Motech

Taiwan-based TrendForce says the nation added only 410 MW of solar capacity to the end of May, towards this year’s 2.2 GW target. The lower-than-expected deployment volume may be further hampered by new restrictions for PV on agricultural land introduced by the Council of Agriculture this month.

Motech Industries revealed this week that its annual net loss widened by 124.19% year on year to NT$6.795 billion ($220.5 million), marking its biggest yearly net loss ever.

Taiwan’s Ministry of Economic Affairs is considering scrapping a 6% markup on tariffs paid to high-efficiency modules used in its Green Energy Roof scheme. The markup is said to benefit the local module manufacturing industry, which is currently struggling.

Taiwan-based Motech Industries Inc. has announced a further reduction of staff. Overall, it plans to let 916 employees go in January. Its survival strategy includes focusing on high efficiency products and serving the local market. To this end, it says it has entered into collaborations with unidentified partners.

In the latest news emerging from the struggling world of Taiwanese solar cell makers, Motech has announced more layoffs, and a NT$4.8 billion loan; GET has let 203 employees go; and shares of the new UREC merger are said to be down. India’s safeguard tariffs are also hitting the country’s manufacturers hard.

Taiwanese solar cell manufacturer, Motech has announced plans to reduce its workforce by 300 and further adjust production capacity, while Sino-American Silicon’s CEO has revealed the company may exit the wafer business.

Taiwanese solar PV cell manufacturer, Motech has shut down production in Suzhou, China, and potentially shelved plans for an 800 MW fab in Kunshan. It will instead focus production on two other sites in the country. In Taiwan, it has reportedly stopped production of solar ingots and wafers, and has suffered massive Q2 2018 losses.

Jinzhou Yangguang Energy (Jinzhou Yangguang), a subsidiary of China’s Solargiga Energy Holdings, has agreed to buy a 17.8% stake in Jinzhou Yangguang Motech Renewable Energy (Jinzhou Motech) from Motech Suzhou Renewable Energy for CNY 9.96 million (US$1.58 million), in a cash transaction.

The Taiwanese cell producer said it will use the funds to repay existing loans and finance operations.

Solargiga Energy’s shipments of PV cells, solar panels, silicon ingots and wafers reached 1.16 GW in the first half of 2017, up nearly 55% year on year. Revenue from its production business rose 16.2% on the year to CNY 1.97 billion ($291.6 million), according to unaudited preliminary operating statistics filed to the Hong Kong stock exchange.