Overseas photovoltaic companies are shedding jobs, with the biggest rise in unemployment since 1975
release time:2020-04-11
April 8, U.S. home solar installer Sunrun last week released its first quarter 2020 forecast, saying "Covid-19 has had an impact on our business, " rescinding its 2020 guidance and laying off about 100 employees. Sunrun will provide a three-month benefit guarantee for the laid-off workers. "In America, unemployment is worse than getting a new crown. ". It's not just talk. In a consumer country like the United States, where most people don't have big savings, and there are all kinds of consumer loans, a lot of people will go bankrupt if they are isolated for too long. Sunrun said first-quarter installed capacity was 97 megawatts, compared with 413 megawatts last year, and cash at the end of the quarter was $366 million, an increase of $3 million from the previous quarter. A few months ago, Sunrun had forecast a 15 per cent year-on-year increase, but the highly exposed consumer solar installation business is expected to be hit hard in the coming quarters. Sunrun laid off about 100 workers last week, laid off workers will continue to receive benefits for three months, executives cut pay last month and the company withdrew its 2020 forecast, company insiders said. SUNRUN plans to make the solar installation as contactless as possible by simplifying online licensing and interconnection and using drones for rooftop surveys. Sunrun believes this will accelerate the adoption of automatic instant licensing agreements by local jurisdictions. In our direct business, we completed more installations in late March than in the first half of the year, Sunrun said, although the number of installations was lower than expected due to the outbreak. Even in the midst of a long economic downturn, solar power is still expected to be a reliable source of savings. To that end, Sunrun has just launched a home energy product that includes rooftop solar, with or without battery storage, and a zero down payment of $1 a month for the first six months. "In America, unemployment is worse than getting a new crown. ". It's not just talk. In a consumer country like the United States, where most people don't have big savings, and there are all kinds of consumer loans, a lot of people will go bankrupt if they are isolated for too long. Similarly, Sungevity, another US photovoltaic company, last week announced plans to cut jobs. According to documents released by the California Department of Employment Development, sungparity, a california-based residential solar company, will lay off 387 employees because of the business environment and the outbreak of new coronary pneumonia, involved installation workers, sales team, roof workers and other business personnel. Sunpower is also taking steps to optimize costs in recent days. SUNPOWER expects to save about $50 million by 2020 under measures such as lower executive salaries, a freeze on all hiring and salary increases, and a reduction in capital spending. Unable to fully assess the impact of the COVID-19 crisis on its US and international operations, SunPower also withdrew its 2020 performance guidance. Tesla's vehicle assembly plant in Fremont, US, and its photovoltaic plant in New York have also been shut down as a result of the new crown pneumonia outbreak. In recent days, Tesla has revealed some shocking news about the 75% or so job cuts at its Nevada battery factory. The Solar industry currently employs about 250,000 people in the US and changes in the sector could cost more than half of them jobs, according to the Solar Energy IndustriesAssociation. U.S. jobs report for March: Unemployment rises, biggest monthly increase since 1975. Initial claims for unemployment benefits rose to 3.307 million from March 15 to 21 and 6.648 million from March 22 to 28, a record high, according to the United States Department of Labor, the number of people claiming unemployment benefits in two weeks is a hair's breadth from 10m. In addition to US companies, solar companies around the world are also struggling to cut costs, including but not limited to layoffs. Wacker, a global solar polysilicon giant, recently announced it would cut 1,000 jobs by 2020, SAVING $250m a year in costs. Vikram Solar Ltd, an Indian company, has decided to close a manufacturing plant in West Bengal after the economic downturn and the recent global outbreak put pressure on its supply chain, and laid off 320 workers at the plant. Swiss solar equipment maker Meyerberg has announced a series of measures to reduce costs and combat the spread of the epidemic. To cut staff costs, Meyerberg has cut hours at its Hohenstein-Ernstthal plant in Germany and its factories in Tohn and Hautrive in Switzerland, where executives will be paid 15 per cent to help during the outbreak. Meyerberg has also cut operating costs further by selling its ink-jet printing business. The International Labor Organization has warned that nearly 25 million people could lose their jobs if the outbreak is not brought under control. In the shadow of the epidemic, pay cuts have become one of the few options for companies to stop their losses in an emergency. Car Companies, housing enterprises, retail layoffs into the tide, a century of enterprise difficulties, all walks of life are in the looting. If the epidemic continues, a global wave of unemployment could accelerate.
