SMA announces over 400 job losses, China closure
SMA Solar technology AG has announced that around 425 full time jobs or 12.8% of its global workforce will be lost as part of its restructuring efforts. The PV inverter manufacturer will also discontinue operations in China, preferring to refocus its efforts on Germany.
Daimler brings its EV plans to the table with €20 billion battery cell order
Another German car manufacturer has announced ambitious electric vehicle plans. Daimler AG says it has invested €20 billion in the purchase of battery cells to further advance its electric fleet.
BayWa r.e. and Longi Solar ink global framework agreement
The deal marks the first time BayWa r.e. enters into a distribution agreement with a Chinese module manufacturer, according to a company statement. The deal has been described by the companies as a ‘win-win’ for both.
New plans by VW, Tesla and BYD support predictions that EV sales are set to skyrocket
A number of significant manufacturing and investment plans in China, Germany and North America by major automobile makers VW, Tesla and BYD are backing up predictions that electric vehicle car sales are set to skyrocket in the coming decades.
Sonnen to provide primary balancing power to German grid from networked home storage
After months of preliminary work, the time has come: With its PV+home storage network, sonnen GmbH has received prequalification from TenneT to participate in Germany’s primary control energy market. While it is currently allowed to deliver 1 MW, the goal is to supply 100 MW.
Tesvolt receives €2.15 million for serial production leap
The manufacturer of C&I storage systems has been awarded funding from the EU’s SME funding scheme to enable mass production of its systems. The company’s production site could see an additional 60 employees added over the next 24 months.
Kostal, RCT Power take the lead in storage system efficiency ranking
Researchers from Berlin’s College for Technology and Economics have determined a ‘system performance index’ for 16 residential storage systems. The index ranks systems according to economic efficiency. The compilers of the index say many manufacturers lack transparency regarding system performance.
German parliament approves incentive cut for 40-750 kW solar systems
Through a new package of measures for the energy sector, the German government has introduced a significant incentive reduction for commercial and industrial solar, but has also allocated an additional 4 GW of solar capacity in tenders up to 2021.
SMA revises down 2018 guidance, again
The outlook for sales and operating result has once again been lowered by the inverter maker. EBITDA is now expected to show a mid-to-high double-digit loss.
Germany added 182 MW of new PV capacity in October
The vast majority of the newly reported capacity was small and medium-sized PV rooftops. For ground-mounts, as in September, there was little volume. By the end of October, the government’s annual target of 2.5 GW of new capacity was almost reached. Solar FITs will fall another 1% in December.
