A concerted effort to increase sales overseas, though not a player in the expanding China market, SMA Solar Technology reported it had claimed back lost market share in the first 9-months of 2011. As part of the growing regional mix, product mix changed as SMA’s central inverter sales recorded strong growth. SMA reiterated recently lowered guidance for sales in 2011 to be between €1.5 billion to €1.7 billion and operating profit of €220 million to €300 million.
PVA TePla, a manufacturer of crystallization systems for semiconductor and solar silicon as well as vacuum and high-temperature systems, generated sales revenues of €77.3 million in the first nine months of 2011 (previous year: €95.0 million). With a margin of 9.8% (previous year: 10.3%), operating profit (EBIT) totalled €7.6 million (previous year: €9.7 million).
Concern is growing amongst the 800 employees of silicon wafer manufacturer Silico Solar which will be closing the 300MW facility in Puertollano at the end of this month until at least February 2012. Silico has blamed this on the adverse PV market conditions.
Astronergy, a subsidiary of Chint Group, has finished work on a 20MW PV system in Golmud, China. The installation, which is one of the largest in China, takes Astronergy’s portfolio in the country to 60MW.
Skyline Solar has scored two major goals with its announcement that its LCPV Skyline Solar X14 System has been listed by the California Energy Commission (CEC) followed with the news that Firsthand Technology Value Fund made a direct investment in the company.
aleo solar has posted revenues of €344.6 million for the first nine months of 2011, a 16.4% decrease on 2010’s corresponding figure. The Prenzlau-based module manufacturer is the latest PV company to feel the pinch from the solar industry’s global downturn, which has hit module prices particularly hard.
Two years in the making, Arizona’s largest commercial-scale solar power project has been completed. Located in Pinal County, the 20MW project sits on 144 acres and began operation earlier this year. Iberdrola Renewables will own and operate the facility with Salt River Project (SRP) purchasing the entire output of the plant under a 25 year agreement.
The US International Trade Commission (ITC) has voted to begin an investigation on behalf of the US government on a claim filed by Westinghouse Solar that Zep Solar and Canadian Solar are importing solar products that infringe on Westinghouse’s patents. The company asserts that Zep Solar and Canadian Solar make and import certain products that infringe its US Patent Numbers 7,406,800 and 7,987,641.
Upon the reveal of its financial results for the third quarter 2011, Satcon Technology advised that while its US$45 million in revenue was in line with it previously announced guidance, its revenues quarter-over-quarter remained flat when compared to Q2 2011’s US$45.5 million. The company reported that gross margin for the quarter was 12%, up from 8% in Q2, with the incremental improvement attributed to Satcon’s cost reduction programs and the expansion of its 1.25MW Prism Platform solution.
China Sunergy (CSUN) revealed that, effective since September 15, Robert Rice was appointed as the company’s chief sales, marketing and strategy officer as well as its vice president. Rice manages corporate international expansion and sales and marketing functions for the company in order to expand CSUN’s global market presence. Rice will additionally spearhead the establishment of long-term industry partnerships and the recruitment of a global sales team.
