Sandra Enkhardt
Bosch modules continue to be produced
Photovoltaic module manufacturer Bosch will continue production until the end of the year according to reporting in the German press. Thereafter Bosch will discontinue the manufacture of crystalline solar modules. Whether there will be a new investor for the plant in Arnstadt remains uncertain.
Reported signs of state aid for Chinese PV manufacturers emerge
The EU Commission has reportedly found evidence that Chinese PV manufacturers benefitted from state subsidies. There will be no provisional duties implemented, however, and the compromised reached in August will remain in place.
EU energy commissioner calls for reform of German RE law
EU Energy Commissioner Günther Oettinger called for a fundamental reform of Germany’s renewable energy law during a speech in Berlin.
Switzerland plans radical solar subsidy cuts
The Swiss Solar Energy Professional Association (Swissolar) calls the government’s plans for PV “catastrophic”. Feed-in tariffs, payment duration and the separate category for integrated PV systems are on the chopping block. Still there might be some positive outcomes.
Positive signals from Trina, Yingli and Jinko Solar
Analysts from IHS see the second quarter of 2013 as a turning point. Leading Chinese PV manufacturers have posted very positive quarterly figures and markedly improved prospects. The recovery is not expected to be short lived.
Germany: Monthly FIT degression remains at 1.8%
Germany added some 300 MW of new photovoltaic capacity in June, according to the German Federal Network Agency. Hence, monthly FIT reductions of 1.8% will apply for the months of August, September and October.
Number crunch in German solar sector
The bankruptcies, losses and production cuts of German photovoltaic companies show the dire state the country’s solar industry is in. An enquiry made by the Die Linke political party revealed there are only around 87,000 jobs in the PV sector and sales figures have also shrunk drastically. The ongoing EEG discussions are, however, not responsible for the turmoil, according to the federal government.
Analysts not surprised by Conergy insolvency
Financial experts shocked not by the Conergy insolvency but by how long it took the Hamburg company to file insolvency proceedings. The Hamburg state prosecutor had filed charges against former Conergy executives two years ago.
SMA announces both dividend and layoffs
The management board of the inverter manufacturer for photovoltaic systems is still unable to rule out a loss for the current financial year. Thus there will presumably be further layoffs at SMA.
German industrial associations against AD duties on Chinese PV imports
The Federation of German Industry (BDI) and the Federation of German Wholesale, Foreign Trade and Services (BGA) have warned of the loss of thousands of jobs in Germany if the EU Commission imposes anti-dumping duties on photovoltaic products imported from China, according to a local newspaper.
