The inevitable fall-out from last month’s US Dept. of Commerce ruling against the import of Chinese solar products is now measurable in numbers, as the Coalition for American Solar Manufacturing (CASM) has revealed details of import figures for April. With US Customs and Border protection closely monitoring all imports to prevent companies dodging the anti-subsidy duties, imports in April came to US$70.7 million, down 66% compared to the previous month’s US$206 million.
With a new marketing communications, public relations and advertising expert, it could be assumed that Sarasota-based Sunovia Energy Technologies could be taking steps to rebrand itself. Jon Di Gesu has been appointed head of marketing and will direct the company’s branding and positioning efforts to support its growing global sales force and customer base.
Taiyo Pacific Partners has upped its stake in Japan-based Ulvac to 18%, following its purchase of a 5% shares stake in September 2009. Taiyo is now Ulvac’s largest shareholder Pacific Partners and has, since its initial investment in 2009, acted as a “long-term friendly investor providing valuable advice and support”, according to Ulvac’s president Hidenori Suwa.
Flexible CIGS module manufacturer Global Solar Energy has initiated the steps to attract new investment, enlisting the services of FTI Capital Advisors to investigate new investor participation that could see the partial or complete takeover of the company.
The Cambridge, Massachusetts-based Fraunhofer Center for Sustainable Energy Systems (CSE) has appointed CPV expert Geoffrey S. Kinsey, Ph.D. to the role of director of its Photovoltaic Technologies Group. Dr. Kinsey joins the organization from his former role as senior director of R&D at Amonix, where he led a team working on the optimization of III-V multijunction cells for solar power generators, recently reaching a module efficiency of 33% in outdoor operating conditions.
As the largest merchant solar cell producer, JA Solar continues to be impacted by rapidly declining prices as overcapacity continues thought the supply chain. Emphasis has therefore shifted to module production and shipments, though a return to profitability remains a distant goal. First quarter shipments which included cells and modules that exceeded guidance at 366MW, while revenue reached US$254.4 million, down 17.7% from the prior quarter and 56%, year-on-year. Net loss for the quarter was US$39.8 million.
A day after reports claimed Hanergy and Q-Cells were in discussion over the sale of the German PV manufacturers' CIGS thin-film subsidiary, Solibro, both companies said in a statement that a deal had been signed. Financial terms were not disclosed.
Reports have emerged that Hanergy Solar Technology is considering the purchase of Solibro, the CIGS thin-film subsidiary of Q-Cells. Insolvency firm HWW Wienberg Wilhelm, which is administering the bankruptcy proceedings of Q-Cells had said in April that there had been both foreign and domestic interest in acquiring the bankrupt PV manufacturer.
Failure to secure further funding has forced flexible thin-film manufacturer, Konarka Technologies into bankruptcy. The Chapter 7 bankruptcy via a Massachusetts Bankruptcy Court means full liquidation and asset sale to pay creditors. Since its initial venture capital funding in 2001, the company had raised around US$190 million to develop and market its roll-to-roll OPV (organic photovoltaic) technology.
Having recently teamed with Suntech, state-owned firm Phono Solar has signed a new agreement with GCL-Poly to build PV power plants in China. GCL-Poly already has plans to move downstream, having partnered with Winsun New Energy and Shunfeng Photovoltaic for projects in both China and Europe.
