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Bosch Finds Solar Business Unprofitable, Exits

Posted by Soulskill on from the no-silver-lining-in-actual-clouds dept.

New submitter rwise2112 writes "German engineering company Bosch said Friday that it is abandoning its solar energy business, because there is no way to make it economically viable.'We have considered the latest technological advances, cost-reduction potential and strategic alignment, and there have also been talks with potential partners,' Bosch CEO Volkmar Denner said. 'However, none of these possibilities resulted in a solution for the solar energy division that would be economically viable over the long term.'"

3 of 477 comments (clear)

  1. Re:FINANCIALLY viable by schneidafunk · · Score: 5, Informative

    In TFA: "European makers of solar energy have accused low cost Asian competitors, especially manufacturers from China, of creating the trouble for their western peers, partly by flooding the market with products at prices far below production costs."

    --
    Some people die at 25 and aren't buried until 75. -Benjamin Franklin
  2. Unprofitable by schneidafunk · · Score: 5, Informative

    The reason it is unprofitable is because China is flooding the market with panels that cost less than the production cost. If China was punished for its behavior, these companies would be able to compete and stay in business.

    "European makers of solar energy have accused low cost Asian competitors, especially manufacturers from China, of creating the trouble for their western peers, partly by flooding the market with products at prices far below production costs."

    --
    Some people die at 25 and aren't buried until 75. -Benjamin Franklin
  3. Re:I love working with PV cells by blue+trane · · Score: 5, Informative

    China's government subsidizes their solar companies to a much greater degree than the US does; that's why Solyndra couldn't compete.

    http://www.csmonitor.com/USA/2012/0320/China-subsidized-solar-panels-US-finds.-Are-tariffs-the-right-response

    the Commerce Department's International Trade Administration determined that Chinese manufacturers had apparently dumped "massive" quantities of solar panels into the US market that were sold far more cheaply than US-made panels. According to the finding, the lower price was mainly because the panels were heavily subsidized by dozens of low-cost Chinese government loan programs and other subsidies.