Expecting the PV equipment market to continue to slow this year, GT Advanced Technologies advised that it would be broadening its product lines with a new furnace that makes silicon carbide crystals. The company is aiming to diversify its product line in the midst of what it calls a global downshift in demand for its systems that make polysilicon and PV wafers. As reported by Bloomberg, CEO of GT Advanced, Tom Gutierrez, is looking its R&D this year by 50% to over US$65 million with sales expected to grow 6% to between US$925 million and US$975 million.
Former EDS chief global sales officer, Bobby Grisham, has been selected as the newest member of Premier Holding’s board of directors. He will be working, along with fellow members, executive management and subsidiary Wepower, to meet the company’s strategic global initiatives. Grisham also formerly served as the president of the EDS’ US southwest operations solutions, was president of the large financial institutions strategic business unit and managed all IT operations for six General Motors Electrical Component divisions.
Following Saudi Arabia’s revelation of a US$109 billion plan to create a solar industry in the country that will produce a third of its electricity within the next twenty years, Five Star Equities has released reports on the potential outlook for companies in the solar industry, including First Solar and SunPower.
A report published by Reuters has advised that the Constitutional Court has endorsed a Czech tax on solar power producers as part of the government’s push to cut budget deficits and subdue the solar boom in the country. The ruling means that solar plants which came online in 2009 and 2010 are affected.
Following his defeat to be premier of North Rhine-Westphalia on Sunday by the Social Democrats (SPD), Norbert Roettgen, once seen as a potential successor to Chancellor Angela Merkel, was fired by Merkel today from his position as her environment minister. Reuters reported that Merkel has nominated Peter Altmaier, parliamentary whip for her conservative party, to replace Roettgen.
A report from Digitimes has provided musings on how thin-film face an uphill battle in the current market. According to the report, solar firms will need to segue from being thin-film solar module providers to solar PV system project designers and suppliers in order to stay competitive. According to the report, as silicon-based solar product prices drop, thin-film solar products have been sidelined, especially during the past year.
Emcore has been awarded another contract by NASA, this time to provide its technology for the space program’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) Soil Moisture Active Passive (SMAP) mission, which has a target launch in late 2014. Emcore’s ZTJ triple-junction solar cells will power the SMAP spacecraft and instrument suite in near-polar, sun-synchronous orbit for the duration of the mission.
According to a report released by Bloomberg New Energy Finance, the price of polysilicon continued its downward march, dropping by 2.6% last week. The material’s average spot prices were US$23.17/kg last week, compared to US$23.78 the week before. The report further advised that the price is down around 15% this year.
Last week Cogentrix Energy officially began commercial operation of its 30MW Alamosa CPV project in Colorado. Today, Solectria advised that it had provided over 500 large CPV pedestals, smart inverters and dual axis trackers for the project, which has been dubbed the largest high CPV generating facility in the world.
The Alamosa Solar Generating plant is being called the world’s largest concentrating PV electric power generating facility and Cogentrix Energy advised that it has finally begun commercial operation. Located in San Luis Valley in Colorado, the 30MW site produces energy for customers of Xcel Energy’s subsidiary, Public Service Company of Colorado (PSCo).
