Legal

The European Commission imposed punitive anti-dumping duties on Chinese PV imports to Europe on Tuesday despite broad industry-wide opposition. The industry expresses its views to pv magazine.

Centrotherm Photovoltaics AG has received a new lease on life after a German court approved the company’s debt-for-equity plan, which will save some 900 jobs.

The Alliance for Affordable Solar Energy (AFASE) is now gathering signatures against the impending EU anti-dumping duties on Chinese solar modules. This petition is a last minute attempt to stop the penalties. EU ProSun has now released a statement calling the action a “panic-maker”.

In May, the New York solar equities market took a page from the parable, “The Emperor’s New Clothes.” While investors reacted swiftly to favorable company reports – propelling those stocks prices higher (as in the case of JA Solar) and taking others along for the ride – analysts examining the fundamentals saw little or nothing to recommend.

Following the failure of an appeal to the World Trade Organization (WTO) decision against the domestic content requirement of its renewable energy FIT scheme, the Ontario Energy Department has announced plans to remove the offending provision.

Hit by unexpected liabilities related to its former management, including a $96 million lawsuit by U.S. polysilicon producer Hemlock, government demands to return subsidies and a refusal by banks to refinance its growing debt, Spanish PV giant Isofotón has been forced to file for restructuring proceedings.

Photovoltaic module manufacturer Trina Solar Limited has announced their first quarter results for 2013. Module shipments saw a sequential decrease and Europe continued to bring the largest revenue slice for Trina Solar. Domestic sales saw a fall.

Yingli Green Energy’s net loss more than doubled in the first quarter of the year to CNY 611.8 million ($98.5 million, €75.6 million) as PV module shipments declined, resulting in a 15% drop in revenue to CNY 2.68 billion ($431.4 million). The group also announced a new finance chief as well as major deal in South Africa for 96 MW of PV modules for a new solar plant.

While the politics surrounding the EU tariffs on Chinese photovoltaic modules continues to play out, possible effects of the tariffs are beginning to emerge. Manufacturers in Taiwan look set to benefit, but whether European cell and wafer capacity is ready or adequate to pick up the rest of the slack is yet to be seen.

Hanwha SolarOne Co. Ltd. narrowed its net loss in the first quarter as higher shipments boosted overall revenue.