A new analysis from the Association of Danish Industry (DI) among its member companies in the energy sector shows that green energy producers are planning further lay offs this autumn. Green energy producers said they expected a large reduction in employee numbers over the next few months, more so than in other industries.

Spanish electricity company Iberdrola SA said Wednesday its second-quarter net profit fell 5.5% as the consolidation of its Energy East purchase wasn't enough to compensate for falling electricity prices and output.

Wind turbine makers around the world reported 50 percent fewer orders in the first half of 2009 than a year earlier and the market won’t improve until the last three months of the year, an industry consultant said. Manufacturers have made “widespread” job cuts and prices for turbines in Europe and the U.S. have fallen 5 to 25 percent in the same period.

US engineering giant General Electric (GE) yesterday warned that rising steel prices and turmoil on the financial markets will have a negative impact on its fast expanding wind turbine business. Speaking at an event in Germany to publicise its latest turbine, GE Energy's global sales leader for wind energy, Mete Maltepe, said that the rising cost of steel would drive up the price of turbines.

More production problems and one-off charges hammered wind turbine group Clipper Windpower's first half, but the group expects full year revenue to be over $800m and to be close to break-even in the second half. Losses in the six months to June soared to $211m from $78m on revenues of $156m, up from $20m. Increased costs to repair faulty turbines, provisions for inventory obsolescence and higher operating costs caused the higher losses.