Roth & Rau reports heavy losses in first nine months of 2011

Tuesday, 11.8.2011 - 17:28 (Solarserver)

On November 7th, 2011 Roth & Rau AG (Hohenstein-Ernstthal, Germany) released selected financial information for the first nine months of 2011, reporting a 23% decrease in earnings over the first nine months of 2010 to EUR 146 million (USD 202 million), and an EBIT margin of -52%. The company attributes these results in part due to a downturn in demand. Roth and Rau has stated that it will introduce shorter working hours in its production divisions, and that it is reviewing its cost and structure optimization program. Read more

Meyer Burger halts control transfer proceedings as Roth & Rau issues profit warning for Q3

Tuesday, 11.8.2011 - 17:23 (PV-Tech)

Citing difficulties in the market environment and customer project delays as a reason for the company?s poor third-quarter figures, Roth & Rau has reported an expected loss at EBIT level of ?76 million for the three-month period. In response to this news, Meyer Burger has decided to cease steps it had been taking towards a control and/or profit transfer agreement, while Roth & Rau takes steps to regain financial stability. Read more

Gujarat proposes new feed-in tariff rates

Tuesday, 11.8.2011 - 17:07 (PV-Tech)

The Gujarat Electricity Regulatory Commission (GERC) has proposed the new feed-in tariff (FiT) rates for PV projects commissioned from January 29, 2012 until March 31, 2015. These new rates range from INR10.27 (US$0.21) to INR13.14 per kWh (US$0.268) and are applicable for ground-mounted, rooftop and concentrating solar power (CSP) systems. Read more

GT Advanced Technologies remains buoyant over shift to technology buy cycle

Tuesday, 11.8.2011 - 16:03 (PV-Tech)

GT Advanced Technologies issued revenue results ahead of guidance for its second quarter (FY) results. The company posted US$217.7 million in revenue, compared to US$231.1 million in the first quarter of fiscal 2012. Revenue by business segment was led by photovoltaic with revenue of US$111.2 million, due to large number project completions in the quarter. However, GTAT noted that it cancelled several customer orders and experienced shipment push-outs, while citing weaker than expected demand that would impact annual revenue guidance and backlog. Read more

Advanced Energy inverters used for 35MW Californian PV project

Tuesday, 11.8.2011 - 15:44 (PV-Tech)

Cupertino Electric has installed Advanced Energy Industries? (AE) Solaron inverters at a new 35MW PV project in California?s Central Valley. The project is owned by Pacific Gas and Electric (PG&E) and comprised of two separate systems in Stroud (20MW) and Westside (15MW). Read more

Gujarat proposes new FIT levels for PV, CSP

Tuesday, 11.8.2011 - 14:00 (Solarserver)

The Gujarat Electricity Regulatory Commission (GERC, Gujarat, India) has proposed new feed-in tariff (FIT) levels for solar power projects to be commissioned from January 29th, 2012 through March 31st, 2015. The proposed tariff levels range from INR 10.27/kWh (USD 0.210/kWh) to INR 13.14/kWh (USD 0.268/kWh), divided into three tranches: solar photovoltaic (PV) projects larger than 100 kW, rooftop PV projects smaller than 100 kW, and concentrating solar power (CSP) projects. Read more

Hyundai Heavy Industries suspends production at PV panel facility in Korea

Tuesday, 11.8.2011 - 13:48 (PV-Tech)

Hyundai Heavy Industries has suspended production at its 50MW solar cell and module plant in Eumseong, South Korea. Manufacturing at the site, which was built in 2007 and is the smallest of three Hyundai solar facilities in Eumseong, was actually halted back in June, although the decision was only made public today. Read more

ITC to investigate Westinghouse Solar patent infringement claims against Zep Solar, Canadian Solar

Tuesday, 11.8.2011 - 22:10 (PV-Tech)

The US International Trade Commission (ITC) has voted to begin an investigation on behalf of the US government on a claim filed by Westinghouse Solar that Zep Solar and Canadian Solar are importing solar products that infringe on Westinghouse?s patents. The company asserts that Zep Solar and Canadian Solar make and import certain products that infringe its US Patent Numbers 7,406,800 and 7,987,641. Read more

CASM adds 75 associate companies, gains support of USW union to stop ?unfair? solar practices

Tuesday, 11.8.2011 - 21:10 (PV-Tech)

The Coalition for American Solar Manufacturing (CASM) advised that it had welcomed 75 employers, which had officially registered their support for the group. Additionally, CASM announced that it has gained the support of the largest union in the US ? the Union Steelworkers (USW), which boasts over 850,000 active members. CASM is made up of seven US domestic solar manufacturers that support the antidumping and countervailing duty cases that SolarWorld filed with the US government last month. Read more

Coalition for Affordable Solar Energy forms to counter Solar World-led anti-Chinese trade petition

Tuesday, 11.8.2011 - 20:41 (PV-Tech)

As more companies step forward to voice opinions regarding the petition filed with the US government by SolarWorld, the Coalition for Affordable Solar Energy (CASE) found support from 25 organizations as it announced its official founding. Aimed as a response to the anti-trade action SolarWorld is petitioning, CASE argues that the progression of such a petition would inhibit the growth and sustainability of the US solar market. Read more

Coalition vs. Coalition: The Solar Trade Dispute Gets Hotter

Tuesday, 11.8.2011 - 19:26 (Renewable Energy World)

The American solar industry is deeply (though perhaps not evenly) divided over the pending trade complaint against Chinese panel makers. If you needed any more proof of that, you got it Tuesday when 25 companies announced that they had formed a competing coalition to counteract the mostly anonymous coalition behind the anti-dumping petition currently under review. Adding to the intrigue — and the confusion — is that the new coalition includes several of the China-based giants targeted in the investigation. So now the solar industry, which once walked happily hand in hand — publicly at least — toward grid parity, now has an internal friction point Read more

First Intersolar China kicks off with top-class accompanying program

Tuesday, 11.8.2011 - 17:27 (Solarserver)

From December 7th to December 9th, 2011 the first Intersolar China takes place in the China National Convention Center in Beijing. 7,500 visitors are expected. The exhibition?s extensive accompanying program not only provides visitors and exhibitors an overview on the latest product innovations, but also offers the perfect opportunity to network with the international solar industry and forge new contacts in new markets. Read more

Large-Scale Solar Association comes out against tax on solar projects in Southern California county

Tuesday, 11.8.2011 - 17:26 (Solarserver)

On November 3rd, 2011 an industry group comprised of large solar photovoltaic (PV) and concentrating solar power (CSP) companies announced its opposition to a proposed tax on solar developments in Riverside County, California. The Riverside County Chamber of Commerce has joined the Large-Scale Solar Association (LSA) in opposing Board Policy B-29, which it says puts at risk 7,400 jobs and solar projects representing billions of dollars in economic development. Read more

The Big Question: How Can PV Players Survive?

Tuesday, 11.8.2011 - 15:00 (Renewable Energy World)

Does the solar PV market's current turbulence reflect worrying structural challenges or just a combination of unrelated instances of failed technology, poor management and bad luck? In either case, what should manufacturers do to survive? Read more

More steps towards a U.S.-China trade war

Tuesday, 11.8.2011 - 14:24 (Solarserver)

On November 7th, 2011, the Coalition for American Solar Manufacturing (CASM) announced that more than 75 U.S. employers have registered their support for anti-dumping and countervailing duty cases filed against the nation of China, by joining the coalition as associate members. The U.S. steelworkers union has also registered its support for the cases. This follows an announcement earlier on November 7th, 2011, by CECEP Solar Energy Technology Company Ltd. (Zhenjiang City, Jiangsu, China), which stated that it will put on hold a USD 500 million project to build PV plants in three U.S. states due to the cases filed by CASM members. Read more

Solarbuzz: China to install 1.8 GW of PV in 2011

Tuesday, 11.8.2011 - 13:54 (Solarserver)

On November 7th, 2011 Solarbuzz Inc. (San Francisco, California, U.S.) announced that China's non-residential solar photovoltaic (PV) project pipeline has grown to 16 GW at the end of October 2011, and also predicted that the nation will install 1.8 GW of PV in 2011. Solarbuzz states that this increase is due to falling PV module and balance of systems prices, which it says has significantly improved internal rates of returns for projects. The company notes that expected installed capacities in 2011 are roughly the same as the United States. Read more

Moser Baer completes 23.8MW solar project in Lauta, Germany

Tuesday, 11.8.2011 - 12:44 (PV-Tech)

Moser Baer Clean Energy Limited (MBCEL) has commissioned a 23.8MW solar power plant in Lauta, Germany, said to be the company?s largest to date. Funded with approximately ?50 million long-term debt financing from DKB bank in Germany ? the same financier for the company?s Thuringen and Meissens projects, the farm uses c-Si technology, SMA central inverters and was built with Conecon as the construction partner. Read more

Eco Environments opens four new regional offices despite FiT cuts

Tuesday, 11.8.2011 - 12:41 (Solarpowerportal)

In a bid to keep up with the fast-paced UK solar market, Eco Environments has spread to four new regions. Recruiting new Business Development Managers the company will now operate in Yorkshire, Cheshire, Lincolnshire and Derbyshire as well as from Carlisle, Newcastle, Manchester, Birmingham, Leeds, North Wales and the head office in Liverpool. The move is reportedly part of Eco Environments’ strategy to cover all major regional centres within the next two years. Read more

Martifer Solar to build 6.6MW solar plant in Spain

Tuesday, 11.8.2011 - 11:18 (PV-Tech)

Martifer Solar has signed a turnkey contract to install a 6.6MW PV system in Murcia, Spain. Under the terms of the agreement, Martifer will not only build the plant, but also supply all the equipment and carry out operation and maintenance. Read more

Biofuel Expansion Picks Up Pace

Tuesday, 11.8.2011 - 15:00 (Renewable Energy World)

The first transatlantic flight powered by biofuel, a Gulfstream G450 corporate jet that travelled from New Jersey to Paris in June of this year, used a 50-50 blend of biofuel and petroleum-based jet fuel. The biofuel was derived by U.S.-based company Honeywell UOP from camelina, a dedicated energy crop that does not compete in the food chain as it grows in rotation with wheat acreage and can also grow on marginal land. Read more

Awards Honor Leadership in Community Wind

Tuesday, 11.8.2011 - 15:00 (Renewable Energy World)

In Albany at last week's "Community Wind Across America" northeast regional conference?an event designed to showcase ordinary people who are doing extraordinary work for residential and commercial wind energy development on a local level?Windustry recognized three outstanding leaders in community wind with the inaugural presentation of the Distinguished Service in Community Wind Award and the Community Wind Innovator Award. Read more

Feed-in Tariffs Best to Deal with Climate Change Says IPCC Working Group III Renewables

Tuesday, 11.8.2011 - 17:46 (Renewable Energy World)

The 135-page report by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, especially Chapter 11 on Policy, Financing and Implementation, makes it clear that the overwhelming weight of academic studies conclude that feed-in tariffs ? or fixed-price mechanisms ? perform better at delivering renewable energy quickly and equitably than quota systems, such as Renewable Portfolio Standards in the U.S. or the Renewable Obligation in Britain. This is not the unsurprising conclusion from a surprising source: the IPCC's Working Group III on Renewables. Read more

Ecotricity launches ecobond two

Tuesday, 11.8.2011 - 16:15 (Solarpowerportal)

The green energy company Ecotricity launched its once popular ‘ecobonds’ for the second time on Saturday. Read more

Oakapple appoints new sales and marketing executive

Tuesday, 11.8.2011 - 15:35 (Solarpowerportal)

Leeds-based Oakapple Renewable Energy Limited (OAREL) has appointed Richard Hodcroft as the company’s new Sales and Marketing Executive overseeing commercial and domestic applications. Read more

Yingli downgrades 3Q 2011 guidance

Tuesday, 11.8.2011 - 14:09 (Solarserver)

On November 7th, 2011, Yingli Green Energy Holding Company Ltd. (Baoding, China) decreased its guidance for the third quarter of 2011, stating that it expects shipments to increase by a "low twenties" percentage over the second quarter of 2011, from the previous guidance of a "high twenties" percentage. Yingli also stated that it now expects a gross margin of 10% to 11% in the third quarter of 2011. For the full year 2011, the company now anticipates PV module shipments in the range of 1.58 GW to 1.63 GW, a 7% decrease from its previous guidance of 1.7 to 1.75 GW. Read more