String Ribbon solar module producer, Evergreen Solar expects its nameplate capacity to reach 170MW in 2010, based primarily on its Wuhan, China facility coming online as expected, this summer. The 100MW plant, operated by Jiawei Solarchina is expected to ramp to 20 to 25MW of capacity per quarter in early 2011 and produce a wafer for about US$0.45 per watt and a panel for around US$1.25 per watt. However, with a high cash burn rate for the loss making manufacturer, the 70%-plus capacity increase will require the company to raise more money, according to Mike El-Hillow, Evergreen Solar’s COO and CFO in a conference call to discuss fourth quarter financial results.
The reintroduction of subsidies and a new feed-in tariff introduced in November 2009 helped to more than double solar sales in Japan in 2009, compared to the previous year. According to the Japan Photovoltaic Energy Association, sales reached 483.96MW in 2009, up from approximately 230MW in 2008. Japanese PV solar cell and module manufacturers also increased exports to the U.S., which were up 21% compared to the previous year, reaching 203.17MW in 2009.
In ongoing module performance tests by Photon International magazine, SolarWorld has touted that is has once again demonstrated that its modules generated more electricity than all competitive products tested, producing up to 12% more power than the others.
Consistent with its announced plans for further small-scale power plants in Italy, TerniEnergia has plans to build a 1MW PV power plant in the Apulia region at a cost of approximately €3 million. The plant will be owned by TRP-PVE, an Italian-Chinese joint venture company.
SBM Solar says it has become the first company to earn UL certification on its nonglass, rigid, crystalline-silicon photovoltaic modules. The panels are encapsulated with a non-EVA-based thermoplastic material developed by Dow Chemical.
A stay of execution over the proposed feed-in tariff cuts in Germany has been reported by Reuters. The proposals have been delayed until June 1st, instead of April 1st, 2010. However, the report notes that new rooftop solar installation FiT will be cut by 16%.
VLSI Research has awarded Oerlikon Systems a ‘five star rating’ for customer satisfaction in 2009. The five star ratings are handed out by chip equipment users (representing 95% of the world’s semiconductor market) and compiled by VLSI Research as part of their 2009 Customer Satisfaction Report.
In a conference call with financial analysts, held today, Evergreen Solar’s Chairman, CEO and President, Richard Feldt, responded to one of the last questions in the hour long call over the expected outcome for Sovello. He noted that the company had only weeks to seek a buyer that would probably acquire the company at ‘fire-sale’ prices or enter into insolvency.
In a major effort to boost its position within the solar equipment market, Singulus Technologies is planning a suite of new product introductions in 2010 that will include technologies to lower PV manufacturing costs and boost cell efficiencies for both both ‘front-end’ c-Si production and CIGS and CdTe applications. Another import move will be the development of complete integrated turnkey lines for ‘front-end’c-Si production, leveraging technologies and systems from its recent acquisition of Stangl. The company noted that due to continued pricing pressures on PV manufacturers this was a key driver to focus on such solutions.
Israeli solar energy developer Arava Power has signed long-term deals with 15 agricultural cooperatives to build midsize photovoltaic installations at an investment of 2 billion shekels ($533 million), according to Reuters. The power plants will total 100MW and will average 6.5MW per field. Total investment is said to be 2 billion shekels ($544 million).
