Media

November 4, 2016

First Solar Slashes Revenue Expectations By $1B As Demand For Solar In China Slows

Sales fell 45.9% to $688 million, and CEO Mark R. Widmar officially slashed sales guidance for 2016 to $2.8-$2.9 billion from $3.8-$4 billion, due to the timing of certain utility-scale solar project sales. By Asia Business Council Adjunct Fellow Jill Baker.

July 29, 2016

4 Things You Need To Know About China’s Record Solar Installations (They Aren’t All Pretty)

We’re used to big numbers from China, but the reported 20 gigawatts or so of solar power that was installed in the first half of 2016 are worth a close look. By Asia Business Council Executive Director Mark Clifford.

July 26, 2016

Chinese Government Subsidies Play Major Part In Electric Car Maker BYD’s Rise

South Korea’s Samsung group apparently bought into China auto maker BYD as a way of improving its prospects in China, where it has struggled against government protection of the local industry. By Asia Business Council Executive Director Mark Clifford.

July 20, 2016

Climate Expert Says China Is A Decade Ahead Of Schedule On Reducing CO2 Emissions

One of China’s top climate scientists says that China is on track to see carbon dioxide emissions peak between 2020 and 2022, almost a decade earlier than the Chinese leadership has promised. By Asia Business Council Adjunct Fellow Jill Baker.

July 20, 2016

China’s BYD And Korea’s Samsung: Can Two Battery Kings Forge A Profitable Partnership?

News that South Korea’s Samsung Electronics plans to invest in China’s leading electric vehicle maker, BYD, raises the prospect of a powerful alliance that could grab pole position in the world’s fastest-growing e-vehicle market. By Asia Business Council Executive Director Mark Clifford.

July 11, 2016

UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon To Beijing: Environmentalists Need Protection, Too

Kudos to UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon for singling out the positive role that environmentalists play in promoting economic growth on his early-July trip to Beijing. By Asia Business Council Executive Director Mark Clifford.

June 19, 2016

First Solar: Value Stock Or Value Trap?

First Solar, the thin-film solar utility-scale project developer, has seen its stock punished this year, losing over a quarter of its value. Is First Solar a long-term value stock or a proverbial “value trap”? By Asia Business Council Adjunct Fellow Jill Baker.

April 29, 2016

China’s Quest for Clean Tech

Asia Business Council Executive Director Mark Clifford talked to Young China Watchers about China, renewable energy, and economic growth.

April 5, 2016

EVENT AUDIO | Mark Clifford on China After the Paris Climate Conference

Asia Business Council Executive Director Mark Clifford drew upon his latest research to outline the global and domestic context of the energy and environmental policies that China has further embraced since Paris. A podcast interview on his book can be found here.

October 19, 2015

Optimism Fades Among Asian Business Leaders: Asia Business Council Survey

The annual Asia Business Council survey showed that only 22% thought that business conditions would improve over the next 12 months. By Asia Business Council Executive Director Mark Clifford.