Note 25. Concentrations of Credit and Other Risks

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2011

Risks and Uncertainties [Abstract]

Concentration Risk Disclosure [Text Block]

Note 25. Concentrations of Credit and Other Risks

Customer Concentration. The following customers each comprised 10% or more of our total net sales during the years ended December 31, 2011, December 31, 2010, and December 26, 2009 and/or 10% or more of our total accounts receivable during the years ended December 31, 2011 and December 31, 2010 (dollars in thousands):

	2011								2010								2009
	Net Sales		% of Total NS		A/R Outstanding		% of Total A/R		Net Sales		% of Total NS		A/R Outstanding		% of Total A/R		Net Sales		% of Total NS
Customer #1	$	993,709	36	%	$	43,030	14	%	*		*		*		*		*		*
Customer #2	$	408,508	15	%	$	41,974	14	%	$	317,485	12	%	$	36,471	12	%	$	261,314	13	%
Customer #3	*		*		$	110,184	35	%	*		*		*		*		*		*
Customer #4	*		*		*		*		$	393,758	15	%	$	51,267	17	%	$	356,068	17	%
Customer #5	*		*		*		*		$	293,426	11	%	*		*		*		*
Customer #6	*		*		*		*		*		*		$	37,306	12	%	*		*
Customer #7	*		*		*		*		*		*		$	34,762	11	%	*		*
Customer #8	*		*		*		*		*		*		*		*		$	264,744	13	%

* Net sales and/or accounts receivable to these customers were less than 10% of our total net sales and/or accounts receivable during this period.

Credit Risk. Financial instruments that potentially subject us to concentrations of credit risk are primarily cash, cash equivalents, marketable securities, trade accounts receivable, unbilled accounts receivable, interest rate swap agreements, and derivative instruments. We place cash, cash equivalents, and marketable securities with high-credit quality institutions and limit the amount of credit risk from any one counterparty. For the years ended December 31, 2011, December 31, 2010, and December 26, 2009, our net sales were primarily concentrated among three or fewer customers. We monitor the financial condition of our customers and perform credit evaluations whenever deemed necessary. Depending upon the sales arrangement, we may require some form of payment security from our customers including bank guarantees or commercial letters of credit.

Geographic Risk. Our solar modules are presently predominantly sold to customers for use in solar power systems concentrated in a single geographic region, the European Union. Also, our solar power systems sales are presently predominantly in the United States. These concentrations of our sales in limited geographic regions exposes us to local economic risks and local public policy and regulatory risk in those regions.

Production. Our products include components that are available from a limited number of suppliers or sources. Shortages of essential components could occur due to interruptions of supply or increases in demand and could impair our ability to meet demand for our products. Our modules are presently produced in facilities in Perrysburg, Ohio, Frankfurt/Oder, Germany, and Kulim, Malaysia. Damage to or disruption of facilities could interrupt our business and impair our ability to generate sales.

International Operations. During the year ended December 31, 2011, we derived 55% of our net sales from sales outside our country of domicile, the United States. Therefore, our financial performance could be affected by events such as changes in foreign currency exchange rates, trade protection measures, long accounts receivable collection patterns, and changes in regional or worldwide economic or political conditions.