Markets

While there’s a bit of doom and gloom surrounding parts of the photovoltaic industry at present, some areas are generating considerable excitement. One of them is where Berlin-based startup Changers is aiming at: the intersection of photovoltaics, technology and social media.

While acknowledging that cost reductions are key and capacity expansion plans are to be put on hold in the current environment, Chinese polysilicon module manufacturer, Suntech has announced a 13 percent gross margin for the third quarter (Q3) of 2011. It has also said that redundancies have been made.

Roth & Rau has introduced shorter working hours in response to the “drastic” decline in demand for its solar modules and systems. Due also to the deterioration of some customers’ creditworthiness, the company’s sales and EBIT have been hit hard.

The expectations of Germany’s photovoltaic machine manufacturers will not be fulfilled in the current financial year. The 2012 market environment is also forecast to remain difficult.

Following Roth & Rau’s announcement that its third quarter 2011 has significantly suffered due to the weak solar market conditions, Meyer Burger Technology AG has said it will not go ahead with its planned control and/or profit transfer agreement.

After a tumultuous first half, with huge price drops and uncertainty on just about everything, the solar market is beginning to see some positive signs in terms of demand pick up. Overall, a growth of 20 percent over 2010 is forecast for this year. However, the 2012 market looks flat.

Germany’s Bundesnetzagentur reports that 1.6 gigawatts (GW) of newly installed photovoltaic capacity was added to the country’s grid in the third quarter (Q3) of 2011. Overall, 3.35 GW has been installed this year to date. Predictions are six GW could be reached by year-end.

The photovoltaic giants are not immune to the current market conditions, as has been frequently witnessed throughout 2011. Yingli Green Energy Holding Company Limited is the most recent company to jump on the guidance revision bandwagon, as it prepares to announce its third quarter (Q3) 2011 financial results.

According to reports, Chinese power plant developer, CECEP Solar Energy Technology Co. Ltd has halted development of a planned $500 million U.S. photovoltaic project, due to the anti-dumping petition submitted by SolarWorld.

The Italy-based Moncada Group has formed a joint venture with South African investment and development company, Solar Capital to build a large-scale solar project.