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.

Fuel Cell Micro CHP units have the edge over Air Source heat pump options

Fuel Cell Micro CHP units have the edge over Air Source heat pump options


With the introduction over the next few years of the micro CHP unit based on fuel cells where the unit combines heating the building with electricity production the heating market is on the cusp of a whole new technology and combining of building trades.

BlueGen is the latest breakthrough in small scale electricity generation - a modular style fuel cell generator that can be configured to suit a range of different markets and installations. For markets that require an alternative product approach to fully-integrated 'European style' systems, such as Japan, Northern America and Australia - BlueGen™ bridges that gap.

The Bluegen comes with the added bonus of sell back to the grid incentives such as the MCS in the UK. Germany offers incentive to buy the new fuel cell units as well as sell back to the grid incentives. The fuel cell units need a natural gas supply where the Air source heat pumps require electricity and produce heat from the outside air with operating ranges down to -20 DegC. In very cold weather they do have their limitations.

Bluegen Data can be found here

Air Source Heat Pump Data can be found here

Currently Not Available In The UK or Ireland