Yingli Green Energy Holding Co. (YGE) said it expects to report a surprise drop in shipments for the first quarter

DOW JONES NEWSWIRES

Yingli Green Energy Holding Co. (YGE) said it expects to report a surprise drop in shipments for the first quarter from the fourth quarter because of subsidy policy changes in Italy, joining other companies in the solar-energy sector that have warned of disappointing results in recent days.

The Italian government announced in early March that it planned to reduce feed-in tariffs for solar power systems and disclosed the final policy early this month, a move that has weighed on companies across the sector. At the same time, severe winter weather conditions in Germany also had a negative effect on market demand in the period, Yingli said.

The company said shipments in the period likely decreased by a low teen percentage from the fourth quarter, compared with the previous estimate for a mid-single-digit increase. Gross margin is projected at 27% to 27.5%, down from the earlier estimate of 30% to 31%.

Yingli said it expects to deliver certain of the delayed orders in the second quarter and estimates that shipments in that period will increase by more than 30% from the first quarter.

Shares of the company, which expects to report results May 20, slipped 2.2% to $11.11 in premarket trading; they are up 15% so far this year.

Is it in the Governments or Energy companies interest to reduce CO2 or let you 'do it yourself" with MCHP units?

Is it in the Governments or Energy companies interest to reduce CO2 or let you 'do it yourself" with MCHP units?

Someone raised a good point on a forum which was whether it was in the governments or energy companies interest to reduce CO2? They are obligated to reduce CO2 are they not? Is it in the energy companies interest for you to reduce fuel usage? Is it their intension to let energy prices spiral so much people are forced to except fuel efficient equipment with the massive initial financial outlay and sell half the energy at 2x the price. Interesting thought with bulging populations.

But why do they seem keen on solar?

The payback is at least 10 years and the returns to be honest are so small it may give goverments time to sort out there energy policy and the taxation from energy being sold at record prices and amounts. Small wind turbines arnt even worth the bother. Air heat pumps or Fuel Cell Boilers (not released in many parts of the world) are the only option for some people now. Air heat pumps are now capable of DHW/CH and have a high COP (1kW electricity usage for 6kW heat output). With micro fuel cell CHP units you get domestic hot water, heating and 2 kw of electricty output to grid tie or sell back to the grid with efficiency's of 60% (current record). Unfortunatly the government have decided to offer a reduce the sell back price on MCHP units (Ceramic Fuel Cells Bluegen) to 0.08/kw verses 0.20p/kw for solar. Is this due to lost tax revenues? Interesting thought with bulging populations and increased energy usage. Time to act on CO2? Or lose taxation?