Siemens to Shut down Solar Power Unit

[dumbcat]

2. And another article.

http://www.renewableenergyworld.com/rea/news/article/2013/06/siemens-will-shut-solar-unit-on-1-billion-in-losses-since-2011?cmpid=SolarNL-Tuesday-June18-2013

Siemens’ solar operations offered solar-thermal power technology, whereby mirrors in so-called parabolic troughs focus sunlight on liquids to generate steam and power turbines.

The segment has been undermined by plummeting costs in the competing photovoltaic panel sector. Three years ago energy from the latter was 10 percent more expensive than solar-thermal, while now it is less than half as much, according to data compiled by Bloomberg New Energy Finance.

Siemens’ solar unit also struggled because of the perception in North Africa, one of the biggest markets for the industry, that the unit was an Israeli company, making it hard to do business there amid the region’s political tensions, according to a person familiar with the company’s strategy, who asked not to be named because of the matter’s sensitivity. Wolf declined to comment.

If a huge global company like Siemens can't survive an industry shakeout, what chances to the little guys have?