Germanys Röttgen to address energy storage conference
Germanys Federal Environment Minister, Norbert Röttgen, has confirmed his attendance at the first “Energy Storage Summit for the Storage of Renewable Energies” conference, scheduled to be held in Düsseldorf this March. During the event, he will address the issue of energy storage transformation.
Sanyo closes Californian solar facility
Sanyo Solar (USA) LLC (SSU) has confirmed it will be closing its solar wafer and ingots facility down at the end of March. Around 140 employees will be affected.
Germany: First Solar scales production back
First Solar is to reduce production at its Frankfurt/Oder manufacturing facility in Germany by 50 percent. As a result, 1,200 employees will be moved onto six months of shorter working hours.
REC reports dreary financial results; outlines 2012 goals
Following a year of plant closures and workforce reductions, Norway-based Renewable Energy Company (REC) has had a tough time of it recently. While the solar company reports that photovoltaic module demand has improved, its 2011 financials took a serious hit. It also outlined its 2012 goals.
Saudi Arabia: centrotherm to provide technology to Idea Polysilicon Partner
Idea Polysilicon Company (IPC) has selected Germanys centrotherm SiTec GmbH to supply basic engineering services and the technology concept for its new 10,000 ton polysilicon factory, to be located in Saudi Arabias Yanbu.
Germany's SunConcept announces insolvency
SunConcept Group, which designs, installs and operates photovoltaic systems, has filed for insolvency with Germanys Limburg District Court, after seven of its subsidiaries went bankrupt. A total of 100 employees have been affected.
Conflicting 2011 PV inverter figures released
According to one research company, the photovoltaic inverter industry experienced a “record” year in 2011, with shipments increasing by up to 15 percent year-on-year. Meanwhile, a second has reported that growth actually declined by one percent from 2010.
Germany: Rösler explains solar subsidy exit strategy
An explanatory statement for the proposed law has now been presented. In it, the German Federal Ministry of Economics explains the planned steps to a new regulation of solar promotion. It remains unclear what the actual construction target of the Federal Government is, i.e. whether its 33.3 or 52 gigawatts (GW) of installed photovoltaic capacity.
US: AUO announces 9 MW PV project
In a bid to strengthen its U.S. presence, Taiwan-based AU Optronics Corp. has acquired a nine megawatt (MW) photovoltaic project in the state of Pennsylvania. The company has also officially launched its modules on the U.S. market.
Roth & Rau announces "significant" closures and employee cuts
Admitting that its photovoltaic business has been negatively affected by the weak market conditions in 2011, Roth & Rau has said it will close a number of its subsidiaries and “significantly” reduce its workforce by the end of the first half of 2012.
