Module overcapacity among weak demand dynamics in key markets has caused at least one customer of BTU International to put equipment ordered on hold. Planned capacity expansions are being revised for customers, according to the c-Si solar cell equipment supplier, forcing it to also lower its sales expectations for the short-term.
Ion implant market leader Varian Semiconductor Equipment Associates will be acquired by Applied Materials for approximately US$4.9 billion. The deal is said to enhance Applied’s product offerings for transistor formation for front-end semiconductor processing as IC process complexity, transistor scaling and 3-D design implementation require complete and integrated product and process offerings. The deal also offers Applied new market opportunities in solar, display and light emitting diodes, where Varian has made significant investments in recent years to broaden implant technologies market opportunities. Varian reported last week second-quarter 2011 revenue of US$330 million.
Solar investments were hot in the first quarter, even if overall PV market demand cooled considerably; according to the latest quarter report on US venture capital (VC) investment in cleantech companies from Ernst & Young. Solar-based companies received US$362.7 million in new investments in the first quarter of 2011, up 162% compared to the same period a year ago. This accounted for 39% of the total dollars raised for the quarter, which is compiled from data provided by Dow Jones VentureSource.
Konarka Technologies is strengthening its management team with the appointment of Dr. James Buntaine as its executive vice president and chief technology officer. The new position adds weight behind the recent appointment of Kenneth McCauley as vice president of sales and marketing to transition the company into its commercial ramp phase. Dr Buntaine comes from Eastman Kodak after a 30-year career at the firm.
A massive 150MW PV project to be built in Arizona by Zachry Industrial will use Advanced Energy Industries (AE) ‘Solaron’ PV inverters and its ‘SafeGuard’ service program. The project would be one of the largest of its kind so far built in the US and is slated to begin construction in mid-2011 with completion in 2013. AE is also to be the inverter supplier at a 35MW project in California with Cupertino Electric.
Energy firm, Constellation Energy is to acquire ground-mounted PV power plants at multiple sites being built by Belectric in Sacramento, California. The projects, which are expected to be commercially operational by the end of 2011, will use 81,000 First Solar CdTe thin-film modules, totals 30MW (DC) of solar generation. Financial terms were not disclosed.
A 48MW project in Northern Italy worth several hundred million Euro is close to being sold by project developer SAG Solarstrom, after a 12MW section of the PV power plant was connected to the Italian grid via a new transformer substation specifically for the project. Italian Terna, which has already performed the technical acceptance and commissioning, is said to be planning to purchase the substation.
Having originally announced plans to produce EVA encapsulants in China that would come on stream by June 2011, Solutia has said that its new manufacturing facility in Suzhou was ready to supply commercial-grade Vistasolar EVA encapsulant. This is Solutia's first new EVA production facility to be developed after the acquisition of Etimex Solar GmbH of Germany.
Project developer and PV products supplier, BULL PowerTech a business segment of BULL Holding AG has signed a module supply deal with JinkoSolar. Under the terms of the agreement, which is the first between the two companies, 50MW of co-branded modules will be delivered in 2011.
