Tag Archives: fslr
LDK Solar Defaults on Convertible Notes
On the heels of Suntech’s bankruptcy last month, LDK Solar Company Ltd. (Xinyu City, China) failed to make full payments of $23.8 million-worth of 4.75% convertible notes due this year. LDK was able to reach a private agreement on some cash payments and payment postponement with two other holders of $16.6M in notes. The company [...]
First Solar Goes Residential
First Solar is diversifying once again, this time into residential rooftop solar. The company started out as the leader in thin-film PV for non-residential applications, but when the solar manufacturing industry hit a wall a few years ago, it moved aggressively into building utility-scale solar projects that use its panels. That was a great move for First Solar, [...]
Suntech Closes Arizona Factory
Suntech, on the heels of several losing quarters and a boardroom bloodbath involving the removal of its wealthy founder as chairman, is closing its 50-megawatt Goodyear, Arizona solar panel factory. This was a factory once heralded by Suntech (and its former CCO Andrew Beebe), as a sure sign that Suntech was committed to building PV [...]
Can First Solar Save Abound Solar?
Last month the Denver Post revealed that the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment ordered Abound Solar to clean up what it now considers hazardous waste at its Colorado facilities across the front range. The chief hazardous material in Abound’s solar modules is cadmium, a probable human carcinogen, that’s used in CdTe modules, like [...]
First Solar Earnings Disappoint
Prior to reporting its full-year 2012 results yesterday evening (Feb. 26) First Solar announced that it’s reached a new efficiency level for cadmium telluride (CdTe) thin-film photovoltaics, at 18.7 percent efficiency (as verified by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory). Then during the earnings report, the company produced non-GAAP earnings per share of $2.04 for the [...]
CdTe PV Efficiency Record Goes Back to First Solar
Last month we reported on how General Electric quietly stole the cadmium telluride (CdTe) solar cell effficiency crown from First Solar (NASDAQ: FSLR) — with a solar cell clocking in at 18.3 percent. When I asked First Solar CTO Raffi Garabedian for a comment at the time, he was respectful, but said that it didn’t [...]
In Focus: First Solar’s Carbon Footprint
First Solar’s mission, business, and strategy focus on delivering clean and affordable electricity. As a leading renewable energy company, First Solar offers a significant response to climate change by providing power solutions that produce electricity with no air emissions, waste production, and minimal water use. First Solar is helping to reduce global greenhouse gas (GHG) [...]
First Solar Gobbles Up Largest Solar Project in New Mexico
First Solar, Inc. has acquired what will be the largest solar power project in New Mexico, the 50 megawatt Macho Springs Solar Project. The Macho Springs Solar project is being developed in Luna County, New Mexico by Element Solar Power. The project is expected to be completed in 2014, at which point it will produce [...]
GE Research Achieves CdTe PV Efficiency Record
Rather quietly, GE Research has bested First Solar for the cadmium telluride PV cell efficiency record. Clocking in at 18.3 percent, the new record edges First Solar’s previous mark by a full 1 percent. First Solar (NASDAQ:FSLR) hit 17.3 percent about a year ago. Presumably, this record was set using the PrimeStar Solar technology acquired [...]