Solar Reversal
After the down swing of last week, Solar Stocks are getting ready for another bullish swing. The short-term trend could get reversal in the next few days, and the Solar Stock ETF TAN looks like this:
Claymore/MAC Global Solar Index (ETF) (NYSE:TAN) 
The higher lows could also mean a medium-term trend change.
Labels: Bullish, Claymore, Global Solar Index, MAC, solar ETF, Solar Stocks, TAN
First Solar to Invest $81 Million Building Factory in France
First Solar Inc. is investing 66 million euros ($81 million) to build a factory near Bordeaux in France to produce solar panels, La Tribune reported, without saying where it got the information.
Half the cost will be funded by the renewable energies unit of French power company Electricite de France SA, the newspaper said.
Source: Bloomberg
Labels: First Solar Inc, FSLR, Solar News, Solar Projects, Solar Stocks
First Solar Looks Past Success To Even Brighter Future
First Solar Inc. (FSLR) is the world's largest solar-panel maker. Now, it wants to compete with fossil-fuel power generators.
In addition to making flat, glass panels that convert sunlight into electricity, First Solar has built some of the largest solar farms in the U.S. including a 21-megawatt facility in Blythe, Calif., owned by NRG Energy Inc. (NRG) and a 10-megawatt plant in Boulder City, Nev., owned by Sempra Energy (SRE).
First Solar plans to build several more solar farms with a project-development business assembled over the last year through its acquisitions of NextLight Renewable Power LLC in April, a unit of Edison International (EIX), in January and part of privately held OptiSolar last year.
The move is a risky one for the Tempe, Ariz.-based company. First Solar hopes it can leverage its expertise in solar panels to build solar farms capable of taking on gas-fired power plants. The goal: to greatly expand solar power's share of the U.S. power market.
With 2,200 megawatts of solar farms under development, First Solar hopes it can demonstrate that solar power is a reliable, reasonably priced source of valuable daytime electricity. For investors, the company aims to prove that solar farms can be lucrative.
...
Source:
WSJLabels: First Solar Inc, FSLR, solar panels, Solar Stocks
The TAN, Solar Stock ETF
The rally of these last weeks is over, but how long the bearish swing will last?
Claymore/MAC Global Solar Index (ETF) (NYSE:TAN):
Labels: Global Solar Index, solar charts, solar ETF, Solar Stocks, TAN
Top 10 Best-Rated Solar Stocks
Below are the top 10 best-rated Solar stocks, based on the number of positive ratings by brokerage analysts. Six Chinese companies (TSL, STP, YGE, JASO, SOLF, SOL) are on the list.
First Solar, Inc. (NASDAQ:FSLR) is the 1st best-rated stock in this segment of the market. It is rated positively by 24 brokerage analysts. It is covered by 41 brokerage analysts. Trina Solar Limited (ADR) (NYSE:TSL) is the 2nd best-rated stock in this segment of the market. It is rated positively by 17 brokerage analysts. It is covered by 20 brokerage analysts. Suntech Power Holdings Co., Ltd. (ADR) (NYSE:STP) is the 3rd best-rated stock in this segment of the market. It is rated positively by 12 brokerage analysts. It is covered by 37 brokerage analysts. Yingli Green Energy Hold. Co. Ltd. (ADR) (NYSE:YGE) is the 4th best-rated stock in this segment of the market. It is rated positively by 11 brokerage analysts. It is covered by 20 brokerage analysts. SunPower Corporation (NASDAQ:SPWRA) is the 5th best-rated stock in this segment of the market. It is rated positively by 11 brokerage analysts. It is covered by 36 brokerage analysts.
MEMC Electronic Materials, Inc. (NYSE:WFR) is the 6th best-rated stock in this segment of the market. It is rated positively by 10 brokerage analysts. It is covered by 23 brokerage analysts. GT Solar International, Inc. (NASDAQ:SOLR) is the 7th best-rated stock in this segment of the market. It is rated positively by 8 brokerage analysts. It is covered by 10 brokerage analysts. JA Solar Holdings Co., Ltd. (ADR) (NASDAQ:JASO) is the 8th best-rated stock in this segment of the market. It is rated positively by 8 brokerage analysts. It is covered by 17 brokerage analysts. Solarfun Power Holdings Co., Ltd. (ADR) (NASDAQ:SOLF) is the 9th best-rated stock in this segment of the market. It is rated positively by 6 brokerage analysts. It is covered by 12 brokerage analysts. ReneSola Ltd. (ADR) (NYSE:SOL) is the 10th best-rated stock in this segment of the market. It is rated positively by 5 brokerage analysts. It is covered by 7 brokerage analysts.
Source: China Analyst cnanalyst.com
Labels: First Solar Inc, FSLR, Solar Ratings, Solar Stocks, Solar Technology, STP, Suntech Power, Trina Solar, TSL
PG&E partners with SunRun to finance home solar photovoltaics
PG&E Corp. is partnering with yet another Bay Area solar company, investing $100 million to help pay for the installation of more than 3,500 home photovoltaic arrays.
This time, the parent of the Pacific Gas & Electric utility is pairing with San Francisco-based SunRun Inc. to create a tax equity fund. But the company had already stepped into the banker role in January, when it put $60 million into a similar fund for Foster City-based SolarCity Corp.
Pacific Energy Capital II, a subsidiary of PG&E, will manage the financing vehicle, which the companies claim is the largest of its kind to date.
SunRun, which like SolarCity offers solar leases to homeowners, will use the money too install panels throughout 2010 and 2011 in at least five states, including Arizona, California, Colorado, Massachusetts and New Jersey. The PG&E subsidiary will get any government tax credits associated with the home projects.
Once the panels are installed – at low or no cost to homeowners – SunRun owns the photovoltaics while customers pay a set rate for the generated power. The arrays would otherwise cost tens of thousands of dollars for homeowners to buy outright and install.The announcement is the latest in a string of developments in the home solar leasing market. SolarCity revealed a $90 million fund with U.S. Bancorp Community Development Corp., a division of U.S. Bancorp, in March. Homebuilder Lennar Corp. said last week that it was partnering with SunPower Corp. on a solar leasing option for some of its homes.
SourceLabels: solar cells, Solar Energy, Solar Projects, SunRun
First Solar Rallies As Credit Suisses Turns Bullish; $150 Target
First Solar (FSLR) shares are on the rise this morning after Credit Suisse analyst Satya Kumar upped his rating on the stock to Neutral from Outperform, with a new price target of $150, up from $110. He contends that upside in pricing for Q2 and Q3 is not yet reflected in the stock.
Kumar offers a four-part thesis for his upgrade of the solar company’s shares:
He sees upside to estimates, and today raised his 2010 demand estimate to 13 GW from 12.7 GW, and says strong demand should reduce price erosion.
Risks to long-term margins are diminishing, he contends. Easy cost reductions for rival silicon-based solar companies - in particular lower poly prices, outsourcing to China and vertical integration - have mostly been accomplished.
Long-term growth prospects remain intact; he says 2011 might not be as bad as feared, particularly in Germany; he thinks U.S. demand could surprise positively.
FSLR’s panel efficiencies should “inflect meaningfully higher” by Q4 of this year or Q1 of next year, he contends.
Kumar raises his 2010 EPS estimate to $7.53, from $6.79; the Street consensus is $6.93. For 2011, he goes to $8.32, from $7.34.
First Solar Chart for today:
Labels: Bullish, First Solar Inc, FSLR, solar charts, Solar Stocks
Solar plane set for night flight
A solar-powered plane is getting ready to hit the skies once again - this time, at night.
It will be the first ever manned night flight on a plane propelled exclusively by solar energy.
Solar Impulse will lift off from an airfield in Switzerland, on a sunny day sometime at the end of June.
It will then fly around, charging the solar cells on the plane's wings, in a bid to store enough energy for the electric motors to last until dawn.
The aim of the project's founders, Andre Borschberg and round-the-world balloonist Bertrand Piccard, is to show that a solar-powered craft is able to fly day and night - and eventually long-distance flights - without any fuel.
SourceLabels: solar cells, Solar News, solar plane, Solar power, Solar Technology
Solar ETF TAN
Markets seem to be rebounding today.
The Solar Stock ETF (Claymore/MAC Global Solar Index) (TAN) represents the solar stocks industry and seems to be Bullish on the very short term:
Only time will tell if the Bulls get the upper hand. We might have a double bottom pattern forming.
Labels: solar charts, solar ETF, Solar Industry, Solar Stocks, TAN
Needham & Company Downgrades SunPower Corp. (SPWRA)
Needham analyst says, "We are downgrading SunPower to Hold due to increased downside risk to estimates and currency headwinds. We see increased risk surrounding SunPower's expanded European pipeline of systems business due to the possibility of additional subsidy cuts, currency headwinds and growing macro concerns in Europe. Furthermore, SunPower continues to face pricing pressure despite strong near-term demand. With a lack of near term catalysts, we expect SPWRA shares to remain range bound. Therefore, we recommend investors wait on the sideline at this time."
SunPower Corporation (SPWRA) is down -4% for today.
Labels: downgrade, solar analysis, Solar Stocks, SPWRA, SunPower Corp
Canadian Solar Updates 1Q10 Performance
The maker of technology to be used in solar panels has revealed that the SEC has begun an investigation surrounding certain sales transactions in 2009, which may have continuing legal effects moving forward.
CSIQ is down -16% for the day.
Canadian Solar Inc. (the "Company," "we" or "Canadian Solar") (Nasdaq: CSIQ), one of the world's largest solar companies, today updated its 1Q 2010 performance and guidance for 2Q 2010 and the second half of 2010. The Company has postponed the release of its full financial results for the first quarter ended March 31, 2010 and its quarterly conference call, scheduled for June 2, as a result of the commencement of an investigation by the Audit Committee of the Company's Board of Directors. While the investigation is ongoing, the Company is updating preliminary first quarter operating results.
...
-- We have implemented a more robust foreign currency hedging plan,
raising our hedging level to more than 90% of our expected Q2 cash flow.
We are now hedging well into Q3.
-- We are on track to expand our internal cell capacity from the current
420MW to 700MW.
-- We intend to commence ramping up our new cell lines on July 1st and
complete the ramping up process in September;
-- We have successfully revamped our ingot and wafer plant and expect it
to contribute positively to our P&L in 2Q10;
-- We will take advantage of our global market profile and increase sales
in non-Euro currencies.
Operations Update
-- Conversion Efficiency: We began commercial manufacturing of enhanced
selective emitter ("ESE") modules in March 2010. We have shipped over
3.0 MW of ESE modules to date. Conversion efficiencies have approached
18% in initial production runs. We expect to increase our ESE cell
production capacity to 120 MW by the end of the third quarter.
-- Module Capacity: We increased our module production capacity from 820
MW at the end of 2009 to 1.3 GW at the end of May 2010.
-- Cell Capacity: We currently have 420 MW of internal solar cell
production capacity. We expect to reach 700 MW of internal solar cell
production capacity by September 2010.
-- Ingot and Wafer Capacity: Our internal ingot and wafer operation
stopped incurring losses in 1Q10. The furnaces have been repaired and
the plant is expected to contribute to our margins in 2Q10. We expect
to produce approximately 30 MW to 35 MW of wafers internally in 2Q10.
-- Ratio of Internal Cell Production: In 1Q10 we manufactured
approximately 50% of the cells we used in the quarter internally. In
2Q10 we expect to produce approximately 110 MW of cells internally
representing approximately 60% of our 2Q10 shipments. By 4Q10 we
expect to produce approximately 165 MW of cells internally,
representing approximately 70% of our expected 4Q10 shipments.
SourceLabels: Canadian Solar Inc., CSIQ, Solar Stocks
