Late last year, National Semiconductor CEO and Chairman Brian Halla said at the EcoChip forum in Silicon Valley that the big chipmakers had relied too heavily on consumer electronics — a market that was then in rapid decline. “Too many of us were chasing … Read More »
Cleantech
REC Halves Solar Cell Output: Renewable Energy Corp. plans to cut solar cell and module production in the second quarter by nearly 50 percent to adjust to weak markets, although it will restart halted production later in the year. — Reuters Think to Scope Out Oregon: … Read More »
If the clouds that hovered around the solar sector over the last few months have started to clear, they haven’t moved fast enough to prevent layoffs at two solar giants recently. GE Solar and BP Solar have axed more than 700 jobs. The deepest … Read More »
Sunset for Solar?: Solar companies and investors who planned for silicon that was scarce and high-priced must adjust their business models for a glut that looms larger than most anyone expected. First Solar and other low-cost panel makers now face growing pressure on margins. —
Bigger in Texas: The state senate in Texas is considering so many proposals to boost state incentives for solar power this week that the entire legislative session has been dubbed the “solar session.” The state aims to ramp up solar production and dominate the sector. –
Solar-grade silicon prices are falling — at least according to the latest New Energy Finance report due out this week. Back in August, the London-based research firm forecast that prices would fall in 2009, and Jenny Chase, a senior associate at the firm, … Read More »
Toyota Feels the Heat from Honda on Hybrids: Toyota may cut the price of its Prius down to $19,250 in Japan to match Honda’s new Insight Hybrid. — Bloomberg Feds Figure Out Permitting for Ocean Energy Projects: Two federal agencies have finally ended a turf war … Read More »
Chu on OPEC: Energy Secretary Steven Chu said yesterday he was “pleased” that OPEC had decided against further cuts in oil production. He also urged continued focus on ending dependence on foreign oil and “investing in new clean energy sources that will put Americans to work … Read More »
Oil Demand Set to Drop: Today the International Energy Agency lowered its estimate for 2009 global oil demand, saying demand will drop for two years in a row for the first time since 1982-1983. — Associated Press Feed-in Tariff Pitfalls: Feed-in tariffs have enabled Germany and … Read More »
The Ontario Power Authority bolted ahead of its North American neighbors in creating a feed-in tariff for renewable energy back in 2007 — basically agreeing to buy clean energy from its customers at a set rate over a certain period of time. But the Canadian … Read More »
Southern California Edison plans to begin installing its second rooftop-solar array this week. The 1-megawatt array, slated for a Multi-Employer Property Trust building in Chino, Calif., is part of the utility’s plan to install 250 megawatts of solar panels on some 150 commercial roofs in … Read More »
A shakeout may be underway for the solar sector, but one manufacturer, Norway-based NorSun, has just made a deal that could help carry it through the downturn. The company has raised 1.15 billion NOK (about $163 million) to expand its production of silicon wafers and … Read More »
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