Q3 solar equipment book-to-bill ratio was negative for the first time

As of the end of the third quarter, according to research coordinating units Solarbuzz said, solar manufacturers in 2012 has been canceled and delays totaling more than 30 billion dollars in equipment orders. The total order backlog of solar equipment suppliers so significant decrease in the third quarter of 2012 is already fourth consecutive quarter of decline, the rate reached 30%. Mainly due to new orders for solar equipment suppliers from equipment maintenance, solar book-to-bill ratio has fallen into negative, this is the first time since the solar energy industry continued to grow for many years.

NPD Solarbuzz analyst Lim sharp negative orders are shipped than in the capital equipment industry is extremely rare. Even if the semiconductor industry is facing the worst economic recession, and its book-to-bill ratio remains positive. Negative book-to-bill ratio that many solar panel capacity expansion plans have been canceled. This satisfies the solar industry rebound from overcapacity downturn phase one of the first condition.

The customer base of the solar equipment, solar cell and module manufacturers that there will be a period of time have to continue going through a painful process of rationalization of capacity to digest excessive investment since 2010. However, a quarter production of polycrystalline silicon cells and modules remain around 13 GW, offset by additional new capacity on-line spare capacity to exit.

Solarbuzz said that the third quarter of 2012, the battery and module manufacturers began to sharply reduce capacity utilization, an attempt to restore the inventory to a manageable level. However, the uncertainty concerns to the ongoing anti-dumping investigation resulted in the short-term solar panel manufacturers to enhance the production capacity or output held a high degree of caution. Some Chinese polysilicon cell and module manufacturers are considering more diversified their production capacity area configuration.

According to the forecast, solar equipment spending in 2012 is expected to decline more than 66%, will remain with the 2008 level of about $ 5 billion in 2013. The equipment spending rebound is expected to wait until at least 2014, of which more than 90% of the revenue from first-tier vendors expenditures.

Within the next 12-18 months, the solar equipment spending in key equipment upgrades, advanced and efficient production lines, as well as a potential regional production capacity diversified in response to the trade restrictions or to meet local requirements.

Japanese media reported 22, the Japanese trading giant Marubeni plans in November officially launched in Oita Prefecture voted to build the nation's largest solar cell power station construction project is expected to completed in time for March 2014. It is understood that the construction land is located in the maritime industries of Oita Prefecture, a total area of ​​105 hectares, with a total investment of nearly 24 billion yen, the power station will bring in 350,000 solar panels, the power generation capacity of up to 81,500 kilowatts, Japan level, the total annual power generation of about 87 million kwh, equivalent to the annual electricity consumption of nearly 30,000 households.

Marubeni Corporation said that 20 years after the formal operation of the power station, all power will be sold to the Kyushu Electric Power Company, Japan's Mitsui Engineering & Shipbuilding enterprises also voted to build a solar power station planned in its contiguous zone, Oita Prefecture for maritime industries and solar energy is expected to total power generation capacity will reach 125,000 kilowatts.