for SunPower's North American solar market.

Billerica, MA, USA: Schott Solar Streamlines North American Production. Schott Solar intends to end production at its Billerica, Massachusetts facility effective July 31st in an effort to streamline the company’s global manufacturing footprint.

Hemlock, MI, USA: Hemlock Semiconductor Group Brings New Polysilicon Capacity Online. Hemlock Semiconductor has commenced operation of a new 8,500 metric tons polysilicon production facility at its Hemlock, Mich. location.

Albuquerque, NM, USA: Schott Solar Inaugurates Flagship U.S. Manufacturing Facility. Schott Solar today ceremonially inaugurated its state-of-the-art manufacturing facility for products used to generate solar power, one year after breaking-ground on the project’s first-phase.

Wuxi, China: Suntech Power Starts Search for US Manufacturing Location. Suntech Power plans to establish solar energy products manufacturing in the U.S. The Company is currently exploring opportunities in several states that could be optimal, cost-effective locations for a production and distribution center as part of its strategy to create a long-term presence within the U.S.

Hopewell Junction, NY, USA: SpectraWatt to Set Up 60MW Cell Plant. SpectraWatt, Inc announced today its intention to establish the company’s first factory and its new headquarters at the Hudson Valley Research Park in Hopewell Junction, New York.

Sandvika, Norway: REC Silicon's New Polysilicon Plant in Moses Lake Starts Up. REC Silicon's new polysilicon plant in Moses Lake, Washington (Silicon III) based on fluidized bed technology ("FBR") started production early last week, as announced early February 2009.

Denver, CO, USA: Ascent Solar Opens Thin Film Manufacturing Plant. Ascent Solar Technologies, which is 35-percent owned by Hydro, has opened a new production facility and headquarters near Denver, Colorado.

Madrid, Spain: Isofoton Plans US Module Assembly Plant. Isofotón, through its subsidiary Isofotón North American, has signed a cooperation agreement with the State of Ohio by which both sides commit mutually to cooperate in the implementation of a new Isofotón production center in the State.