So much for that slow, languorous summer where not much happens. There has been little unwinding in the solar sector, what with the recent SolarWorld-Hemlock case, India's continued boldness and a raft of new technological developments that threaten to elevate PV to previously unseen heights keeping industry heads a-chatter. Rolling on from last week's major news story, SolarWorld is expected to feel concerted pressure to reach an agreement quickly in its dealings with Hemlock following the court ruling in favor of the polysilicon manufacturer. IHS Senior Research Director Ash Sharma spoke to pv magazine about the case this week and suggested that the worst of the damage is already done. The best thing SolarWorld could do now, he advised, is strike a resolution. And quickly. "It's pretty damaging what's happening with the case. They've got €300 million in bonds due, which is probably going to be accelerated. They're going to struggle to get further loans or bonds elsewhere now, with this ruling against them, so they know they need to find a solution to this pretty soon." SolarWorld has shown a great reluctance to change its position in relation to the solar trade cases involving the U.S. and China. Even if it was willing to change its position, there is no guarantee that it would impact the rulings of either country in relation to the case. "I would say based on the indications from SolarWorld over the past couple of years, they seem very stubborn over the trade case and it doesn't look like they want to negotiate at all, based on the rhetoric coming from the company," Sharma commented. "The other thing to consider is that it's really in the hands of the chamber of commerce at the moment. "It's not really up to SolarWorld to drop the charges now, what they could do is initiate a process not to extend it, but that could take some time. There could even be another western manufacturer that decides to pick up the case and try and proceed with the claim against the Chinese producers. It's not done and dusted in any sense. It would take more than Hemlock and SolarWorld coming ...Den vollständigen Artikel lesen ...