As the price of PV falls, the technology will become more competitively priced in Europe and the U.S. before its prices are competitive in China.

With Utility Vets at the Helm, NextLight Snags First Solar Deal

The power plant developer plans to sell solar electricity to PG&E and possibly utilities in other western states. PV is more cost effective than solar thermal in the near future, says one NextLight exec.  

Solar

Dispatches From the Edge

Last week's Intersolar conference in Germany was affected by the self-delusion of the solar industry, says the Prometheus Institute's Travis Bradford.

Solar

The View From Intersolar

On the surface, Intersolar 2009 was business as usual, but if you looked hard enough, you could see the cracks beneath the surface, says Senior Analyst Shyam Mehta. 

Solar

150 Solar Startups: The Sequel

Would you believe 200 solar startups? What about 217? Senior Analyst Eric Wesoff's update to our 150 Solar Startups list sees the field expanding quickly.

Solar

Top Ten Solar

Let’s face it, 2009 isn’t going to be a good year for solar. The economy is still awful, and nearly everyone from solar equipment manufacturers to power plant developers are waiting and waiting for the federal government to implement programs from the stimulus package and give the sluggish industry a boost. Only a few companies like First Solar seem to be rising above the difficulties. But next year, or even late 2009, could be quite different. The stimulus money should be flowing nicely and banks could feel generous again. Construction on solar thermal and utility PV projects should pick up speed. So to pick our list of top ten companies, we looked for businesses with strategies that would lead them to make a big impact in 2010, both in the overall solar market as well as promising niches that could gain prominence.

Solar

WebEx Founder Backs Chint Solar, Contributes to $50M Round

Chint Solar, a Chinese startup, has raised part of the round from Cybernaut, founded by WebEx founder Min Zhu. Chint Solar plans to use the money to start producing tandem junction amorphous-silicon solar cells this year.

Solar

Q-Cells Shortens Work Hours, Vestas Lays-Off 1,900

Sluggish solar market demand is prompting Q-Cells to cut work hours for about 80 percent of its staff. Wind turbine maker Vestas is shrinking its European operations to focus on the United States, China.

Solar

Soliant Gets Interim CEO

Concentrators face tough times. Soliant has hired Marco DeMiroz as its new CEO. The solar firm wants to build solar concentrator modules for rooftops.

Solar

Q&A: Ruud Dekkers of MAN Solar Millennium

Dekkers, the head of project development at the German company, discusses the things that make for a successful solar thermal power project and the promise to deliver a more steady supply of electricity than other types of solar energy technologies.

Solar

GreenVolts Replaces CEO Bob Cart

The solar startup says it has promoted Cart to the full-time post of executive chairman. It also has changed its business plan to focus on developing solar energy equipment instead of power projects.

Solar

BP Solar is Laying off 620, Outsourcing Panel Manufacturing

The company is closing a panel assembly factory in the United States and one in Spain. BP also plans to outsource panel production to others. This cost-cutting move is becoming trendy.

Solar

OptiSolar Shuts Production, Lays Off 200

The California solar-panel maker has made another round of staff cut after it already had let go half of its workforce in January. OptiSolar wants to sell what's remained of its business – it only recently sold a pipeline of unfinished power plant projects to First Solar.

Solar

HelioVolt Replaces CEO, Gets New CFO

The solar company, one of the CIGS startups to watch, is looking for a permanent chief executive while it prepares to launch commercial production.

Solar

Inside Ausra's Big Change

A company with the ambition to become a major player in solar energy changes has scaled back. CEO Bob Fishman and others discuss what lead to this decision.

Solar

SunPower Lays Off 60 Employees

The solar panel maker follows a slew of solar companies in cutting staff in recent months. SunPower plans to release its quarterly earnings later today.

Solar

Ausra Update: Layoffs and Change of Business Plans Confirmed

The solar thermal company has confirmed that it laid off about 10 percent of its staff in January, though reports from employees say the company began layoffs in December.

Solar

Solyndra's Chief Scientist Moves to First Solar

Markus Beck, a well regarded solar researcher, has left Solyndra for First Solar. Let the speculation about Solyndra's future begin.

Solar

Suntech Laid Off 10%, Factories Running at 50%–60% Capacity

UPDATED: Suntech spokesman said he erred in saying some workers had to take long unpaid leave. The Chinese solar panel maker refutes claims made by a news story reporting that the company has carried out a massive layoff.

Nanosolar: Tubular Thin Films Are Overrated

Nanosolar CEO Martin Roscheisen penned a blog to refute claims by Solyndra, which came out of stealth mode earlier this year to announce unusual solar panel designs and big contracts.

Solar