Another recent case comes from California. Ausra, a company that has several large solar power plants to build, has announced that it is from this division will retire. Instead, you would prefer solar equipment resellers sell. 11 percent of employees had to go so. At OptiSolar, a start-up, which manufactures and Dünnfilmsolarsysteme plans to build a solar power plant was, is also not good: The company announced the cancellation of half of its staff positions. The reason were having trouble raising new investors.Already in the autumn of last year marked the first problems. In October, BP Solar plans to conduct a large solar plant in the American Frederick for 97 million U.S. dollars to expand. Evergreen Solar, a company that the photovoltaic modules and solar cell manufacturing, stopped at the same time, an 800-million project in China to begin an indefinite period. "It is as if the market is on pause button would be," says Ethan Zindler, head analyst for the North American market at market researcher New Energy Finance.

The market capitalization of the entire U.S. solar industry shrank by 200 billion U.S. dollars in early 2008 to only 60 billion U.S. dollars today. Michael Rogol, Managing Director of renewable energy consultancy specializing PHOTON Consulting, estimates that of approximately 700 companies that his firm is currently on the radar has already been at least 200 serious cash flow problems, and 140 might get it soon. He believes that the selection process is already running.

A glimmer of hope for the once proud industry is by the Obama government adopted economic package. It is a passage to the solar industry could particularly benefit: The law changed the rules, such as tax credits for such investments are handled. Companies that build power plants, can be 30 percent of the costs in the first year off. This might be important, because in the last quarter of 2008, a total of 10 of 14 on such tax-saving models specialized providers from the solar market were out.

Positive signals could also put some major projects. In early February, the California energy company Southern California Edison announced that 1.3 gigawatts of power it with the supplier will buy Bright Source. The company will continue its approval before the end of the year and therefore needs over the next few months still no project financing. The company is also one of 16, which guarantees for the U.S. Energy Department has been approved - a process established by the economic package should be speeded up. A Bright Source spokesman said it was still unclear on what terms these credits would be awarded and whether the company really take the money. But the guarantee was already a great help, despite the credit crisis project financing for companies in the field of renewable energies to obtain.

Another fact that some solar projects could boost is, ironically, is that the recession, prices for the technology currently is jumbled. The producers of the nothing helps that power plant operators, all the more. The Solar Energy Industries Association estimates that the price of solar panels since last summer to 25 percent saturated and even decreased in July by a further 10 percent could go back. Some industry observers expect even that in comparison to 2008 soon only half will be paid.

Alain Harrus, a partner at Crosslink Capital, a venture capital company, among other companies also invested in First Solar, believes that this market offers tremendous influence on the cost of capital will have needed to start new projects. PHOTON Consulting Expert Rogol also provides an opportunity for further price reductions, but will also not be excluded that the costs will soon rise again - the economic packages in the U.S., Japan and Europe were responsible for an increased demand.

The problems facing the solar industry is struggling, are found to a lesser extent also in the wind industry again. Both the FPL Group, the largest wind developers in the U.S., as well as America Renewable Energy Systems (RES) have plans for new projects this year back. RES wants his works cut by half, from 1300 megawatts to just 600th It was the capital of the blame. At least five different European wind projects, including Alpha Ventus, basically north, Butendiek, offshore North Park Innogy and the London Array, have been criticized by financial problems or by the jump of investors at least slowed down.

Michael Ware, senior investment director at Good Energies, said that the U.S. economic package that the interest to solar and wind projects already revived. Some potential investors had already returned to the negotiating table. "The market shows new signs of life. The crisis we are still not guaranteed - the times that we had last summer, are over." And even if the situation is now improving, some market participants believe not that the overall recovery of the industry in a few months is completed.

Judy Chang from the Brattle Group consulting industry says that such financing rounds, and possibly other projects that could be experienced. As long as most governments in the world, however, continue to renewable energy sources continued, is the industry's future assured. "People now hope all good come through in 2009."