First Solar noted that, in its opinion, Australia is four years behind the US in the development of large solar farms. In a report by Bloomberg BusinessWeek, it was reported that the company is looking to help Australia build up its solar industry, specifically with a 10MW project that First Solar is partnering on with General Electric.
The long and winding road to this final determination imposing anti-dumping and countervailing duties against Chinese manufacturers has finally been reached. The US Department of Commerce (DoC) has announced that Chinese producers/exporters have sold solar cells in the United States at dumping margins ranging from 18.32% to 249.96%. The DoC also determined that Chinese producers/exporters have received countervailable subsidies of 14.78% to 15.97%. This is approximately the same as the ruling in May and in some cases 10% lower.
Through a subsidiary, S.A.G. Solarstrom will be partnering with Valsolar 2006 and Cavalum SGPS to develop and construct four PV plants in Badajoz, Spain (in the region of Extremadura), as part of their newly developed joint venture. The plants will have a total output of around 440MWp with the project holding a total investment volume in the three-digit million range.
Executives from American solar manufacturers, distributors and installers testified before the International Trade Commission demanding Chinese manufacturers be held accountable for the “unmistakable causes of damage to the American solar industry.” They added that without relief, including the application of duties for the surge in imports after the cases were filed, it is unlikely that the American industry can survive.
The board of directors for the Overseas Private Investment Corporation (OPIC), the US government’s development finance institution, recently gave its approval of providing up to US$250 million for OPIC’s first solar power project in South Africa.
Constellation Solar announced that its 16.1MW (DC) PV project in Emmitsburg, Maryland has been completed and connected to the grid. The project, part of Maryland’s Generating Clean Horizons initiative, is financed, owned and operated by Constellation. The US$50 million solar site will sell its electricity to the Department of General Services and the University System of Maryland under a 20-year PPA with Constellation.
On the back of a two-day blackout in India which caused tragedy, chaos and loss of face at the end of July, Bloomberg has revealed that US solar giant First Solar is drawing out plans to develop solar farms in India as repeated power outages spur on demand for solar power.
Despite a 13% increase in sales for its fiscal third quarter, specialist PV equipment supplier, Amtech Systems has implemented new cost cutting measure to tackle the downturn that has proved to longer and deeper than expected. The cost reductions include voluntary salary reductions by management ranging from 10 to 20% and salary reductions of other corporate staff.
