Chinese semiconductor foundry Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corp. (SMIC) has announced plans to spin off its solar cell and chip packaging and testing units. The Reuters report claimed that the company would list the spun-off divisions’ shares and set up new solar cell production lines in Shanghai.
Applied Materials is set to expand its ‘SunFab’ thin-film module and c-Si testing and R&D facility in Xi’an, China, after a tour at the facility, which was opened in 2008 by Chinese Vice Premier Li Keqiang. Claimed to be the first facility of its kind in China, Applied Materials said it had recently broken ground on phase two of its new ‘Global Solar R&D Center,’ which will include R&D, engineering, demonstration, validation and training for both crystalline silicon and thin-film solar equipment and processes.
Despite a major fall-off in installations in the fourth quarter of 2008 due to the early onset of winter in Germany, a complete end of projects in Spain and large-scale project finance difficulties due to the financial crisis, Phoenix Solar AG posted record sales for 2008, reaching €402 million, compared to €260 million in 2007. Based on its current backlog, the PV systems integrator expects sales to reach approximately €520 million in 2009.
In December of 2008, Ontario's Premier Dalton McGuinty and Energy Minister George Smitherman revealed a proposition called the Green Energy Act, in attempt to grant priority to Renewable Energy Sources to Manage Global Climate Change, Protect the Environment and Streamline Project Approvals. In addition to bringing more renewables to Ontario, this plan would create more energy efficient methods to help conserve energy. The Public Consultation period extends until March 26, 2009 and can be found here.
While announcing its annual financial results, Timminco said that it will temporarily curtail production of silicon metal because of difficult market conditions and reduced demand for silicon metal in the chemical and aluminum industries. The UMG supplier also said it will reduce its workforce.
Canadian Solar executives said during a conference call to discuss 4Q and year-end financial results that polysilicon prices had fallen to between US$110 per kg and US$130 per kg. This had enabled the module manufacturer to renegotiate UMG silicon feedstock prices to approximately US$60 per kg, maintaining a US$50 per kg margin between the two feedstocks. Canadian Solar uses UMG silicon in its ‘e-modules’ and has already secured contracts for these lower (15%) priced modules in 2009, equating to 120MW.
Process technology company Despatch Industries has received multiple orders for its metallization firing furnaces from three new China-based customers. The furnaces in question have accounted for 8GW of production capacity worldwide, according to the company, and remain popular among Chinese solar manufacturing companies despite the economic downturn.
ENN Solar Energy Co., Ltd. has produced its first tandem junction thin film modules at its 60MW ‘SunFab’ line, claiming the first Chinese based thin film manufacturer to produce tandem junction cells on a production line. ENN Solar has previously planned production to start in the 1Q09.
Thin-film solar PV manufacturer Energy Conversion Devices announced that it will slow down the pace of its "demand-driven" manufacturing and expansion plans, because of what it calls the "impact of credit availability on project flow in the global pipeline for photovoltaics." The company--known for its Uni-Solar brand flexible TFPV laminates--will enact a series of cost-cutting measures, such as temporary production shutdowns and factory and workforce consolidations, including layoffs. ECD also backed off its previously stated financial guidance estimates.
