Br Solar International just announced that it will be getting rid of a manufacturing plant in Spain and will reduce production at its Frederick, Maryland plant in the US. This will result in 620 workers being laid off. BP does plan to increase PV production from 159 MW to 320MW, but the increased production will take place in India and China.

Reyad Fezzani, chief executive at BP Solar, advised BusinessGreen.com that his company is still committed to producing solar energy for both the US and Europe:

"Both Europe and the US remain key markets for photovoltaics," he said. "We believe that a growing market is the way to create material solar-related jobs – and three out of every four of those jobs will be in downstream distribution, construction, installation, financing and other support services."