German companies Ersol Solar Energy and Aleo Solar have reported earnings results for the first half of 2008, logging solid gains in profitability.

Ersol Solar reported $33.3 million (€ 22.4 million) in net income on $193.5 million (€ 129.9 million) in revenue for the first six months of 2008, compared with $14.3 million on $104 million in revenue for the same period in 2007.

The gains can be attributed to a variety of factors:  additional suppliers, increased exports, lower pre-production costs in wafers and solar cells  units, and gains from Ersol's Thin Film GmbH division.

“We are anticipating even greater profitability in the last two quarters of 2008," Ersol CFO Ekhard von Dewitz said in a statement.

Ersol forecasts revenue ranging $440 to $480 million and net income between $100 and $120 million for all of 2008.

Separately, Aleo Solar announced first-half earnings gains. The solar cell maker reported $17 million in net income on $237.4 million in revenue in the first half of 2008, compared with $9 million on $134.2 million in the first half of 2007. 

Earnings per share rose to 88 cents per share in this time period, up from 40 cents a share in the same period last year.

Aleo said that 59 percent of its revenue for the first half of 2008 was generated abroad, and it expects international revenue to account for 40 percent of total revenue in 2008 after expansion in Prenzlau, Santa Maria de Palautordera, and Gaomi.

The company expects its year-end revenue to total $490 million.