Tuesday, December 22, 2009

UPDATE "...First Solar eyes Blanquefort for French plant" (FSLR)

Seeing the name of the town I was reminded of an old wine joke.
[oh God -ed]
We've been following FSLR's French angle for the last eighteen months, there are a couple links below.
From Reuters:

Solar module maker First Solar Inc (FSLR) said it and partner EDF Energies Nouvelles (EEN.PA) were in the final stages of talks to build a new manufacturing plant in Blanquefort, France.

First Solar, which has previously announced it would work with EDF, said the new plant is expected to begin construction in the second half of 2010.

The news follows the Tempe, Arizona-based company's forecast for 2010 last week, when the company's executives said they saw a stronger year ahead. [ID:nLDE5BG03B]

The plant in France, which will create up to 400 jobs at the town near the city of Bordeaux, will cost about $150 million and is expected to reach full production annual capacity of 100 megawatts in early 2012.....MORE

June, 2008
First Solar Moving Into France, Reducing Reliance on Germany (FSLR)

December, 2009
"Lazard Capital Markets ups First Solar profit view" and "EDF taps €1 billion in solar project financing: exclusive use of First Solar modules" (FSLR)

Blanquefort is just northwest of Bordeaux, here's the joke:
At a wine tasting an oenophile is going on and on about wine appreciation, this nose, that finish, his wine travels; all in all living up to Churchill's comment:
"A fanatic is one who can't change his mind and won't change the subject."
Finally he announces "Next week I'm going to Bordeaux" and takes a breath.
From the back of the room a not so rapt listener asks:
"Who's Doe?"