FRANKFURT, April 29 (Reuters) – French energy major Total
SA’s (TOTF.PA: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz) landmark $1.37 billion offer for a majority stake
in U.S. company SunPower (SPWRA.O: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz) gave fresh impetus to hopes
of more deals, lifting European solar firms’ shares.

Total’s move is one of the biggest ever by an oil and gas
giant into the market for renewable energy, which has seen a
resurgence of interest following the nuclear crisis at Japan’s
Fukushima power plant caused by last month’s earthquake.

LOS ANGELES/FRANKFURT (Reuters) – For solar panel makers, rising raw material costs and a looming cut in government support for solar power in Italy are likely to upstage first-quarter numbers, when the world’s largest solar companies begin reporting their quarterly results next week.

For months, investors have fretted about an expected change in solar energy incentives in Italy, a market that exploded last year due to generous government support.

HONG KONG/FRANKFURT (Reuters) – Chinese companies are attacking the last stronghold of Western dominance in solar power, undercutting bigger rivals and winning orders in the booming $12 billion photovoltaic power equipment industry.

Rapid solar-power expansion in energy-hungry Asia and the ability to provide equipment at much lower rates to an industry looking to cut costs and stay competitive are helping Chinese companies find a firm foothold after elbowing out Western rivals in photovoltaic modules and cells.

HONG KONG/FRANKFURT (Reuters) – Chinese companies are attacking the last stronghold of Western dominance in solar power, undercutting bigger rivals and winning orders in the booming $12 billion (7.4 billion pounds) photovoltaic power equipment industry.

Rapid solar-power expansion in energy-hungry Asia and the ability to provide equipment at much lower rates to an industry looking to cut costs and stay competitive are helping Chinese companies find a firm foothold after elbowing out Western rivals in photovoltaic modules and cells.

FRANKFURT, March 30 (Reuters) – SMA Solar (S92G.DE: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz),
Germany’s No.1 solar company by market value, warned lower
subsidies could lead to a shrinking solar market in 2011 after
it more than doubled its dividend following record 2010 results.

“Due to changes in support programmes in important European
solar markets, SMA predicts a temporary stagnation in the market
in 2011. A slight downturn in growth cannot be ruled out,” the
company said on Wednesday.

FRANKFURT (Reuters) – German solar company Q-Cells SE downplayed hopes of an upturn in orders following the Japanese nuclear crisis, warning that profits may fall this year due to subsidy cuts in Europe.

Q-Cells Chief Executive Nedim Cen said that while the company aimed for stable earnings before interest and tax (EBIT) this year, the uncertainty in the market following the Japanese earthquake would make it impossible to rule out falling operating profits.

BONN (Reuters) – SolarWorld, Germany’s No.2 solar company by market value, sees higher sales this year and next, taking heart from a strong U.S. market and a boost to the renewable industry following Japan’s nuclear crisis.

The renewable sector has seen a massive surge since a 9.0-magnitude earthquake caused a nuclear crisis in Japan and governments around the world pledged to speed up switching to renewable sources of energy.

LOS ANGELES/FRANKFURT (Reuters) – Investors who went on this week’s green energy buying binge because of Japan’s nuclear crisis may be in for a painful hangover.

Japan’s race to avert a meltdown at a tsunami-wracked nuclear power plant was viewed as a rallying cry to some supporters of renewable energy, triggering a debate about whether the power source is a safe and viable form of emissions-free energy.

FRANKFURT (Reuters) – Oil prices could spin out of control if markets are hit by a further supply shock similar to that caused by unrest in Libya, according to a Goldman Sachs fund manager.

Brent crude for April delivery soared 26 percent after a wave of civil unrest gripping the Middle East Northern Africa (MENA) region, starting with Tunisia in December, raised concerns about supply shortage of oil.

LONDON/FRANKFURT (Reuters) – Inflation concerns in Europe are showing no signs of letting up, forcing equity investors to reduce exposure to vulnerable sectors, with German shares particularly prone to further inflation risks.

Inflation in Britain rose to 4 percent in January, double the BoE’s targets, while euro zone inflation hit a 15-month high at 2.4 percent and is likely to exceed the ECB’s target of just below 2 percent for most of the year.