New orders for PV equipment suppliers recently reached a critical low point when SEMI posted a PV book-to-bill ratio of 0.40 for the first quarter of 2012. However, market conditions look to have worsened in the second quarter after leading equipment supplier GT Advanced Technologies (GTAT) reported new order intake of only US$13.8 million, while a negative adjustment to its strong order backlog totalled US$31.9 million.
Major restructuring efforts at First Solar took a backseat during the company’s second quarter conference call as management focused on a significant increase in its PV project pipeline. First Solar said it had added almost 1GW of new projects to a pipeline that previously stood at 2.9GW. Net sales were US$957 million, up from US$497 million last quarter while revenue guidance was raised for 2012 to US$3.6-US$3.9 billion, up from a range of US$3.5 billion to US$3.8 billion.
German logistics company Deutsche Bahn’s PV plant located in Wittenberge, Germany, has officially commenced operation. The plant was developed in partnership with India-based Moser Baer Clean Energy and has a total capacity of 3.92MWp.
China’s PV manufacturing base saw a major setback in the first and second quarters of 2012, with a severe slump in exports sparking the government to step in and further raise its PV installation target to 50GW, according to the latest quarterly report on China’s PV market from IMS Research. Tough competition in the global market place, vast oversupply and falling prices has put Chinese manufacturers’ balance sheets under huge pressure and China’s government has responded by more than doubling its long-term installation target from 20 to 50 GW by 2020.
US retail giant Walmart is continuing to fulfill its promise to invest in renewable energy and has installed solar panels on the rooftop of its College Avenue store in San Diego to generate electricity. This marks the company’s100th solar installation in California and is in line with its aim to expand its solar portfolio to more than 75% of its stores in the state, approximately 130 stores, by the end of 2013.
The Philippines’ solar industry is already exporting to countries like the US reaching figures of US$41.5 million, up 47.3% last year. Now, almost three years in the making, following petitioning by the Renewable Energy Board (NREB), the Philippines’ Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) has finally approved an initial feed-in tariff rate for renewable energy. The FiT for all solar installations will be 9.68 PHP (US$0.23) per kWh, regardless of the size of the system or technology used.
Japan’s largest single utility-scale solar power plant, using 290,000 multicrystalline solar modules supplied by Kyocera is expected to cost in the region of US$345 million or approximately ¥27 billion when complet by autumn 2013. With project finance now in place, construction of the plant in Kagoshima City, on land owned by IHI Corporation, will start in September. The plant was initially announced in April 2012.
Patent infringement and claims of IP theft by DuPont, on rival materials supplier Heraeus and customer SolarWorld, were put in question by the accused as the legal spat continued to be played-out in public. Heraeus said in a strongly worded statement that DuPont was attempting to threaten customers over possible legal action, while Heraeus believes DuPont is attempting to discredit Heraeus' products with misleading information.
Suntech Power Holdings said it had started multiple legal proceedings against a number of unidentified parties regarding investment guarantees it provided for a joint venture PV power plant project developer, Global Solar Fund, S.C.A., Sicar (GSF). However, Suntech has claimed that a pledge of €560 million of German government bonds by a third-party investor of GSF, GSF Capital Pte Ltd., may never have existed. Suntech said that it may have to delay second quarter financial reporting as a result.
With insolvency protection proceedings underway, not surprisingly, centrotherm photovoltaics have said it would delay its Annual General Meeting and the first-half year financial results.
