US solar panel makers turn away from utilities

New York

THE top two US solar manufacturers are shifting away from the biggest domestic market because utilities aren't signing as many deals to buy electricity from their giant power plants.

SunPower Corp, the No 2 US panelmaker, said on Tuesday that it's turning its attention to rooftop power, while First Solar Inc, the biggest producer, now expects more of its growth to come from selling panels to other companies.

The two companies built some of the world's biggest solar farms, projects that would never have been completed unless utilities had agreed to buy the power. Because of a shift in tax policy at …