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First Solar on the Future of Photovoltaics: Part 2

In order to thrive, First Solar must deploy 65 GW of photovoltaic panels over the next decade.

First Solar is the largest solar module firm by market capitalization, the largest thin-film solar firm, and one of the largest solar firms by capacity, shipments, and certainly by cumulative profits. The company is in the cross-hairs of every other solar firm and continues to set the bar in terms of solar panel value and corporate performance.

What first Solar does in the next few years is important.

Which is why more than 200 people… Read More ›

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Guest Post: US Shows China Writing on the PV Tariff Wall

The US Dept. of Commerce makes a critical circumstances finding on Chinese solar cells/panels.

The Department of Commerce Finding

· The U.S. Dept. of Commerce on Jan. 27, 2012 makes a critical circumstances finding on Chinese solar cells/panels.

· The finding was based on import data from Suntech Power and Trina Solar [Editor's note: see Trina response here] for the three-month periods of October to December 2011 vs. July to September 2011 and the four-month periods of September to December vs. May to August 2011.

· All the… Read More ›

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Report: Solar Trade Barriers Threaten Over 60,000 American Jobs

Study warns of dire impact on US solar industry jobs if tariffs are imposed.

The Brattle Group has issued an economic analysis on the impact of a 100 percent tariff on PV cells imported from China.

Keep in mind that the study was commissioned by CASE, the Coalition for Affordable Solar Energy -- the group that opposes the tariffs sought by SolarWorld and its anti-dumping claims with the Department of Commerce.

Jigar Shah, President of CASE, said, "We are greatly concerned over the adverse impact of tariffs." He… Read More ›

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Clarification: China-US Solar Trade Claim

Chinese module manufacturer’s rush to ship product tied more to the expiration of 1603 than it is to evade potential tariffs, according to Trina et al.

According to a bulletin from CASM, The Department of Commerce "will begin collecting duties back 90 days on Chinese imports" if it finds duties are warranted.

The CASM statement said that CASM lauded "the U.S. Department of Commerce for taking expedited action against a massive, evasive surge of Chinese solar cell and panel imports ahead of Commerce’s first preliminary determination on duties, now scheduled for March 2, 2012.  Commerce’s… Read More ›

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A Look Inside the Solar Industry at Schiller Automation

Schiller makes fabs that make panels—and may know who will survive the current solar turmoil.

Solar energy has grown “from a cottage industry to a mature industry in less than a decade,” said Schiller LLC Managing Director Mark Willingham. Schiller Automation, a 30-year-old, 260-employee manufacturing firm, based near Stuttgart, Germany, seized the opportunity early in solar’s focus on solar module and cell manufacturing.

The firm combined expertise in high-throughput manufacturing gained from the making of automotive and… Read More ›