Hanwha SolarOne: "High-quality modules, with Korean-quality mindset"
While it reported an operating loss in Q1 2012 of US$35.1 million last week, Hanwha SolarOne believes it is heading in the right direction. The company reduced U.S. shipments to avoid the hefty tariffs imposed by the Department of Commerce in the quarter. pv magazine spoke to Andreas Liebheit General Manager Europe, Africa and Middle East to discuss the companys position and strategy.
Australian-German innovation in PV
Crystalline-silicon (c-Si) researcher Martin Green has participated in a forum today where the future for German-Australian photovoltaics was said to be in equipment supply and innovation respectively. Australian Ambassador to Germany and German photovoltaic researchers Klaus Kips and Markus Glatthaar joined Green.
Insolvency proceedings open for Odersun
Germanys Charlottenburg district court opened insolvency proceedings for Odersun AG on June 1, following the company’s failure to find an investor.
France: Demand for PV high, despite FIT cuts
In spite of the sharp decrease in feed-in-tariffs (FIT) in the last 12 months in France, photovoltaic systems are still in high demand from French consumers.
SolarWorld announces job cuts
SolarWorld AG is expected to shed around ten percent of its 3,300 strong workforce, according to reports. Chinese “dumping” prices have been cited as a key reason.
Konarka files for bankruptcy
Organic solar film manufacturer, Konarka Technologies, Inc. is the latest solar company to file for bankruptcy protection under chapter 7 of the U.S. Federal bankruptcy laws.
Nanosolar secures funds for expansion
Nanosolar Inc. has secured US$70 million in new capital, which it will use to boost the companys business activities going forward.
PV modules: Branding and bankability do not always correlate to quality
Caveat emptor! While photovoltaic modules may have reached the commercial stage of “commoditization”, they are not all the same. According to SolarBuyer, manufacturers are sacrificing quality and reliability in their quest to take shortcuts; something non-transparent supply chains are failing to pick up on.
UrbanTec China: Solar to be integral part of cities clean future
This week brought encouraging news from China regarding the development of smart grids to help enable the smart and sustainable cities of tomorrow. In addition to the key role solar can play, the need to focus on technology communication was highlighted – if the application is not visualized to the end-user, the adoption rate of the technology will suffer.
Solar stocks suffer tough month
A tough month on global financial markets, with the main U.S. indices posting losses of around six percent and Europe, fairing a little worse, was exacerbated for solar stocks, as key governmental decisions impacted upon prices.
