So much for Beyond Petroleum.
Bloomberg reports,
BP Plc is exiting the solar business after 40 years, countering a trend led by Google Inc. (GOOG), Warren Buffett and Total SA (FP) of investing in the industry just as competition drives down the cost of sun-based power.
Europe’s second-largest oil company will wind down the unit over several months because it has become unprofitable, BP Solar Chief Executive Officer Mike Petrucci told staff in an internal letter last week. About 100 employees will be affected.
BP Solar is withdrawing from an industry that’s facing oversupply and price pressures after Chinese competitors increased production. Total, Europe’s third-biggest oil company, Buffett and Google have entered the industry with investments over the last six months to take advantage of attractive tax breaks, declining costs and a source of power hedged against high fossil-fuel prices…
I would say this indicates that BP thinks the nonsense subsidies by governments in the way of grants. loan guarentees, feed-in-tariffs, and RPS are going to come to an end. Rejoice, Christ has Risen.