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ATS Automation Tooling Systems has reported that productivity at its French subsidiary, Photowatt International, has dropped in reaction to the Photowatt France proposed restructuring plan. Actual output in January 2011 reduced to 3MW, roughly 55% of the output that was planned for the period. Management is now working closely with the employee works council in order to address productivity.
Fueled by fourth-quarter sales of $937 million, SunPower saw its fiscal 2010 revenues exceed $2.2 billion and net income come in at more than $178 million—a better-than-fivefold improvement over its FY2009 income result. The solar company said it exceeded its 2010 plan in both its residential/commercial and utility and power plant business units, recognizing 546MW in installed capacity. As a result, revenues for 2011 are now guiding close to $3 billion.
Preliminary annual financial results from Sunways were higher than the company expected for 2010. Sales for the PV systems supplier and manufacturer reached €222.7 million, up 25% of the previous year. Sunways had expected annual sales of €215 to 225 million and an EBIT margin of approximately 6%.
According to IMS Research, Asia’s share of PV cell production will reach nearly 85% by the end of 2011, while nearly 80% of PV modules were produced in the region in 2010. The market research firm projects such market domination would continue to rise in the future.
At a test field in Alice Springs, Australia, Q-Cells recently found that its solar modules tested with peak performances, delivering significant power output in some of the driest weather conditions in Central Australia. The company’s Q.Smart solar module, of CIGS thin-film technology, and a prototype of its Q.Pro and Q.Base, of polysilicon technology, were tested over the past few months at the Desert Knowledge Australia Solar Centre (DKASC) alongside other similarly sized systems.
H.B. Fuller has been awarded Underwriters Laboratories (UL) 746C QOQW2 Polymeric Adhesive Systems Electrical Equipment-Component for its back-rail polymeric bond adhesive used in the production of solar panels. The company’s PV-RH75 is a patent pending adhesive that is formulated to attach back-rails to solar modules.
Weaker demand in the first quarter is expected to generate a significant rise in PV module inventories throughout the supply chain, according to market research firm IHS iSuppli in a new report entitled ‘PV: Strong Market Has Suppliers’ Inventories at Healthy Levels.’
HyperSolar has finished work on the prototype design model of its new thin micro-concentrator module. The commercial version of the concentrator, which is set to be both smaller and more efficient than the prototype design model, will be released once the photonic and optical characteristics of the test module are validated.
A Bangladesh firm, Rahimafrooz Renewable Energy has ordered an advanced module manufacturing line with a capacity of 20MW from Spire Corporation. The modules made at the new facility will be used for rural applications.
Swiss-based PV equipment supplier, Komax has signed a cooperation agreement with Yingkou Jinchen that will see Komax acquire a majority stake (51%) in newly formed Komax Jinchen. The move by Komax is to penetrate the Chinese market and add more laminators to its product range.
