By this summer at least three town governments in Massachusetts will be getting cheaper electricity. The towns of Brookfield, Bellingham, and Ludlow are all going solar this year and at two of them—Ludlow and Brookfield—are transforming their old landfills from stinky eyesores to money savers through the construction of solar photovoltaic (PV) farms.

On May 13, SolarCity reported its first-ever first quarter earnings report since becoming publicly traded in late 2012. Overall, the company had a net loss of $31 million on $30 million in revenue for the quarter, produced a loss per share of 41 cents. While it’s expected that the newly public company will take some time to reach profitability, the results spurred at least one analyst to maintain his market perform rating on the company, with an emphasis on the downside. 

The latest attacks on net-metering and other provisions that make going solar easier for home and business owners have been increasing. These incentives, which are proving cost-effective through measure like renewable portfolio standards, are being fought both by some investor-owned utilities (IOUs) for fear of losing profits to people who install solar, and by conservative groups like the Heritage Foundation. 

A new GTM Research white paper Rate Design Matters: The Impact of Utility Tariff Structure on Solar Project Economics looks around the corner to discuss how the market is changing and how rate structures can help ensure that the solar industry doesn’t disappear when today’s incentive programs do. 

SolarStrong, a $1 billion partnership between SolarCity, Bank of America Merrill Lynch to build out 300 megawatts of solar photovoltaics at military housing across the U.S. broke ground on its largest project to date. SolarCity announced that construction on the first phase of the 24 megawatt project, which will ultimately provide PV for 6,500 military family residences at Ohana Military Communities, began on May 8. To date it’s the largest undertaking under the partnership, and the largest for SolarCity. 

A slew of bills introduced in Louisiana’s legislature this year were challenging the state’s solar incentives. At least one of which, House Bill 705 to gradually phase out the state’s solar and wind tax credits by 2020, has moved forward. While that bill might make some sense, other bills, like a bill to eliminate tax credits immediately, seem to be drastic measures that would gut the industry at a time when it’s become a major new employer in the state. 

Ahead of a complete turn around in the photovoltaic manufacturing market, silicon wafer manufacturers are ramping up their production and increasing it by 19 percent in 2013 compared to last year. The anticipated growth is coming even though a glut in PV modules still exists, according to a new report NPD Solarbuzz report “Polysilicon and Wafer Supply Chain Quarterly”. 

In an interesting turn of events, solar third-party ownership company SolarCity is suing the Treasury Department in Federal Claims Court, alleging that it received less than expected from the now defunct 1603 Treasury Grant Program. This follows the Treasury investigation of SolarCity over whether or not it correctly valued the solar arrays the company installed under its third-party ownership programs when it applied for grants through the 1603 program. 

The new VISOR “Vision to Integrate Solar in Oregon” report by Chris Robertson and Associates, LLC was commissioned by advocacy organization Oregon Solar Energy Industries Association (OSEIA) and its partners. The report finds that large-scale solar installations are now cost competitive with some other forms of energy, like fossil fuel. But the report also points out that significant market barriers to the expansion of solar in Oregon remain.  

Last year Admirals Bank, a Boston-based bank with national product offerings, supported what turned out to be the largest Solarize program in Connecticut. Based on the popularity of the program along with support for solar and wind power, the bank is participating in Solarize Connecticut—as well as Solarize Massachusetts this year. The New England bank recently opened up a new lending division, Admirals Alternatives, focused exclusively on supporting renewables at residences across the country.