Expecting the PV equipment market to continue to slow this year, GT Advanced Technologies advised that it would be broadening its product lines with a new furnace that makes silicon carbide crystals. The company is aiming to diversify its product line in the midst of what it calls a global downshift in demand for its systems that make polysilicon and PV wafers. As reported by Bloomberg, CEO of GT Advanced, Tom Gutierrez, is looking its R&D this year by 50% to over US$65 million with sales expected to grow 6% to between US$925 million and US$975 million.
Earlier this month, Chinese vice premier Wang Qishan and state councillor Dai Bingguo met with US secretary of state Hillary Clinton and treasury secretary Timothy Geithner, in Beijing to discuss Sino-American strategic and economic relations. On May 17, the US Department of Commerce announced in a preliminary hearing that China had been exporting to the US at less than fair value.
German-based manufacturer of metallization pastes Heraeus is constructing a new manufacturing site in Taiwan, the company has announced. The production site is expected to commence operation in the last quarter of 2012 and is intended to meet the demand of the Taiwanese market with local production and technical services. Heraeus produces silver pastes for polycrystalline solar cells.
Satcon will supply 30MW of its Equinox Prism Platform to Western Wind and Lord Electric. The inverters will be installed at a solar power park in Puerto Rico, the company has announced.
Amid rumours that MEMC Electronic Materials’ chief executive officer, Ahmad Chatila, was to leave the company, MEMC has announced the appointment of Brian Wuebbels as its new CFO. He succeeds Mark Murphy, who resigned, effective May 16, 2012, in order to take up the role as president at Praxair Surface Technologies. Murphy will continue a temporary consulting role with MEMC to aid the transition process.
Konarka Technologies and Dri-Design have announced the results of their collaboration to integrate Konarka's solar panels into Dri-Design's metal rainscreen panels. It is the first application of its kind and the panels are used for façade installations. The panels will be utilized for BIPV installations and offer architects a range of possibilities of integrations into materials like glass, steel, fabrics or plastic.
Former EDS chief global sales officer, Bobby Grisham, has been selected as the newest member of Premier Holding’s board of directors. He will be working, along with fellow members, executive management and subsidiary Wepower, to meet the company’s strategic global initiatives. Grisham also formerly served as the president of the EDS’ US southwest operations solutions, was president of the large financial institutions strategic business unit and managed all IT operations for six General Motors Electrical Component divisions.
Following Saudi Arabia’s revelation of a US$109 billion plan to create a solar industry in the country that will produce a third of its electricity within the next twenty years, Five Star Equities has released reports on the potential outlook for companies in the solar industry, including First Solar and SunPower.
A report published by Reuters has advised that the Constitutional Court has endorsed a Czech tax on solar power producers as part of the government’s push to cut budget deficits and subdue the solar boom in the country. The ruling means that solar plants which came online in 2009 and 2010 are affected.
Following his defeat to be premier of North Rhine-Westphalia on Sunday by the Social Democrats (SPD), Norbert Roettgen, once seen as a potential successor to Chancellor Angela Merkel, was fired by Merkel today from his position as her environment minister. Reuters reported that Merkel has nominated Peter Altmaier, parliamentary whip for her conservative party, to replace Roettgen.
