A major solar panel manufacturing plant in Sydney is to be closed down by Silex Systems, the company has announced.
The fact that solar panels were ever constructed in Sydney may come as a revelation to many of you, but this particular site has been experiencing financial problems for some time.
Chief executive officer Michael Goldsworthy said that although there had been some success with restructuring the business, challenging market conditions have still taken their toll on the firm.
Australia is still very much in the slow lane as far as solar panel manufacturing is concerned – for the most part, modules are imported from China and other overseas countries to give you the best deals possible.
While this closure will come as a blow to the Australian industry, you are unlikely to see much of a difference when it comes to your quest to find low-cost solar power systems.
Michael even admitted in an interview with Renew Economy that the odds were pretty much stacked against the company from the start: "It's still a price driven business, it's pretty difficult to compete."
Posted by Mike Peacock