Chart: The death spiral of solar bankruptcies (& counting)
The solar death spiral has been long and ugly. Over the past year, there have been over a dozen stalwarts and startups that have headed to bankruptcy court. Here’s our chart: Read more »
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After Solyndra: analyzing the solar industry
The solar industry has begun 2012 with some trepidation, with many on the warpath to cut costs and reduce output. These moves give the market a chance to reduce inventories and get production more in sync with demand. But recovery will likely come slowly. Read more at GigaOM Pro »
The new year brings continued solar strife
The turning of the new year didn’t make the solar industry any easier for solar manufacturers. Power electronics maker, Satcon Technology, announced Wednesday that it’s laying off 35 percent of its workers and shutting down its factory in Canada. Read more »
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Green IT 2012: looking for bright spots amid the clouds
As we look toward the next year, the cleantech sector faces many challenges, which we examine in detail in this 2012 outlook. Renewable energy generators encounter an increasingly difficult subsidy environment, and key cleantech innovations like electric vehicles face an uphill climb in terms of connecting ... Read more at GigaOM Pro »
The tough market for solar in 2011
Companies continue to bow out of the solar market in 2011. This week it’s BP Solar, which is shutting down, as well as Solar Mlillennium, which has filed for insolvency. Last week it was German solar panel company Solon, which also filed for insolvency. Read more »
Solar complaint against China moves forward
A complaint accusing Chinese solar cell and module manufacturers of flooding the U.S. market with unfairly low-priced goods cleared a hurdle to move forward Friday with a 6-0 vote by the U.S. International Trade Commission. Read more »
First Solar: Boosting production is a bad idea
Solar manufacturers have been on supercharged expansion mode over the past five years in order to cut costs and solar prices. But to continue that march at this point is just unwise. First Solar is now putting off bringing online a solar panel factory in Vietnam. Read more »
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Green IT Q3: Solar stumbles while car sharing zooms ahead
The trials and tribulations of the solar industry dominated the third quarter as warnings about a storm of dangerous market forces in the industry finally reached an outcome with Solyndra’s bankruptcy. But not all was dismal for the cleantech industry during the quarter. Car sharing continues to reduce resource consumption, and much capital flowed to that sector. On the data center side of the industry, Google provided insight into exactly how much energy the tech giant uses, as well as the carbon footprint of its data centers. Companies mentioned in this report include Solyndra, Zipcar, Airbnb and Silver Spring Networks. For a full list of companies, and to read the full report, sign up for a free trial. Read more at GigaOM Pro »
Fire sale: Intel-backed SpectraWatt sold! … for $4.9M
After years of incubation and at least $91.4 million of private capital, silicon cell maker SpectraWatt was sold to Canadian Solar for about $4.95 million during an auction. The sale is a dismal end for the Intel-backed company. Read more »
Solar struggles: Stirling Energy Systems files for bankruptcy
Solar thermal company Stirling Energy Systems has filed for bankruptcy, according to Renewable Energy World. Stirling Energy Systems developed solar concentrators based on stirling engines, which use the sun’s heat to produce electricity, and planned to build projects to sell the power to utilities. Read more »
Sixtron: Latest solar company to drop out?
Two and a half years ago we covered Canadian solar startup Sixtron Advanced Materials, which developed an anti-reflective coating system for solar cells. Fast forward to 2011, and Sixtron’s website is gone, its phones are discontinued and the company auctioned its assets off to pay creditors. Read more »
Fall special: solar companies for sale
The sale season is on for solar. SpectraWatt, which filed for bankruptcy last month, plans to hold a live auction of its silicon solar factory equipment on Sept. 28. Others will follow. Read more »
How Apple could revolutionize solar
If Apple launched one of its gadgets with embedded solar cells, it could revolutionize the market for solar. Read more »
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Flash analysis: lessons from Solyndra’s fall
Solar technology startup Solyndra, which has raised more than $1.5 billion in private and government funds, has suspended manufacturing and laid off 1,100 full-time and temporary employees. We conducted a survey and asked GigaOM readers for their views on the fallout of Solyndra’s decision to file for bankruptcy and what the future holds for the company. This research examines the survey’s results. It also includes an analysis of Solyndra’s struggles over the past two years to move into mass production, and to do it amidst difficult and volatile economic conditions. Companies mentioned in this report include Evergreen Solar, First Solar and SpectraWatt. For a full list of companies, and to read the full report, sign up for a free trial. Read more at GigaOM Pro »
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Growing pains in the solar PV industry
In late 2007, Evergreen Solar hit an all-time high with a $9.8 billion market cap. Less than four years later, it has filed for bankruptcy, with its secured debtors trying to recoup $165 million in notes from an asset fire sale. Its unsecured debtors, meanwhile, pray ... Read more at GigaOM Pro »
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Green IT’s Q4 Winners: Wind Power, Solar Power, Smart Energy
Greentech marked its best year ever in 2010, and part of that is thanks to the wealth of activity across sectors during the fourth quarter. Global investment in clean energy surged, and while wind power remained the biggest greentech area, solar power saw the fastest growth. The energy efficiency sector appears to have more room for smaller players to make their mark amidst a rapidly maturing market. Meanwhile, China’s stance as a growing greentech giant continued to complicate its relationship with the United States. Companies mentioned in this report include General Electric, Intel, ZigBee, iControl, People Power and EnerNOC. For a full list of companies, and to read the full report, sign up for a free trial. Read more at GigaOM Pro »
A Tough Sell: SpectraWatt to Shut Down Solar Factory, Lay Offs
Silicon solar cell maker SpectraWatt has been trying to compete with a growing number of competitors who can also make and mostly likely can do more cheaply. That effort might prove futile: SpectraWatt plans to lay off people and closing its factory. Read more »
TSMC Buys $50M Stake in Stealthy Solar Startup Stion
The march of the chipmakers into solar continues. Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. — a heavyweight in contract chipmaking — announced Wednesday that it has signed a licensing agreement and has invested $50 million in Silicon Valley thin-film solar startup Stion. Read more »
Intel Spinout SpectraWatt Snags $41.4M for Solar Cell Plant
SpectraWatt, a maker of crystalline silicon solar cells spun out of Intel back in 2008, has dusted itself off after funding troubles and manufacturing delays, and now says it has the capital necessary to finish work on its first factory, allow for capacity expansions and continue […] Read more »
Intel: “Invest in America” & Greentech
Intel and a who’s-who list of VCs have a little stimulus package of their own — and green technology is high on their wish list. Intel CEO Paul Otellini said Tuesday that Intel Capital has a $200 million investment fund aimed at cleantech and other categories. Read more »
