Photovoltaics (PV) News for April 2012

Photovoltaics (PV) News Archive

REC closes remaining Norwegian solar production

The Renewable Energy Corporation (REC) is closing the remaining 650 MW multicrystalline wafer plant at Herøya, Norway, citing continued negative operating results due to falling wafer prices and increased competition from China.

Bankrupt Solarhybrid sells off 201 MW of project rights in Israel

Solarhybrid AG, which filed for bankruptcy in March, has sold 201 MW of solar photovoltaic (PV) project rights acquired in January 2012 by its subsidiary Solarhybrid Israel, to Summit Energy LP of Israel.

YEN42/kWh for solar in Japan

A government panel in Japan is recommending utilities to pay YEN42/kWh for 20 years for solar power in a proposed feed-in tariff scheme.

Insolvent Q.Cells attracts interest from potential investors

Q.Cells SE, which filed for preliminary insolvency at the beginning of April, is already attracting interest from potential investors, according to administrator Henning Schorisch at HWW Wienberg Wilhelm Insolvenzverwalter.

SunPower merges Philippines manufacturing plants

US solar panel manufacturer SunPower Corp is to consolidate two of its Philippines manufacturing bases as part of a cost reduction programme.

FirstSolar closes European solar manufacturing base

US solar panel manufacturer FirstSolar is cutting its production output and laying off nearly a third of its workforce in an effort to cut costs that will see it close its European manufacturing base.

Study: PV installations will defy “doom and gloom” and grow in 2012

Installations of solar PV will grow by at least 3.5% in 2012, despite many governments slashing financial incentives for the technology, a study has revealed.

Germany’s Q-Cells to file for bankruptcy

Solar panel manufacturer Q-Cells has become the latest German solar panel manufacturer to fail, after spiralling debts and a slump in prices forced the company to file for insolvency proceedings.