What Downturn? Thin-Film Behemoth First Solar Charges Ahead
Solar firms have been hit as hard as anyone in the economic downturn as companies and residents have shied away from large purchases like rooftop and backyard solar panel installations.
But First Solar (FSLR), the stock market darling that is the leader in the thin-film solar space, keeps signing new solar deals with little evidence of the struggle that surrounds it. To put an exclamation on that, this afternoon First Solar announced it has tripled its profit for the first quarter of the year. Is the thin-film behemoth untouchable? Well, precisely because of its market position — it is the biggest thin-film solar maker — its lead and large market share allow it to scoop up all of the thin-film solar deals out there while competitors fall behind.
SolarPlaza, a leading consultancy on the global solar industry, is pleased to announce “The Solar Future
” Conference to be held in Munich, Germany on May 26. For a single day, the world’s top minds will come together to discuss the future of the fastest-growing renewable energy at a critical time for the industry. Speakers will include such experts and CEO's as Bruce Sohn, President of First Solar, Dr. Shi, CEO Suntech Power, Anton Milner, CEO Q-cells, renowned analyst Travis Bradford of the Prometheus Institute; Stephen O’Rourke, analyst with Deutsche Bank Securities on Wall Street; and David Rubin, chairman of the board of directors of the Solar Electric Power Association.
