Research and Markets has announced the addition of the "Solar PV Report Ed 6 2009" report to their offering.

2008 was a record year for solar PV sales, with 5.7 GW of new capacity added. Spain shot into top place, with 2.7 GW added, the largest volume of annual sales achieved by any country ever, followed by Germany with 1.5 GW. Between them they accounted for three quarters of world sales. However, Spain's pre-eminence was short-lived and in the wake of the financial crisis the Spanish government announced a cap on the feed-in subsidy for solar PV installations at 500 MW in 2009. This will not only put a brake on Spanish sales but will reduce the global solar PV total in 2009, we believe by at least 50%. The Spanish renewable associations are looking ahead at least two years before recovery starts in Spain.

Samsung unveiles its innovative solar powered full-touch screen phone "Blue Earth" at Mobile World Congress 2009, alongside Samsung's vision for environmental sustainability. Under the slogan: "The Blue Earth Dream: Eco-living with SAMSUNG mobile", Samsung reinforced its commitment to protect the environment through the design of eco-friendly products and a programme of activities for its customers.

Designed to symbolize a flat and well rounded shiny pebble, Blue Earth is the first solar powered full-touch screen phone. By charging with the solar panel located on the back of the phone, users can generate enough electronic power to call anytime anywhere.

Blue Earth is made from recycled plastic called PCM, which is extracted from water bottles, helping to reduce fuel consumption and carbon emissions in the manufacturing process. The device, including charger, is free from harmful substances such as Brominated Flame Retardants, Beryllium and Phthalate.

Digicel launches the Coral-200-Solar a low-cost solar-powered mobile phone. The Coral-200-Solar, manufactured by ZTE, uses proprietary technology from Dutch-based innovator Intivation. Digicel has been providing its customers with low-cost or free portable solar chargers in many markets. The concept of linking charger devices and a phone at the point of sales has been a proven success. Now, with the launch of the Coral-200-Solar with an integrated solar charger built into the phone, Digicel takes the initiative to an even higher level.

Timex Group held a dedication ceremony for its recently completed installation of 800 solar panels outside its Middlebury headquarters in what is one of the largest, if not the largest, ground-mounted solar electric installation in the state of Connecticut. It is also one of the largest solar power installations in the northeastern United States.

As part of the $2.5 million project, 27 rows of 244kW solar panels were installed on the eastern side of the watchmaker’s property. This photovoltaic system is designed to generate 285,439 kilowatt-hours a year – enough electricity annually to power nearly 32 average Connecticut homes. The system output will avoid over 6.6 million pounds of carbon dioxide, 28,000 pounds of sulfur dioxide and 11,000 pounds of nitrogen oxide over the 25-year life of the system.

This clean energy project was financed in part through a $920,000 grant from the Connecticut Clean Energy Fund and tax credits.

Husqvarna’s Automower Solar Hybrid is a fully robotic lawn mower partly powered by the sun and uses no fuel or oil. Expanding its current fully-robotic lawn mower line, the Solar Hybrid model joins three other Husqvarna battery-powered units proven in the global marketplace. Powered by innovative and groundbreaking technology that combines solar power with electricity, the new Automower Solar Hybrid mower has less impact on the environment and is easy to program.

The Solar Hybrid mower is designed to handle lawns of up to a half acre. Incorporating solar and battery power, it uses considerably less energy than any conventional mower with its large integrated solar panel and is emissions-free. When there is daylight available, the solar cells enable the mower to extend its cutting periods before requiring a recharge. Lower power consumption and an extended battery life enable a faster, more environmentally improved cut.

The Solar Energy Industries Association outlined the key policies that President-elect Obama and the Congressional leadership must address to expand the use of solar energy and help put over 1 million Americans back to work by 2011.

SEIA released "Solar Energy: A Blueprint for Job Creation and Economic Security," which recommends that the new Administration and Congress embrace the following policies and programs to expand the creation of clean energy jobs in the United States:

Find out more after the jump.

A solar tour will bring interactive educational exhibits to 50 cities in Washington, Oregon, California, Arizona, Nevada, New Mexico, Texas, Minnesota and Colorado beginning Friday, August 1. The tour will span 100 days and educate municipal leaders, community members, public schools, universities and utilities on how to make solar energy a meaningful power resource for their cities. The exhibits, powered by solar energy, will be transported by colorful biodiesel-fueled trucks.

With rising and volatile energy costs and increasing environmental concerns, community leaders, citizens and energy companies are searching for more information about solar and renewable energy. The City Tour for Solar will educate city leaders and managers on how to turn a public demand for renewable energy into reality with clean, predictably priced solar electrical power. The tour will include practical information on how to plan, implement and verify the value of municipal and utility solar programs

SolarCity has completed the largest commercial solar installation in San Francisco for British Motor Car Distributors, Inc. The dramatic, 287 kilowatt installation includes two rooftop carports comprised of 1,606 solar panels. SolarCity designed and installed carports atop two British Motors' buildings on the 900 block of Van Ness Avenue. British Motors' historic showroom building at 901 Van Ness Avenue a designated San Francisco Landmark originally opened in 1927 and was designed by Bernard Maybeck, the nationally-renowned architect who also designed San Francisco's Palace of Fine Arts.

The solar system is expected to generate 370,000 kilowatt hours of electricity annually, enough to power 80 San Francisco homes. During the peak months of May through October the system will generate surplus power and earn credits with PG&E, offsetting the less sunny winter months.

Ricoh will erect a sign in New York City's Times Square that will be 100 percent powered by solar and wind power. The electronic billboard, the first ever to be totally powered by natural resources in Times Square, will be located at 3 Times Square at the corner of 7th Avenue and 42nd Street.

The sign, which is 47 feet high by 126 feet long, will be illuminated by floodlights and powered by 45 solar panels and 4 turbines for wind generation. By using all natural energy sources, Ricoh will reduce the amount of CO2 usage by 18 tons per year. If there is not enough solar or wind power, the Times Square sign will not be illuminated. Ricoh also currently has a similar eco-powered sign in Osaka, Japan, that uses 100 percent solar and wind power.

One of the biggest problems with the first generation iPhone has undoubtedly been the battery life. Some users say that it lasts the whole 24 hours, while some complain that it only lasts a couple of hours before dying out. Apple tried to solve this problem by listing a couple of tips, like keeping bluetooth off, keeping wi-fi off, and keeping EQ settings off on the iPod, on their website to help maintain a steady battery life. These suggestions, however, limit the user from using all of the iPhones innovative features to the fullest.

In the latest news, Apple is rumored to be working on making a solar powered iPhone. With solar power, hybrid cars, and everything “green” being the theme of the year, the solar powered iPhone has room to be the next hot gadget-especially for those who have already gone “green” this year.

One of the reasons that solar powered phones have not worked in the past is because of added bulk the phone would get, and virtually no space to put the solar panels. This new iPhone is rumored to have the solar panels located behind the beautiful LCD touch screen. It would be nice to have a phone that ran on solar power, so the next time your phone is about to die at the park all you have to do is get in a sunny or lighted area. For now, all we can do is wait.

IBM announces a research breakthrough in photovoltaics technology that could significantly reduce the cost of harnessing the Sun's power for electricity. By mimicking the antics of a child using a magnifying glass to burn a leaf or a camper to start a fire, IBM scientists are using a large lens to concentrate the Sun’s power, capturing a record 230 watts onto a centimeter square solar cell, in a technology known as concentrator photovoltaics, or CPV. That energy is then converted into 70 watts of usable electrical power, about five times the electrical power density generated by typical cells using CPV technology in solar farms.

If it can overcome additional challenges to move this project from the lab to the fab, IBM believes it can significantly reduce the cost of a typical CPV based system. By using a much lower number of photovoltaic cells in a solar farm and concentrating more light onto each cell using larger lenses, IBM’s system enables a significant cost advantage in terms of a lesser number of total components.

SunPower has completed design and construction of a new 1.4-megawatt solar electric power plant project in Hampyeong, South Korea. SunPower worked with Korean energy company EnE System to complete the plant, which is owned by Hampyeong Solar Plus, and will generate 1.8 million kilowatt-hours per year.

At the power plant site, SunPower installed SunPower panels, which are up to 50 percent more efficient than conventional panels, as well SunPower Tracker solar tracking systems. The Tracker tilts toward the sun as it moves across the sky, significantly increasing daily energy production compared with fixed-tilt systems.