MEMC joint venture with Q-Cells solar power plant operators

MEMC Electronic Materials and Q-Cells subsidiary of Q-Cells International will be a joint venture to construct and operate a solar energy power station, which MEMC will invest 100 million U.S. dollars. The first project is located in Germany, Bavaria Strasskirchen, crystalline silicon solar modules used to build 50MW solar park. MEMC will own 50% stake. After completion of the project, the two companies said that the solar park will be sold to a third party. The project will use 225,000 modules installed on the ground of 135 hectares can be made available to 15,000 users, 35,000 tons per year reduction in CO2 emissions.

The new joint venture with Q-Cells appear to the previously announced co-operation with LDK Solar is different. With Q-Cells in the LDK in China and Europe in solar energy projects, LDK does not bear any financial cost. "MEMC sell silicon to Q-Cells, to comply with MEMC sales revenue will be calculated strategy to get the two sides recognized the cost of silicon will be included in the final product cost of sales," MEMC's SVP and CFO Ken Hannah said.

Hannah also pointed out that, MEMC has begun shipping to the Q-Cells silicon, and then be manufactured into the new solar battery park.

"We believe that the active participation of the lower reaches of the solar project, MEMC will receive greater value," MEMC President and CEO Ahmad Chatila said. At present, the common level of Germany's leading photovoltaic solar power plant projects, dominated by thin film technology, especially in First Solar's CdTe components. This latest joint venture the two companies shows that the traditional crystalline silicon PV manufacturers and silicon suppliers are also willing to projects in the high consumption of large-scale investment in order to compete with thin film technology.

Jul. 27, 2009

The United States, China mainland and Taiwan solar cell market to occupy

Despite Japan's solar cells and components suppliers have been occupied for several years dominated the global photovoltaic, but since the German implementation of the tax rebate incentive subsidy policy, it is very difficult for Japan to restore its market share. Despite recent efforts to make a lot, but in fact, Japan's share continues to decline in 2010 is likely it will be difficult to stop this trend. However, according to IC Insights, a recent report, the United States, China and Taiwan manufacturers of batteries and components of solar cells is to occupy the market.

IC Insights 2008 10 top manufacturers of solar cells including those from Japan, mainland China and Taiwan, the United States and German suppliers. However, Japan's Sharp Corp. Has lost its early years of 2006 and the first in the world rankings, the rankings in the latest Sharp has slipped to fourth place, behind Germany's Q-Cells AG, the United States First Solar Inc., and China's Suntech Power Holdings Co. Ltd.. Q-Cells and Suntech in 2007, has exceeded Sharp, and CdTe thin-film components manufacturer First Solar sales in 2008 jumped by 144 percent, more than Suntech and Sharp.

Sharp is not only a 2008 ranking of Japanese companies fell. Kyocera Corp. From fifth in 2007, dropped to sixth in 2008. Sanyo ranked seventh in 2007, and 2008 can not enter the Top 10, Mitsubishi's ranking also fell. Sharp has already announced ambitious plans to expand manufacturing capacity and sales in the near future silicon-based thin-film components, or they will be able to help the market regain Sharp.

In addition to First Solar, Top 10 ranked vendors rose from the Chinese mainland and Taiwan. JA Solar Holdings Co. Ltd. 2008 annual sales growth of 109 percent, ranking rose to seventh from 10th. Yingli Green Energy Holding Co. Ltd. Sales growth of 93 percent, rising from ninth to eighth.

China Taiwan manufacturers Motech Industries Inc. Exchanged with Kyocera ranking rose from sixth to fifth, a 67 percent sales growth. Gintech Energy Corp. Was First Solar and the growth of the same amount of ranking rose to 10th place from 12th.

Jul. 23, 2009

China solar panel consortium to establish distribution centers in the United States

A consortium of 30 Chinese companies in the solar panel industry is setting up a U.S. sales hub in Eugene, the group’s president, Ocean Yuan, told The Register-Guard on Wednesday.The group, named Centron Solar, has leased a 25,000-square-foot warehouse in west Eugene, has 10 high-level managers on board and has ambitious plans to grow to 200 to 300 employees in a year, Yuan said.

The group probably also will set up one or two solar panel assembly lines in Eugene, creating about 50 “green” jobs. Those positions would pay about $20 an hour, including benefits, he said.The group’s members — mature manufacturers with proven technologies — have banded together to serve the vast potential market for affordable solar panels in the United States, Yuan said.

“Instead of coming in here by themselves and confusing the market with company names that the average American can’t even pronounce, we decided to combine forces and create an easy-to-pronounce, easy-to-remember name, which is Centron Solar,” Yuan said.Eugene Mayor Kitty Piercy said she had met with the group’s representatives a couple of times, but hadn’t spoken with them recently.

Of course, we’re very interested in solar,” she said. “We believe it’s right for Eugene and right for our community energy goals.”Piercy said that if Centron Solar does end up creating hundreds of jobs in Eugene, “it would be terrific. It would be wonderful. We’ve been really trying to encourage solar development here.”A couple of other solar businesses besides Centron Solar have expressed interest in Eugene, Piercy said. “We’ve been following all the leads we get.”Solar panel manufacture uses technologies similar to semiconductor manufacture. When Hynix closed its computer-chip plant in west Eugene last year, eliminating 1,000 jobs, it set off speculation that a solar manufacturer might take up residence there.

Jul. 19, 2009

Q-Cells Q2 pre-tax loss of 62 million euros

Q-Cells AG 14 released, 2 quarter results than expected sales figures for the entire quarter of 142 million euros, pre-tax loss of 62 million euros, the company said that was expected to enhance the performance of the season was not taking place in the overall fiscal years of forecast revenue and difficult to reach production targets.
Tags: QCells prices at the German financial weekly revenue (Wirtschafts Woche) reported that the world's largest solar cell manufacturer Q-Cells AG 14 released, 2 quarter results than expected sales figures for the entire quarter of 142 million euros, pre-tax loss for 62 million euros, the company said that was expected to enhance the performance of the season did not occur, therefore the total fiscal year revenue forecast and difficult to reach production targets.

The company's Q2 revenues of 142 million euros, representing a quarter of the first 225 million euros lower, while pre-tax loss of 62 million euros over the previous quarter profit of 15 million yuan to poor performance. No improvement in the price of solar cells is the important reason for declining performance.

Q-Cells CEO Charles Anton Milner, said prices have fallen in the solar system after the second half of this year's solar market is expected to be improved. Since the end of 2008 since the global financial crisis, credit crunch, the economic recession, polysilicon and solar cell prices and other factors have made investments in great demand by the hit makers of solar energy.

Jul. 15, 2009

Applied Materials in 2008 to occupy solar equipment suppliers of the location of the first

VLSI Research Inc. (Santa Clara, Calif.) Announced the 2008 annual ranking of solar energy equipment supplier, Applied Materials Inc. Occupied the first position, in the PV-related income reached nearly 800 million U.S. dollars. Application materials include the income of crystalline silicon solar cell equipment and integrated production line of thin-film solar. The main suppliers in 2008 were the rapid growth of sales revenue.

According to VLSI Research's director of European Operations Manager, John West, the top 10 equipment suppliers in the seven from Europe, "European governments as a result of stimulation of areas in the photovoltaic effect, the European equipment supplier of photovoltaic manufacturing equipment in the market starting to occupy a priority position and occupy a considerable part of the global market share. "

Oerlikon Solar is the world's largest in 2008 thin film silicon-based components of a one-stop supplier of turnkey production lines in the entire photovoltaic equipment suppliers in the second. Polysilicon, silicon wafers, cells and components manufacturing equipment supplier GT Solar International ranked third.

VLSI Research said that the rankings include polysilicon materials, silicon ingots, silicon, battery box assembly manufacturing equipment of all income, as well as service and support revenue.

Jul. 11, 2009