Manufacturing

Pro-tariff lobby group says the reported solar module deal between the EU and China violates EU laws. Trade commissioner Karel De Gucht is dismissive of a possible legal challenge.

The duration of the solar panel EU-China trade deal should be shortened, the floor price made more flexible and the UK government should soften the blow of ‘Brussels’ meddling,’ says the Solar Trade Association.

Stock traders reacted to news of the EU-China trade agreement and clearly indicated which side of the table they think secured the better deal. The early trading figures provided rare good cheer for Suntech.

The German company has landed a deal with two prominent global brands. Its 1 MWp installation with Ceres Fruitgrowers is a prime example of self-consumption.

The Chinese manufacturer will supply 20 MW of solar panels to state owned power company Hainan Xianshou Waterpower. The deal follows 80 MW of orders last month as Sunowe looks away from Europe.

The PV Japan 2013 trade show is smaller than its rival PV Expo event but offers opportunities in supporting technologies such as mounting systems. Uncertainty over the generous FIT regime, however, was a recurring theme.

The Swiss inverter manufacturer Sputnik Engineering will be restructuring and possibly reducing its workforce at its production facility in Biel, Switzerland.

Negotiations between the EU and China over cheaper Chinese PV imports has apparently come to a standstill as of midday today. Beijing is reportedly unwilling to accept the EU suggestion of a minimum import price of €0.57/W for modules.

The Norwegian solar company reiterates its plan to split in two by hiving off its polysilicon business after Citigroup downgraded its rating and predicted this week’s move by China would make the plan untenable to bondholders.

The Chinese manufacturer installed its panels across 129 buildings in the city as part of the Chinese government’s Golden Sun plan to drive distributed generation in the country.