In the bloody “sub $1” market that 15% crystalline modules are hovering in, there is little room for 8% amorphous panels, specially those competing for rooftop business. Some are surviving in the BIPV arena, where superiod esthetics more than make up for the lack of efficiency.
However word today that ECD filed for Chapter 11 is not a big surprise. Being another Michigan solar panel maker who couldn’t make a go of it (Sunlogics isn’t making panels there either now), its becoming obvious that the market is simply not going to come back to pre-existing pricing, and simply determined that tried and true processes were more efficient than the thinfilm technologies which were trying to compete on a cost per watt basis.
The reality of any commodity market, is that it goes to the low price player. If watts are just watts, you can’t compete at $0.01 more, never mind a $1.00 more which is what ECD tried to command for its product.