It appears that the next victim of this most ruthless of competitions – the solar shakeout – is CdTe thin-film manufacturer Abound Solar. Another controversial recipient of a DOE loan guarantee, the company will be closing its doors next week, a claim that has been confirmed on the DOE's website today. According to a GTM Research report, the company will finally cave to cost pressure from CdTe leader First Solar and the general plummeting product costs across the PV manufacturing board.
SPI Solar has purchased Italy-based EPC company Solar Green Technologies (SGT) from LDK Solar Europe Holdings and the founders of Solar Green Technologies, the company has announced. SPI invested US$5 million, consisting of approximately 13,400,533 SPI shares with a value of US$0.45 and circa US$250,000 in cash, paid to the two founders of Solar Green Technologies. The transaction adds 20MW in EPC contracts to SPI Solar’s portfolio.
SAG Solarstrom advised that Deutsche Bank Group had given the company a financing commitment of €65 million. The loan has conditions in line with the market and a term up to the fall of 2013. The company plans to use the financing for various projects planned in 2012 and 2013, which will mainly be implemented in Germany. SAG Solarstrom acknowledged that the financing commitment and the payment of the loan will depend on the fulfillment of customary banking conditions and the signing of financing documents.
Renewable Energy Corporation’s (REC) board of directors has proposed an additional sum of NOK75 million (approx. US$12 million) to the Extraordinary General Meeting (EGM). The company states that all investors that participated in the private placement have agreed to the final gross proceeds of NOK375 million (approx. US$62 million).
Updated. Business conditions at LDK Solar have worsened considerably since reporting fourth quarter financial results at the end of April, 2012. The integrated PV manufacturer has slashed both polysilicon production and full-year revenue guidance, while meeting the low mark of guided sales in its first quarter 2012 results.
REC’s board of directors has proposed an offering of NOK1.300 million through a private placement, it has been announced. The board of directors will propose an issuance of 866,666,667 new shares to existing shareholders and new investors at a subscription price of NOK1.50 to the Extraordinary General Meeting (EGM), scheduled for July 18, 2012. The price was determined by book building processes carried out by DNB Markets, Nordea Markets and Arctic Securities. The funds from the private placement will be utilized for a partial repayment of the €100 million convertible bonds. Umoe AS and Canica AS are among the primary insiders that have been allocated new shares. Conditions have been set and will have to be met by July 31, 2012, in order to complete the private placement.
Solar thermal project developer BrightSource Energy has placed the top bid for Palen, a 500MW solar thermal plant, at a Delaware auction of property of Solar Trust of America, which went bankrupt in April this year. The as-yet unbuilt solar thermal plant is said to have been bought by BrightSource for an unconfirmed amount of up to US$30 million.
Thin-film manufacturer NovaSolar has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy. That’s not unusual, a number of companies have gone bankrupt in the last months. NovaSolar, though, is the US arm of Chinese NovaStar, a company that was created with the remaining assets from bankrupt OptiSolar three years ago.
Having previously announced a major reorganization of its entire operations, centrotherm photovoltaics, the second largest equipment supplier to the PV industry, has employed an outside consultancy to prepare discussions with its banks to secure further funding. The move was sparked by short-term liquidity issues after merchandise credit insurance companies, used for products and merchandise being delivered to the company, declined further coverage and guarantees.
Scheuten Solar has been sold to Chinese investor Aikosolar and the company is celebrating its “comeback” at Intersolar Europe. Aikosolar, a solar cell manufacturer and also owner of Powerway Renewable Energy, has taken over Scheuten’s essential components. The combination of Scheuten Solar’s product portfolio, 10 years of experience and Aikosolar’s financial strength as well as Powerway Renewable Energy’s EPC experience propose a positive outlook for the future, company representatives stated. Financial details of the deal were not disclosed.
