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The U.S. government has moved in recent years to prop up the domestic solar industry through generous incentives, but as those subsidies slowly dry up solar producers are working to increase efficiency as a way to cut costs and maintain viability.

Solar startup HyperSolar has introduced a new solar panel that is much more efficient than current modules on the market. The company does not manufacture solar panels, but is focused on making them ultra-efficient through a field of science called photonics, Forbes reports. Like a microchip, HyperSolar's thin magnifying film routes and separates specified light spectrums, ensuring they're exactly where they need to be to make an array more efficient...

The German engineering giant Siemens announced this week that it will use solar panels manufactured in China in the construction of several European solar power projects it is committed to.

The solar panels, assembled by China's Suntech Power Holdings, will be used instead of modules produced domestically. Though Germany is known as a hub of solar power innovation and is home to major producers of solar panel systems, the country's market has new competition in recent months as Chinese companies enter the European market...

"And God said, Let there be light: and there was light." A church in Montana took that quote from the bible literally, announcing plans to install a solar panel system on church grounds that will help offset energy usage and heat the building.

The First United Methodist Church in Great Falls plans to retrofit its building to improve its energy efficiency; built in 1955, the church first plans to convert its sanctuary into solar heat: The sanctuary was originally built with in-floor radiant heat so pipes in the floor carry hot water that heats the large room...

In Maryland, food giant Perdue will draw more energy from solar power as Washington Gas Energy Services recently announced it will team with Standard Solar Partner to develop solar panel systems at two of the food company's buildings.

Perdue entered into a 15-year agreement with WGES to purchase electricity generated from the photovoltaic systems at a guaranteed price; Standard Solar affirms that the solar systems - comprised of 11,000 solar panels - will be installed by September of this year. According to executives from the company, Perdue plans on installing one solar panel system at its corporate offices and another at its feed mill in Delaware...

Since the war began there in 2001, Afghanistan has slowly become a more secured place as sectarian violence has ebbed. Recently, there have been improvements to the country's woefully underdeveloped infrastructure, with one of those upgrades, solar powered street lights, going online this week.

The 28 solar powered street lights went online on Wednesday and were unveiled in a ribbon-cutting ceremony in Kabul. Residents and troops alike greeted the street lights with excitement; many of the people who live in the city affirm that the lights will allow them to keep their businesses open later, increase safety on busy streets and improve the overall quality of life...