The Government will appeal against a ruling that its cuts to solar power are illegal, Energy Minister Greg Barker confirmed today.

Friends of the Earth believes an appeal would be a waste of taxpayers’ money. We’re urging Ministers instead to focus on putting the solar industry back on a stable footing.

An appeal also means solar businesses can’t be sure what tariff payment solar projects installed now will receive. The uncertainty is crippling businesses and costing jobs.

Just before Christmas the High Court ruled that government plans to rush through cuts to solar payments were illegal. It said the Government had no realistic prospect of winning an appeal.

The High Court decision followed a legal challenge by Friends of the Earth and two solar firms – Solarcentury and HomeSun.

Friends of the Earth is calling on the Government to:

Put solar back on its feet
Reducing tariff rates in a planned way from February 2012 to protect jobs.
Increase the budget for solar
Allowing more people – including householders and disadvantaged communities – to benefit from the technology.

Friends of the Earth’s Head of Campaigns Andrew Pendleton said:

Trying to appeal the High Court’s ruling is an expensive waste of taxpayers’ money. The Government must expand the scheme – with all the tax revenue the scheme generates, this can be done at no extra cost to bill payers.

Ministers should end business uncertainty and protect jobs with a clear plan to reduce payments from February – in line with falling installation costs.

The feed-in tariff has led to more than 100,000 solar panel projects and around 27,000 new jobs since its introduction in April 2010.

The Government’s proposed cuts have already seen planned schemes abandoned and thousands of jobs under threat.

Read more detail on what the ruling means, what we’re calling on the Government to do and how it can be paid for.

Our legal challenge to cuts in solar incentives is part of our Final Demand campaign. We’re calling for

Energy we can all afford
A public inquiry into the power and influence of the Big Six energy companies.

Please add your voice to the campaign.

http://www.foe.co.uk/news/government_solar_appeal_34320.html

The U.S. Commerce Department is delaying for a month its decision on additional tariffs for Chinese solar-equipment imports.

The department will make a preliminary determination on whether to add tariffs Feb. 13, according to a notice in the Dec. 29 Federal Register. The postponement will allow more time for analysis, Ben Santarris, a spokesman for SolarWorld AG (SWV)’s U.S. unit, said yesterday.

U.S. solar-equipment manufacturers say they are being harmed because China’s government uses cash grants, discounts on raw materials, preferential loans and tax incentives, and manipulates its currency to boost exports of solar cells. SolarWorld, a maker of solar modules, filed a complaint Oct. 19 with the U.S. International Trade Commission and the Commerce Department, seeking duties to offset the practices.

The trade commission on Dec. 2 said the Chinese subsidies have harmed equipment makers, ruling on the petition by Bonn- based SolarWorld seeking antidumping and countervailing duties. The commission is proceeding with an investigation.

The commission is examining possible economic harm to SolarWorld from Chinese imports, while the department determines the penalty for Chinese companies that illegally dump products.

To contact the reporter on this story: William McQuillen in Washington at bmcquillen@bloomberg.net

To contact the editor responsible for this story: Jon Morgan at jmorgan97@bloomberg.net

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2012-01-04/commerce-department-delays-decision-over-chinese-solar-imports.html

By James Montgomery
News Editor

January 5, 2011 – Everyone’s looking for those promising future markets for solar energy development, given Germany’s star gradually losing some of its luster and various markets undergoing policy shifts. But Europe still offers the best bet for solar, and a couple of countries in particular, says Lux Research, updating its quarterly Solar Demand Forecaster.

Also making a good showing: Asian markets, with high IRRs in Malaysia (24.1%), Philippines (22.6%), and Japan (20.9%), promising to attract more demand into in 2012-2013.

Portugal
Cyprus
Hawaii
Greece
Israel

Top five locations by IRR, 1Q12. (Source: Lux Research)

Overall the broader European market is still fairly consistent, held in check by its macroeconomic questions and individual countries’ ability to pay out incentives, explained Matt Feinstein, who led the Lux forecast. Portugal still tops the list (it ranked #2 three months ago behind New Jersey) as one of the best IRRs; also scoring well are Cypress and Greece, pending the aforementioned financial woes.

Lux arrived at its top IRR locations by cataloguing subsidies, electricity rates and consumption data, and projected pricing for panels/systems for all 50 US states, 31 Chinese provinces and semiautonomous regions, and 75 countries/regions globally. Those were run through a LCOE model to identify best IRRs, lowest LCOEs, and where solar power is closest to grid parity (i.e. retail and wholesale electricity prices).

http://www.electroiq.com/articles/pvw/2012/01/analyst-portugals-still-a-hot-solar-market.html?cmpid=EnlEIQDailyJanuary62012

Recent months have seen polysilicon spot prices sink below the US$30/kg mark as weak demand and overcapacity dogged the sector. Prices were at or below manufacturing cost for the majority of over 100 small-scale producers.

However, in recent weeks with low trading volumes, pricing has stabilized and inched higher to around US$28-30/kg versus low to mid-US$25/kg levels. However, Deutsche Bank Securities’ financial analyst, Vishal Shah, believes this is only a temporary move.

According to Shah, channel checks have revealed that many of the small polysilicon producers, especially in China, Taiwan and Korea, have stopped production and closed down operations as prices are below cost. Many had sold polysilicon in the last quarter to clear inventory before shutting operations.

The Deutsche Bank analyst highlighted in a research note that small producers, including Woongjin, JCC and TPSI, had confirmed closures.

In contrast, the major producers – Hemlock, GCL, Wacker and OCI – had been more rigid in pricing, though some were claimed, one being Wacker, to be offering blended polysilicon prices near US$35/kg, while Hemlock was said to be offering discounted pricing (US$25-30/kg) to high volume customers and US$30-35/kg pricing to regular customers. The big suppliers’ production costs remain below these selling prices.

The improved pricing points were said to possibly continue for the next few weeks should volume trading remain low. However, those still producing polysilicon will more than likely be building inventory in advance of a demand uptake.
Shah believes that most of the pricing development is supplier-driven as opposed to customer-driven and as such, the risk of another fall in polysilicon pricing is relatively high.

It should also be noted that significant new polysilicon capacity from the major suppliers is due to come on-stream in 2012/13.

http://www.pv-tech.org/news/polysilicon_price_rises_only_temporary_says_deutsche_bank_analyst

A 30% cut in feed-in tariffs in Germany, after a record 7.5GW of new solar power generation installed in the country in 2011, is almost guaranteed based on the current regression system; double the level seen in 2010. Pressure is now on the German government to combat another year of record installations. This would require further changes in the EEG mechanism, as PV system price declines have been greater than the FiT reductions, boosting investor IRR and renewed interest in PV after a dismal first-half year level of adoption.

The move by German ministers to change the system isn’t speculation, PHOTON reported in its daily newsletter a day after the Federal Network Agency rushed to release the record installation figures that meetings between Germany’s Ministry of Environment and the German solar industry would take place next week to discuss “the future of solar subsidy rates.”

Some may be shocked at the 3GW of installations achieved in December, the German Ministry of Environment certainly was, but I am reminded of Germany’s efficient distribution network coupled with PV installer skills – as only the year before – over 2GW was installed in a peak summer month. Mild weather certainly helped, but I doubt would have been but a small factor, for the record December installs.

I am also reminded that this corresponds to half of the electricity produced by a modern nuclear power plant, which takes a decade to come on stream and with virtually no grid infrastructure costs – something governments often forget to understand!

Cuts and changes in 2012

A 30% reduction in the German FiT shouldn’t be a killer as system price declines of roughly 25% are being floating around for 2012. Indeed, speaking with Dr Henning Wicht of IHS iSuppli, the market analyst is projecting module price declines of at least 30% in 2012. Prices of US$1.33/W in 2011 should be in the range of US$0.91/W in 2012.

With December proving to be a record month for installs, demand hasn’t disappeared in early January, 2012 after the expected 15% FiT cut came into operation. This is of course due to the system price declines implemented late last year to protect IRR levels at attractive levels to keep demand going. Again, mild weather remains in play, unlike the very poor weather conditions experienced in the prior year period.

With IRR levels remaining attractive in Germany, Wicht isn’t ruling out the possibility of the boom continuing, noting to PV-Tech that a further 4GW could be installed before the mid-year regression.

As talks get underway over what changes will be needed, speculation could only fuel greater installations.

Concern therefore centres on FiT changes that equate to more than a 15% cut mid-year, or worse the introduction of a capping system.

Now that it is obvious to the German Government that further reforms are needed and this gets picked-up by investors in PV, it would be surprising not to see the boom seen at the end of 2011 carrying through to the next enforced cuts or fundamental changes to the system.

A key question today is what and when will changes be made, not if?

http://www.pv-tech.org/editors_blog/record_german_pv_installations_should_lead_to_major_fit_mechanism_changes?utm_source=PV-Tech&utm_campaign=3735ccf358-Wednesday_Newsletter_11_January_20121_11_2012&utm_medium=email

A significant surge in PV installations, especially in December 2011, has resulted in a new record in Germany. According to preliminary figures from the German network regulatory agency, the Bundesnetzagentur, installations topped 7.5GW in 2011, slightly higher than record installations of 7.4GW in 2010.

Mild weather and falling module prices resulted in approximately 4GW of new power plant installations in the fourth quarter of 2011, while installations in December topped 3GW alone.

It is highly likely that an automatic FiT reduction of 15% will be imposed mid-year as roughly 225MW of new installations between January and April would trigger the cut.

In general, market forecasters and trade associations had expected installations to decline from the 2010 record levels due to very weak installations through the third quarter of the year to around 5GW.

However, industry overcapacity and declining prices across the supply chain would seem to have boosted investor IRR to levels making installations highly attractive, especially as new FiT cuts loom at the beginning of 2012.

http://www.pv-tech.org/news/germany_sets_new_solar_installation_record_of_7.5gw_on_late_year_surge?utm_source=PV-Tech&utm_campaign=4313d8be98-PV_Tech_Newsletter_9_January_20121_9_2012&utm_medium=email

As of February 6, 2012, Timminco’s common shares will be delisted by the Toronto Stock Exchange, due to the company’s inability to meet the continued listing requirements of the TSX. The impact is a direct result from the company seeking protection from its creditors under the Creditors Arrangement Act, which it filed on January 3. Since CCAA proceedings were initiated on January 3, all trading in Timminco’s common shares has ceased and will continue to be suspended until delisting.

http://www.pv-tech.org/news/toronto_stock_exchange_to_delist_timmincos_common_shares?utm_source=PV-Tech&utm_campaign=3735ccf358-Wednesday_Newsletter_11_January_20121_11_2012&utm_medium=email

TORONTO, ONTARIO–(Marketwire – Jan. 3, 2012) – Timminco Limited (“Timminco”) (TSX:TIM) announced that, after consideration of the available alternatives, its Board of Directors has determined that it is in the best interests of the stakeholders of Timminco and its wholly-owned subsidiary, Bécancour Silicon Inc. (“Bécancour Silicon” and, together with Timminco, the “Company”) for the Company to commence proceedings under the Companies’ Creditors Arrangement Act (the “CCAA”).

The Company’s liquidity position has deteriorated as a result of various factors, including reduced cash flows from silicon metal operations, solar market developments that have adversely impacted the timing of a restart of commercial scale production of Timminco Solar, restricted availability of funding under existing credit facilities, and inability to secure additional sources of financing.

Accordingly, the Company today applied for and obtained an order (the “Initial Order”) from the Ontario Superior Court of Justice (Commercial Division) (the “Court”) under the CCAA. The Court has granted CCAA protection for an initial period of 30 days, expiring on February 2, 2012. While under CCAA protection, creditors and others are stayed from enforcing any rights against the Company.

The Company will remain in possession and control of their current and future assets, undertaking and properties, and the proceeds thereof. The Company’s operations will continue uninterrupted during the CCAA proceeding and obligations to employees and suppliers of goods and services provided after the filing date will continue to be met thereafter.

Québec Silicon Limited Partnership, which is a production partnership that produces silicon metal for Bécancour Silicon and Dow Corning, has not applied for creditor protection under CCAA and is not part of these proceedings.

Pursuant to the Initial Order, FTI Consulting Canada Inc. has been appointed as monitor in the CCAA proceedings (the “Monitor”).

All inquiries regarding the CCAA proceeding should be directed to the Monitor (email: Timminco@fticonsulting.com, or telephone: (416) 649-8125). Information about the Company’s CCAA proceedings, including copies of all Court Orders made and the Monitor’s reports, will be available on the Monitor’s website, at http://cfcanada.fticonsulting.com/timminco.

About Timminco

Timminco produces silicon metal for the chemical (silicones), aluminum and electronics/solar industries, through its 51%-owned production partnership with Dow Corning, known as Québec Silicon. Timminco is also a producer of solar grade silicon, using its proprietary technology for purifying silicon metal, for the solar photovoltaic energy industry, through Timminco Solar, a division of its wholly owned subsidiary Bécancour Silicon.

Cautionary Notes

This news release contains “forward-looking information,” as such term is defined in applicable Canadian securities legislation, concerning Timminco’s future financial or operating performance and other statements that express management’s expectations or estimates of future developments, circumstances or results. Generally, forward-looking information can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as “expects”, “believes”, “anticipates”, “budget”, “scheduled”, “estimates”, “forecasts”, “intends”, “plans” and variations of such words and phrases, or by statements that certain actions, events or results “may”, “will”, “could”, “would” or “might” “be taken”, “occur” or “be achieved”. In this news release, such information includes statements regarding liquidity and alternate sources of funding. Forward-looking information is based on a number of assumptions and estimates that, while considered reasonable by management based on the business and markets, in which Timminco operates, are inherently subject to significant operational, economic and competitive uncertainties and contingencies.
Timminco cautions that forward-looking information involves known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause Timminco’s actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from those expressed or implied by such information, including, but not limited to: liquidity risk; global economic uncertainty; credit risk; pricing and availability of raw materials; silicon metal selling prices; customer concentration; power supply and electricity prices; production interruptions; transportation disruptions; limited history with solar grade silicon; solar grade silicon selling prices; customer commitments for solar grade silicon; solar grade silicon production costs; quality of solar grade silicon; producing ingots with Timminco’s solar grade silicon; protection of intellectual property rights; expansion of solar grade silicon production capacity; class action lawsuits; closure of former magnesium facilities; foreign exchange; investment in Applied Magnesium; interest rate risk; financing for capital expenditures; environmental liabilities; relationships with AMG; dependence upon key executives and employees; completion and integration of potential acquisitions, partnerships or joint ventures; risks with foreign operations and suppliers; environmental, health and safety laws and liabilities; intellectual property infringement claims; new regulatory requirements; labour disputes; and changes in tax laws. These factors are discussed in greater detail in Timminco’s Annual Information Form for the year ended December 31, 2010, and in Timminco’s most recent Management’s Discussion and Analysis, each of which is available via the SEDAR website at www.sedar.com. Although Timminco has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results, performance or achievements to differ materially from those contained in forward-looking information, there can be other factors that cause results, performance or achievements not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. There can be no assurance that such information will prove to be accurate or that management’s expectations or estimates of future developments, circumstances or results will materialize. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking information. The forward-looking information in this news release is made as of the date of this news release and Timminco disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise such information, except as required by applicable law.

Sedar Filer Profile #00000838

http://www.timminco.com/PressRelease.aspx?prId=1551164&id=24

• Concentration on fast-growing module and project business

• Discontinuation of wafer manufacturing at the site in Jena

SCHOTT Solar AG is continuing with its realignment efforts with respect to its activities in the area of photovoltaics and will be concentrating on its fast-growing module and project business in the future. In this context, the company will be discontinuing its wafer manufacturing activities that are no longer profitable at its site in Jena and thus concluding its restructuring efforts. By realigning these activities, the company hopes to create the prerequisites for profitable growth.

290 employees at the site in Jena are affected by this move. SCHOTT is currently evaluating the prospects of offering further employment for the respective employees in other areas of the company. At the same time, the company is engaged in an intensive dialogue with social partners and striving to come up with socially acceptable solutions. The goal is to avoid having to dismiss staff for operational reasons.

Developments in the global solar market have made restructuring necessary. Overcapacities and severe declines in prices, particularly with wafers and cells, have been the dominating factors. Price pressures are being further intensified by Asian competitors for the most part. They lowered their prices for modules once again by more than 40% just like they did in 2009.

As Dr. Martin Heming, CEO of SCHOTT Solar AG, puts it: “We need to stop pursuing upstream stages of the value creation chain that only generate losses and concentrate on the fast-growing module and project business instead. With the help of this new strategy, excellent products and the strong ‘SCHOTT Solar’ brand, we are in an excellent position to be able to operate successfully in the difficult solar market. We are quite optimistic because we managed to sell more modules than ever before last year and increased our market share. We plan to continue along these same lines in 2012.”

The new strategy will be rounded off by opening a technology center for monocrystalline wafers at the site in Jena. Manufacturing of thin-film photovoltaic modules will also continue in Jena. In other words, the city will remain a solar site.

High innovation potential and a growth strategy in the new focus areas

Current studies confirm that the industry is suffering from overcapacities, but still project global growth of up to 20 percent per year over the next few years. SCHOTT Solar plans to pursue innovation in order to leverage this potential. The company will be further extending its technological lead by launching its new SCHOTT PERFORM MONO high-performance module in the first half of 2012. In addition, SCHOTT Solar is also engaged in successful joint research efforts on various technologies

aimed at making solar energy even more powerful and cost-effective.

Furthermore, several major projects are currently being realized in Germany, Thailand, India, Greece, Italy and France. At the end of 2011, the company completed construction of a solar park in Saxony-Anhalt that features 24,000 modules.

These decisions will have no effect whatsoever on the field of Concentrated Solar Power (CSP) that SCHOTT Solar is the market and technology leader in with its receivers for solar power plants that employ parabolic trough technology.

Further information:

SCHOTT AG
Klaus Bernhard Hofmann
Director Corporate Public Relations
Hattenbergstraße 10
55122 Mainz
Germany
tel. +49 6131/66-3662
fax +49 3641/2888-9140
klaus-bernhard.hofmann@schott.com

de

Your contact person: Christina Rettig
E-mail: Christina.Rettig@schott.com

http://www.schottsolar.com/global/news/top-news/article/schott-solar-continu/

Weak pricing, especially on the spot market, has forced REC to reduce monocrystalline wafer production at its Glomfjord, Norway facility by 50%. The announcement comes soon after reducing multicrystalline wafer production at its facility in Herøya, Norway by 60% in late November, 2011. REC said that the temporary shutdown would affect approximately 65 employees at its Glomfjord facility.

REC’s annual monocrystalline wafer capacity at Glomfjord is said to be 300MW, while its annual multicrystalline wafer capacity at Herøya is put at 650MW.

The fully integrated PV manufacturer noted that with the latest production adjustments it expects to produce approximately 105MW of multi- and monocrystalline wafers in Norway in the first quarter 2012.

However, its latest and most advanced manufacturing facility in Singapore (700MW annual wafer to module capacity) remains at full capacity as does its polysilicon plants in the US.

REC did not provide any update to the impact the temporary production reduction would have on its financial performance.

http://www.pv-tech.org/news/rec_temporary_halting_50_of_monocrystalline_wafer_production_at_glomfjord_n?utm_source=PV-Tech&utm_campaign=9ab72e5d61-PV_Tech_Newsletter_5_January_20121_5_2012&utm_medium=email