5N Plus Inc. Extends Supply Agreements with First Solar, Increases Minimum Quantities to be Ordered

5N Plus Inc. (TSX:VNP) today announced the extension of its supply agreements with First Solar, Inc. pursuant to which 5N Plus provides cadmium telluride and cadmium sulphide to First Solar from 5N Plus' facilities in Montreal and Germany. Pursuant to the amendments, the supply agreements are being extended until July 31, 2013, representing one additional year.

The agreements have also been amended to increase by 50% the minimum prescribed quantities of cadmium telluride to be ordered by First Solar for the remaining term of the agreements.

Real Goods Solar to Install $30 Million Solar Power Program for Fremont Union High School District

Real Goods Solar (NASDAQ: RSOL) announced today it has signed a contract to design and install solar electric systems totaling 3.65 megawatts for the Fremont Union High School District in Sunnyvale, Cupertino and west San Jose, California. The new solar systems will be constructed as carports at all five high schools in the District and are expected to save District taxpayers over $12 million in the total cost of electricity over the next 25 years. The five systems will contribute enough electricity to cover about 45% of the power usage of each school. This solar program, exceeding $30 million, is believed to be the largest direct purchase by a secondary school system in North America, financed by a portion of a $198M school bond approved by the District’s voters in June 2008.

Amtech Comments Further on Significance of Research Agreement With Yingli and the ECN to Develop High Efficiency N-Type Solar Cells

Amtech Systems, Inc. (NASDAQ: ASYS), a global supplier of production and automation systems and related supplies for the manufacture of solar cells, today provided further comment on the significance of its previously announced three-party research collaboration agreement between Amtech’s Tempress® Systems Inc, subsidiary, Yingli Green Energy Holding Company Limited, one of the world’s leading vertically integrated photovoltaic product manufacturers, and the Energy Research Centre of the Netherlands (“ECN”), a leading solar research center in Europe.

The joint project under the agreement endeavors to develop and implement high efficiency N-type silicon solar cells, named PANDA, at Yingli Green Energy’s pilot production line in Baoding, China.

Timminco Provides Update on Solar Grade Silicon Customers and Operations and Announces Proposed Financing and New President and Chief Operating Officer

Timminco Limited ("Timminco" or the "Company") (TSX: TIM) announced today an update on its on-going discussions with solar grade silicon customers. These discussions have focused on alternatives to the existing contractual commitments, in the context of maintaining long-term relationships with customers in light of the challenging economic environment and market conditions affecting the solar industry.

In the course of these negotiations, some of the Company's solar grade silicon customers have asserted that their contracts have been terminated due to non-compliance.