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To: FJB who wrote (53911)9/26/2011 11:40:02 PM
From: Sam  Read Replies (1) | Respond to of 95530
 
Many more failures, however, could be imminent through the second half of 2012, when Solarbuzz predicts that demand will finally catch up with supply.

I have a hard time seeing this as bad news, given the current overcapacity that exists in the industry.

Stock prices have fallen so much it is hard to see how the stronger companies can't bounce by at least 50% from here and plausibly quite a bit more than that. Unless, of course, there is a real recession and government subsidies get cut due to revenue issues and other priorities.

Of course, that is the rub.... Prices could also still get cut in half again from here, especially as tax loss selling picks up in a couple of months.



To: FJB who wrote (53911)10/18/2011 10:51:16 PM
From: FJB1 Recommendation  Read Replies (1) | Respond to of 95530
 
Heavyweight newcomers to accelerate solar market transformation
Nuying Huang, Taipei; Jackie Chang, DIGITIMES [Wednesday 19 October 2011]

Solar firms have been facing low demand in 2011. As marginalization continues to weed out firms that are less competitive, many non-solar industry leading corporations have been eyeing the right time to enter. Newcomers with strong financial capital, technology and low production costs will accelerate industry transformation.

The oversupply problem has triggered a competition for solar products with high conversion efficiencies forcing less competitive firms to temporarily halt production or shut production altogether.

Financial pressure has been plaguing the solar industry as well. Many solar firms which have long-term supply agreements with upstream suppliers have seen their competitiveness crippled by the low product prices, which have left them with insufficient cash for daily operations, let alone capacity expansions. Newcomers, on the other hand, are equipped with the latest equipment without long-term supply contracts eating away financial strengths.

Large-size international firms such as Intel and France-based petroleum company Total both continue to invest and develop solar related products.

Taiwan-based large-size industry leading firms such as Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC), Inventec, and Tatung all have invested in solar firms in Taiwan. Other large-size firms such as United Microelectronics Corporation (UMC), AU Optronics (AUO) and Foxconn Electronics (Hon Hai Precision Industry) are just a few of those who have entered the solar market recently.

South Korea-based Samsung and Hyundai are also developing solar products and are seen as tough competitors.