Bankruptcy

April 11, 2013

First Solar short squeeze leads to massive jump in Solar Stocks – What you need to know

First Solar (FSLR) We have been bearish on First Solar for some time as we felt that the company’s thin film technology is no longer competitive […]
March 21, 2013

Will the Suntech Debt default bring sanity to the Solar Industry

Suntech Debt Default Suntech (STP) which is one of the worst managed solar companies in the industry has been going through tumultuous times after it got […]
March 15, 2013

Poly prices in China up 16% from December but still too low for Sustainability

Polysilicon Prices The prices of polysilicon have gone up a bit in the last few months as poly producers have sharply reduced utilization to 50% or […]
March 14, 2013

Solyndra déjà vu – Solar Thin Film maker SoloPower impoding, renegotiation of Federal Loan

After Solyndra, it is SoloPower The bankruptcy of solar thin film company Solyndra was one of the most dramatic debacles in the current solar downturn. The […]
March 12, 2013

Suntech faces the Moment of Truth as Founder ousted and Debt comes due

Suntech, China The world’s largest solar panel company in 2011 now faces possible closure as it does not have money to pay the convertible bond due […]
March 8, 2013

5 Major Concerns of the Global Aerospace and Defense Sector & the Industry during Recession Time

Aerospace and Defense Sector In times of economic uncertainty, an accurate risk assessment becomes very important for companies to succeed and likewise proper implementation of financial […]
March 5, 2013

No more a "Kodak Moment" for Kodak

Kodak It is needless to say by now that Kodak was known for its photography and film business. A market leader until digital photography made a […]
February 28, 2013

Solar Frontier looks to be a winner in the Global Solar Shakedown

The solar industry is going through a major consolidation with hundreds of small and big solar companies failing despite growing solar demand. The reason is massive […]
February 15, 2013

France gives a 10% bonus Feed in Tariff for Domestic Manufacturers – Won't help

As usual France has followed Italy in boosting solar manufacturing industry by giving a 10% FIT bonus for solar products manufactured in Europe. Note Italy had […]
February 12, 2013

Sunpower loses a lot of money in Q412, sales in 2013 to be flat with 2012

Sunpower (SPWR) which is the 2nd largest US solar company after First Solar (FSLR) was the first major company to report 4Q12 results. As expected the […]
January 31, 2013

Chinese Government intervenes again after the First Bond Default by Chaori Solar

Bond Default by Chaori Solar, China We have heard of numerous Chinese Government bailouts, in case of defaults by the Chinese Solar companies. However, there is […]
November 21, 2012

Taiwanese Solar Merger creates Second Largest Solar Cell Company (Delta Electronics and Neo Solar)

Consolidation is the new way for Solar Companies to Suvive Consolidation in the global solar industry continues at an accelerated pace with companies exiting the solar […]
September 21, 2012

The Chinese Solar Ship sinks being hit by Europe’s Anti Dumping Iceberg

China is the world’s largest manufacturer of solar panels and its intermediates like crystalline silicon ingots, wafers and cells. The country is also the biggest exporter […]
September 19, 2012

Top Chinese Solar Companies (LDK , Trina, Suntech, GCL) finally Accept Free Market Reality as they Cut Jobs, Slash Production, Reorganize to Survive

The last two years have been brutal for the solar panel industry, has a never ending oversupply & has led to thousands of bankruptcies around the […]
August 22, 2012

The Biggest Solar Company Failure that nobody is Talking about and which could Dramatically Change the Solar Panel Market

Sharp Solar Panels There have been hundreds of solar bankruptcies in the last couple of years as solar panel prices have gone down by almost 65% […]
August 22, 2012

India’s Green Poster-child Suzlon in Death Spiral as Debt Load forces it to Sell Key Assets

Suzlon, The Wind Turbine Manufacturer Suzlon which is India’s largest pure play green company and one of the largest wind turbine manufactures globally has been stuck […]
July 19, 2012

“It is crazy. We don't know what is happening," – Indian Solar Panel Manufacturers face Reality after living in Illusion

Solar in India Solar Energy in India was thought to be one of the most exciting growth industries in the world. While the current state of […]
July 17, 2012

Green Industry in Upheaval – Yet another Energy Storage Company goes Kaput

Bankrupt Green Energy Companies These days the only thing you hear about in the Green Industry is Bankruptcy or companies on the verge of insolvency. The […]
July 12, 2012

Cadmium Tellerium Thin Film Solar Technology set to become another victim of Capitalism’s Creative Destruction with GE, Abound Solar downing shutters

Cadmium Tellurium Thin Film Solar Technology championed by thin film solar panel leader First Solar is set to become a victim of capitalism’s creative destruction as […]
June 29, 2012

Solar Equipment Companies start to face their consumer woes as Centrotherm sees financing problems, Oerlikon sells its Thin Film Unit

Solar Equipment Companies Saw a massive increase in revenues and profits as Asian companies led by the Chinese built a huge amount of solar cell, wafer […]
June 20, 2012

State Owned Chinese conglomerates strengthen their position in solar industry during industry crisis

While thousands of small solar companies in the world have gone / are going bust on account of massive industry oversupply and crashed solar panel prices, […]
June 18, 2012

Solar Energy in Pakistan – Why are Financially challenged organizations building solar plants in a financially challenged country

Pakistan is facing a major energy crisis as years of corruption and mismanagement has made the country into a basket case. Thousands of SMEs are facing […]
May 29, 2012

Solar Polysilicon Capacity Expansion stops after 4 crazy years of growth

Polysilicon capacity has almost grown by 10x in the last 5-6 years as massive demand growth from solar panels made suppliers add capacity without thinking about […]
January 2, 2012

Question How is Debt Distressed Chinese LDK acquiring German Solar Developer Sunways Answer Chinese Government Free Money

Note Chinese companies too would have shut down but the state owned Chinese banks are keeping them alive with loans at ridiculous interest rates.LDK which is buying Sunways is almost insolvent as well with its convertibles trading at less than 50c on the dollar in Singapore.It has more than n$3 billion in debt compared to its market cap of around $600 million.It faces massive losses in the coming qtrs and can't serve the interest payments much less expand.The strong support of the Chinese government for its green companies is keeping them alive.Chinese solar panels have become super cheap due to companies selling at below cost and massive scale.Note all the cheap solar panel brands in the world are Chinese with the exception of First Solar and some Asians. LDK has managed to spend 22 million Euros despite burning hundred of millions of dollars in cash because it has got the Chinese government trillions backing it.So while Western companies burn and crash,the big crony Chinese companies can expand and acquire. Most of the German solar manufacturing industry is finished and it is unlikely that except a couple of them like SM Solar or Wacker will live to see 2013.Q-Cells too should go bankrupt or get consolidated .Note despite European companies shifting factories to Asia ,they just can't compete.Some of the smaller module makers with 20 MW plants have seen huge losses with the equipment not selling for 10 cents on the dollar
May 3, 2011

Geothermal Energy Companies face Dead End (Ram,Magma,Raser) due to Harsh Industry Dynamics

The Cons of Geothermal Power are winning over the Pros in the last few years due to a number of factors.The main reasons are the long gestation time in building the geothermal energy plants,small developers,financing and regulation problems.Despite geothermal having huge potential these drawbacks have resulted in only 10 GW of geothermal energy being installed worldwide despite almost 30 years of commercial development.Most of the geothermal companies which are small developers have been devastated by the above problems.Canadian companies which are the leaders in consolidating the fragmented industry like Ram Power and Magma Power are facing huge problems.While Ram Power saw its CEO go,Magma is now looking at other renewable energy opportunities.Magma Power has decided to merge with Plutonic Power which is a small hydro and wind company as geothermal energy looks more or less a dead end.