Subsidies are falling more quickly than initially planned because of budget cuts or other political disputes between supporters and critics of the subsidy programs.
Forbes reports:
First Solar plans to idle half of its German factory and has applied for a government assistance program to put about 1,200 employees there on a part-time work schedule, the company said Thursday.
The Arizona solar panel maker and project developer plans to reduce production and work hours starting on March 1 if it receives approval from the government program, which would pay part of the workers’ salaries to help make up for what they wouldn’t be getting from First Solar while they are on the part-time schedule.
The company is seeking to use only 50 percent of the factory production lines for six months, said company spokesman Alan Bernheimer. The 1,200 workers make up the entire workforce of the factory, which is located in the state of Brandenburg…