US: Lease programs expand with new Sungevity and Citigroup fund
Citigroup Inc. announced today that it will create a US$50 million fund with photovoltaic lease provider Sungevity, for installations in eight states. The funds will facilitate residential solar installations in Arizona, California, Colorado, Delaware, Massachusetts, Maryland and New York.
Cautious optimism for Roth & Rau after shaky H1
Both the shaky market conditions and start up difficulties of the companys antireflective coating equipment (SiNA 2) were attributed to Roth & Raus weak start to the year. Looking ahead, the company is unable to provide full year financial guidance.
Jobs to go as Solon shuts Tucson facility down
Germany-based Solon SE has announced the closure of its Tucson module and photovoltaic system manufacturing facility, as part of a new U.S. operations strategy. Sixty jobs will be lost.
JinkoSolar reports successful Q2 despite difficult market
Flying in the face of the shaky market conditions seen in the first half of 2011, Chinese photovoltaic product manufacturer JinkoSolar has bucked the trend to post positive second quarter (Q2) results.
US permits 550 MW PV project
U.S. Secretary of the Interior, Ken Salazar has given the go-ahead to the largest photovoltaic facility ever to be built on public land in America.
The PV race to replace silver
Silver prices have been bad news for photovoltaics of late. Their continuing spike is causing ripples across the photovoltaic manufacturing industry as it forces companies to find cost-effective solutions to the super-conductive metal or face losses.
TFG Radiant Group to produce Ascent Solars CIGS modules in Asia
In a royalties, stock and strategic deal, TFG Radiant Group has announced that it will purchase 6,400,000 of Ascent Solars stock for US$7.36 million at the same time obtaining an exclusive license to produce and distribute Ascents flexible CIGS thin-film modules in East Asia.
Shrinking solar revenues forecast, despite new markets and growing installed capacity
New research forecasts shrinking, and then flat solar revenues through to 2016, despite the fact installations are expected to grow 15.5 percent as new markets open up. Countries with attractive IRRs are also identified.
Conergy increases sales but suffers 6.7 million loss
German renewable and photovoltaic company Conergys woes continued through the second quarter (Q2) of 2011, with its report showing an increase of sales by 40 percent, to 225.2 million, however losses of 6.7 million. By way of consolation, Q2 losses were almost half that of quarter one (Q1) which totaled 12.3 million.
SolarWorld credits US market for H1 performance
Despite suffering year-on-year financial losses in the first half (H1) of 2011, SolarWorld remains confident it will meet its full year guidance. The company, which recorded impressive sequential gains, cites the U.S. as a “significant” solar market.
