Poland looks set to ramp up its support for large solar plants through a new feed-in tariff and a green certificates programme in a bid to meet European Union 2020 renewables targets.
LDK Solar, one of the world's largest producers of solar wafers, has finalised a deal to sell three solar plants to Henan Xindaxin Materials for RMB140 million (US$22.4 million).
The French Energy Regulation Commission (CRE) has fixed its feed-in tariff (FiT) to €0.035 (US$0.045) and €0.075 (US$0.097) for the fourth quarter of 2012, having fallen from €0.045 (US$0.058) and €0.095 (US$0.123).
Phoenix Solar has amended its revenue expectations for its 2012 financial year with revenue expected to drop to between €150 and €170 million (US$194 to US$200 million) for the year.
The California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) approved two amended BrightSource contracts, totaling 1,300,000MWh annually, with Southern California Edison (SCE).
The UK Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) has announced that solar installations under the country’s feed-in tariff (FiT) have reached 1.3GW across the UK, according to Solar Power Portal.
Diminishing government subsidies mean overall revenues in the European PV solar market will shrink to €6.57 billion by 2015, a study by market research company Frost & Sullivan has estimated.
The Wacker Group released its Q3 2012 financial results, which saw the company’s polysilicon business take another hit. Overall, Wacker saw the third quarter generate an EBITA of €204.3 million, 36% less than Q3 2011 and 15% less than Q2 2012. Its polysilicon division posted sales of €269.1 million, down 29% from the same period last year. Wacker notes that its sale and earnings for its polysilicon unit dropped because of continued pressure on prices and high inventory levels in the solar industry.
