Panasonic Entry into Solar Power
The Panasonic Group will launch on July 1, 2010 its HIT(R) 215 Series* household solar power generation systems, the first series of collaborative products to be developed since SANYO became a part of the Group. The launch signifies how the newly extended group has combined its collective strengths for a full-scale entry into the solar cell business.
Since the announcement of the capital and business partnership with SANYO in December 2008, Panasonic has established a Collaboration Committee and promoted discussions, under all applicable laws and regulations, to maximize the potential synergy effects within the new Panasonic Group. Following the subsequent formalization of this takeover on December 21, 2009, 27 different sub-working groups have engaged in more advanced discussions, and the HIT 215 Series household solar power generation systems, featuring HIT 215 solar power generation modules with the world's highest-level energy conversion efficiency, represent the first tangible fruit of these collaborative efforts.
The new products combine SANYO's solar power generation modules with Panasonic's energy management technology, construction materials, and electrical technology, and will be broadly promoted across the companies' various sales routes, including home appliances, electrical and construction products. In doing so, the Panasonic Group is seeking to maximize its combined strengths to achieve significant business expansion within the rapidly growing solar power generation market, and aims to establish a position as the top manufacturer in the market with a target share in Japan of at least 35% by 2012.
SourceLabels: Panasonic, solar cells, Solar Energy, Solar power
Will the rally continue?
The market rallied yesterday, with many solar stocks posting impressive gains.
SunPower Corporation (SPWRA) up more than 20% yesterday:
"Announced a joint venture will own and operate SunPower's 1.4 gigawatt third solar cell fabrication facility, now under construction in Malaysia. SunPower and AUO will equally own the joint venture and contribute equal capital funding."
Suntech Power Holdings Co., Ltd. (STP):
Labels: Bullish, solar charts, Solar Stocks, SPWRA, STP
Solar Stocks Gapping Up
The market should open today with a decent Gap Up.
Let's see how far the Bulls will go. Many solar stocks are gapping more than 3%.
STP 3.2%
TSL 4.6%
CSIQ 2.3%
SolarFun (SOLF) reported earnings and is gaining 11% on the Pre-Market.
FIRST QUARTER 2010 HIGHLIGHTS
Total net revenues were RMB 1,475.8 million (US$216.2 million) in 1Q10, an increase of 17.8% from 4Q09 and an increase of 115.7% from 1Q09.
PV module shipments, including module processing services, reached 150.6 MW, an increase from 110.8 MW in 4Q09 and from 35.7 MW in 1Q09.
Average selling price, excluding module processing services, declined, as expected, to US$1.76 per watt in 1Q10.
Gross profit was RMB 272.5 million (US$39.9 million) and gross margin was 18.5%.
The main Solar Stock ETF looks like this, but expect a good bullish move for today:
Labels: solar ETF, Solar Stocks, Solarfun, SOLF, STP, Suntech Power, TSL
Auriga Upgrades First Solar
Auriga upgrades First Solar (Nasdaq: FSLR) from Hold to Buy, saying the recent sell-off creates an attractive entry point.
The firm said even with their reduced reduced estimates, they forecast 21% upside to their current price target of $138.
Analyst Mark Bachman said, "We attribute the recent decline in share price to the depreciation of the Euro relative to the Dollar, and not because of fundamental change with regard to supply/demand within the solar industry. With the recent announcement of FSLR pushing project business into 2011, our model recognizes that more module sales will be denominated in Euros in 2010. That said, we also recognize and credit FSLR's aggressive currency hedging activities and ~15% natural hedge from manufacturing in Germany to buffer the effect of a weakened Euro. Our new price target of $138 is 20X our 2011 EPS estimate of $6.89."
Source: StreetInsider
Labels: First Solar Inc, FSLR, solar analysis, Solar Stocks
Bulls coming back in Solar?
Most Solar Stocks are showing some signs of a reversal move. Only time will tell if this is just another Bull Trap.
First Solar, Inc. (FSLR) Chart looks interesting:
Labels: Bullish, FSLR, solar charts, Solar Stocks
Solar power game-changer: 'Near perfect' absorption of sunlight, from all angles
A new anti-reflective coating developed by researchers at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute could help to overcome two major hurdles blocking the progress and wider use of solar power. The nanoengineered coating boosts the amount of sunlight captured by solar panels and allows those panels to absorb the entire spectrum of sunlight from any angle, regardless of the sun's position in the sky.
An untreated silicon solar cell only absorbs 67.4 percent of sunlight shone upon it — meaning that nearly one-third of that sunlight is reflected away and thus unharvestable.
After a silicon surface was treated with Lin's new nanoengineered reflective coating, however, the material absorbed 96.21 percent of sunlight shone upon it — meaning that only 3.79 percent of the sunlight was reflected and unharvested. This huge gain in absorption was consistent across the entire spectrum of sunlight, from UV to visible light and infrared, and moves solar power a significant step forward toward economic viability.
Source:
PhysOrgLabels: Nano Solar, solar efficiency, solar panels, Solar Technology
Japan Solar Sail
Today the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) is set to launch the first spacecraft that will speed across the solar system using a hybrid solar sail—one propelled partly by solar pressure, partly by traditional solar power.
Dubbed Ikaros—for Interplanetary Kite-Craft Accelerated by Radiation of the Sun—the experimental craft will launch from the Tanegashima Space Center at 5:44 p.m. ET (6:44 a.m. Tuesday, local time).
Ikaros is hitching a ride into space aboard an H-IIA rocket, piggybacking with JAXA's Akatsuki Venus Climate Orbiter mission.
Once in space, the cylindrical, 677-pound (307-kilogram) craft will separate from the rocket and spin itself to unfurl its roughly 46-foot-wide (14-meter-wide) solar sail. (Related blog: "Tiny Solar Sail Pitched to Clean Up Space Junk.")
First proposed in the 1920s, solar sails are large reflective membranes that allow a spacecraft to be pushed by radiation pressure from sunlight, negating the need for heavy onboard fuel. (Explore a time line of space travel milestones.)
"It's the space equivalent of a yacht sailing on the sea," said Yuichi Tsuda, deputy project manager for Ikaros. Like wind filling a boat's sails, particles of light—or photons—streaming from the sun bounce onto a mirrorlike aluminized solar sail.
As each photon strikes, its momentum is transmitted to the spacecraft, which begins to gather speed in the almost frictionless environment of space. A solar sail can eventually reach speeds five to ten times greater than a rocket powered by conventional fuels.
Source:
National GeographicLabels: Japan, Solar Energy, Solar News, Solar Technology
The State of the TAN
More Bearish moves for the solar stocks with TSL, CSIQ, YGE and STP losing more than 5% for the day.
Claymore/MAC Global Solar Index (Solar Stock ETF) is making new lows. Maybe this is the time to start buying?
Labels: Bearish, CSIQ, solar ETF, Solar Stocks, STP, TAN, TSL, YGE
Solar Energy Could Provide 25% Of World Electricity
The International Energy Agency (IEA) presented two new analyses in Valencia, Spain this week, a Solar Photovoltaic Energy Technology Roadmap and a Concentrating Solar Power Technology Roadmap. 1bog reports.
A key long-term finding from these analyses is that 20-25% of global electricity production could be from solar electricity by 2050.
Some interesting charts:
SourceLabels: solar charts, Solar Energy prices, Solar power, Solar Technology
Dazzling future for Solar Power
"Concentrating solar power plants like the PS10 near Seville, Spain may provide around 10 percent of world electricity by 2050"
Solar power is expected to provide almost a quarter of the world's electricity supplies by 2050, according to a new report published by the International Energy Agency (IEA).
Eleven percent of total supplies are predicted to come from solar panels on homes and offices while a further 11 percent will be provided by central solar power stations feeding clean electricity to populous areas.
Solar power currently accounts for 0.5 percent of total electricity supplies, but this will need to rise if cuts in carbon emissions are to be achieved, according to the IEA.
Executive director of the IEA, Nobuo Tanaka said in a statement: "The combination of solar photovoltaics and concentrating solar power offers considerable prospects for enhancing energy security while reducing energy-related CO2 emissions by almost six billion tonnes per year by 2050."
The future success of solar power stations (known as Concentrating Solar Power or CSP) will depend on the development of "dedicated transport lines," but the IEA predict that it could become competitive with coal and nuclear power plants by 2030.
The IEA expects North America to be the largest producer of CSP electricity, followed by India and North Africa -- which will likely export half of its output to Europe.
Source:
CNNLabels: Global Solar Energy, Solar Energy, Solar power, Solar Technology
LDK Solar Co., Ltd. Issues Q2 Revenue Guidance
LDK Solar Co., Ltd. announced that for the second quarter 2010, it expects revenue of between $460 and $490 million. For fiscal 2010, it expects revenue to be in the range of $1.6 to $1.7 billion. According to Reuters Estimates, analysts were expecting the Company to report revenue of $377 million for the second quarter of 2010; revenue of $1.4 billion for fiscal 2010.
Source: Reuters
The chart looks bumpy for LDK Solar, but this might be a bullish short-term trend forming:
Labels: LDK, LDK Solar, solar charts, Solar Stocks
Suntech Announces Preliminary Results
Suntech Power Holdings Co., Ltd. (NYSE: STP), one of the world's largest crystalline silicon photovoltaic (PV) module manufacturers, today announced preliminary financial results for the first quarter of 2010.
Suntech expects total net revenues for the first quarter of 2010 to be in the range of $580 million to $590 million. Gross margin is expected to be in the range of 19% to 20%, compared to previous guidance of 18% to 20%.
As a result of the depreciation of the Euro versus the USD, Suntech expects to incur a foreign exchange loss of approximately $24 million to $25 million for the first quarter of 2010. This is expected to be partially off-set by a net gain of approximately $2 million to $3 million from hedging activities.
Dr. Zhengrong Shi, Suntech's Chairman and CEO said, "We are pleased to see extremely strong demand in the first quarter of 2010. With robust demand in incumbent solar markets and rapid growth in a host of emerging markets, we expect this environment to continue deep into 2010."
Source:prnewswire.com
Most Solar Stocks are moving up between 5% and 10% in the Pre-Market. With the massive rally in the European Markets, this should be an interesting day.
Labels: Earnings, Solar Stocks, STP, Suntech Power
Solar Stocks Plunge
Chinese stocks fell hard on Thursday trailing Asian indices lower. Large cap stocks hold on better than smaller counterparts; the Claymore/AlphaShares Small Cap China ETF (NYSE:HAO) lost three times as much as the large cap proxy, FXI.
Energy, solar stocks weight down indices on stronger dollar and falling oil. Solar stocks dominate the worst performing China ADR universe by noon on Thursday. Suntech Power (NYSE:STP), Solarfun Power (NYSE:SOLF), Canadian Solar (NASDAQ:CSIQ), Yaingli Green Energy (NYSE:YGE) and Trina Solar (NYSE:TSL) make up the worst stocks measured in percentage change on the following screen.
Solar stocks continue the plunge with many Solar Companies dropping more than 10% just for this day.
The Solar Stock ETF quotes: 7.22 -0.54 (-6.96%)
Labels: Bearish, CSIQ, Solar Stocks, SOLF, STP, TSL, YGE
Wells Fargo covering Solar Stocks
An analyst at Wells Fargo initiated coverage on a group of stocks in the Solar space earlier today:
ReneSola (NYSE: SOL) with an Outperform rating and a $9.50-$12 valuation range. Calls ReneSola a "big beneficiary of 2010 demand trends," mainly wafer pricing, margins and protection from its OEM segment if the market turns lower. Shares of ReneSola are down more than 5% today, last trading around $7.06.
Solarfun (Nasdaq: SOLF) with an Outperform rating and a $10-$12.50 valuation range. The firm notes that the company has been historically unappreciated, however, "with a new management team and an improving cost structure, we believe SOLF is leaving the penalty box." Wells Fargo argues that Solarfun has "one of the best risk-reward profiles in the group..." The firm expects Solarfun to report FY10 EPS of $0.92. Solarfun shares are one of the few solar stocks holding onto positive territory today, last trading up 0.5% to $8.39.
Yingli Green Energy (NYSE: YGE) with a Market Perform rating and a $11.50-$14.50 valuation range. The firm said it would like to be more positive on Yingli given that the company boasts a "industry-leading cost structure," however, the FY10 outlook looks to be "already among the most optimistic in the group..." Wells Fargo also believes that the recent polysilicon plant adds risk and that the balance sheet needs cleaning-up. The firm is currently looking for Yingli to report FY10 EPS of $0.94. Shares of Yingli are down 3.1% to $11.87.
Canadian Solar (Nasdaq: CSIQ) with a Market Perform rating and a $18-$23 valuation range. Wells Fargo says exchange rate headwinds and firmer input pricing could be issues for Canadian Solar in the first half of this year. "While H2 comparisons and earnings improvement are pluses, revenue growth and margin structure remain in flux, forcing the company to choose between market share and profits." The firm is looking for Canadian Solar to report FY10 EPS of $1.34. CSIQ shares are up 0.3% to $16.90 today.
Suntech (NYSE: STP) with a Market Perform rating and a $11-$14 valuation range. Wells says "Suntech has one of the best brands in the industry, but we believe the company needs to revamp its cost structure and improve corporate governance, notably its relationship with Global Solar Fund (GSF); Suntech has a high ownership stake in this entity but does not consolidate results. Valuation of 17x 2010E EPS vs. the peer group near 15x leaves little room for stock appreciation, in our view." Shares of Suntech are down 3.2% to $12.62 today.
Source: streetinsider.com
Labels: CSIQ, SOL, solar analysis, Solar Stocks, SOLF, STP, YGE
Evergreen Solar sees price declines in second half
U.S. solar company Evergreen Solar Inc (ESLR) said on Wednesday it expects to see some pricing pressure in the second half of 2010, following forecast incentive cuts in Germany, the world's No. 1 solar market.
The government there is set to reduce most of the mandated prices paid for electricity from German solar arrays starting in July, with proposed cuts of 16 percent for rooftop panels.
Speaking on a conference call with investors, executives at Evergreen Solar also said the company's project to expand operations in China is on track.
SourceLabels: ESLR, Evergreen Solar, Solar Stocks, Solar Technology
SunPower unveils more efficient solar panels
SunPower, a Silicon Valley manufacturer of high-efficiency solar cells, panels, and systems, announced Monday the debut of its its new SunPower E19 Series solar panels, a product lineup that offers an efficiency of 19 percent or greater.
The efficiency figure measures how great a percentage of the sunlight that hits a solar panel is actually converted into usable electricity. The higher the efficiency, the cheaper the cost of using solar energy.
Some companies have reached up to 42 percent efficiency in testing their products. Others have claimed even higher percentages in the lab. But most commercial silicon solar cells average in the 15 percent range.
The E19's panels achieve a higher efficiency by using 3 percent more surface space per cell and by employing an antireflective coating that can capture greater amounts of off-angle light, explained San Jose, Calif.-based SunPower. The coating helps generate more energy per watt than a conventional solar panel. The combination of the coating and larger cells also offer a darker and more aesthetic look to the panels, the company said.
The E19 line includes a 318-watt, 96-cell solar panel with an efficiency of 19.5 percent and a 238-watt, 72-cell solar version with an efficiency of 19.1 percent.
Source:
CNETLabels: solar efficiency, Solar Stocks, Solar Technology, SPWRA, SunPower Corp
JA Solar reporting earnings
Earnings Date:
May 11, 2010
Q1 2010 Earnings Release - 9:30AM EDT
Analysts, on average, expect JA Solar (NASDAQ:JASO) to report earnings of $0.18 on sales of $265 million on May 11, 2010.
For the full year, analysts expect the company to post EPS of $0.52. In the year-ago period, the company reported a loss of $0.18 on sales of $34 million.
In the previous quarter, the company reported EPS of $0.17, topping consensus estimates of $0.12.
JASO is near the 2010 Highs. Moving above $7 could prove very bullish for this stock:
Labels: Earnings, JA Solar Holdings Co., JASO, solar charts, Solar Stocks
