Amid all the bad news, bankruptcies and trade cases, global solar installations in 2012 totaled about 31 GW, a 13 percent year-over-year growth in a tough year. Demand for solar in 2013 looks promising despite the uncertainty surrounding the China-European Union (EU) trade case. A big reason for the improved outlook is due to the rise of Japan’s solar market, which is on pace to install in excess of 7 GW, compensating for the pullback in demand from Germany and Italy.