Taiwan
October 25, 2017
United Renewable Energy – Taiwan Three of the largest solar cell makers in Taiwan have agreed to merge themselves to form a larger entity which can […]
September 28, 2017
Gintech, Motech, Tainergy, and NSP to Form an Alliance Taiwanese solar cell manufacturers have always been in a troublesome spot due to their lack of end customer touchpoints. […]
March 20, 2017
Solar Cell Production In Taiwan Solarworld had recently announced that it would get out of multicrystalline solar silicon cell and panel production as it was unable […]
March 10, 2017
Taiwan Solar Landscape The Taiwanese Solar Industry has a long history with solar cell makers Motech and E-Ton establishing themselves globally way back in 2006. However, […]
November 28, 2016
Global Overcapacity in Solar Industry Unlike the last downturn, large Chinese solar companies such as Canadian Solar, JA Solar, Hanwha Q-Cells and Jinko Solar have reported […]
July 15, 2015
Taiwan Solar Cell manufacturers will capture the global solar cell market The Taiwanese solar industry is the world’s second largest after China and dominated by solar […]
May 20, 2015
Taiwan Solar industry faces turbulence Taiwanese solar cell producers enjoyed a great 2013 and 2014, as USA sanctions on Chinese made solar cells forced many of […]
January 2, 2015
Motech – largest Solar cell Maker Taiwanese solar cell maker Motech is set to become the world’s largest solar cell maker, after acquiring United Microelectronics subsidiary […]
December 12, 2014
2015 may be a flat year in terms of solar demand growth with two of the largest markets Japan and China showing declining to flat demand […]
November 24, 2014
Effect of US Anti-Dumping duties on China & Taiwan The US anti-dumping duties on imports of Chinese and Taiwanese solar products has upended the global solar […]
November 17, 2014
Effect of US Duties on Taiwan Cell Manufacturers Taiwanese solar cell producers have been the worst affected victims of the US sanctions on Chinese and Taiwanese […]
November 6, 2014
The US and European sanctions on Chinese solar panel imports have distorted the global solar supply chain and led to inefficient value chains. China circumvented the […]
August 18, 2014
Effect of US sanction on Taiwanese Solar Taiwanese solar cell companies were having a gala time in the last couple of years, thanks to the US […]
April 9, 2014
Taiwan Solar Industry The Taiwanese solar industry has mostly concentrated on solar cell production, which they supply mainly to the Japanese and Chinese solar companies. Taiwanese […]
October 4, 2013
Taiwan’s Fate – A Niche Solar Player or Top Solar Producer Taiwanese cell producers such as Gintech, Motech, Neo Solar power etc. have been making hay, […]
August 28, 2013
China and Taiwan to account for 90% of Global Supply The Chinese solar industry has been making global media headlines as USA imposed a duty on […]
August 15, 2013
Taiwan Solar Cells The Taiwanese cell companies are a good bet in the next couple of years, as they have been strengthened by a number of […]
July 12, 2013
India to impose Anti-dumping duties soon The Chinese and other Asian players like Malaysia and Taiwan have continued to supply their solar cells and modules all […]
June 6, 2013
Neo Solar and Del Solar Merger Consolidation in the global solar industry continues at an accelerated pace with companies exiting the solar business, bankruptcies being announced, takeovers […]
January 10, 2013
Introduction There are going to be big winners and losers if Europe finds that the biggest anti dumping case against China has hurt its domestic solar […]
December 12, 2012
Taiwanese Solar Companies have been the biggest beneficiaries of the duties on Chinese solar panels imposed by USA and the uncertainty arising from possible sanctions by […]
November 21, 2012
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 […]
June 1, 2012
The US imposition of anti-dumping and countervailing duties on China made solar cells has brought out unintended beneficiaries and losers. I had explained in an earlier […]
June 21, 2011
China does not have many friends in its neighborhood,in fact it does not have any friends with relations with most countries being quite tense.The only friends it has is a tinpot communist dictatorship North Korea which has managed to keep its citizens in the Stone Age and Pakistan which is well on its way to become a failed state with a suicide bombing a day.What is interesting is that China holds the world record for sharing borders with the maximum number of countries,so one would consider it prudent to hold good relations with a large number of them.On the contrary China has had tense relations with almost all of them with low level military incidents the order of the day.China has a very cagey relationship with India where tensions have risen all the time with numerous friction points like Tibet,Arunachal Pradesh,supplying Pakistan with arms and building ports in smaller countries.South Korea alleged cyberattack a few months ago from hackers close to the Chinese government as well.
March 15, 2011
The Taiwanese Solar Industry has become the 2nd largest in the world following in the footsteps of China.Taiwanese Solar Industry has a longer history than the Chinese with Solar Cell Makers Motech and E-Ton establishing themselves globally way back in 2006.However the steep fall in solar panel prices following the Lehman crisis had led to losses for these companies as the Chinese companies surged ahead using their low cost manufacturing.The crisis also led to the emergence of newer Taiwanese companies like Gintech,Neo Solar which are growing at extremely fast rates.Note Taiwan is a hub of semiconductor manufacturing with leading companies like TSMC,AUO,UMC,HTC etc.Solar Industry uses many of the same technologies,raw materials and techniques common to semiconductor and Display Panels Production giving Taiwanese firms a natural advantage.Taiwan has been predominantly present in the crystalline Solar Cell part of the supply chain and lacks a big manufacturer of polysilicon ( though a facility has been started).The lack of vertical integration has also made the costs of the Taiwanese industry higher.The entry of large companies like AUO,TSMC has further increased the competition in the Taiwanese market.Note Taiwan's government has also promoted the use of solar energy in the country through the use of a Feed in Tariff program.
March 3, 2011
There are only 2 Solar Energy ETFs in the Market right now - TAN and KWT.Note buying solar ETF provides a less risky way of investing in solar energy as some stocks can dramatically underperform in this fast growing industry.However Solar ETFs will on the other hand perform much worse than the best performing stocks in the solar universe.This is because their holdings are also concentrated on some of the lesser quality companies.KWT and TAN are better investments for the less informed and less sophisticated investors.Amongst the 2 ETFs,KWT is the better option than TAN for a number of reasons which are described below.
February 28, 2011
Crystalline Solar Cell Suppliers are fast disappearing due to the changing dynamics of the global c-Si Solar Panel Industry.With vertical integration becoming imperative as margins and prices get squeezed,independent solar cell suppliers are having a tough time.Increasing raw material costs in terms of higher polysilicon and solar wafer prices and competition from numerous players has decreased the number of pure play solar cell suppliers.However a few of the top solar cell producers continue to grow and flourish though they are also entering into other segment of the PV solar supply chain.Most of the independent solar cell suppliers are from Taiwan and some from China.European solar cell producers have mostly disappeared due to the high cost base of the European factories.Note this list is mostly composed of solar cell producers who don't have big module making operations.You can find a list of the top solar energy companies most of which make solar cells as well.
February 21, 2011
China based GCL Poly is the biggest solar wafer producer in the world wresting the crown from LDK Solar in 2010.GCL Poly is now set to grow even bigger in 2011 raising its wafer capacity almost 85% making it No.1 by far.Note solar wafers are made up of polysilicon and used as raw materials for making solar cells which generate electricity from the sun.They are very similar to semiconductor wafers which are used to make the basic building blocks for electronics.GCL Poly has seen a massive rise from 2010 when it started to producer solar wafers.The company's strategy of setting up plants near its major customers have landed it major deals and lower the cost in the supply chain.
February 18, 2011
Solar Energy is the fastest growing renewable energy source in the world and has shown tremendous growth in the last 2-3 years.This has been driven by a more than 50% decline in Solar PV costs which continues to decline further.With further increase in energy prices,Solar Power is becoming closer and closer to retail electricity price.Not only is the price declining,solar power is clean energy a most valuable feature in these days of accelerating climate change.Solar Energy has already reached grid parity in places like Italy and Hawaii and will do so in more places in the coming 2-3 years.The industry is a dynamic one and the list of top solar companies can change quickly.Rapid Technology Change and Fast Declining Costs have pushed out most of the Top 10 companies of 5 years ago and brought in new ones mainly Chinese.Here is a list of the Top Solar Panel Producers in the World.
February 10, 2011
China has repeatedly cropped up in the news for cyberattacks on various governments as well as large multinational companies.While the Chinese government has denied responsibility for these cyberattacks,the evidence continues to grow as large reputed organization have blamed hacking on Chinese origin IP addresses.Note South Korea,USA and India have blamed China for cyberattacks on government computers.Growing cyberwarfare from China has made India start a cyberattack centre of its own reflecting the serious growing nature of these attacks.The recent Stuxnet virus attack on nuclear plants of Iran has been also been blamed on a Chinese attack on India gone wrong.Note cyberattacks are not considered of very serious nature in today's geopolitics and has deniability.This has probably made China to continue with cyberwarfare on countries considered hostile to its interests.