Philips and Siemens ,2 of the largest European conglomerates with big Green divisions as well have warned of Dire Macroeconomic problems in Europe.While the stock markets continue to go higher, both companies have cut/ warned profit forecasts on European economic headwinds. Siemens is the largest green company in the world while Philips is one of the biggest Lighting Companies .

Mahdindra Solar One a JV between India’s biggest conglomerates the Mahindra Group and a PE backed startup Kiran Energy is setting itself to become one of the biggest players in India’s Solar Energy.Mahindra Group which has dominant Indian companies in the Automobile Industry,Information Technology has set up 3 subsidiares to operate in the following segments

Solar Trade Wars are becoming the norm in the globe these days with the major one between USA and China.The instigator is the German solar company Solarworld which helped started the ITC Case in the USA.India too is thinking of putting some kind of import duty to protect its domestic solar panel producers which are dropping like flies.Chinese solar panel producers have swamped the world with super cheap solar modules.Though a part of their low prices can be explained by competitive advantage, another part is due to the labor,capital subsidy given by the Chinese government.It would not take a rocket scientist to say that some of the biggest Chinese solar companies are insolvent and would be dead within a month without Chinese state loans.

Bank of America had already announced thousands of job cuts earlier.Today it cut 20% of its Asian MDs as it tries to cope with the sinking of investment banking revenues.Other investment banks like RBS,Nomura,BNP Paribas,Societe Generale are also cutting jobs with a vengeance.Goldman Sachs also announced big time salary cuts for its partners and fixed income trading.

Saving bankrupt solar companies has become the national pasttime of most governments it seems.Competition in the solar market has become so severe that solar comapnies are failing left and right.This has made the government come out to save them with bailouts which only make the oversupply situation in the solar panel industry worse.While China is the worst culprit supporting hundreds of failing solar companies through cheap loans which will be never paid back,other governments are not far behind.

Solar Renewable Energy Certificate (SREC) Prices in New Jersey have been falling at a sharp rate from a high of $600 to $225 as high returns from falling solar panel prices and other tax breaks.This has led to a massive growth in solar installations in the state making it the 2nd largest state by solar capacity.New Jersey installations have crossed 500 MW and made it a huge green job driver in the state.However this boom has made the market driven SREC prices fall quite sharply.Though not falling as sharply as Pennsylvania where SREC prices have become a joke ,they are still low and falling.