Suntech vs. Sanyo - The Solar Panel Battle For Japan

Suntech and Sanyo, two leading manufacturers of solar panels, have been beating the corporate drums recently over their plans to increase market share in Japan.

Sanyo last week announced a goal of becoming the top manufacturer in the expanding Japanese solar panel market by 2013 by winning a 40% slice (in megawatts).

Aside from its Japanese roots and reputation for quality, Sanyo is pinning its hopes on its HIT solar panel technology to give it an edge in the local market. The Heterojunction with Intrinsic Thin-layer (HIT) solar cell is a hybrid model that combines a crystalline silicon substrate and an amorphous silicon thin film. According to the company, it offers the world’s highest power generation level per installation area due to superior energy conversion efficiency and temperature characteristics.

On the same day as Sanyo's announcement, Suntech Power Japan Corp, a unit of Suntech Power Holdings Co., announced it will begin selling solar power generation systems for new homes early next year.

Labels: Sanyo, Solar News, Solar Stocks, STP, Suntech Power

posted by Ertai at 12:22 PM | 1 comment(s)

Sanyo develops solar cell that’s thinner than hair

Sanyo is in the news today, and again it’s about the company’s green tech power. The company today announced [JP] it will do everything to become Japan’s top player in the domestic solar industry by 2012 and eventually one of the top three solar companies on a global level. At the same time, the Nikkei reports [registration required, paid subscription] that Sanyo has succeeded in developing a solar cell that’s thinner than a human hair.

The company says it will benefit greatly from a new feed-in tariff program by the Japanese government introduced this month for green energy firms. Another factor for Sanyo’s self-confidence should be the speed with which it innovates. Their new prototype solar cell is just 58 micrometers thick, about one-fourth of most solar cells currently out there. (

Labels: Sanyo, Solar News, solar panels, Solar Technology

posted by Ertai at 2:34 PM | 0 comment(s)

Broadpoint.AmTech Maintains a 'Buy' on First Solar (FSLR)

Broadpoint analyst says, "Following updated cost reduction guidance from poly-based module producers last week, we are reducing our FSLR 2010 estimates to better reflect a more competitive landscape in 2H10 (namely TSL projecting $0.70/w processing cost). We still view FSLR as the best positioned solar company industry-wide, and see visibility into a return to capacity expansion/earnings growth in 2011 as a key catalyst for the stock...We are revising FY10 revenue and EPS from $2.6B and $8.86 to $2.4B/$7.11 and introducing FY11 revenue and EPS of $3.1B and $8.96. While we are essentially pushing out our earnings number one year, we remain constructive on FSLR shares given the company's superior margin structure, return on capital metrics, and our belief investors will return to shares as the capacity ramp in 2H11 becomes more visible...While we are disappointed by FSLR's underperformance YTD, we see the set-up as improving into 1H10 following a significant margin reset, coupled with capacity expansions in the out-year. While FSLR will prove to be a massive share gainer in 2009, the stock has underperformed given the outlook for industry lagging earnings growth in 2010. We believe the stock will likely begin to act better in 1H10 as FSLR is set to grow in-line or better than the group in 2011."

Labels: First Solar Inc, FSLR, solar analysis, Solar Stocks

posted by Ertai at 9:19 AM | 0 comment(s)

Pre-market is up for solar stocks

Suntech Power Holdings' (STP.NYSE) solar products are in short supply due to their premium quality, said Shi Zhengrong, company chairman and CEO.
Shi Zhengrong said that the company had about a 30 percent photovoltaic (PV) module overcapacity in the first half of this year, but that the situation has been changed since July, and production capacity cannot meet the market's demand.

According to Shi, there is no overcapacity in China's solar energy industry, but the market requires high-end and high quality products, and that Suntech has already sold all of this year's products.

Suntech had produced solar PV cells with conversion efficiencies of approximately 19 percent on mono-crystalline PV cells and 17 percent on multi-crystalline PV cells, which set the new benchmark for the highest performance multi-crystalline module, said Shi.

He also stated that solar energy will account for about 30 percent of the world's energy by 2050, and by the end of the century, the figure have risen to 70 percent. Therefore, the company remains committed to developing solar energy.

Labels: solar ETF, Solar News, Solar Stocks, STP, Suntech Power

posted by Ertai at 9:15 AM | 0 comment(s)

First Solar sizes up project sales, Solarion beams plastic CIGS, MiaSolé decloak

This edition of Solar Short Takes does a bit of number crunching of the recent project sell-off news from First Solar, checks progress by Solarion on the CIGS-on-plastic front, notes MiaSole’s recent re-emergence from the PR closet, finds Trina saying yes to MES, questions Applied Materials’ buy of Advent Solar, and offers the aloha lowdown on next year’s tropically inclined IEEE PVSC event.

The sale of the 21MW (AC) Blythe PV power plant to NRG marks the second move by First Solar to cash in on some of its hundreds of millions of potential dollars in project assets, following the announcement in early October to sell off the 20MW Sarnia, Ontario, site to Enbridge.

Both projects, when completed by the end of 2009 (yup, that's right--First's Alan Bernheimer confirmed they'll be done next month), will be among the largest active PV systems--and certainly thelargest thin-film arrays--in North America. Florida Power & Light’s recently activated crystalline-silicon-powered 25MW DeSoto Next Generation Solar Energy Center--which made me smile even before I had my morning coffee when I saw President Obama speaking at the center on CNN last month, with its thousands of solar panels lined up behind him--is the biggest in the States, at least for now.

Two more projects in First Solar’s pipeline will come online by the end of 2010 that will dwarf the Florida installation—the 30MW (AC) ground-mounted system being built for electric power supplier Tri-State in New Mexico and the 48MW (AC) added to the existing 10MW at the Sempra Boulder City/Copper Mountain site in Nevada. Although double-digit megawatt-scale PV systems remain rare, especially in North America, in a few years they will become more commonplace and triple-digit beasts will start to colonize the earth.

Since a Short Takes blog would not be complete without mention of the copper-indium-gallium-(di)selenide TFPV community, congrats to German CIGS-on-plastic company Solarion for successfully (and internally) testing its flex cells under the rigors of the IEC 61646 damp-heat test regimen--a thousand hours at 85% relative humidity and 85°C. Solarion’s main polymeric competitor, Ascent Solar, made a similar announcement in August. These results as well as recent updates from Global Solar and several materials companies suggest serious progress is being made on the main bugaboo of flexible CIGS—a manufacturable, relatively inexpensive yet durable moisture encapsulation layer.
...

Labels: CIGS, First Solar Inc, FSLR, miasole, Solar News, Solar Projects

posted by Ertai at 9:52 AM | 0 comment(s)

India unveils plans for massive solar power boost

India has approved plans for a huge increase in the amount of electricity it generates from solar power.
It aims to boost solar output 1,000-fold over 12 years from its current negligible level. Its 20 gigawatt target would power several big cities.
The government wants to reduce India's dependence on coal and boost the export industry for solar power equipment.
Critics say solar power will supplement - and not replace - fossil fuels even under India's most ambitious plans.
Concerns over land
"The cabinet gave its approval for launching of the Jawaharlal Nehru national solar mission, Solar India," Information Minister Ambika Soni said in Delhi.
The $19bn (£12bn) three-phased plan aims to boost solar power output across the country from close to zero to 20 gigawatts by 2022.
It is hugely ambitious and has been welcomed by the country's renewable energy suppliers, although some say it is unclear where the money will come from, says the BBC's technology correspondent Mark Gregory.

Labels: Solar Energy, Solar News, Solar power, Solar Projects

posted by Ertai at 1:33 PM | 0 comment(s)

Soleil Upgrades Suntech Power Holdings (STP) to Hold

Soleil upgrades Suntech Power Holdings (NYSE: STP) from Sell to Hold, price target increased to $13.50

Soleil analyst says, "Q3 results - 16 cents on revenues of $473mm - were above consensus expectations (8 cents on revenues of $430mm). Strength was driven by strong growth in shipments - up 67% q/q. However, EPS was boosted by foreign exchange gain (6 cent benefit) and zero tax rate (3 cent benefit). We are raising our 2010 estimate from 13 cents per share to 45 cents per share due to higher shipment estimate (1050 MW vs. prior estimate of 900 MW)."

Labels: solar analysis, Solar Stocks, STP, Suntech Power

posted by Ertai at 9:29 AM | 0 comment(s)

Suntech Reports Third Quarter 2009 Results

Shipments Grow More Than 60% Sequentially

Full Year 2009 PV Shipment Target Increased from 600MW to a Range of 640MW to 660MW
SAN FRANCISCO and WUXI, China, Nov. 19 /PRNewswire-Asia/ -- Suntech Power Holdings Co., Ltd. (NYSE: STP), the world's largest crystalline silicon photovoltaic (PV) module manufacturer, today announced financial results for its third fiscal quarter ended September 30, 2009.
Third Quarter 2009 Highlights
-- Total net revenues increased 47.4% sequentially to $473.1 million in
the third quarter of 2009

-- Gross profit margin for the core wafer to module business was 20.0% in
the third quarter of 2009, compared with 19.1% in the second quarter of
2009

-- Consolidated gross profit margin was 17.8% in the third quarter of 2009,
compared with 18.6% in the second quarter 2009

-- Net income attributable to holders of ordinary shares was $29.8 million,
or $0.16 per diluted American Depository Share (ADS). Each ADS
represents one ordinary share

-- Suntech's multi-crystalline Pluto-powered module achieved world record
conversion efficiency of 16.53%

-- Full-year 2009 PV shipment target increased from 600MW to a range of
640MW to 660MW

-- Suntech targets to increase total PV cell and module production
capacity to 1.4GW by the middle of 2010, of which 450MW will be
Pluto-enabled

"We are very pleased to announce strong revenue growth and a healthy bottom line for the third quarter of 2009," said Dr. Zhengrong Shi, Suntech's Chairman and CEO. "The significant pick up in demand was largely due to a seasonal rush before end-of-year policy adjustments and improving customer returns on investments in solar projects. It was also due to customer recognition of Suntech's attractive value proposition of exceptional product performance at a reasonable price.
"Complementing strong growth in the German market, we are particularly pleased to see 100% sequential shipment growth in the U.S. market and the rapid development of a number of non-traditional PV markets such as the Czech Republic, Benelux, China. This demonstrates the ongoing diversification of the solar industry and Suntech's ability to enter emerging markets.
"During the third quarter we continued to develop Suntech's industry-leading sales and service infrastructure and to differentiate our products through innovation. In Europe, we strengthened our local team with the addition of four new senior executives; in the U.S. we launched our North American Partner Program; and in China we continued to build one of the nation's most capable system installation and project development teams.

Labels: Earnings, Solar Stocks, STP, Suntech Power

posted by Ertai at 8:18 AM | 0 comment(s)

Solar Stock Earnings for tomorrow

Suntech Power Holdings Co. Ltd. (STP) is scheduled to release its earnings results Thursday. The company currently has an earnings per share ratio (EPS trailing twelve months) of - .30 and investors are hoping to see that number change.

Trina Solar Ltd. (TSL) is scheduled to release its earnings results Thursday. The company currently has an earnings per share ratio (EPS trailing twelve months) of 1.33 and investors are hoping to see that number grow.

Labels: Earnings, Solar Stocks, STP, Suntech Power, Trina Solar, TSL

posted by Ertai at 2:48 PM | 0 comment(s)

SunPower Corporation Earnings

SunPower Corp (SPWRA.O) is investigating millions of dollars in accounting mistakes over the past three quarters, the U.S. solar module maker said on Monday...

The Silicon Valley-based company said its audit committee had started an investigation after an internal review of its Philippine manufacturing operations found that there may have been unsubstantiated accounting entries.

Labels: Earnings, Solar Stocks, SPWRA, SunPower Corp

posted by Ertai at 9:59 AM | 0 comment(s)

Bullish Solar before Earnings

Labels: Canadian Solar Inc., Earnings, Solar Stocks, STP, Suntech Power, Trina Solar, TSL

posted by Ertai at 9:59 AM | 0 comment(s)

Suntech Power to Develop 20% of China's Solar Rooftop Program

Suntech Power Holdings Co., Ltd. (NYSE: STP), the world's leading manufacturer of crystalline silicon photovoltaic (PV) modules, today announced that it expects to develop approximately 20% of the 91MW of solar projects that were approved under China's Solar Rooftop Program.
China's Solar Rooftop Program, which was launched in March this year by the Ministry of Finance, is designed to increase the energy efficiency of buildings through the installation of building-attached and building- integrated PV solar systems. The first set of applications was submitted in April, and recently 111 solar projects totaling 91MW across China were approved to receive funds through the program. The system owners are expected to receive a 13-17RMB per watt rebate for all projects approved through the program. Suntech targets to develop approximately 20% of the successful applications and will also participate as the system owner or partial investor in some projects. Suntech has completed 4MW of its approved projects and plans to develop the remainder by mid-2010. Specific project agreements will be signed prior to implementation.
"Building energy use accounts for roughly 28% of total energy consumption in China and is a critical front in the drive to achieve higher energy efficiency and reduce carbon emissions," said Dr. Zhengrong Shi, Suntech's Chairman and CEO.

Labels: China, Solar power, Solar Projects, Solar Stocks, STP, Suntech Power

posted by Ertai at 8:24 AM | 0 comment(s)

Solar Sails

It's only fitting that on what would have been Carl Sagan's 75th birthday, an organization started by the astronomer famous for his wondrous and elegant descriptions of the universe announced plans to test a wondrous and elegant way to explore the solar system and well beyond.

The nonprofit Planetary Society, which Sagan co-founded in 1980, unveiled plans at an event Monday on Capitol Hill for a 2010 launch of LightSail 1, a spacecraft pushed through space by sunlight. If successful, LightSail 1 would be followed by two higher-flying successors. The organization announced that it had received an anonymous $1 million donation that allowed the project to proceed.

Labels: Solar Energy, Solar News, solar Sail

posted by Ertai at 10:04 AM | 0 comment(s)

Solar Stock ETF

Labels: Canadian Solar Inc., CSIQ, solar ETF, Solar Stocks, STP, Suntech Power, TAN

posted by Ertai at 7:19 PM | 0 comment(s)

Solar Earnings and Updates

JA Solar Holdings Co., Ltd. (ADR) (NASDAQ: JASO) surged up by 6.50% at $4.39 on huge volume of 7.60 million shares after JASO announced quarterly revenue of $193.3 million, beating the analysts estimates of $136.2 million. For the fourth quarter, JA Solar expects shipments of 170 MW to 200 MW and for the current financial year, the company expects to announce shipments of around 448 – 478 MW. JASO gained over 18% in the last five trading sessions.

Evergreen Solar, Inc. (NASDAQ: ESLR) plummeted 2.06% or $0.03 to $1.42 on 299K shares. So far this year, Evergreen Solar declined by around 55%.

Akeena Solar, Inc. (NASDAQ: AKNS) decreased $0.010 or 1.02% to $0.950. In the last six months, AKNS plunged by 33%. The 52 week trading range for the stockis $0.58 - $3.07.

GT Solar International, Inc. (NASDAQ: SOLR) tumbled 10% to $4.99 on 550K shares after GT Solar was downgraded by Piper Jaffray to Underweight from Neutral.

First Solar, Inc. (NASDAQ: FSLR) gained 2.14% at $122.02 on 695K share. The 52 week trading range for the stock is $85.28 - $207.51. So far, FSLR is down 11% in the current year.

Labels: solar analysis, Solar News, Solar Stocks

posted by Ertai at 1:22 PM | 0 comment(s)

Solar Upgrades

Deutsche Bank upgraded shares of SunPower (NASDAQ:SPWRA) from Hold to Buy on valuation. While the firm was disappointed with third quarter margins, they feel fourth quarter numbers will grow as factory utilization improves. With the upgrade, the firm set a price target of $31 per share and set 2011 EPS estimates at $2.30 per share.

Labels: Earnings, Solar Stocks, SPWRA, SunPower Corp

posted by Ertai at 11:31 AM | 0 comment(s)

Sahara Desert Solar Power

FRANKFURT -- An international consortium devoted to creating an ambitious solar-power project in the Sahara Desert took the first formal steps of its plan Friday by forming a closely held company and appointing a chief executive.

The creation of the company, dubbed DII GmbH, by an industrial consortium called Desertec Industrial Initiative, is a first step in its plans to cover 16,900 square kilometers of desert with solar thermal power stations - which use the sun to generate heat which is then used to generate electricity. The aim is to provide as much as 15% of Europe's electricity by 2050, as well supplying the growing energy needs in North Africa and the Middle East.

The company also appointed Paul van Son, an executive with around 30 years of experience in management of the European energy industry, as its CEO. He has been managing director of Deutsche Essent GmbH, a German unit of Dutch Essent NV, which has recently been bought by RWE AG, and Dutch Econcern NV. Both companies are developers of renewable energy and energy efficiency programs. Van Son is also chairman of the European Federation of Energy Traders and chairman of the Energy4All Foundation, which is active in Africa.

The Club of Rome, a global think tank connected with the project, in a recent study estimated that roughly €400 billion would be needed for the project; €350 billion for the solar power plants and another €50 billion for the high-voltage direct current transmission lines to transport the electricity from northern Africa to Europe.

The initiative was started in July and backed by 12 companies - including financial and power majors such as Germany's Deutsche Bank AG, Siemens AG, RWE AG, ABB Ltd. and E.On AG, Spain's Abengoa Solar and Algeria's Cevital.

Labels: Solar Energy, Solar power, Solar Projects

posted by Ertai at 7:26 AM | 0 comment(s)