Solar Focus

U.S. Voters Deliver Mixed Message to Renewable Energy

2010-11-03T23:04:00.000-07:00

Sarah McBride/Reuters

LOS ANGELES, Nov 3 (Reuters) - Tuesday's U.S. election results sent a mixed message on alternative energy, with Republican victories in Congress likely to curb national alternative-energy policy while California results look set to help the sector.

Shares reflected the confusion, with solar stocks mostly down in the morning but recovering in late afternoon. First Solar (FSLR.O) finished flat while SunPower Corp (SPWRA.O) rose 1.3 percent, Suntech Power (STP.N) rose 2.5 percent and JA Solar (JASO.O) firmed 3.5 percent.

Big Republican wins in the U.S. House of Representatives make it unlikely that a bill to curb emissions from fossil fuels or establish renewable-energy goals will make it through Congress.

But in California, clean-energy policies apparently struck a chord with voters, who handed the governorship to Democrat Jerry Brown, a strong proponent of cutting emissions and boosting alternative-energy industries.

California voters also trounced a ballot initiative that would have suspended clean-energy goals until unemployment fell sharply. With 93 percent of precincts reporting, 61 percent of voters had rejected the measure, known as Proposition 23.

The victory in California, the nation's most populous state and by far its biggest market for renewable energy, helped compensate for disappointments at a national level.

The results ensure "that California and the entire United States will continue to grow the clean industries and reclaim leadership in the world," said Rhone Resch, head of the Solar Energy Industries Association.

"I would expect in the next two years that you will see the U.S. becoming the largest solar market in the world, surpassing Germany, China and other countries," he added.

The U.S. renewables sector employs about 93,000 people, a figure that SEIA has predicted would grow by at least 26 percent next year. Resch said the number of jobs could double thanks to growth in California.

SHADOW REMOVED

The threat of California's Proposition 23 had cast a shadow over the clean-energy sector, throwing into jeopardy a policy that the state's public utilities draw 33 percent of their energy from renewable sources by 2020. Passage of the measure could have allowed utilities to slow plans to ink contracts with solar and wind developers.

With the mandate for the 33 percent clean-energy goal now clear, it could trigger more business for solar-power developers as utilities gear up to meet it. The clarity will also help developers win financial backers.

"When you have a clear policy environment, it makes it a lot easier to find investors," said Arno Harris, chief executive officer of Recurrent Energy, a developer of solar plants that has agreed to be taken over by Sharp Corp (6753.T).

"What we've seen time and time again is that investors and lenders really want to see from a firm policy standard."

New agreements could be announced in the next few months, industry veterans say.

The wide margin of defeat gives lawmakers and regulators something of a mandate to go further, according to John Cheney, chief executive of Silverado Power LLC, a solar power developer.

"What this does is put immediate pressure on increasing the renewable energy standard," he said. "It will eventually go much higher than 33 percent."

A potential hiccup lies in California's Proposition 26, which was approved by voters and requires a two-thirds majority to pass various fees, levies and charges that would be declared taxes. But it is unclear how big an impact the proposition will have on clean energy.

Critics say the measure could affect the carbon cap-and-trade plan that the state's Air Resource Board released last week, by forcing the state to set up the trading of carbon permits under the plan in a way that wouldn't count as a tax under Proposition 26.

But Mary D. Nichols, who heads the board, said in a statement that the proposition doesn't impair the state's 2008 plan for reducing greenhouse gases or any regulations developed under the plan. Those regulations include the proposed cap-and-trade plan.

California is part of a group of 11 states and Canadian provinces known as the Western Climate Initiative. Members are supposed to start regional carbon trading in 2012.

New Mexico's participation in the carbon-trading plan is being thrown into question after the victory of Republican Susana Martinez in the governor's race. She opposes the cap-and-trade plan.

In California, an area where developers are seeking clarification is on how much renewable energy California utilities will be able to purchase from out-of-state plants, like those planned for just over the border in Arizona and Nevada, where costs are cheaper.

That issue will likely be hammered out by legislators in coming months, industry analysts say. (Additional reporting by Matt Daily in New York; Editing by Leslie Adler, Gary Hill)

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China's Polysilicon Price Rallying on Expanding Demand

2010-07-18T00:22:00.000-07:00

BEIJING, Jul 16, 2010 (Xinhua via COMTEX) --

China's polysilicon price is rallying drastically as the demand on the downstream PV market has expanded rapidly this year.

An industry insider told Xinhua-run Shanghai Securities News that due to higher production cost and a shorter term of product delivery, the price of home-made polysilicon is about 450 yuan per kilogram or 66 US dollars per kilogram, which is much higher than the imported price of 60 US dollars/kilogram, though the home-made product is inferior to imported one.

The suspension of production at Mitsubishi, the largest producer of silicon in the world, and the suspension of supply by OTC, another large-scale silicon producer in Japan, has aggravated the shortage of raw-material supply of silicon on the global market.

On the current market, both solar cell producers and silicon wafer producers are worrying that the inventory of polysilicon to ensure a normal production is in a badly low level, and the inventory of some companies can only meet the demand for one-week production.

China has a big polysilicon production capacity, which is estimated at 100,000 tonnes a year by the end of this year, but only 57,000 tonnes of production capacity has been constructed and actual production was 20,230 tonnes at the end of 2009.

Market watchers are predicting that the price of polysilicon will reach a high of 70 to 80 US dollars or 476 to 544 yuan and the price rally is to kick off a new round of development in the PV market.

In these circumstances, those PV solar power companies with an integrated industrial chain, especially those with polysilicon production capacity like LDK Solar (LDK.NYSE), are more likely to find favor in the market.

LDK Solar, a solar wafer and PV product manufacturer in China, is building a polysilicon plant with an annual production capacity of 15,000 tonnes, and has put the first phase project with a capacity of 5,000 tonnes into trial operation. With the capacity of ensuring polysilicon supply and lowering production costs, such solar power companies may seize a bigger market share on the burgeoning PV market. (Edited by Han Bing)

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Mayfield Fund Invests $21.5 Million in SolarCity Inc...

2010-07-16T23:58:00.000-07:00

Mayfield Fund is a veteran venture firm that typically makes early-stage, technology-focused investments. But it has taken a different route with its first investment in the solar space.

Its lead role in a new $21.5 million round for SolarCity Inc., which installs and leases solar systems for homes and businesses, is a growth-stage deal in a company with a services-oriented business model.

“There’s so much innovation happening in solar cell technology, you just don’t know who will win,” said Navin Chaddha, a managing director at Mayfield who’s taking an observer seat on SolarCity’s board. “It’s best to go with a technology-agnostic company that owns the residential and commercial customers.”

The venture firm provided the majority of the Series E-1 round, according to Chaddha. He called the deal a growth investment, since SolarCity is already profitable. It came out of Mayfield’s $400 million 13th fund, of which about 30% is dedicated to growth-stage deals, while the rest is for early-stage, he said. The deal closed in June, according to Chaddha.

SolarCity was valued at $250 million when solar panel maker First Solar Inc. bought a 10% stake for $25 million in 2008. Since then SolarCity’s revenue has grown five-fold, Chaddha said, and the valuation is higher as well. He declined to give specifics but said the valuation is not five times what it was a year and a half ago.

Other participants in the latest round were existing investors Draper Fisher Jurvetson, DBL Investors and Generation Capital.

SolarCity, based in Foster City, Calif., will use the funding to make select acquisitions, expand to new states in the U.S. and hire personnel, according to Chaddha. The company recently bought the assets of an energy efficiency projects company called Building Solutions.

SolarCity’s solar installations now cover thousands of roofs but can go on a million more, Chaddha said, adding that the company has done more residential and commercial installations in California than any other company.

Mayfield has made several other clean technology-focused investments, including demand response company CPower Inc. and Lattice Power Corp., a maker of materials for the manufacturing of light emitting diodes.

“We want to bring IT to the energy business,” said Chaddha of the firm’s clean-tech focus. Within this space, it’s looking at lighting, smart control systems, software for energy management, networking technology for smart grid, and other sub-sectors.

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Clean-Tech Investments Hit a High, With Solar Shining Brightest

2010-07-13T21:42:00.000-07:00

The solar energy sector has re-emerged as a favorite among green-tech investors, who also lined up behind biofuel companies at a time when crude oil began to gush from a BP well in the Gulf and carmakers were getting ready to launch cars partly or completely run on electricity.

Clean-tech venture investments for these two sectors stood out among the deals announced during the second quarter, in which $2.02 billion -- a 43% jump from the same period last year -- went to 140 private companies worldwide, according to a preliminary report from the Cleantech Group and Deloitte released Thursday. In all, green-tech companies raised $4.04 billion for the first half of this year, beating the record of $4.02 billion set during the first half of 2008.

Although investors were more bullish during the second quarter than they were a year ago, they clocked slightly less than the $2.04 billion (among 192 deals) recorded for this year's first quarter.

Corporate investors are playing a bigger role in green tech. Some of them needed to pony up to meet government mandates, while others sought to enter or expand their reach in various emerging green-tech sectors. Corporate giants, such as Shell (RDS.A) and Alstom (ALSMY), took part in about 15% of the second-quarter deals.

"Public Markets Are Pretty Much Closed"

Raising money from going public remains difficult for many startups. Eight companies have postponed or ditched their initial public offerings so far this year, including the high-profile cancellation by Solyndra, a California-based maker of solar panels that decided to sell $175 million in convertible notes instead of going public.

The lackluster IPO market likely led to some of the large private equity and debt deals that exceeded $100 million during the second quarter, says Richard Youngman, the Cleantech Group's vice president of global research. Some startups also were able to raise good money after they had received federal stimulus funds.

"We have companies that are much more mature, and the need for capital is much greater. Public markets are pretty much closed," says Youngman. "If you look at some of the mega deals, you'll see a strong correlation between those who had received funding from government programs within the last year."

Shiny Deals in Solar, Smart Grid

The solar sector was a big winner in the second quarter. It garnered $811 million among 26 deals, including the debt financing by Solyndra. California's BrightSource Energy raised $150 million in equity and counted French industrial giant Alstom as a new investor. Another California company, Amonix, raised $129.4 million in equity.

Solar power has gotten a lot of love from American utilities, particularly because many states now require their electricity retailers to increase the amount of renewable energy they sell. Many utilities are both building their own solar farms as well as buying solar electricity from producers. They signed 1,539 megawatts of power purchase agreements for the first half of this year, a 148% hike from 621 megawatts in the second half of 2009, the Cleantech Group says.

Meanwhile, companies that are figuring out various steps for making fuels from plants, agricultural wastes or other types of biomass collectively raised $302 million in 13 deals during the second quarter. High-profile deals include the $61 million in equity from California-based Amyris Biotechnologies, which also raised an additional $47.8 million from Singapore's Temasek Holdings. Virent Energy Systems in Wisconsin received $46 million from Shell and Cargill Ventures, while Kior in Texas grabbed $40 million.

Smart-grid and energy-efficiency technology developers also pocketed substantial investments. The term "smart grid" refers to a wide range of software and equipment to help utilities and their customers better monitor and manage energy distribution and use. The sector raised $256 million in 11 deals during the second quarter. Landis+Gyr, a Swiss maker of meters with advanced communication technology, raised $165 million. Florida-based OpenPeak, which creates home energy management devices, bagged $52 million.

China's Clean-Tech Push

Overall, the second quarter saw 19 IPOs totaling $2.31 million, and 12 of the offerings totaling $1.73 billion came from the Chinese market. California-based Tesla Motors (TSLA) was among the three companies that went public in North America and collectively raised $304 million.

"Right now, data suggest that if there's appetite for clean-tech IPOs, then that appetite is stronger in the East than the West," Youngman says. Some of the largest Chinese IPOs over the past year: China Longyuan Electric Power raised $2.2 billion, while Chongqing Water raised $511 million.

Although Tesla Motors' $226 million IPO this week met with an enthusiastic investor response, it was an exception. When Solyndra filed to go public last December, it was looking at raising as much as $300 million. But the company, which had raised $970 million in equity and won approval for a $535 million federal government loan to build a factory, said unfavorable market conditions forced it to cancel the IPO.

Nobao Renewable Energy, a Chinese company that builds geothermal energy systems to heat and cool buildings, also ditched its IPO plan last month. Trony Solar, a maker of amorphous-silicon solar panels in China, postponed its IPO as well last December.

Meanwhile, JinkoSolar (JKS), a crystalline-silicon solar panel maker from China, went public on the New York Stock Exchange in May this year and failed to excite investors. The company's shares launched at $11 and closed at $11.01 on the first day.

See full article from DailyFinance: http://srph.it/9AJcjJ

Yingli Secures $5 Billion Loan from Development Bank

2010-07-10T11:37:00.000-07:00

China may double the world’s capacity for making solar panels by loaning Yingli Green Energy Holding Co. 36 billion yuan ($5.3 billion) to expand production, a Bloomberg New Energy Finance analyst said.

The funds from the state-run China Development Bank Corp. follow an agreement to lend as much as 50 billion yuan to Suntech Power Holdings Co. in April. Some 30 billion yuan was also loaned to Trina Solar Ltd. by the bank in the same month, according to New Energy Finance. The three New York-traded companies are China’s biggest solar firms by market value.

“The loans are enough to increase the world’s solar wafer and cell capacity by 100 percent,” said Jenny Chase, head of solar-energy analysis for New Energy Finance in London. “It will allow the Chinese companies to deliver unprecedented economies of scale.”

The money will allow China to strengthen its position as the world’s largest maker of solar panels used to generate electricity from the sun’s rays. Yingli and its Chinese competitors shipped 43 percent of the world’s solar panels last year, according to the London-based research group owned by Bloomberg LP.

Yingli will use the funds to finance both domestic development and boost its overseas business, the Baoding-based company said in a statement on its website. The company didn’t provide further details or disclose terms of the loan.

China Development Bank also extended an eight-year loan of $70 million to Yingli in December 2008 to fund expansion. The company said in a separate statement it has started production on a solar panel factory able to make 400 megawatts of generation capacity a year.

Capacity Expansion

Yingli expects its newest production lines to reach full capacity by the end of the third quarter, raising its total output capacity to 1 gigawatt. The China Development Bank loan may be enough to raise Yingli’s production capacity to as much as 5 gigawatts, Chase said.

The 50 billion yuan loan agreement with Suntech may be used to help expand output capacity, said spokesman Rory Macpherson.

“The strategic agreement signifies China Development Bank’s confidence in the ongoing growth of Suntech and the solar industry,” he said. “The use of the funds was not specified though could potentially be used for capacity expansion.”

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IMS Research Estimates 14.6GW Installed in 2010

2010-07-10T11:25:00.000-07:00

Despite only a small improvement in solar inverter component supply expected in the second-half of the year, IMS Research has raised its forecast for global photovoltaics system installations. The market research firm expects installs to reach 14.6 GW, a 95% increase from 2009 and nearly three times size of the market back in 2008. Increased demand from Germany and other European countries is fuelling demand but growth in other regions such as the U.S. is playing a part, IMS Research said.

“Basing our forecast on inverter production is incredibly important this year as it’s well documented that inverter supply is limiting the PV market to a massive extent,” noted Ash Sharma, PV Research Director at IMS Research. “Although demand may be higher than this 14.6GW, if customers are not able to secure inverters then installations will not be completed.”

According to the market research firm, the top three markets in 2010 will be Germany, Italy and Czech Republic, which are predicted to install a combined 9.8GW of new PV capacity. Germany is expected to account for some 47% of new capacity, IMS Research said.

However, emerging markets in Asia and North America will gain share over Europe, leading to a slight share fall for EMEA countries to 78% of the market.

With acute shortages in top-brand inverters, IMS Research noted that double ordering is taking place.

“It’s possible we may see a large number of orders cancelled in 2H’10 or excess inventory in the supply chain,” noted Sharma.

German Lawmakers Compromise on FiT Reductions

2010-07-09T10:43:00.000-07:00

German lawmakers have today (July 9) approved the easing of solar subsidy cuts for three months, lessening the blow by three percentage points until the end of September. The proposal has now been passed by a committee of both houses of parliament, changing the government plan to cut subsidies for solar power fed into Germany's electricity grid by 16% for rooftop equipment, 15% for farmland and 11% for spaces such as former industrial or military sites.

The reductions will be introduced retroactively from July 1, scaled back by three percentage points for each category until Sept. 30, when the full 16, 15 and 11% cuts will take effect.

Germany's solar industry says the three-month reprieve will do little to shield the industry, beyond offering a slightly softer landing in the short term. Industry representatives in Germany have warned this week that the feed-in tariff cut will increase pressure on companies such as Q-Cells and Solarworld as they face competition from producers in China.

"Germany's solar industry now faces the big challenge of lowering production costs even faster than they were cut in the past," said Carsten Koernig, head of the BSW German solar-industry lobby.

"It's not much of a concession, and it won't really change anything for any companies," said another spokesman for trade body BSW. "But we're happy the debate is finally coming to an end, so industry and consumers will have a basis on which to make plans."

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Ontario Announces Update to FiT Program

2010-07-08T23:02:00.000-07:00

As of July 1, 2010, the amount of applications for photovoltaic systems installed under the micro-generation feed-in tariff in Ontario, Canada, reached 16,000. The majority of these applications have been for ground-mounted systems and thus, the Ontario Power Authority (OPA) has designed a FiT cut for any systems of this kind of 10kW or less, to stop the pressure this will place on tax payers.

Several sources are now reporting that more than 10,000 solar applications in Ontario are on now hold as a direct result of this cut. The previous price being paid by the power authority was 80.2 cents per kWh of energy generated. This is one of the most generous FiTs in the world, which is one of the reasons the Ontario market has taken off so well in the past year. However, the FiT rate will now drop to 58.8 cents per kWh for all ground-mounted systems of 10kW or less. Without this cut, energy and infrastructure minister Brad Duguid said that Ontario taxpayers would have had a CAD$1 billion price to pay over 20 years. "(It) would have been irresponsible for us to have let it continue," he said.

"The OPA believes the new price category is fair, reasonable, more accurately reflects the costs associated with ground-mounted projects and maintains the long-term stability of the program," says Colin Andersen, chief executive officer of the Ontario Power Authority. "It enables the program to continue to meet its original goals and provides proper value to both generators and ratepayers."

However, these cuts, as expected, have caused mixed feelings, and a great amount of uncertainty in the market. Some in the industry say it's unfair to change the rate after people have submitted proposals for a contract though the OPA and that applications already sent should still receive the original higher rate of 80.2 cents. Others are behind the cuts, agreeing that since the cost for small, ground-mounted solar installations have turned out to be lower than expected, the annual rate of return is around 25%, meaning that with the higher rate the industry would be "way out of whack," and for which consumers would otherwise ultimately bear significant cost.

"We have a whole lot of unhappy customers right now," said Bruce Knight, president of London-based Ontario Solar Farms, which designs, sells and installs ground-mounted solar installations.

Knight said the company has provided approximately 50 quotes to people who want a contract or are awaiting word on applications they've submitted while a large proportion have already invested money in their planned installation. Knight believes that the province should not be changing the price for applications which are already in the pipeline, "It's not the way normal business operates," he said.

The planned price change was announced via e-mail on July 2 to applicants, causing uproar since the province had initially stipulated that it would review its terms and policies in September 2011. Yet since the OPA has been flooded with applications in recent months the decision had to be made to chop the subsidies.

The lucky few

The change will not affect micro-FiT producers who already have a 20-year contract at the 80.2-cent rate; the OPA has assured these people that they will continue to receive the original price. Installations of over 10kW will still receive the set amount of 44.3 cents per kWh.

The OPA has now begun a 30-day consultation period on the price change, however it looks very likely that this cut will go through as planned.

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SMA Raises Guidance for FY2010

2010-07-07T21:05:00.000-07:00

The solar inverter market leader, SMA Solar Technology has made a significant upward revision to its revenue guidance for 2010 on the back of strong demand. The company said it expected revenue to be between €1.5 and €1.8 billion for the year. Previously, SMA Solar guided revenue to be between €1.1 and €1.3 billion. The worldwide solar market could reach 14GW installed, compared to previous expectations of the market reaching 9GW to 11GW in 2010.

The upward revisions to both revenue and global market growth suggest the critical shortages of inverter components, primarily semiconductors is expected to ease in the second-half of the year as IC suppliers increase production allocations to customers such as SMA Solar to better meet booing demand.

SMA Solar noted that delivery times for its inverters would gradually improve in
the second-half of the year. The company previously noted that recent capacity expansions at facilities were underutilized due to the shortages in components.

The company said that sales topped €800 million for the first six months 2010 and sold more than 3.1GW of inverter output. However, SMA Solar noted that it expected a decline in the German market and a stronger growth of foreign markets in 2011.

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Hyundai to Double Module and Cell Capacity by 2011

2010-06-30T20:54:00.000-07:00

In another move by a Korean conglomerate to expand solar PV manufacturing, Hyundai Heavy Industries said it plans to double its annual module and cell production capacity from the current levels of 320MW and 370MW to 600MW, respectively, by early 2011. The company, which claims to be the largest PV cell and module producer in South Korea, will complete the near-doubling of its capacity through the expansion of its solar power factory in Eumseong, north Choong-cheong province, by early next year and start full-scale production from the second quarter of 2011.

The company said the decision to expand the Eumseong facility was based on increasing demand for solar cells and solar modules from Germany, Italy, Czech Republic, and other European countries where suppliers cannot meet the demand.

“We already had enough orders for this year, and we are now receiving orders for next year," said Kim Kweon-tae, COO of Hyundai Heavy’s electro electric systems division. "Our target is to be [in the] global top 10 with annual sales of 2 trillion won (US$1.645 billion)and annual production capacity of 1GW by 2012.”

Farther up the PV production stream, Hyundai Heavy has also been processing 3000 tons of polysilicon prototypes at Korea Advanced Materials, a company jointly established with KCC.

It also aims to be the first Korean solar power company with a vertically integrated production scheme--from polysilicon through complete systems--by having an annual production capacity of 100MW of ingots and wafers as well.

Hyundai Heavy is one of several Korean companies along the value chain that are making sizeable investments in solar PV production and seeking to break into the top tier of global solar players.

Samsung Electronics told PV-Tech recently that it plans to spend $6 billion on building up its solar PV capabilities over the next decade, with a stated objective of scaling to multi-gigawatt-level manufacturing capacities.

LG Electronics said earlier this week that it has opened a pair of c-Si solar cell production lines, one for multicrystalline cells, the other for monocrystalline, as the first part of its own longer-term manufacturing strategy.

On the materials side, Korean polysilicon producer OCI (formerly DC Chemical) announced that it wants to become the number-two supplier of the key raw material, with plans for ramping capacity to 32,000MT by the end of 2011.

Capital equipment maker Jusung Engineering signed a deal earlier this year worth nearly US$139 million to supply turnkey c-Si and thin-film production equipment to Chinese company G Group--said to be the largest single contract in Jusung's history.

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Japan: White Paper Calls for Promotion of Renewables

2010-06-14T21:59:00.000-07:00

TOKYO, Jun. 14, 2010 (Kyodo News International) -- Japan needs to promote the use of renewable energy including wind and solar power to secure a stable energy supply amid a rise in global energy demand due to rapid growth in China and other emerging economies, a government white paper said Tuesday.

In the fiscal 2009 energy white paper approved at a Cabinet meeting, the government said Japan's ratio of renewable energy to overall energy supply is comparable to the ratios for Germany and Spain, which are promoting the use of renewable energy.

The renewable energy ratio stood at 6 percent in 2007, compared with 9 percent for Germany and 7 percent for Spain, according to the white paper.

To ensure the spread of renewable energy, however, Japan should fully introduce feed-in tariffs -- a premium rate paid for renewable energy-generated electricity and fed back into the electricity grid -- and ease conditions for power generation facilities, the annual report said.

It also pointed out the need to establish the network of the next-generation smart grid based on information technology, to make energy use more effective.

The white paper gave Japan a score of 1.8 in evaluating its energy self-sufficiency, including nuclear power generation, on a scale of 1 to 10.

Japan should secure rights to develop natural resources abroad and steadily stockpile oil, the paper said.

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School Districts Look to Solar Power to Cut Costs

2010-06-13T21:52:00.000-07:00

Last Updated Sunday, Jun 13 2010 12:00 PM

School districts throughout Kern County are hoping to save thousands of dollars a year on energy costs by contracting with companies offering solar power.

The latest plan is coming out of Greenfield Union School District in south Bakersfield. The district hopes to have companies install solar panels on top of roofs of nearly all 11 campuses (Ollivier Middle School is excluded because of efficiency concerns).

Instead of paying PG&E for power, as it does now, the district would pay the solar power provider installing the panels directly under the plan. The move could save the district more than $50,000 a year, and $4.6 million after 20 years, Superintendent Chris Crawford said.

"We are really excited about this," Crawford said. "There are the savings, and it allows us to budget our power costs."

Greenfield trustees earlier in the week heard a presentation from Enfinity, a solar energy company of investors, and Garland Energy Systems, a solar panel provider and consulting resource.

Trustees have given Crawford the OK to draw up an action item school board members could vote on later this month. If approved, the panels would be installed at no cost to the district under the contract.

At the meeting, trustees asked how the panels would look, whether they would affect roof warranties and most importantly, how much the district could save. The district paid PG&E about $800,000 for energy the last 12 months, and hopes to save $56,000 the first year with the solar panels, Crawford said.

Saving money is a priority for schools county and statewide as they deal with unprecedented budget cuts. Greenfield is working with a $5.5 million budget reduction for next year.

Another local school district -- Standard School District -- has discussed options with Chevron, a company that makes up 75 percent of the district's tax base. The company would provide solar energy from its solar farms to the district, which has lost roughly $3.7 million since 2008.

"We're all looking for solutions because we're not getting solutions from Sacramento. You have to take matters into your own hands," said Superintendent Kevin Silberberg, who also shared that the district also added artificial turf at one of its elementary schools to cut landscaping costs. "Everyone is looking for creative ways to cut costs."

Adding solar panels to schools saves money, certainly, but it also stamps the school as "green conscious" and sustainable, officials said. School districts contract for solar panels instead of buying them partly because there is no incentive to the public agencies.

In Mojave, where the sun shines clear most of the year, school leaders at Mojave Unified are discussing solar options.

"We're doing our homework," Superintendent Larry Phelps said. "We want to be as green as we can, and we're trying to look at long-term costs."

Installing solar panels and attempts to cut energy costs at schools are nothing new; they're just becoming hotter with looming budget cuts, officials said.

Kern High School District is using an efficient air-chilling unit and motion sensors to shut off machines when not in use, according to previous Californian reports.

Schools throughout the Rosedale area recycle paper, and the money earned goes back to their schools. At Fruitvale School District, officials measured and tracked HVAC and lighting systems to save money.

At the 40-plus campuses in the Bakersfield City School District, temperatures are adjusted and automatic shutdown software was installed.

And at Bakersfield College, plans expected to be live as early as fall call for covering the northeast parking lot with solar panels, a project that will supply about a third of the campus's energy needs. A similar project is planned for Cal State Bakersfield.

Back at Greenfield, the district is looking at the plan as a way to catch a break from the ups and downs of power costs. If approved, the solar providers have 18 months to get panels installed.

"What it's doing is helping the school districts out in a really tough time," said Sean Gavin, with Garland Energy Systems' local office. "I think that's what this whole solar initiative is supposed to do."

PG&E, which loses out when districts change services, said representatives work with schools to cut costs. The company, however, supports customers' right to choose, said Cindy Pollard, PG&E spokeswoman.

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Agency Announces Rental Rates for Solar Power Plants on Public Land

2010-06-13T21:34:00.000-07:00

The federal Bureau of Land Management has announced the rental fees it plans to charge for any solar power plants constructed on public lands – and they aren't cheap.

A 400-megawatt solar photovoltaic power plant installed in Riverside County, California, for example – where a number of solar power plants have been proposed – could be required to pay as much as about $3.5 million a year under the bureau's fee structure.

"Publishing this rental schedule moves our nation closer to creating a new energy frontier – one that relies more on renewable, clean, energy sources," said Bob Abbey, director of the Bureau of Land Management, in a news release. "We are providing the solar energy industry the level of certainty it needs about the costs associated with projects on the public lands and ensuring a fair return to American taxpayers for the use of their public lands."

The bureau recently had 175 active applications under environmental review for large-scale solar power projects proposed on public lands in six western states. Fourteen solar projects are undergoing "fast-track" reviews that follow the same procedures as others but are expedited to allow the projects, if approved, to qualify for economic stimulus funding before the end of 2010 under the Recovery and Reinvestment Act.

Rhone Resch, president and chief executive of the Solar Energy Industries Association, said in a prepared statement that "while oil and gas companies have received more than 74,000 permits to operate on federal lands in the past two decades, utility-scale solar developers have received zero. We applaud Interior Secretary [Ken] Salazar and BLM Director Abbey for achieving this milestone and taking another step toward the clean-energy future that the American public wants." A recent poll showed about three-fourths of Americans support putting solar power plants on public lands, he said.

The Bureau of Land Management is required under the law to collect annual rent payments for right-of-way authorizations on public lands. The law stipulates that the rents reflect fair market value.

The solar rental schedule was developed by the bureau, the Department of the Interior and the Department of Energy. It consists of a "base rent" that will be charged for the amount of acreage taken up and a "megawatt capacity fee" based on a plant's power output.

The rent per acre will vary from county to county and is based on values published by the National Agricultural Statistics Service. Examples range from $313.88 per acre in Riverside County, Calif., and Yuma County, Ariz., to $15.70 per acre in Pima County, Ariz.; Mineral County, Nev.; and Hidalgo and Luna counties, N.M. Most of the land managed by the bureau is in 12 Western states.

The capacity fee will be charged annually once a power plant begins operations, but will be phased in over a five-year period. The fee will start at 20 percent the first year, then rise to 40 percent the second, 60 percent the third, 80 percent the fourth, and 100 percent in the fifth year and every year thereafter. Solar power plants are expected to have typical lifetimes of 25 years or more. The nation's oldest utility-scale solar photovoltaic and solar thermal power plants, both in California, are now about 26 years old, and continue to operate.

The capacity fee will vary depending on the type of solar technology used in a power plant. It is based on a formula that includes the production efficiency of the electricity generation and the average return on a federal 20-year bond.

For solar PV technology -- the type also used on homeowner and small-business rooftops – the fee will be $5,256 per year per megawatt of capacity.

For concentrated photovoltaics, which use mirrors or lenses to focus light onto semiconductor materials, and for concentrated solar thermal plants, which use the sun to heat up materials to run generating turbines, the megawatt capacity fee will be $6,570 if the plants have no way to store significant amounts of heat to continue to produce electricity when the sun isn't shining.

For concentrated solar plants with storage capacities of three hours or more, the fee will be $7,884 per megawatt per year.

As an example, the bureau said, the capacity fee for a 400-mw photovoltaic installation would be $2,102,400 annually. If the plant were in Riverside County, Calif., and occupied 4,410 acres, its base rent would be $1,384,211, and the combination in the first year would total $3,486,611. Total fees would be higher for concentrated solar plants.

Power plants using all types of solar technologies are proposed on bureau-managed lands in Riverside County and other locations in California, Arizona, Nevada, New Mexico, Colorado and Utah, but none have been approved.

The policy takes effect immediately, the Bureau of Land Management said.

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Suntech Launches Concept Museum

2010-06-12T20:12:00.000-07:00

WUXI, China, June 11 /PRNewswire-Asia/ -- Suntech Power Holdings Co., Ltd. (NYSE: STP), one of the world's leading producers of solar panels, today launched the Low Carbon Concept Museum at Suntech Headquarters. Al Gore, Chairman of the Alliance for Climate Protection, former Vice President of the United States, and a world-renowned environmental advocate, was on hand to commemorate the event.

"I am honored to be here with my friend, Dr. Shi, for the launch of the Low Carbon Concept Museum," said Al Gore following the launch ceremony. "The climate crisis can be solved but only with the rapid deployment of technologies in China, the United States and around the world that reduce the pollution that causes global warming."

The Suntech Low Carbon Concept Museum provides an educational introduction to our world's energy and environmental challenges, particularly climate change. Examining the age-old relationship between energy and human civilization, from the creation of fire to the development of solar technology, the interactive exhibition serves as an open platform for the local community and school children to learn about the impacts of carbon-based energy production on our planet. Underneath the world's largest solar facade, comprised of more than 2,600 semi-transparent Light Thru(TM) solar panels, the sunlit lobby of Suntech Headquarters presents an ideal venue for exploring the world's energy and environmental future.

"We are inspired by Al Gore's continued leadership in driving global awareness about the costs and dangers of fossil fuel energy production - most importantly, climate change," said Dr. Zhengrong Shi, Suntech's Founder, Chairman and CEO, in a speech at the launch event. "Suntech stands in solidarity with all those working around the world to create a green future for our children. That process begins with education."

Suntech is committed to promoting global energy and environmental education to foster the next generation of social leaders and solar scientists. Over the last year, Suntech donated 200 sets of solar testing and engineering equipment for schools across China; provided a basic education scholarship fund and solar systems for three remote schools in Tibet; donated a 3kW solar system to a rural school in Morogoro, Tanzania; and subsidized a 10kW system at McNeil High School in Austin, Texas. In addition, Dr. Shi announced at the event that Shi's Family Charitable Foundation will donate solar panels to power eighteen remote schools in Lebanon in cooperation with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).

Mr. Gore's participation in the launch at Suntech Headquarters highlights the global nature of contemporary energy and environmental challenges as well as the global nature of the solar industry. Suntech works with material and silicon suppliers - who similarly operate global supply and distribution networks - as well as downstream partners in dozens of countries around the world. In addition, Suntech maintains manufacturing, production and/or R&D operations in China, Japan, Germany, Australia and the U.S., with its new module production facility in Goodyear, Arizona, scheduled to come online later this year.

"Humanity faces a global threat that demands global solutions. Although we must not underestimate the severity of this crisis, or the work that lies ahead, there is reason for optimism," added Dr. Zhengrong Shi. "With our partners around the world, we are providing everyone with reliable access to nature's cleanest and most abundant energy source."

About Suntech Power

Suntech Power Holdings Co., Ltd. (NYSE: STP) produces industry-leading solar products for residential, commercial, industrial, and utility applications. With regional headquarters in China, Switzerland, and the United States, and gigawatt-scale manufacturing worldwide, Suntech has delivered more than 10,000,000 photovoltaic panels to thousands of customers in more than eighty countries. Suntech's pioneering R&D creates customer-centric innovations that are driving solar to grid parity against fossil fuels. Our mission is to provide everyone with reliable access to nature's cleanest and most abundant energy source.

For more information about our people and products visit http://www.suntech-power.com

Large Texas Photovoltaic Project Taking Shape

2010-06-12T18:16:00.000-07:00

A prominent U.S. utility has reported a financing deal for a large-scale solar project being developed near San Antonio, Texas.

According to Duke Energy Generation Services (DEGS), it has raised about $45 million by leveraging its ownership of the 14-megawatt Blue Wing Solar Project. The 25-year loan was provided by Prudential Capital Group.

"This financing is another important milestone for Duke Energy as we continue to build a portfolio of high-quality commercial renewable power projects," said Greg Wolf, DEGS senior vice president for business development. "We're demonstrating our capacity to deliver and execute on every aspect of a successful solar photovoltaic project, including the judicious deployment of Duke Energy's capital."

The Blue Wing project is expected to consist of 214,500 ground-mounted thin-film photovoltaic panels located on a 139-acre parcel of land. When complete, it will be the largest photovoltaic project in Texas.

DEGS purchased the project from Juwi Solar, a Colorado company that remains the construction contractor for it. The acquisition deal also included a 30-year power purchase agreement to sell generated power to CPS Energy of San Antonio.

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Yingli at the 2010 FIFA World Cup

2010-06-11T23:58:00.000-07:00

Yingli Green Energy Holding Company Limited has officially opened its carbon-neutral commercial display at the 2010 FIFA World Cup™ soccer stadium in Johannesburg, South Africa. The display, which will be utilized by World Cup partners and sponsors to advertise, is the first carbon-neutral commercial display in the history of the FIFA World Cup™.

By using the Yingli Solar PV system and low carbon footprint materials in the design of the commercial display, the Company was able to achieve carbon neutral status. Additionally, all materials are manufactured in South Africa so products wouldn’t need to be transported by air. Investments in ecological carbon dioxide emission reduction certificates were also made.

"We are pleased to be the first FIFA World Cup™ sponsor to showcase a carbon-neutral Commercial Display," Mr. Liansheng Miao, Chairman and CEO of Yingli Green Energy, stated. "It is important for us at Yingli Green Energy that we are responsible for our own operational footprint in terms of social and environmental impact. Like FIFA, we are committed to making our contributions to a cleaner and greener world. Our Commercial Display will also be an opportunity for football fans from all over the world to see and experience the PV technology as they gather before the kick-off of matches at Soccer City."

The commercial display was designed and installed by Yingli, as a fully operating PV system with Yingli Solar semi-transparent laminates. A total of 1.2 kWp will be generated from the system. The system has the potential to generate around 1,500 KWh of electricity, if it were left at the Soccer City Stadium in Johannesburg for a full year, offsetting around 1.5 tons of carbon dioxide equivalents. The display also incorporates wood, bamboo and other materials from South Africa, which contribute to the reduction of the overall carbon footprint of the display.

Jerome Valcke, FIFA Secretary General, said, "We are excited that Yingli Green Energy marks another historical moment by presenting the very first carbon neutral Commercial Display ever in FIFA World Cup™ history. FIFA is very conscious about the planet we inhabit and we are proud to join forces with Yingli Green Energy by combining our love for football and the environment."

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China Overtakes U.S. In Clean Energy Investments

2010-06-04T22:19:00.000-07:00

by Donna Howell, Investor's Business Daily

China's formidable power in solar energy is growing.

With potentially huge export and domestic markets, low-cost factory labor and government backing, China's clean energy sector attracted more investment last year than any country, knocking the U.S. to second place.

"One of the main reasons is obvious, looking at the unquenchable thirst of China for electricity," said Lux Research analyst Ted Sullivan. "Look at the rate at which demand is growing, the rate at which they're adding new dams and electric and hydroelectric plants."

Wanting to ensure it's an ally, the U.S. stressed clean-tech collaboration in a joint U.S.-China statement on energy security cooperation issued last month.

The Chinese government's focus on fostering alternative energy has "given investors a place to go and invest" by offering predictability, said Phyllis Cuttino, a Pew Charitable Trusts project director.

A recent study she led says China topped the world last year with $34.6 billion in clean energy investments, public and private. The U.S. followed with $18.6 billion.

China has stepped up aid to its solar companies. Many foreign firms build solar parts there too, drawn by labor as cheap as 3% of manufacturing's cost in the U.S.

"Solar is generally a commodity business, and companies with low manufacturing costs generally have an edge; longer term they can price attractively," said Wells Fargo analyst Sam Dubinsky. "China has the lowest manufacturing costs."

While China has been lending billions to solar firms, and doling out other incentives, U.S. and European perks are waning.

China's Trina Solar (TSL) recently signed a deal with China Development Bank that will bring it $4.4 billion in loans through 2015 so it can boost production. Analysts expect the firm will lift revenue 122%, to $332.9 million, this quarter.

Canadian Solar (CSIQ), which despite the name is a China player, won contracts in Ontario, Canada, for 176 megawatts of solar gear.

Suntech Power (STP), China's largest maker of solar cells and panels, in April inked a deal with the China Development Bank for up to $7.33 billion.

The euro's fall, however, is weighing on Chinese solar stocks of late. And with prices for conventional energy sources relatively low, governments might be even less inclined to apply solar stimulus measures.

Subsidies are key to supporting the solar industry until that theoretical grid-parity day when it's advanced enough to pay its own way by matching the cost of conventional energy. But just how far a government should go to prop up the industry is a matter of great debate.

"Looking at all countries that continue to be real leaders, or are emerging, almost all of them have a strong national policy framework," Cuttino said. "One reason we think a lot of capital is sitting on the sidelines in the U.S., or is going to China, is because we don't have those policies."

Subsidies are generally sliding outside China and rising in China, says Broadpoint AmTech analyst John Hardy — although German lawmakers on Friday took steps to put off a planned solar subsidy cut of as high as 16% and are looking at more modest trims.

"There is the likelihood that sometime in the not-too-distant future we'll hear about a feed-in tariff (where energy generators can sell power to utilities at a premium) for solar in China," he said. "You read a lot about Germany cutting feed-in tariffs. Italy's set to decide what they want to do with their feed-in tariff as we move into 2011."

Reducing subsidies is necessary for the industry, Hardy contends.

"Ultimately it's good and forces companies to reduce costs" and head toward grid parity, he said. "But it creates volatility."

Hardy sees U.S.-based First Solar (FSLR) as best positioned with its lead at reducing costs via its thin-film modules.

SunPower (SPWRA), another U.S. firm, is "in the bucket of benefiting from more demand coming domestically over the next couple years as some utilities start to ramp up their projects," he said.

U.S.-based solar wafer and polysilicon provider MEMC Electronic Materials (WFR) is in the same bucket, says Hardy.

After a lull, China's market is recharged. "There are a lot of politically well-connected Chinese oligarchs" leading solar firms, Sullivan said. "And the downturn has spurred them to start developing the domestic market."

Two years ago, 80% to 90% of China's domestic solar sales were residential, notes research firm Freedonia Group, with utilities negligible. This is set to change through 2013, it says; utilities, with government incentives, are expected to rapidly increase investment to as much as 4% of total sales.

"Export sales growth is naturally going to decelerate. Meanwhile, domestic demand for PV modules is going to really take off," Freedonia analyst Ryan Martinson said by e-mail. "The net effect is that Chinese firms are going to be selling a lot more of their output locally."

China's starting to take direct investments in Chinese producers, and subsidizes up to half of costs for large-scale domestic solar projects via its Golden Sun program.

Chinese sovereign wealth funds hold a large position in GCL Solar Energy, Sullivan says, while the Jiangxi provincial government has a stake in LDK Solar (LDK).

"Both GCL and LDK were looking shaky as polysilicon prices crashed," he said.

With all this, China will emerge as the world's largest solar market in 2015, with 5.5 gigawatts of capacity newly installed that year and a cumulative total of 18, Sullivan says. Global capacity that year should hit 26.4 gigawatts. For 2010, China's adding about 580 megawatts vs. 9.3 gigawatts worldwide. "The Chinese are building a strategic overcapacity so they don't get caught in a trap like 2005-09," he said, adding that Polysilicon went from $23 a kilogram in 2003 to $400 by 2008.

With overcapacity, China can keep prices low, Sullivan says, but can turn on the spigot if prices go up, giving Chinese exporters preferential access to raw materials. He sees U.S. firms as likely able to compete with China, but says some fear First Solar could lose its price edge.

Hardy names JA Solar (JASO) as a rare China firm that hasn't overlevered itself short term.

"Pretty much across the board, China-based component manufacturers have relied on short-term financing to build out capacity," he said. "It's difficult to say whether that support continues to exist. If it should slow for any reason, that would be favorable to non-China-based companies."

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SANYO to Expand Solar and Energy Solutions Business in Europe

2010-05-26T19:32:00.000-07:00

Tokyo, Japan - Jun 13, 2010 (PRN): SANYO Electric Co., Ltd. (SANYO) has announced that it will begin full-scale development and expansion of its solar and energy solutions business in the European market in 2010. SANYO is aiming to achieve a business scale of 800 million Euros in its solar and energy solutions business in Europe by March 2016, providing photovoltaic modules, lithium-ion battery systems, energy management systems that include controllers, as well as a comprehensive maintenance service.

Today there is growing demand for clean energy, given the continued advancement of measures to reduce effects on the environment, including the setting of numerical targets for CO2 emission reductions in countries around the world. So far, SANYO has expanded its HITR solar cell business mainly through residential applications in the European market, thanks to the product's world highest-class energy conversion efficiency and superior temperature co-efficiency characteristics.

Starting this fiscal year, SANYO will now develop its energy solutions business in Europe by offering a substantial reduction in running costs and CO2 emissions for facilities such as factories, schools and stores, through its Smart Energy System (SES) which combine SANYO technologies for energy generation (photovoltaic systems), energy storage (rechargeable batteries), and energy efficiency (commercial equipment, etc.). The system will optimally control clean energy generated by photovoltaic modules and stored into rechargeable batteries to supply equipment such as air conditioning and lighting with the energy. It can be installed in small-scale applications such as homes, medium-scale applications such as convenience stores, and large-scale applications such as factories to realize a more effective use of clean energy.

By engaging in full-scale development and expansion of its solar and energy solutions business in Europe, SANYO will play a key role in reducing the negative effects of global warming on the world's environment.

*1HIT is a registered trademark of SANYO Electric Co.,Ltd.The name "HIT" comes from "Heterojunction with intrinsic Thin-layer"which is an original technology of SANYO Electric Co.,Ltd..

About Sanyo Electric Co Ltd

SANYO ELECTRIC CO., LTD. manufactures electrical appliances and equipment for household and industrial use. The Company's products include household appliances, audio/video equipment, semiconductor products, and batteries. Sanyo's industrial equipment includes vending machines and commercial use kitchen appliances.

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LDK Solar Achieves 2GW of Wafer Production Capacity

2010-04-21T22:03:00.000-07:00

by Karl-Erik Stromsta

China’s LDK Solar confirms plans to intensify its efforts to remake itself as a vertically integrated solar company, shunning the advice of investors who believe the firm should slow its feverish expansion.

LDK this week reached an annualized wafer production capacity of 2 gigawatts (GW), solidifying its position as the world’s dominant solar-wafer maker. LDK, which counts Q-Cells, Conergy, Trina and JA Solar among its key customers, intends to swell its wafer production to 2.6GW by the end of 2011.

Its 10.8% slice of the wafer market last year was more than double that of its closest competitor, Norway’s REC Wafer.

“Five years ago we had a dream to become the world’s largest and most economical multi-crystalline wafer manufacturer for the solar industry, and we have done it,” says chief executive Xiaofeng Peng. “I am proud of the way our team has successfully executed one of the most impressive capacity ramps in the sector.”

But LDK is no longer content to dominate the wafer market from its base in Jiangxi province, with plans to become a major player along the entire solar value chain, covering polysilicon, cells and modules.

Its expansion plans are stunning in their ambition. By the end of 2011 it will grow its solar-cell output from nothing to 480 megawatts (MW); its polysilicon output from 6,000 tonnes to 18,000 tonnes; and its module output from 600MW to 2GW.

LDK has also cemented a strategy to become a major solar-park developer, with a particular focus on China in the coming years.Vice president Mario Zen says the firm began developing solar arrays in Europe in 2009 “to develop confidence and get our feet wet, in order to be ready for Chinese projects in the future”.

LDK, which has close ties to the Chinese government, intends to aggressively pursue large-scale solar projects as part of China’s still-hazy Golden Sun subsidy scheme. The government has so far approved 642MW of projects under Golden Sun, with LDK holding concessions for 19MW.

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Poly-Si Spot Price Begins to Rise on Increased Demand

2010-04-21T21:57:00.000-07:00

Nuying Huang, Taipei; Willie Teng, DIGITIMES [Thursday 22 April 2010]

Polycrystalline silicon (poly-Si) spot price has increased to US$55/kg compared with US$50-55/kg seen in the first quarter, and prices for some express orders have risen to US$56-57, according to industry sources.

Since demand is expected to trend upwards in 2010, some poly-Si producers have begun selling materials at smaller volumes and holding onto their supplies in anticipation of price appreciation in the coming months, the sources said, adding that buyers are now forced to diversify their poly-Si suppliers.

Previously signed contract prices have remained relatively stable thus far, but some have modified agreements to adjust prices on a quarterly basis.

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Scaling Single-Junction a-Si Thin-Film PV Technology to the Next Level

2010-04-01T11:03:00.000-07:00

The recent photovoltaic industry shakeout which started around Q3 2008 has faced the overcapacity, credit crunch, and economic crisis that significantly declined the average selling price by 50-65%, including the price of thin-film photovoltaic modules. The changing business environment has put significant pressure on all PV manufacturing technologies but more candidly on amorphous silicon thin-film single-junction module manufacturers to advance and scale up the device efficiency and aggressively drive cost reduction. This paper outlines the technical approach taken at Moser Baer Photovoltaic Technologies India Limited (PVTIL), including process optimization and device management strategies, to enhance the efficiency (total area) of the thin-film single-junction amorphous silicon module as manufactured using Applied Materials' SunFab line.

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Sharp's 1GW Thin-Film Plant Starts Production

2010-04-01T10:59:00.000-07:00

With an initial production capacity of 160MW, Sharp has started volume production at its 1GW a-Si thin-film plant in Sakai City, Osaka Prefecture, Japan. According to the company, the new facility will be a model plant for future Sharp thin-film solar cell plants around the world.

Sharp had previously announced a joint venture 160MW a-Si thin-film plant with Enel and STMicroelectronics, using an existing shuttered semiconductor fab in Catania, Italy, as well as reporting the news of its a-Si thin-film modules' conversion efficiency of 8.5%.

A new tandem-junction a-Si module with ~10% conversion rates will also enter volume production at the new plant in Japan.

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SunPower Completes Acquisition of SunRay

2010-03-29T21:37:00.001-07:00

Solar-panel maker SunPower Corp. said Monday it completed its acquisition of SunRay Renewable Energy, a solar power plant developer with offices in Europe and the Middle East.

SunPower paid $263 million in cash and $14 million in promissory notes in the deal, which was announced in February.

As a result of the deal, SunPower expanded its project pipeline to include more than 1,200 megawatts of solar photovoltaic projects in different stages of development across Europe.

Shares rose 55 cents, or 3 percent, to $18.77 during morning trading. The stock has traded between $17.82 and $34 during the past year.

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Global Solar Demand Expected at 4GW in Q2 201G

2010-03-29T21:28:00.000-07:00

Market research firm Solarbuzz believes the solar industry will experience rapid growth in 2010, with global PV demand expected to reach 4GW in the second quarter. According to Solarbuzz, the fourth quarter of 2009 saw the PV market reach 2.9GW, 453% times larger than first quarter of 2009, a new record high. The end market strength was driven principally by Germany, Italy and the Czech Republic, while Germany actually accounted for 52% of the global solar demand in the fourth quarter.

"The data demonstrates clearly that managing quarterly corporate performance in 2010 will be even more challenging than it has been over the past two years - a period that proved to be a roller coaster ride for sales revenues and profitability," said Craig Stevens, President of Solarbuzz, a division of The NPD Group. "In the event that production is not moderated in the second half of the year, the outcome will be a return to more price disruption. However, unlike 2009, there will be significant consequences for high cost producers."

For the first half of the year, Solarbuzz believes that module prices will remain stable, due to many leading producers already running at high-utilization rates to meet demand. However, preliminary estimates show average solar cell manufacturer gross margins were 8% in the fourth quarter 2009, down from 15% one year earlier. Crystalline silicon module factory-gate prices had fallen 22% between the first and fourth quarter 2009, according to Solarbuzz.

Module production is projected to rise 7% in first quarter and a further 19% in the second quarter 2010, Solarbuzz said. Thin film production will account for 17% of global shipments in first half of 2010.

One key warning was the potential impact on demand once the proposed German feed-in tariff cuts are introduced. The market research firm noted that there should be discipline on production levels and inventory management to limit the potential for more price declines.

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Italy to Unveil New Solar Incentives in April

2010-03-29T21:25:00.000-07:00

New information in a Reuters report outlines Italy's plans to unveil a new incentive scheme for the country's solar power market. Full details of the latest development in Italy's solar sector will be announced in April after a regional vote. According to a senior government official, the scheme is expected to be one of the most generous in Europe.

Details of the plan have been delayed since the beginning of this year, raising investor concerns about strategies for Italy and added unpredictability to shares in Italian solar firms such as TerniEnergia and ErgyCap.

Italian industry ministry undersecretary Stefano Saglia has said that his ministry and experts from the Environment and Culture Ministries have now agreed technical details of the new incentive plan. However, the plan is still awaiting approval from the state body which oversees relations between central government and regions and whose meeting had not been called for a couple of months in the run-up to regional elections, due on March 28-29.

"I hope that the conference will be called immediately after elections...as soon as April," said Saglia.

Saglia made it clear that Italy's new incentives would remain "the most generous in Europe" yet the planned 5-6% cut in support for the solar energy sector would still go ahead "in 2011, 2012 and 2013 with bigger cuts for large-scale projects." The incentive cut level is expected to be "slightly below the reduction in solar panel costs," yet the minister declined to give more details.

Some region's authorities and farmers lobbies, who face losing solar incentives, have opposed development of large-scale solar projects, he said.

The existing Italian feed-in tariff scheme is due to expire at the end of 2010 after the capacity covered by the incentives hits a 1,200MW cap. Under the draft plan, new installed solar capacity will be capped at 3,000MW over a period of three years with an expectation of reaching 8,000MW of installed solar capacity in 2020.

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GCL-Poly Announces 2009 Results

2010-03-24T23:18:00.000-07:00

GCL-Poly has announced 2009 financial results and detailed a major effort to diversify operations and move downstream into wafer and solar project development. Revenue from the sale of polysilicon and wafers amounted to RMB 2,537.1 million (US$371.6 million) and and RMB 262.3 million (US$38.4 million respectively.

GCL-Poly was able to produce 7,454MT of polysilicon in 2009 and sold 5,675MT as well as 46.4MW of wafers via tolling arrangements. Average selling price for polysilicon was US$65.4 per kg and US$0.83/W for wafers.

As the company ramped polysilicon production and benefited from improved economies of scale, production costs declined significantly from US$66.0 per kg in 2008 to US$39.4 per kg in 2009.

Previously announced polysilicon capacity ramps remain on target, having reached 18,000MT production capacity by the end of 2009 and plans to reach 21,000MT by December 2010. GCL-Poly expects to produce roughly 15,000MT of polysilicon in 2010.

However, significant expansion of ingot and wafering capacity beyond previously guided plans is now underway. In November, 2009, GCL-Poly said that wafer production capacity would be expanded to 1GW by mid-2010.

The company now plans to expand wafer capacity to 2GW by end of 2010 with a production volume of 1.3GW. In-house construction of ingot and wafer manufacturing facilities has already started.

Further expansions could come from acquisitions, such as its recently announced acquisition of Konca Solar Cell, as well as partnerships, the company said.

Moving further downstream, GCL-Poly noted that its first 20MW solar power plant in in Xuzhou, Jiangsu province was fully operational and with its partner CIC expects to expand it's project business globally in 2010.

“We are now one of the leading suppliers of solar raw materials globally and we are also one of the top green energy operators in China,” noted Mr. Zhu Gong Shan, Executive Director, Chairman and CEO of GCL-Poly.

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Suntech Brings Solar Power to Harrah's Rincon Casino

2010-03-24T23:07:00.000-07:00

Suntech's Solar Panels Offset a Quarter of the Casino's Energy Consumption

VALLEY CENTER, Calif., March 24 /PRNewswire-Asia/ -- Suntech Power Holdings Co., Ltd. (NYSE: STP), the world's largest manufacturer of crystalline silicon solar panels, today announced that it has completed a 1 megawatt (MW) solar installation for Harrah's Rincon Casino in Southern California, a top resort-gaming destination. The system will offset nearly a quarter of the Casino's total energy consumption and is part of Harrah's ongoing conservation and sustainability effort.

With over 4,000 Suntech solar panels installed at the Harrah's Rincon site, the system covers over five-and-a-half acres and will provide enough power to run nearly 90% of the 662-room property's HVAC system. The Harrah's Suntech solar installation is expected to provide the Casino with considerable energy cost savings over time.

"Led by the Rincon Band of Luiseno Indians in partnership with the California Center for Sustainable Energy, TRANE and San Diego Gas & Electric, the Harrah's Rincon Casino solar plant is a model for California businesses to follow and speaks to the success of the California Solar Initiative program," explained Steven Chan, Chief Strategy Officer of Suntech. "We're thrilled with the environmental and cost benefits from Harrah's solar installation as well as the education opportunity it provides for visitors to its resort."

Bo Mazzetti, Chairman of the Rincon Band of Luiseno Indians, said, "This is an important step forward in energy efficiency. It is just the beginning of what we, as a tribe, look to accomplish as responsible members of our community which is addressing the multiple energy and environmental issues that currently face all governments."

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SolarCity Partners with Home Depot

2010-03-24T17:05:00.000-07:00

Foster City-based SolarCity Inc. plans to offer installation of BP Plc photovoltaic panels for residential customers at 92 Home Depot stores in Northern California. SolarCity will begin offering design, installation and financing services for customers atHome Depot starting April 2, Chief Executive Officer Lyndon Rive said today in an interview. The company will use BP panels exclusively for the Home Depot orders, he said. SolarCity has installed about 6,000 rooftop systems in the U.S., mostly in California, Oregon and Arizona. The company offers homeowners financing for solar systems that require no down payments.

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Visit Solar City here

Caltech Researchers Create Highly Absorbing, Flexible Solar Cells with Silicon Wire Arrays

2010-03-15T22:21:00.000-07:00

PASADENA, Calif.—Using arrays of long, thin silicon wires embedded in a polymer substrate, a team of scientists from the California Institute of Technology (Caltech) has created a new type of flexible solar cell that enhances the absorption of sunlight and efficiently converts its photons into electrons. The solar cell does all this using only a fraction of the expensive semiconductor materials required by conventional solar cells.

"These solar cells have, for the first time, surpassed the conventional light-trapping limit for absorbing materials," says Harry Atwater, Howard Hughes Professor, professor of applied physics and materials science, and director of Caltech's Resnick Institute, which focuses on sustainability research.

The light-trapping limit of a material refers to how much sunlight it is able to absorb. The silicon-wire arrays absorb up to 96 percent of incident sunlight at a single wavelength and 85 percent of total collectible sunlight. "We've surpassed previous optical microstructures developed to trap light," he says.

This is a photomicrograph of a silicon wire array embedded within a transparent, flexible polymer film. [Credit: Caltech/Michael Kelzenberg]

Atwater and his colleagues—including Nathan Lewis, the George L. Argyros Professor and professor of chemistry at Caltech, and graduate student Michael Kelzenberg—assessed the performance of these arrays in a paper appearing in the February 14 advance online edition of the journal Nature Materials.

Atwater notes that the solar cells' enhanced absorption is "useful absorption."

"Many materials can absorb light quite well but not generate electricity—like, for instance, black paint," he explains. "What's most important in a solar cell is whether that absorption leads to the creation of charge carriers."

The silicon wire arrays created by Atwater and his colleagues are able to convert between 90 and 100 percent of the photons they absorb into electrons—in technical terms, the wires have a near-perfect internal quantum efficiency. "High absorption plus good conversion makes for a high-quality solar cell," says Atwater. "It's an important advance."

The key to the success of these solar cells is their silicon wires, each of which, says Atwater, "is independently a high-efficiency, high-quality solar cell." When brought together in an array, however, they're even more effective, because they interact to increase the cell's ability to absorb light.

"Light comes into each wire, and a portion is absorbed and another portion scatters. The collective scattering interactions between the wires make the array very absorbing," he says.

This is a schematic diagram of the light-trapping elements used to optimize absorption within a polymer-embedded silicon wire array. [Credit: Caltech/Michael Kelzenberg]

This effect occurs despite the sparseness of the wires in the array—they cover only between 2 and 10 percent of the cell's surface area.

"When we first considered silicon wire-array solar cells, we assumed that sunlight would be wasted on the space between wires," explains Kelzenberg. "So our initial plan was to grow the wires as close together as possible. But when we started quantifying their absorption, we realized that more light could be absorbed than predicted by the wire-packing fraction alone. By developing light-trapping techniques for relatively sparse wire arrays, not only did we achieve suitable absorption, we also demonstrated effective optical concentration—an exciting prospect for further enhancing the efficiency of silicon-wire-array solar cells."

Each wire measures between 30 and 100 microns in length and only 1 micron in diameter. “The entire thickness of the array is the length of the wire,” notes Atwater. “But in terms of area or volume, just 2 percent of it is silicon, and 98 percent is polymer.”

In other words, while these arrays have the thickness of a conventional crystalline solar cell, their volume is equivalent to that of a two-micron-thick film.

Since the silicon material is an expensive component of a conventional solar cell, a cell that requires just one-fiftieth of the amount of this semiconductor will be much cheaper to produce.

The composite nature of these solar cells, Atwater adds, means that they are also flexible. "Having these be complete flexible sheets of material ends up being important," he says, "because flexible thin films can be manufactured in a roll-to-roll process, an inherently lower-cost process than one that involves brittle wafers, like those used to make conventional solar cells."

Atwater, Lewis, and their colleagues had earlier demonstrated that it was possible to create these innovative solar cells. "They were visually striking," says Atwater. "But it wasn't until now that we could show that they are both highly efficient at carrier collection and highly absorbing."

The next steps, Atwater says, are to increase the operating voltage and the overall size of the solar cell. "The structures we've made are square centimeters in size," he explains. "We're now scaling up to make cells that will be hundreds of square centimeters—the size of a normal cell."

Atwater says that the team is already "on its way" to showing that large-area cells work just as well as these smaller versions.

In addition to Atwater, Lewis, and Kelzenberg, the all-Caltech coauthors on the Nature Materials paper, "Enhanced absorption and carrier collection in Si wire arrays for photovoltaic applications," are postdoctoral scholars Shannon Boettcher and Joshua Spurgeon; undergraduate student Jan Petykiewicz; and graduate students Daniel Turner-Evans, Morgan Putnam, Emily Warren, and Ryan Briggs.

Their research was supported by BP and the Energy Frontier Research Center program of the Department of Energy, and made use of facilities supported by the Center for Science and Engineering of Materials, a National Science Foundation Materials Research Science and Engineering Center at Caltech. In addition, Boettcher received fellowship support from the Kavli Nanoscience Institute at Caltech.

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Italian Gov't Approves Plans for Europe's Largest PV Plant

2010-03-12T07:28:00.000-08:00

The Italian government issued final approval to MEMC’s SunEdison division to develop and build a 72-megawatt photovoltaic solar power plant near Rovigo, in northeastern Italy.

The plant is expected to be Europe’s largest photovoltaic solar power plant in Europe when it’s completed.

The largest facility currently is a 60-megawatt solar farm in Olmedilla, Spain, followed by a 50-megawatt plant in Strasskirchen, Germany, which was built by MEMC through a joint venture.

The Rovigo plant is schedule to begin generating power in the second half of this year, with final completion by year’s end, the company said.

In its first full year of operation, the system will generate enough energy to power 17,150 homes and avoid 41,000 tons of CO2, or the equivalent of taking 8,000 cars of the road, the company said.

SunEdison is developing the project jointly with its financing partner Spain-based retail and commercial bank Banco Santander, and the company said additional financial partners are expected to join the project in final ownership.

The project is expected to create more than 350 local construction jobs in Italy’s Veneto region. Isolux Corsán, Spain’s seventh-largest construction company known for its utility work, was chosen for the project.

Beltsville, Md.-based SunEdison, led by President Carlos Domenech, develops and operates solar power plants for commercial clients, including government agencies and utilities.

MEMC Electronic Materials Inc. bought SunEdison last year in a deal worth more than $200 million.

St. Peters, Mo.-based MEMC (NYSE: WFR), led by CEO Ahmad Chatila, manufactures wafers for the semiconductor and solar industries. With the addition of SunEdison, MEMC is also a developer of solar power projects and North America's largest solar energy services provider.

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Munich Re Signs Photovoltaic Module Guarantee Cover for LDK Solar

2010-03-12T07:11:00.000-08:00

XINYU CITY, China and SUNNYVALE, Calif., March 11 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- LDK Solar Co., Ltd. ("LDK Solar") (NYSE: LDK) announced today that Munich Re's Special Enterprise Risk unit's new insurance solution will cover the performance warranty of its photovoltaic modules.

The insurance solution covers the performance warranty of LDK Solar modules for a period of 25 years. The warranty guarantees that the modules will perform to at least 90 percent capacity in the first ten years and to at least 80 percent in the remaining 15 years.

The cover offers LDK Solar a greater degree of business certainty and thus constitutes a powerful differentiator in a competitive marketplace. Ultimately it gives operators of solar parks additional economic security in the event of an unforeseen loss in performance of the modules. This new insurance solution is a major stepping-stone in financing photovoltaic projects as it provides additional financial security.

Thomas Blunck, Member of the Board of Management at Munich Re: "We are happy that we acquired LDK Solar as a new client. It shows that our innovative photovoltaic module guarantee cover is beginning to establish a standard in the industry. Investors and lenders will welcome this development."

"We are pleased to become a client of Munich Re and view this insurance solution as a positive development for the PV industry as it provides additional fiscal security in guaranteeing the long-term performance of solar modules," stated Xiaofeng Peng, Chairman and CEO of LDK Solar.

The insurance cover developed by Munich Re's unit Special Enterprise Risk will be implemented for Munich Re by one of the group's primary insurers.

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SolarCity Opens New Office in Inland Empire

2010-03-12T06:15:00.000-08:00

SolarCity, a Foster City-based installer of solar systems, opened an office in Pomona that will support its business in the Inland Empire, San Gabriel Valley and the foothill communities as far west as Pasadena.

The new 12,000-square-foot facility is the company's fourth office and installation facility in Southern California. Beau Baldock relocated from Culver City to become the new facility's operations manager. "We're happy to be able to create some local jobs here. We expect to hire 1-20 employees in the next few months to staff the office," Baldock said in a prepared statement. Ontario resident Raymond McGeisey was hired by Solar City in late January and will be the new facility's warehouse manager.

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First Solar Signs Contract with PG&E for 300 MW Photovoltaic Solar Power Project

2010-03-10T07:17:00.000-08:00

TEMPE, Ariz., Mar 09, 2010 (BUSINESS WIRE) - First Solar, Inc. today announced a power purchase agreement to supply Pacific Gas and Electric Company with renewable electricity from a 300 megawatt (AC) utility-scale photovoltaic solar power facility that First Solar is developing in Southern California.

The Desert Sunlight project, to be located near Desert Center in eastern Riverside County, Calif., will have a total capacity of 550 megawatts, enough to power approximately 160,000 area homes -- or about 480,000 residents. The other 250 MW portion of the project is already under contract to Southern California Edison. First Solar's power purchase agreements with PG&E and SCE are subject to the approval of the California Public Utilities Commission.

First Solar will build the Desert Sunlight project using its industry leading thin-film photovoltaic solar modules and providing its project development, engineering, procurement and construction capabilities. With construction expected to start by the end of 2010 and completion as early as 2013, the project will displace 300,000 metric tons of CO2 per year, the equivalent of taking 60,000 cars off the road. It will also create approximately 430 construction jobs. The project's permit application has been fast tracked by the Bureau of Land Management.

"First Solar is one of the few companies that has all the capabilities required to realize very large, utility-scale solar projects like Desert Sunlight, which are important in helping our customers and California reach the state's renewable energy goals," said Rob Gillette, First Solar chief executive officer.

First Solar has 1,700 megawatts of utility-scale power projects with power purchase agreements in North America.

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US Bank Partners with SolarCity for Additional $90 Million

2010-03-05T01:13:00.000-08:00

U.S. Bancorp is expanding its partnership with SolarCity, agreeing to put $90 million more into a fund that's financing solar projects for homeowners and businesses.

The deal is the third between Foster City, Calif.-based SolarCity and Minneapolis-based U.S. Bank. The bank had previously put up about $100 million to help finance solar installations.

SolarCity operates in California, Arizona, Oregon, Texas and Colorado. SolarCity’s SolarLease option allows homeowners to put no money down on a new solar system and pay for it on a regular schedule.

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California Set To Raise Solar Net Metering Cap

2010-02-28T12:49:00.000-08:00

At the end of last week, the California State Assembly passed AB 510, a bill to raise the cap on net metering for solar photovoltaic systems. Having passed the Senate last week, the bill now only needs the Governor's signature to become law.

Existing law requires California’s major electric utilities to make net metering available to customers on a first-come-first-served basis until the total program capacity exceeds 2.5 percent of the utility’s peak demand. AB 510 doubles the net metering program capacity to 5 percent, ensuring that Californians continue to have fair access to this critical solar program for the near term.

“California leads the nation in solar energy, accounting for more than 65 percent of the all the solar installed in the U.S. Net metering has been absolutely fundamental to that success. The passage of this bill means continued green job growth, further energy bill savings, progress in the fight against climate change, and a brighter future for California," said Assemblymember Nancy Skinner (D-Berkeley) who authored the bill.

Through net metering, solar customers’ electricity meters to spin forward when they are using power from the utility grid, and reverse, spinning backward when customers are producing more energy than they are using. The customer is billed only for the net energy used. Today more than 50,000 California homes, schools and businesses take advantage of the state’s net metering program to lower their utility bills.

"Net metering makes solar more affordable for those who want to make the investment in clean energy. And because solar produces reliable power during peak hours when we all need it most, that same investment in solar helps lower costs for all ratepayers. Today, Assemblymember Skinner and the legislature took a bold step to make solar a significant part of our energy future," said Adam Browning, executive director of the Vote Solar Initiative.

Net metering has no direct impact on the state’s general fund and allows government agencies and schools to have an incentive to install solar. California public agencies have already installed at least 51 megawatts (MW) of solar, saving taxpayers more than US $270 million in avoided utility payments.

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LDK Solar Acquires Best Solar's Crystalline Module Manufacturing Plant

2010-02-26T23:18:00.000-08:00

XINYU CITY, China and SUNNYVALE, Calif., Feb. 26 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- LDK Solar Co., Ltd. (NYSE: LDK), a leading manufacturer of multicrystalline solar wafers, today announced that it has entered into an agreement to acquire the crystalline module manufacturing plant of Best Solar Co., Ltd. ("Best Solar"). Under the terms of the transaction LDK Solar will acquire Best Solar's crystalline module manufacturing plant at cash consideration of $21.5 million, representing the fair value of the assets acquired determined on an arms-length basis.

"This acquisition will significantly enhance LDK Solar's position in the downstream PV market," stated Jack Lai, Executive Vice President, Chief Financial Officer, and Secretary of LDK Solar. "LDK Solar has been fulfilling the majority of its solar module needs through purchases from Best Solar over the past three quarters. We look forward to realizing cost efficiencies by bringing crystalline module manufacturing in-house. This acquisition represents an important step as we continue to expand the scope of our vertical integration and strengthens our competitive advantage within the sector."

Best Solar is wholly owned by LDK New Energy Holding Limited, which is LDK Solar's controlling shareholder, and wholly owned by Mr. Xiaofeng Peng, Chairman and CEO of LDK Solar. The terms of the agreement have been reviewed and approved by LDK Solar and Best Solar on an arms-length basis using the fair market value of the acquired assets. The fair market value was determined by a valuation analysis performed by a third party independent valuer and approved by LDK Solar's management team and Audit Committee. Best Solar has undertaken not to engage, and therefore compete with LDK Solar, in the module business after this transaction is completed.

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Con Edison Calls for More Solar Energy Projects

2010-02-11T00:18:00.000-08:00

NEW YORK — Con Edison, a unit of Consolidated Edison Inc., on Tuesday filed a proposal with the state of New York calling for more funds for solar energy projects in New York City.

In Con Edison's filing with the New York State Public Service Commission, it called for the development of 25 megawatts of solar energy resources in New York City by 2015. The company said this will offset about 16,000 tons of carbon dioxide emissions annually, the equivalent of taking 2,400 passenger vehicles off the road.

Con Edison suggested the state set aside $24.8 million of its renewable energy funds for smaller solar projects for residential and commercial customers in New York City.

The company is also proposing that the state set aside $4 million for a residential program for New York City and Westchester County customers to use solar energy for hot water.

"We believe that New York City, with its urban roofscape, has great potential as a center for solar power and we are confident that we can use our unique knowledge of our customers to make that a reality," said John Mucci, vice president of Engineering and Planning.

These programs would be in addition to an earlier proposal to spend $125 million over five years throughout the Con Edison service area for larger installations.

Shares of Consolidated Edison rose 63 cents, or 1.5 percent, to $43.44.

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LDK Solar Becomes Member of PV CYCLE

2010-02-11T00:06:00.000-08:00

XINYU CITY, China and SUNNYVALE, Calif., Feb. 10 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- LDK Solar Co., Ltd. ("LDK Solar") (NYSE: LDK), a leading manufacturer of multicrystalline solar wafers, announced today that it has become a member of PV CYCLE, an organization based in Brussels, Belgium that promotes the take-back and recycling of end-of-life PV modules.

"LDK Solar is dedicated to sustainable practices that take into consideration the environmental impact of all stages of product life cycle, including end-of-life collection and recycling," stated Xiaofeng Peng, Chairman and CEO of LDK Solar. "We look forward to contributing to the development of new standards of sustainability with fellow members of PV CYCLE."

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1st International Conference on PV Module Recycling

2010-01-26T21:34:00.000-08:00

More than 200 experts in photovoltaic (PV) energy, waste management and recycling participated today in the 1st International Conference on PV module recycling organized by PV CYCLE and EPIA in collaboration with the European Commission’s Joint Research Centre. Attendees had the opportunity to learn first-hand from different industry associations and companies what is currently being done to implement recycling mechanisms and to minimise the environmental impact of end-of-life solar panels.

“Since the early years of photovoltaics, in the 1990s, customers and industry alike have shown their dedication for protecting the environment and finding a reliable solution for the adequate disposal of modules,” explained Eleni Despotou, EPIA deputy secretary general. “An increasing number of manufacturers are working on the development of new and more effective recycling processes. However, the quantities of PV modules available for recycling are still too low to make any private scheme 100% commercially viable. This is why initiatives such as PV CYCLE can really make a difference for the industry.”

According to the forecast presented in a study commissioned by EPIA and the founding members of PV CYCLE, approximately 3,000 tonnes of PV modules will be disposed of in Germany during 2010, which represent close to 50% of all the PV waste that will be generated in Europe this year. Although this figure will remain relatively stable for the next two decades, the study shows that by 2030 about 130,000 tonnes of end-of-life PV modules will be disposed of in Europe.

“Because solar panels have a very long life span, the volumes of end-of-life PV modules will not start growing considerably for at least another 20 to 25 years from now. However, the industry has proactively begun to prepare. The take-back and recycling scheme that is being set up by PV CYCLE, which this month has become operational in Germany, will be fully operational by the time that significant quantities of modules start being disposed of. This scheme will be implemented gradually across the European Union and EFTA countries,” stated Jan Clyncke, managing director of PV CYCLE.

Representatives from related industry sectors also shared their experiences regarding the processes their companies have successfully implemented for TV monitors, electronic appliances, as well as glass recycling. The last part of the conference was dedicated to learning about recycling and collection activities in the USA as well as to discussing issues regarding the Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) of photovoltaics and the mathematical model of PV recycling infrastructures.

About EPIA www.epia.org: With over 200 members active along the whole value chain, the European Photovoltaic Industry Association (EPIA) is the world’s largest industry association devoted to the solar photovoltaic electricity market. For more information on how photovoltaics can become a mainstream energy supplier in Europe please consult ‘SET For 2020’, a study commissioned by EPIA to the strategic management consultancy A.T. Kearney.

About PV CYCLE www.pvcycle.org: PV CYCLE was founded in July 2007 to implement a voluntary take-back and recycling programme for end-of-life PV modules. The members of PV CYCLE currently represent more than 85% of the European photovoltaic market. Their goal is to provide clean and renewable energy as well as to embrace the principle of producer responsibility and thereby make the photovoltaic industry DoubleGreen.

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Intel Plans Massive Solar Installations

2010-01-25T21:12:00.000-08:00

Intel Corp. on Monday said it will install 2.5 megawatts of solar electric systems at its campuses in four states, including its 5,500-employee campus in Folsom.

The Santa Clara-based chip-maker (Nasdaq: INTC) said the new installations will be completed over the next seven months and will be used to help power Intel campuses in California, Oregon, Arizona and New Mexico.

Intel expects to break ground on the 1.1-megawatt solar project in Folsom at the end of March and have the project producing power by the end of June, Intel spokesman Mark Pettinger said. The design has been approved internally and the project awaits permit approval from the city of Folsom.

The solar arrays would cover almost six acres on the southwest portion of the Intel Folsom campus, next to a concrete pad Intel poured nine years ago for what was to be its fifth building. When the tech bubble popped in 2001, Intel halted construction of the building.

Pettinger said the solar-power system may be partly visible from Highway 50 once it's built. Solar City would build the solar-panel system at the Folsom campus, which would produce about 40 percent of Intel's solar power, Pettinger said.

To put the investment in perspective, a megawatt of solar energy can power between 150 and 200 homes, according to the Solar Energy Industries Association. That means Intel's 2.5 megawatts could power between 375 and 500 average-size homes.

Intel also said it would increase its purchase of renewable energy credits by 10 percent to 1.43 billion kilowatt hours, or the equivalent of 51 percent of its 2010 electricity use.

Renewable energy credits are tradeable commodities that represent 1 megawatt of renewable energy placed on the power grid. Acquiring RECs, as they’re called, is a way for corporations to certify that they are acquiring energy on the market from renewable resources.

Intel ranked at the top of the federal Environmental Protection Agency’s latest “Green Power Partners” list released Monday. The list, released quarterly, ranks the top 50 organizations for acquiring green power resources.

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Solar Demand Picking Up in China

2010-01-20T18:08:00.001-08:00

China's solar panel demand is zooming up in the last quarter of 2009 as the nation embraces for greener energy for the next 5 years. According to the xinhua newsnet report, 2009 PV demand more than doubled compared to 2008.

This week, Suntech (STP) reportedly broke ground on a $100 million 100,000-square-meter extension to its solar cell factory based on rising demand in China and Asia. $454B green energy investment was announced in late 2009 to promote renewable energy in the nation. Solar energy has been the topic of the 2010 World EXPO in Shanghai. Suntech Power, Solarfun (SOLF) and other Chinese solar PV makers have installed solar systems to cover the electricity demand for the whole EXPO. Many westerners do not recognize how serious the government is. Renewable energy has been regarded as the next strategy for the nation to become a world leader in the clean energy industry in the new century.

Recently another Chinese solar maker, Solarfun Power also announced it will increase its production capacity of photovoltaic (PV) modules from 550MW to 700MW by April 2010 and its PV cell production capacity from 360MW to 480MW by July 2010; the company sees strong demand in 2010 from many markets worldwide.

The German market may grow slowly in 2010 while the Chinese and Japanese markets catch up faster than expected. Under the new administration, Japan is providing financial incentives for consumers to install solar panels on their properties, helping it meet its goal to significantly cut carbon emissions by 2020. As a result, companies who have more exposure to the Asian market will benefit the most. To name a few, Suntech Power, Solarfun, Trina Solar (TSL) and Yingli Green (YGE). First Solar (FSLR) is also investing heavily in Asia; the company has set up a factory in Malaysia.

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PG&E to Help fund SolarCity Installations

2010-01-20T09:39:00.000-08:00

David R. Baker, Chronicle Staff Writer

January 20, 2010

In an unusual financing arrangement, PG&E Corp. will spend $60 million to help a Foster City company install solar panels on homes and businesses.

The deal, to be announced today, places PG&E in a role typically filled by banks. Last year's financial meltdown made banks hesitant to lend, forcing many young green-tech companies to either place projects on hold or find other sources of financing.

A PG&E subsidiary will finance solar installations by SolarCity Corp. Unlike most solar installation firms, SolarCity continues to own and operate the rooftop systems it places on homes and businesses. Customers buy only the electricity, not the panels.

The financing from PG&E will enable SolarCity to build about 1,000 installations on homes and businesses, most of them in California.

"The biggest constraint to our growth is the lack of financing, and this will support our growth," said Lyndon Rive, SolarCity's chief executive officer.

The money will come from Pacific Venture Capital, a subsidiary of PG&E Corp., which is also the parent company of Pacific Gas and Electric Co.

In return, Pacific Venture Capital will get a cut of the revenue SolarCity receives from the solar arrays it installs, as well as federal investment tax credits from those projects. PG&E will recoup its $60 million investment and make a profit, although the companies on Tuesday declined to say how large that profit would be.

"We think this is going to broaden access to renewable energy, both inside and outside our service territory," said Rand Rosenberg, senior vice president of corporate strategy and development at PG&E Corp.

Panasonic Will Invest $1 Billion in ‘Green Home’ Plan by 2012

2009-12-02T19:19:00.000-08:00

Bloomberg/Tim Mullaney and Mariko Yasu

Panasonic Corp., the world’s biggest maker of plasma televisions, will invest $1 billion by 2012 in a plan to make outfitting environmentally friendly “green” homes and buildings its new core business, an executive said.

The plan focuses on solar-panel and energy-storage technology that Panasonic will acquire in its purchase of Sanyo Electric Co., coupled with home energy-management systems that Panasonic has invented, President Fumio Ohtsubo said yesterday in an interview in New York.

The technology will let consumers monitor their own electricity use and display the data on television sets, Ohtsubo said. The system will be able to connect and monitor all of the appliances in a house, and the solar panels may produce enough clean power to offset any carbon dioxide created from other power the appliances use, he said.

“Our products in consumer electronics and our appliances will benefit from the new core business” as people buy more energy-efficient gear, Ohtsubo, 64, said. “The future is not 20 to 30 years out. Within two to three years, Panasonic can realize this kind of concept.”

He said consumers can achieve energy savings of 30 percent to 50 percent with the new technology.

The company hasn’t determined how much the energy- management systems will cost or how they will be distributed, Ohtsubo said. The Osaka, Japan-based company also doesn’t know what percentage of its overall sales can come from the new business by the end of its current medium-term business plan in 2012, he said.

Sanyo Purchase

Panasonic is offering to buy control of Sanyo, the world’s largest maker of rechargeable batteries, for 403 billion yen ($4.6 billion) to boost its share of the battery market and gain access to Sanyo’s solar-cell technology. The purchase would increase sales of energy-related electronics at Panasonic, the maker of Viera televisions, as the audiovisual-equipment market becomes increasingly saturated.

The company also is entering the market for lithium-ion batteries used in electric cars, Ohtsubo said.

Both plans were prompted by difficulties in generating enough growth in its existing consumer-electronics and appliances businesses, where it competes with Samsung Electronics Co.

“Our growth is not enough compared to Samsung,” Ohtsubo said. “So we want to change our fighting ring from our current categories to a different field.”

FTC Approval

Last week, Panasonic obtained conditional approval from the U.S. Federal Trade Commission to purchase Osaka-based Sanyo. Panasonic’s public offer of 131 yen per Sanyo share is scheduled to close on Dec. 9.

Goldman Sachs Group Inc. and two banks that bailed out Sanyo in 2006 hold about 70 percent of Sanyo’s shares and have agreed to sell at least a 50 percent stake to Panasonic.

Panasonic, which generated 47 percent of its revenue overseas in the past fiscal year, said last year that it aims to raise that share to 60 percent, mostly by boosting sales in emerging markets.

Panasonic is among Japanese companies that plan to start selling 3-D televisions next year. Sony Corp., the maker of Bravia TVs and PlayStation 3 game consoles, said last month that 3-D related products, excluding programming, will generate more than 1 trillion yen in sales in the year ending March 2013. Tokyo-based Toshiba Corp. also plans to introduce 3-D TVs as early as 2010. The Japanese companies will compete against South Korea’s Samsung Electronics Co. and LG Electronics Inc.

3-D Television

Sales of 3-D TVs will likely reach 50 million units in 2012, presenting Japanese manufacturers including Sony with an opportunity to boost earnings, Morgan Stanley said last month.

“That would be quite difficult,” Yoshi Yamada, chief executive officer of Panasonic Corp. of North America, said in yesterday’s interview.

Panasonic narrowed its full-year loss forecast in October by 28 percent to 140 billion yen, citing cost reductions. The company, which also raised its operating profit forecast for the year to 120 billion yen from 75 billion yen, posted a net loss of 379 billion yen in the year ended March 31.

Panasonic, which cut 29,155 jobs in the 12 months ended Sept. 30, probably will pare more than 300 billion yen in costs this fiscal year, compared with its original estimate of 260 billion yen, Chief Financial Officer Makoto Uenoyama said on Oct. 30.

Ohtsubo said today that Panasonic will cut costs at Sanyo after the transaction closes, though he didn’t say whether the moves would involve more job reductions.

To contact the reporters on this story: Tim Mullaney in New York at tmullaney1@bloomberg.net; Mariko Yasu in Tokyo at myasu@bloomberg.net.

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Lotus leaf solar cells soak up more power...

2009-12-01T21:39:00.000-08:00

New Scientist, Paul Marks

Solar cells have an unfortunate habit of reflecting back much of the light that hits them, rather than converting it into electricity. A technique that peppers the cells' surface with nanoscale domes could curb this tendency and improve efficiency by as much as 25 per cent.

Peppering the cell's surface with nanodomes increases efficiency by as much as 25 per cent

To ramp up the proportion of light solar cells converted into electricity, Yi Cui of Stanford University in California has focused on ensuring that more light gets through the layers of silicon.

Low-power solar cells in devices such as wristwatches and calculators are made of amorphous silicon, which converts light in the range of 400 to 800 nanometres into electricity. However, around 35 per cent of light is reflected back into the sky.

Cui's team cut this to a mere 6 per cent by depositing the solar cell's usual sandwich of layers onto a quartz base, studded with an array of 100 nm-wide cones set at 450-nm intervals (Nano Letters, DOI: 10.1021/nl9034237).

The first layer deposited is a silver reflector that ensures photons that would otherwise be wasted are bounced back up towards the active layer (see diagram). Then comes a transparent electrode, one made of an active semiconductor, and a final layer of transparent electrode.

Viewed under an electron microscope the surface of the solar cells is covered with dome shapes that look a little like ranks of eggs.

The lack of reflectivity is in fact pretty clear at a glance, says Cui: "The nanodome device looks black while the flat device looks reflective and red, as the red light does not get absorbed." In optical simulations, Cui's team found that the domes acted as waveguides, channelling light towards the active area, a bit like an optical fibre.

In lab tests the extra light made the nanodome solar cells 5.9 per cent efficient, compared with 4.7 per cent for traditional flat film amorphous cells. Cui expects that the efficiency of commercial thin film nanodome cells will be much higher.

The roughness of the new cells at nanoscales also mimics the fibrous bumps on the leaves of the lotus plant, which help it repel water. Water droplets landing on the leaf cannot achieve a contact angle that breaks their surface tension, so they form beads on the leaves rather than wetting them. In the same way water drops will roll off the surface of the nanodome solar panel taking any light-blocking dust with them.

Cui is confident the nanodome technique will also work for solar panels made from the widely used and more efficient polycrystalline silicon. The cells in these panels gather light at wavelengths up to 1500 nanometres.

Darren Bagnall, a solar cell engineer at the University of Southampton, UK, is impressed. "It's a beautiful device," he says. But he cautions that changing the geometry of the cells to achieve the higher efficiencies required of commercial versions could undermine their anti-reflective and self-cleaning properties.

Cui is undaunted. "The geometry of the nanodomes will need to be tuned slightly for different materials but it will work."

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SolarCity & US Bancorp Find New Ways to Finance Solar Projects

2009-12-01T19:12:00.000-08:00

Renewable Energy World, Graham Jesmer

As the credit crunch was starting to loosen earlier this year, one of the first glimmers of hope came from the solar energy space. In June, SolarCity and U.S. Bancorp Community Development Corporation (USBCDC) formed a partnership to finance small- and medium-scale solar projects for homeowners and businesses across the U.S. The two companies created a new US $50 million tax-equity based fund to finance projects under SolarCity's SolarLease program.

The program, which was originally backed by Morgan Stanley, allows homeowners and businesses to purchase power from systems owned and installed by SolarCity through a power purchase agreement (PPA). SolarCity, the system owner, takes advantage of commercial tax credits that it then applies to customer financing.

The USBCDC fund was one of only two tax-equity funds closed in the U.S. during the first half of 2009 that applied to residential solar projects — and both of the funds were created with SolarCity to finance solar installations.

“Tax equity financing has been the primary constraint on the growth of the solar industry, so we’re obviously thrilled and very grateful to U.S. Bank,” said Lyndon Rive, CEO of SolarCity when the fund was first announced. “This fund will allow us to increase our installation throughput and hire more installers to keep pace with strong demand from American businesses and homeowners for affordable, clean solar power.”

SolarCity believes that its business model was the foremost driver in the process of getting the deal with USBCDC closed.

The company said that despite the fact that virtually every solar company in the country was looking to U.S. Bank for financing, SolarCity was chosen for three key reasons: it top quality products, its committment to customer service and the equity that solar adds to residential and commercial real estate.

Rive said making sure these areas of a company's business are strong is the best strategy to be on the radar of financiers in the still difficult economy.

“Prove yourself, make sure you are profitable and execute. It's not about who you know, it's about what you've done. The companies with the best operational track record will be the first in line to get financing,” Rive said.

Earlier this fall, SolarCity and USBCDC doubled the size of the fund to $100 million.

“Following the pilot U.S. Bank fund earlier this year, both parties were interested in continuing and expanding the relationship — SolarCity's customer demand and operational capacity have been growing so quickly that we agreed to double the portfolio size just four months after we created the initial fund. Also, our U.S. Bank fund is unusually versatile in that it can finance both residential- and commercial-scale installations, whereas some investors are interested in one type of project or the other,” Rive said.

Since the expansion, SolarCity has announced the availability of its SolarLease program to customers of Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (LADWP), the nation’s largest municipal utility. The company has also announced a new residential solar service in Oregon. SolarCity’s PurePower program allows homeonwers to pay the same rate they were previously paying for electricity from the utility company. PurePower pricing for a 3.5-kilowatt solar system in Oregon, appropriate for a typical three or four-bedroom home, starts at $30/month.

The expansion of the U.S. Bank fund has allowed the company to grow operations substantially to meet increasing demand. SolarCity has hired 140 people in the last 5 months and passed the 4,500-customer mark.

Rive said that SolarCity's growth is part of a wider trend in the PPA market that is taking place because of the market it serves.

“The market that we're addressing is the retail electricity market. So every rooftop out there is a potential for solar. The electricity industry is massive, so in our lifetimes, at least the next 20 or 30 years we are not going to come close to market saturation,” Rive said.

USBCDC, one of the nation's largest tax-credit investors, solely makes investments in tax-credit equity and the Investment Tax Credit (ITC) is an extension of the group’s long-time experience in the New Markets and Historic tax credit programs, according to Tina Lin of USDCDC's Historic, New Markets & Solar Tax Credit Investments group.

Lin also said that the group is not currently taking advantage of the Production Tax Credit (PTC) and its primary focus for renewable energy technologies is on utility-scale solar and wind turbine projects.

“We started investing in the ITC at the beginning of 2008 and have closed 10 solar-based transactions, almost all over a 1 MW in size. Within solar, we've invested in commercial/industrial installations, residential programs as well as funds. Projects have used both crystalline panels and thin-film technology,” Lin said.

The structures of USBCDC's tax equity fund deals run the gamut from direct investment, partnership flip models, lease pass-through to sale lease-back structures. USBCDC's return on investment comes primarily from the tax credits themselves so most funds they create with solar companies have short investment horizons, generally just 5 years, however most transactions are entered into with the goal of doing more business in the future.

Lin said the group’s goal is to create a diverse portfolio of product types and structures while becoming an industry leader as an equity source.

Since the closing of this deal, major changes have taken place in the solar finance space. None larger than the cash grant in lieu of ITC provision of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act becoming an option for developers. As these funds continue to be released and as the economy in general recovers more players will be back in the solar financial picture, but Rive said that may not last unless the provision is extended.

“The conversion of the ITC to a cash grant has really improved the tax-equity market, and we are starting to see many new investors enter this space because of that. It's very important that the cash grants get extended through 2012. This will give new investors time to understand solar investments,” he said.

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Solar nanowires promise efficient, low-cost solar power

2009-11-22T22:59:00.000-08:00

Fibre optics used to magnify sunlight onto dye-sensitised solar materials

Tom Young, BusinessGreen, 09 Nov 2009

University researchers claim to have found a way of channeling solar energy directly into electrical appliances without the need for conventional solar panels.

Researchers at the Georgia Institute of Technology say they have efficiently turned light into electricity using fibre-optic cables that have been attached to solar cells.

The system uses fibre optics of the type used by the telecommunications industry and covers them with zinc oxide nanowires to increase their surface area. The nanowires are then coated with dye-sensitised solar cells that convert light to electricity.

The researchers said that sunlight entering the optical fibre passes into the nanowires, where it interacts with the dye molecules in the cells to produce an electrical current.

They added that the cells are inexpensive to manufacture, flexible and mechanically robust. While they are currently less efficient than the silicon-based cells used in traditional solar panels, this can be countered by using the nanostructure arrays to increase the available surface area, making them in practice six times more efficient than conventional solar panels.

"You have multiple light reflections within the fibre, and multiple reflections within the nanostructures," explained Zhong Lin Wang, professor at the Georgia Tech School of Materials Science and Engineering, who led the research. "These interactions increase the likelihood that the light will interact with the dye molecules, and that increases the efficiency."

Wang and his research team hope to double the efficiency of the system again by further improving the surface area.

The amount of light entering the optical fibre could also be increased by using lenses to focus the incoming light.

Wang added that the breakthrough had the potential to revolutionise the way solar energy is harvested. "Using this technology, we can make photovoltaic generators that are foldable, concealed and mobile," he said. "Optical fibre could conduct sunlight into a building's walls where the nanostructures would convert it to electricity. This is truly a three-dimensional solar cell."

He admitted that the new solar cells are unlikely to replace silicon-based panels within the next few years, but argued that they will broaden the potential applications for photovoltaic energy.

"This is a different way to gather power from the sun," he said. "To meet our energy needs, we need all the approaches we can get."

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U.S. and China Issue Joint Statement on Emissions Targets

2009-11-18T08:00:00.000-08:00

November 17, 2009

At the invitation of President Hu Jintao of the People’s Republic of China, President Barack Obama of the United States of America is paying a state visit to China from November 15–18, 2009. The Presidents held in-depth, productive and candid discussions on U.S.-China relations and other issues of mutual interest. They highlighted the substantial progress in U.S.-China relations over the past 30 years since the establishment of diplomatic ties, and they reached agreement to advance U.S.-China relations in the new era. President Obama will have separate meetings with Wu Bangguo, Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress and Premier Wen Jiabao. President Obama also spoke with and answered questions from Chinese youth.

I. The U.S.-China Relationship

The United States and China agreed that regular exchanges between leaders of the two countries are essential to the long-term, sound, and steady growth of U.S.-China relations. The two sides are of the view that the three meetings between the two presidents and other important bilateral exchanges this year have strengthened relations. President Obama invited President Hu to make a visit to the United States next year, and President Hu accepted the invitation with pleasure. Leaders of the two countries will continue to maintain close communication through mutual visits, meetings, telephone conversations and correspondence.

The United States and China spoke highly of the important role of the U.S.-China Strategic and Economic Dialogue and recognized that the Dialogue offers a unique forum to promote understanding, expand common ground, reduce differences, and develop solutions to common problems. Both sides believed that the first round of the Dialogue held in Washington, D.C., in July this year was a fruitful one and agreed to honor in good faith the commitments made and hold the second round in Beijing in the summer of 2010. The two sides agreed that they will continue to use the direct communication links among senior leaders to maintain timely communication on major and sensitive issues, institutionalize the annual exchange of visits by the two foreign ministers and encourage senior officials of other departments of the two countries to exchange visits on a regular basis.

The United States and China commended the outcomes of the visit to the United States by General Xu Caihou, Vice Chairman of the Chinese Central Military Commission, in October this year, and stated that they will take concrete steps to advance sustained and reliable military-to-military relations in the future. The two sides will prepare for the visit to the United States by General Chen Bingde, Chief of the General Staff of China’s People’s Liberation Army, and the visits to China by Robert Gates, the U.S. Secretary of Defense, and Admiral Michael Mullen, Chairman of the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff. The two sides will actively implement various exchange and cooperation programs agreed between the two militaries, including by increasing the level and frequency of exchanges. The goal of these efforts is to improve their capabilities for practical cooperation and foster greater understanding of each other’s intentions and of the international security environment.

The United States and China agreed to deepen counter-terrorism consultation and cooperation on an equal and mutually beneficial basis and to strengthen law-enforcement cooperation. They agreed to exchange evidence and intelligence on law enforcement issues in a timely and reciprocal manner. The two countries will undertake joint investigations and provide investigative assistance on cases of mutual interest. The United States and China will strengthen cooperation on criminal investigations and deepen collaboration in combating embezzlement as well as in counter-narcotics and pre-cursor chemical control and in combating unlawful migration. They also will boost joint efforts to combat transnational crime and criminal organizations as well as money laundering and the financing of terrorism including counterfeiting and recovery of illicit funds. They will work to combat smuggling and human trafficking.

The United States reaffirmed its support for Expo 2010 Shanghai.

The United States and China applauded the rich achievements in scientific and technological cooperation and exchanges between the two countries over the past 30 years since the signing of the U.S.-China Agreement on Cooperation in Science and Technology and agreed to further upgrade the level of exchanges and cooperation in scientific and technological innovation through the U.S.-China Joint Commission on Science and Technology Cooperation.

The United States and China look forward to expanding discussions on space science cooperation and starting a dialogue on human space flight and space exploration, based on the principles of transparency, reciprocity and mutual benefit. Both sides welcome reciprocal visits of the NASA Administrator and the appropriate Chinese counterpart in 2010.

The United States and China agreed to strengthen their cooperation on civil aviation, and confirmed their intent to expand the Memorandum of Agreement for Technical Cooperation in the field of Civil Aviation between the Federal Aviation Administration of the United States of America and the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC). The two sides welcomed cooperation by public and private bodies on the development of high speed railway infrastructure.

The United States and China undertook to implement the newly signed Memorandum of Understanding Between the Department of Agriculture of the United States of America and the Ministry of Agriculture of the People’s Republic of China on Cooperation in Agriculture and Related Fields.

The two countries agreed to collaborate further in joint research in the health sector including on stem cells. They will deepen cooperation on global public health issues, including Influenza A (H1N1) prevention, surveillance, reporting and control, and on avian influenza, HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, and malaria. They will also enhance cooperation on food and product safety and quality.

The United States and China underlined that each country and its people have the right to choose their own path, and all countries should respect each other’s choice of a development model. Both sides recognized that the United States and China have differences on the issue of human rights. Addressing these differences in the spirit of equality and mutual respect, as well as promoting and protecting human rights consistent with international human rights instruments, the two sides agreed to hold the next round of the official human rights dialogue in Washington D.C. by the end of February 2010. The United States and China agreed that promoting cooperation in the field of law and exchanges on the rule of law serves the interests and needs of the citizens and governments of both countries. The United States and China decided to convene the U.S.-China Legal Experts Dialogue at an early date.

The two countries noted the importance of people-to-people and cultural exchanges in fostering closer U.S.-China bilateral relations and therefore agreed in principle to establish a new bilateral mechanism to facilitate these exchanges. The two sides are pleased to note the continued increase in the number of students studying in each other’s country in recent years. Nearly 100,000 Chinese are now studying in the United States, and the U.S. side will receive more Chinese students and facilitate visa issuance for them. The United States has approximately 20,000 students in China. The United States seeks to encourage more Americans to study in China by launching a new initiative to send 100,000 students to China over the coming four years. China welcomed this decision by the United States. The two sides agreed to expedite negotiations to renew in 2010 the Implementing Accord for Cultural Exchange for the Period Through 2010-2012 under the Cultural Agreement Between the Government of the United States of America and the Government of the People’s Republic of China. The United States and China agreed to jointly hold the Second U.S.-China Cultural Forum in the United States at an appropriate time.

II. Building and Deepening Bilateral Strategic Trust

The United States and China are of the view that in the 21st century, global challenges are growing, countries are more interdependent, and the need for peace, development, and cooperation is increasing. The United States and China have an increasingly broad base of cooperation and share increasingly important common responsibilities on many major issues concerning global stability and prosperity. The two countries should further strengthen coordination and cooperation, work together to tackle challenges, and promote world peace, security and prosperity.

The two countries believe that to nurture and deepen bilateral strategic trust is essential to U.S.-China relations in the new era. During their discussions, the Chinese side said that it resolutely follows the path of peaceful development and a win-win strategy of opening-up, and is committed to promoting the building of a harmonious world of enduring peace and common prosperity. The United States reiterated that it welcomes a strong, prosperous and successful China that plays a greater role in world affairs. The United States stated that it is committed to working with other countries in addressing the most difficult international problems they face. China welcomes the United States as an Asia-Pacific nation that contributes to peace, stability and prosperity in the region. The two sides reiterated that they are committed to building a positive, cooperative and comprehensive U.S.-China relationship for the 21st century, and will take concrete actions to steadily build a partnership to address common challenges.

The United States and China underscored the importance of the Taiwan issue in U.S.-China relations. China emphasized that the Taiwan issue concerns China’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, and expressed the hope that the United States will honor its relevant commitments and appreciate and support the Chinese side’s position on this issue. The United States stated that it follows its one China policy and abides by the principles of the three U.S.-China joint communiqués. The United States welcomes the peaceful development of relations across the Taiwan Strait and looks forward to efforts by both sides to increase dialogues and interactions in economic, political, and other fields, and develop more positive and stable cross-Strait relations.

The two countries reiterated that the fundamental principle of respect for each other’s sovereignty and territorial integrity is at the core of the three U.S.-China joint communiqués which guide U.S.-China relations. Neither side supports any attempts by any force to undermine this principle. The two sides agreed that respecting each other’s core interests is extremely important to ensure steady progress in U.S.-China relations.

The United States and China believe that bilateral cooperation on common global challenges will contribute to a more prosperous and secure world. They reaffirmed their commitment made on 27 June 1998 not to target at each other the strategic nuclear weapons under their respective control. The two sides believed that the two countries have common interests in promoting the peaceful use of outer space and agree to take steps to enhance security in outer space. The two sides agreed to discuss issues of strategic importance through such channels as the U.S.-China Strategic and Economic Dialogue and military-to-military exchanges.

The United States and China agreed to handle through existing channels of consultations and dialogue military security and maritime issues in keeping with norms of international law and on the basis of respecting each other’s jurisdiction and interests.

III. Economic Cooperation and Global Recovery

The two sides are determined to work together to achieve more sustainable and balanced global economic growth. To that end, the two sides noted that their forceful and timely policy responses helped stem the decline in global output and stabilized financial markets. The two sides agreed to sustain measures to ensure a strong and durable global economic recovery and financial system. The two sides reiterated that they will continue to strengthen dialogue and cooperation on macro-economic policies. The two sides pledge to honor all commitments made at the inaugural meeting of the Strategic and Economic Dialogue, the G-20 summits, and APEC in Singapore.

The two sides commended the important role of the three G-20 summits in tackling the global financial crisis, and committed to work with other members of the G-20 to enhance the G-20’s effectiveness as the premier forum for international economic cooperation. The two sides agreed to work together, including through a cooperative process on mutual assessment to make the G-20 Framework for Strong, Sustainable and Balanced Growth a success. The two sides welcomed recent agreements by the G-20 to ensure that the International Financial Institutions (IFIs) have sufficient resources and to reform their governance structures in order to improve IFIs credibility, legitimacy and effectiveness. The two sides stressed the need to follow through on the quantified targets for the reform of quota and voting shares of IFIs as soon as possible, increasing the voice and representation of emerging markets and developing countries in these institutions consistent with the Pittsburgh Summit Leaders Statement. They also agreed to work together to strengthen the capacity of these institutions to prevent and respond to future crises.

The two sides will further enhance communication and the exchange of information regarding macro-economic policy, and work together to pursue policies of adjusting domestic demand and relative prices to lead to more sustainable and balanced trade and growth. China will continue to implement the policies to adjust economic structure, raise household incomes, expand domestic demand to increase contribution of consumption to GDP growth and reform its social security system. The United States will take measures to increase national saving as a share of GDP and promote sustainable non-inflationary growth. To achieve this, the United States is committed to returning the federal budget deficit to a sustainable path and pursuing measures to encourage private saving. Both sides will also pursue forward-looking monetary policies with due regard for the ramifications of those policies for the international economy.

The two sides recognize the importance of open trade and investment to their domestic economies and to the global economy, and are committed to jointly fight protectionism in all its manifestations. The two sides agreed to work proactively to resolve bilateral trade and investment disputes in a constructive, cooperative, and mutually beneficial manner. Both sides will expedite negotiation on a bilateral investment treaty. The two sides are committed to seeking a positive, ambitious, and balanced conclusion to the Doha Development Agenda in 2010.

The two sides spoke highly of the outcomes of the 20th Meeting of the U.S.-China Joint Commission on Commerce and Trade. The two sides reaffirmed the commitment at this JCCT meeting and look forward to their full implementation.

IV. Regional and Global Challenges

The two sides noted that, at a time when the international environment is undergoing complex and profound changes, the United States and China share a responsibility to cooperatively address regional and global security challenges. The two sides stressed that they share broad common interests in the Asia-Pacific region and support the development and improvement of an open and inclusive regional cooperation framework that is beneficial to all. The two sides will work to encourage APEC to play a more effective role in promoting regional trade and investment liberalization and economic and technical cooperation and for the ASEAN Regional Forum to play a more effective role in strengthening regional security cooperation.

The two sides agreed that respect for the Treaty on the Non-proliferation of Nuclear Weapons, IAEA mandates, and implementation of all relevant UN Security Council resolutions are essential for the success of our joint efforts to stem the spread of nuclear weapons. The two presidents recalled their participation at the September 24, 2009, UN Security Council Summit on nuclear nonproliferation and nuclear disarmament. They welcomed the outcome of the Summit and expressed their strong support for UN Security Resolution 1887.

The two sides reaffirmed the importance of continuing the Six-Party Talks process and implementing the September 19, 2005, Joint Statement, including denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula, normalization of relations and establishment of a permanent peace regime in Northeast Asia. The two sides stated that they will work together with other parties concerned to comprehensively achieve the purpose and overall goal of the Six-Party Talks through consultations and dialogues. The Chinese side welcomed the start of high-level contacts between the United States and the DPRK. The two sides expressed the hope that the multilateral mechanism of the Six Party Talks would convene at an early date.

The two sides noted with concern the latest developments with regard to the Iranian nuclear issue. The two sides agreed that Iran has the right to peaceful uses of nuclear energy under the NPT and it should fulfill its due international obligations under that treaty. They welcomed the talks in Geneva on October 1st between the P5+1 and Iran as a promising start towards addressing international concerns about Iran’s nuclear program, and expressed their readiness to continue that engagement as soon as possible. The two sides emphasized that all efforts should be made to take confidence building steps and called on Iran to respond positively to the proposal of the IAEA Director General. The two sides reaffirmed their strong support for a comprehensive and long-term solution to the Iranian nuclear issue through negotiations, and called on Iran to engage constructively with the P5+1 and to cooperate fully with the IAEA to facilitate a satisfactory outcome.

The two sides welcomed all efforts conducive to peace, stability and development in South Asia. They support the efforts of Afghanistan and Pakistan to fight terrorism, maintain domestic stability and achieve sustainable economic and social development, and support the improvement and growth of relations between India and Pakistan. The two sides are ready to strengthen communication, dialogue and cooperation on issues related to South Asia and work together to promote peace, stability and development in that region.

The two sides underlined their commitment to the eventual realization of a world free of nuclear weapons. They reiterated their opposition to the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and will jointly uphold the international nuclear non-proliferation regime. They agreed to enhance non-proliferation cooperation on the basis of mutual respect and equality. They will work together to achieve a successful Review Conference of Parties to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons in 2010. They committed to pursue ratification of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty as soon as possible, and will work together for the early entry into force of the CTBT. They support the launching of negotiations on the Fissile Material Cut-off Treaty at an early date in the Conference on Disarmament, and stand ready to strengthen communication and cooperation in nuclear safety and security and in combating nuclear terrorism. China attaches importance to the U.S. initiative to hold a nuclear security summit in April 2010 and will actively participate in the preparations for the summit.

The two sides also discussed the importance of UN peacekeeping operations in promoting international peace and security.

The two sides agreed to enhance dialogue on development issues to explore areas of cooperation and coordination and to ensure that both countries’ efforts are conducive to achieving sustainable outcomes.

V. Climate Change, Energy and Environment

The two sides held a constructive and productive dialogue on the issue of climate change. They underscored that climate change is one of the greatest challenges of our time. The two sides maintain that a vigorous response is necessary and that international cooperation is indispensable in responding to this challenge. They are convinced of the need to address climate change in a manner that respects the priority of economic and social development in developing countries and are equally convinced that transitioning to a low-carbon economy is an opportunity to promote continued economic growth and sustainable development in all countries.

Regarding the upcoming Copenhagen Conference, both sides agree on the importance of actively furthering the full, effective and sustained implementation of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change in accordance with the Bali Action Plan. The United States and China, consistent with their national circumstances, resolve to take significant mitigation actions and recognize the important role that their countries play in promoting a sustainable outcome that will strengthen the world’s ability to combat climate change. The two sides resolve to stand behind these commitments.

In this context both sides believe that, while striving for final legal agreement, an agreed outcome at Copenhagen should, based on the principle of common but differentiated responsibilities and respective capabilities, include emission reduction targets of developed countries and nationally appropriate mitigation actions of developing countries. The outcome should also substantially scale up financial assistance to developing countries, promote technology development, dissemination and transfer, pay particular attention to the needs of the poorest and most vulnerable to adapt to climate change, promote steps to preserve and enhance forests, and provide for full transparency with respect to the implementation of mitigation measures and provision of financial, technology and capacity building support.

The two sides are committed to working together and with other countries in the weeks ahead for a successful outcome at Copenhagen.

The two sides agreed that the transition to a green and low-carbon economy is essential and that the clean energy industry will provide vast opportunities for citizens of both countries in the years ahead and welcomed significant steps forward to advance policy dialogue and practical cooperation on climate change, energy and the environment, building on the U.S.-China Memorandum of Understanding to Enhance Cooperation on Climate Change, Energy and Environment announced at the first round of U.S.-China Strategic and Economic Dialogue this July and formally signed during the Presidential visit.

The two sides recognized the importance of the Ten Year Framework on Energy and Environment Cooperation (TYF) and commit to strengthen cooperation in promoting clean air, water, transportation, electricity, and resource conservation. Through a new U.S.-China Energy Efficiency Action Plan under the TYF, the United States and China will work together to achieve cost-effective energy efficiency improvements in industry, buildings and consumer products through technical cooperation, demonstration and policy exchanges. Noting both countries significant investments in energy efficiency, the two Presidents underscored the enormous opportunities to create jobs and enhance economic growth through energy savings.

The two sides welcomed the signing of the Protocol Between the Department of Energy of the United States of America and the Ministry of Science and Technology and the National Energy Administration of the People’s Republic of China on a Clean Energy Research Center. The Center will facilitate joint research and development on clean energy by teams of scientists and engineers from both countries, as well as serve as clearing house to help researchers in each country, with public and private funding of at least $150 million over five years split evenly between the two countries. The Center will have one headquarters in each country. Priority topics to be addressed will include energy efficiency in buildings, clean coal (including carbon capture and sequestration), and clean vehicles.

The two sides welcomed the launch of a U.S.-China Electric Vehicles Initiative designed to put millions of electric vehicles on the roads of both countries in the years ahead. Building on significant investments in electric vehicles in both the United States and China, the two governments announced a program of joint demonstration projects in more than a dozen cities, along with work to develop common technical standards to facilitate rapid scale-up of the industry. The two sides agreed that their countries share a strong common interest in the rapid deployment of clean vehicles.

The two sides strongly welcomed work in both countries to promote 21st century coal technologies. They agreed to promote cooperation on large-scale carbon capture and sequestration (CCS) demonstration projects and to begin work immediately on the development, deployment, diffusion, and transfer of CCS technology. The two sides welcomed recent agreements between Chinese and U.S. companies, universities, and research institutions to cooperate on CCS and more efficient coal technologies.

The two sides welcomed the signing of the Memorandum of Cooperation between the Environmental Protection Agency of the United States and the National Development and Reform Commission of China and to Build Capacity to Address Climate Change.

The two sides welcomed the launch of The U.S.-China Renewable Energy Partnership. Through this Partnership, the two countries will chart a pathway to wide-scale deployment of wind, solar, advanced bio-fuels, and a modern electric power grid in both countries and cooperate in designing and implementing the policy and technical tools necessary to make that vision possible. Given the combined market size of the two countries, accelerated deployment of renewable energy in The United States and China can significantly reduce the cost of these technologies globally.

The two sides welcomed the establishment of The U.S.-China Energy Cooperation Program (ECP), a partnership between government and industry to enhance energy security and combat climate change. The ECP will leverage private sector resources and expertise to accelerate the deployment of clean energy technology.

The two sides commended the results of the recently-held Fourth U.S.-China Energy Policy Dialogue and Ninth U.S.-China Oil and Gas Industry Forum and welcomed the launch of a U.S.-China Shale Gas Resource Initiative to accelerate the development of unconventional natural gas resources in China. Drawing on recent experience in the United States, this initiative aims to improve energy security in both countries and help China transition to a low-carbon economy.

The two sides agreed to work together to advance global efforts to promote the peaceful use of nuclear energy. They welcomed the recently-concluded Third Executive Committee Meeting of the Global Nuclear Energy Partnership, and the commitment of the partnership to explore ways to enhance the international framework for civil nuclear energy cooperation. They agreed to consult with one another in order to explore such approaches — including assurance of fuel supply and cradle-to-grave nuclear fuel management so that countries can access peaceful nuclear power while minimizing the risks of proliferation.

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China Selects 294 PV Projects for Golden Sun Subsidy

2009-11-16T06:37:00.001-08:00

China has chosen solar projects totalling 642 megawatts to benefit from its Golden Sun subsidy, first announced in July. Roughly half the generation capacity will come from utility-scale solar parks, while the other half will be attached to existing industrial sites.

The government has not provided the names or locations of the projects. But it appears that many of the Golden Sun programme’s potential shortfalls have been borne out.

One of the most burdensome restrictions the Chinese government placed on the scheme was that no more than 20 megawatts (MW) could be built in any one province, hampering developers’ ability to amass economies of scale.

Given China’s 34 provinces, the programme’s theoretical limit was 680MW. As it turns out, Golden Sun will subsidise projects totalling 642MW at a total estimated cost of 20bn yuan ($2.9bn).

Golden Sun will cover:

232 projects -- totalling 290MW -- to be built at major industrial sites where carbon-heavy manufacturers will consume all of the electricity generated.

35 projects -- totalling 306MW -- to be built as utility-scale solar parks, whose output will be flowed into China’s transmission grid.

27 projects -- totalling 46MW -- to be built by independent producers in remote, powerless regions.

China's Ministry of Finance will foot half the bill – including any needed transmission and distribution infrastructure – for utility-scale projects and those going up at industrial sites. It will pay 70% of the cost of building off-grid projects in remote regions. All of the projects are expected to be operational within three years.

The Golden Sun programme was initially hailed by analysts as a way to ignite domestic demand at a time when many Chinese solar firms faced horrific inventory overhangs. Many of them, including JA Solar and Yingli Green Energy, have since seen strong rebounds as falling panel prices spur record-high sales.

But analysts have since taken a frostier attitude towards Golden Sun, concluding that it will do little to stoke permanent demand in the Chinese market without the addition of a feed-in tariff (FIT).

A number of Chinese executives, including SunTech chairman Zhengrong Shi, have gone on the record predicting a general solar FIT will be in place in China by the end of the year. Several major companies, including Yingli, Canadian Solar and LDK Solar, have announced large-scale solar projects that appear at least partially reliant on such a FIT.

However, reports now indicate that the Chinese government could eat up another two or more years hammering out the details of the FIT, and will attempt to plug the interim gap with a variety of smaller, more targeted subsidy programmes.

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Suntech to Develop 20% of Approved Systems for China's Solar Rooftop Program

2009-11-13T09:56:00.000-08:00

WUXI, China, Nov. 13 /PRNewswire-Asia

Suntech Power Holdings Co., Ltd. (NYSE: STP), the world's leading manufacturer of crystalline silicon photovoltaic (PV) modules, today announced that it expects to develop approximately 20% of the 91MW of solar projects that were approved under China's Solar Rooftop Program.

China's Solar Rooftop Program, which was launched in March this year by the Ministry of Finance, is designed to increase the energy efficiency of buildings through the installation of building-attached and building- integrated PV solar systems. The first set of applications was submitted in April, and recently 111 solar projects totaling 91MW across China were approved to receive funds through the program. The system owners are expected to receive a 13-17RMB per watt rebate for all projects approved through the program. Suntech targets to develop approximately 20% of the successful applications and will also participate as the system owner or partial investor in some projects. Suntech has completed 4MW of its approved projects and plans to develop the remainder by mid-2010. Specific project agreements will be signed prior to implementation.

"Building energy use accounts for roughly 28% of total energy consumption in China and is a critical front in the drive to achieve higher energy efficiency and reduce carbon emissions," said Dr. Zhengrong Shi, Suntech's Chairman and CEO. "The Ministry of Finance Solar Building Program recognizes the huge opportunity to offset building energy consumption with integrated solar energy generation. We are very pleased to demonstrate the capability of this technology and we hope to see this valuable solar program expanded in 2010 and beyond."

The Solar Rooftop Program places particular emphasis on technologically advanced, building-integrated solar systems. Suntech has one of the industry's broadest portfolios of BIPV products and a highly experienced system design and integration team that can implement complex turnkey solar projects. Suntech's new Green Energy Headquarters in Wuxi that incorporates a 1MW BIPV solar facade and rooftop system was designed and constructed by Suntech's in- house team and is one of the projects approved to receive the rebate.

"Solar is an ideal solution to improve energy efficiency as it can be built into the skin of a building and serves the dual function of a building material and an energy generating system. We should view the countless rooftops across China as an underutilized resource that can easily support clean, distributed energy generation," added Dr. Shi.

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SolarCity Teams up to Fund Solar Systems in Arizona

2009-11-09T23:15:00.000-08:00

Phoenix Business Journal, Patrick O'Grady

National Bank of Arizona, SolarCity and Arizona Public Service Co. are teaming on a $25 million effort to land more solar systems on the city’s residential rooftops, with a backup to potential leases provided by the city of Phoenix.

The plan, to be announced Tuesday, calls for National Bank of Arizona to supply funding for what could be about 1,000 solar systems for Phoenix residents. It’s a move officials say could knock down the high entry cost for distributed solar and provide jobs in the city.“It will be a major program in its scale within the country,” said Phoenix Mayor Phil Gordon.

National Bank of Arizona would own the systems and lease them to what officials said would be homeowners with good credit. SolarCity, the Foster City, Calif.-based solar installer, will handle the work from collecting financing applications to installations.

Phoenix will backup leases with $250,000 from the Industrial Development Authority to cover what industry officials said is a typical 1 percent to 2 percent default.

NBAZ, which has partnered with SolarCity on panels for its own facility in the Biltmore area as well as one of the largest ground mount systems in the state slated to serve residences at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base in Tucson, sees a strong demand for the systems.

“The demand is there. It has been,” said Craig Robb, executive vice president for finance and administration for NBAZ. “The problem has been for some period of time the capital has not.”

The program will earmark about $5 million of the total to help low-income homeowners get solar systems, Robb said.

Lease programs are a relatively new offering for SolarCity, which has relied on a power-purchase agreement with customers in other states. Those programs allow SolarCity to own the systems and then sell power to the homeowner. Arizona’s constitution, however, has classified that arrangement as being regulated by the Arizona Corporation Commission.

The deal with NBAZ will allow the company to take what had been a plan for homeowners requiring $1,000 down to one with no down payment. Leases will run for 15 years, at which time homeowners will be given the opportunity to either upgrade, pay off the remaining balance, or have the system removed.

Lyndon Rive, founder and CEO of SolarCity, said having a local partner with financing will provide a quicker way to get solar on rooftops.

“Very rarely will banks go through the amount of brain damage required to understand all the federal tax laws, the rules and regulations,” he said.

Distributed solar projects on residences have been increasing since a federal tax credit was changed earlier this year. That increased demand still has a tough hurdle because even with the tax credits and utility-supplied incentives it costs homeowners thousands of dollars to put in a solar system.

Gordon said the plan was developed primarily by the private sector. The city’s economic analysts believe it will create about 150 jobs and create about $39 million in economic impact.

“The good news is the market is untapped with people using solar,” he said. “The barrier, we believe, has been the up-front costs and the multiple phases you have to go through to get the rebates.”

The lease plan would allow NBAZ to recoup both the rebates from utilities as well as the federal tax credit as the owner of the system, but those savings would be passed on to the homeowner, Robb said.

APS, which will provide incentives for the solar systems in its territory, sees the measure as a way to help it hit goals required in the state’s renewable energy standards. The utility is required to have 30 percent of its renewable power supplied by distributed systems and half of that from residential units. That has proved difficult with the high cost of entry. This year, APS will shift about $20 million from its residential pool to cover schools for solar because there hasn’t been as much demand as the company has collected funds.

APS expects the plan will result in $10 million to $15 million in rebates to customers in 2010, said Pat Dinkel, general manager for resource acquisition and strategic planning for APS.

“There’s no question this is a significant part of our distributed program next year,” he said.

Rive said SolarCity has installed about 400 systems on Arizona residential rooftops since it entered the market last year, but the company expects withe NBAZ program that it will do the 1,000 systems within 2010. Robb also said the bank believes the interest in solar will deplete the fund within a year.

Although the program could last only through next year, both Rive and Robb said it has the potential to be rolled out to other cities. Currently, only Phoenix residents will be eligible.

For more: www.solarphoenix.org

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Cost of solar panels drops - but tax breaks dip too...

2009-11-02T23:11:00.000-08:00

Tiffany Hsu, Los Angeles Times, October 20, 2009

The average cost of solar photovoltaic power systems in the U.S. plunged more than 30% from 1998 to 2008, with a 4% drop between 2007 and 2008, according to a new report from the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory.

But a simultaneous drop in total after-tax incentives for photovoltaics from 2007 to 2008 resulted in a slight rise in net installed cost, according to the lab, which is run by the Department of Energy.

Overall net costs for residential solar systems were up 1% in 2008 compared with the previous year, averaging $5.40 per watt. Costs for commercial photovoltaics averaged $4.20 per watt, a 5% increase from 2007.

After-tax incentives for residential systems were at a historic low of $2.90 per watt in 2008, while incentives for commercial photovoltaics were at $4 per watt, down slightly from the 2006 peak.

But excluding the incentives, installation costs dropped recently after a multi-year plateau due to the solar industry’s expanded manufacturing capacity and the pressures of the financial crisis.

The early end of the decline, from 1998 through 2007, was caused by shrinking costs of labor, marketing, overhead, etc.

The Berkeley Lab study considered 52,000 photovoltaic systems in 16 states. The average cost of installation dropped from $10.80 per watt in 1998 to $7.50 per watt in 2008, or a reduction of 3.6% per year.

Small residential solar systems completed in 2008, producing less than 2 kilowatts, cost an average of $9.20 per watt, while large commercial photovoltaics producing between 500 to 700 kilowatts averaged $6.50 per watt.

The cost of going solar varies widely across states. For systems producing less than 10 kilowatts that were completed in 2008, costs range from a low of $7.30 per watt in Arizona, to a high of $9.90 per watt in Pennsylvania and Ohio. California’s average is $8.20 per watt.

But the report suggests that costs could be driven even lower through large-scale implementation.

See the original article here...

Building the Largest Solar Community in the U.S.

2009-10-26T21:09:00.001-07:00

Soaring Heights Communities at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base to Become Largest Solar-Powered Community in the Continental U.S. to Date

Solar power will provide an estimated 75 percent of the total energy needed to power Davis-Monthan’s Soaring Heights Communities

TUCSON, Ariz., Oct. 26, 2009—Housing developer Actus Lend Lease, SolarCity®, Tucson Electric Power (TEP), and financing parties National Bank of Arizona and U.S. Bancorp Community Development Corporation (USBCDC) are working to create one of the nation’s largest distributed, community-wide solar power systems at Soaring Heights Communities at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base. Upon completion, the community is expected to be the largest solar-powered community in the continental U.S. The solar systems are expected to produce more than 10 million kilowatt hours of electricity annually—sufficient to provide an estimated 75 percent of the residents’ energy use next year—and could eventually offset 100 percent of Soaring Heights Communities’ electricity use.

Soaring Heights Communities at Davis-Monthan will also be Arizona’s largest solar-powered community. The complete installation is expected to include six megawatts of total solar capacity in a combination of a ground-mounted photovoltaic (PV) system and rooftop solar systems that will be installed on approximately 900 residences. National Bank of Arizona will own the 45,000 panel ground-mounted system, which accounts for more than 3.3 megawatts of solar capacity. The balance of the system is expected to consist of 36,000 more panels in the rooftop arrays. The rooftop systems are being financed within an existing SolarCity fund, which was financed by U.S. Bancorp Community Development Corporation (USBCDC) earlier this year.

The solar systems will be designed and installed by SolarCity and will be interconnected by TEP. The entire project is estimated to represent an increase of more than 15 percent over Arizona’s current grid-tied solar capacity. Collectively, the installation is expected to offset more than 570 million pounds of carbon dioxide over its lifetime, the equivalent of taking approximately 50,000 cars off the road for a year, or planting more than 300,000 trees.

Soaring Heights Communities will also be one of the first solar-powered communities on an Air Force Base in the U.S. Actus Lend Lease is currently developing one of the world’s largest solar powered communities at its Army Hawaii Family Housing complex. Upon completion, the Army Hawaii Family Housing project will be the largest solar-powered community in the U.S. Through its partnership with the U.S. Air Force, Actus Lend Lease leases Soaring Heights Communities homes to military families.

“We are very excited about the Soaring Heights Communities project because it allows us to leverage our background and expertise in renewable energy initiatives as they relate to community development,” said Dale Connor, Actus Lend Lease managing director. “We look forward to working closely with our partners and the Department of Defense to set a standard for sustainable living here in Arizona and throughout the country.”

Starting earlier this month, SolarCity began installing 1,000 PV modules per day on previously vacant land near Soaring Heights Communities. Homes in the community have been selected for solar installations based on their specific location and suitability for solar panels. Most of the homes selected for solar system installations are new dwellings built to the rigorous energy efficiency standards of TEP’s Guarantee Home Program, while some are existing homes.

“As Arizona’s largest community bank, and driver in the growth of our state’s economy, National Bank of Arizona is making a sound investment in Arizona’s renewable energy future by funding the ground-mounted solar array. We’re pleased to finance what will generate positive economic and environmental impact in Arizona,” said Craig Robb, National Bank of Arizona executive vice president and chief financial officer.

TEP will provide incentives through its customer-funded SunShare program to reduce the long-term cost of Soaring Heights Communities’ photovoltaic installation. Both systems’ output will help TEP work toward the renewable energy goals established by the Arizona Corporation Commission (ACC).

“Through the SunShare incentives that make this project possible, every TEP customer will be invested in the success of this remarkable new solar-powered community,” said David Hutchens, vice president of energy efficiency and resource planning for TEP and its parent company, UniSource Energy Corporation (NYSE: UNS). “This project will help shrink the carbon footprint of Tucson’s largest military base while setting a new standard for distributed solar power systems.”

SolarCity will be outfitting the solar systems with SolarGuard® monitoring systems to measure solar electricity production, and to measure the performance of the ground-mounted arrays against the rooftop arrays. The monitors will ensure that the system performs as predicted and inform both SolarCity and TEP about how such arrays might interact with the smart grid of the future.

“Soaring Heights Communities is truly a solar city, and our largest installation to date,” said SolarCity CEO Lyndon Rive. “We expect this project to be a springboard for additional clean power development in Arizona, one of the best locations for solar in the world.”

About Actus Lend Lease

Actus Lend Lease is the nation’s leader in public/private community development. With a focus on creating sustainable value, Actus Lend Lease communities are unrivaled in their attention to design, technology and environmental sensitivity. Known for its innovative initiatives Actus Lend Lease has developed some of the most sustainable communities throughout the military including: one of the world’s largest solar powered communities at Army Hawaii, New York State’s largest energy efficient community development at Fort Drum Mountain Community Homes and the largest LEED-Silver certified community in the state of Texas at Fort Hood (Saddlestone Ranch). Actus is also constructing the first Zero Energy Home on a military installation and was chosen as the Department of Energy’s partner to launch Operation Change Out, an initiative geared at replacing all incandescent light bulbs with the more energy efficient CFLs on all military installations. Actus has garnered many national awards for its sustainable initiatives including the 2009 Department of Energy, Excellence in Energy Star Promotions Award. For more information, visit actuslendlease.com.

About National Bank of Arizona

Founded in Tucson, Ariz., in 1984, National Bank of Arizona is a community bank serving professionals and meeting the needs of small and mid-sized Arizona businesses. Arizona’s fourth-largest bank with more than $4.8 billion in assets, National Bank has over 75 offices throughout the state. For more information, visit nbarizona.com.

About Tucson Electric Power

Tucson Electric Power, a subsidiary of UniSource Energy, provides safe, reliable power and a variety of green energy options to more than 400,000 customers in the Tucson metropolitan area. For more information, visit tep.com. For more information about UniSource Energy, visit uns.com.

About U.S. Bancorp Community Development Corporation

With assets of over $6 billion, U.S. Bancorp Community Development Corporation

(USBCDC) finances community development and affordable housing projects through the use of New Markets Tax Credits, Historic Tax Credits, Low-Income Housing Tax Credits, and Investment Tax Credits in Renewable Energy. USBCDC is a subsidiary of U.S. Bank and U.S. Bancorp (NYSE: USB). Through U.S. Bank, U.S. Bancorp, and other subsidiaries, the company operates 2,850 banking offices and over 5,000 ATMs in 24 states, and provides a comprehensive line of banking, brokerage, insurance, investment, mortgage, trust and payment services products to consumers, businesses and institutions. Visit U.S. Bancorp on the web at www.usbank.com.

About SolarCity

SolarCity—a national leader in solar power system design, financing, installation, monitoring and related services—was founded with the mission to help millions of homeowners and businesses adopt clean power, protect themselves from rising electricity costs, and protect their environment from polluting power sources. The company’s SolarLease™, PurePower™ and Commercial Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) options can make it possible for homeowners and businesses to switch to clean, solar power for less money than they currently pay for electricity. SolarCity currently serves 500 communities in California, Arizona and Oregon. Additional information about the company is available on the Web at www.solarcity.com.

SolarCity Raises $100 Million for 2009

2009-10-21T22:32:00.000-07:00

New York Times/Tom Woody

The credit crunch has walloped the residential solar industry, making it hard for installers like SolarCity to tap investor funds to finance rooftop arrays for their customers.

But in a sign that the recessionary clouds are parting a bit, SolarCity on Tuesday said that U.S. Bancorp has agreed to finance $100 million worth of solar installations in 2009.

That’s double the money the bank committed to provide SolarCity in June when the original deal – but not the financial details – was announced.

SolarCity, based in the Silicon Valley suburb of Foster City, offers customers the option of leasing their rooftop panels and thus avoiding the five-figure cost of buying a solar system.

The company retains ownership of the solar array and thus qualifies for a 30 percent federal tax credit against its cost. Since most startups have no use for such tax credits, they give them to investors in exchange for financing installations.

Still, most such tax equity partnerships have collapsed along with the Wall Street banks that often funded them. In fact, U.S. Bancorp stepped in after Morgan Stanley pulled the plug on a financing arrangement with SolarCity earlier this year.

“For all of this year, tax equity has been the No. 1 constraint in financing for the entire solar industry,” said Lyndon Rive, SolarCity’s chief executive. “In the third quarter of last year, there were about 20 active banks and insurance companies making tax equity investments. They all fell off a cliff and now there’s three or four.”

Despite the $100 million infusion, Mr. Rive said raising money for tax equity partnerships remains difficult. “The investors have been more selective and strict and they’re doing a tremendous amount of due diligence,” he said.

Mr. Rive noted, however, that the federal stimulus package has helped lure back some investors by giving them the option of receiving a government cash grant in lieu of the tax credit.

Mr. Rive said the the influx of financing has helped the company to hire 112 people — mainly solar panel installers — over the past four months, and the company now has a workforce of about 450 employees.

Other solar installers have found investors in recent months as well. San Francisco’s SunRun raised $18 million in a round of funding in July, and last week, Sungevity, based in Berkeley, Calif., announced that it had secured $6 million in its latest round of financing.

With solar panel prices plummeting this year due to over-production and more attractive federal incentives available to homeowners, financing remains the key hurdle for many customers, said Danny Kennedy, Sungevity’s president.

Mr. Kennedy has recently hired SolarCity’s former chief financial officer to develop a financing program for his company.

See the original article here

LDK Solar's Plant Reaches First Production Run

2009-09-24T17:22:00.000-07:00

World’s Largest Polysilicon Facility Boasts High Purity, Low Energy Consumption and First-Rate Environmental Controls

Fluor Corporation announced today that it has helped LDK Solar’s polysilicon plant in Xinyu City, China, to its first successful production run. As the engineering, procurement and construction management (EPCM) contractor, Fluor helped bring the facility from groundbreaking to first production in just 20 months. LDK Solar initiated production ramp-up of operations for its first 5,000 metric-ton (MT) train of its eventual 15,000 MT (annualized capacity) polysilicon plant in Xinyu earlier this month.

"This is an amazing project milestone due to the incredible size of the facility and the unprecedented speed of the construction schedule to meet first production,” said Peter Oosterveer, president of Fluor’s Energy & Chemicals Group. “With the numerous unique design and construction challenges of this megaproject and the accelerated timetable we achieved together with LDK Solar, this is truly an unprecedented accomplishment.”

Nick Sarno, LDK Solar’s senior vice president of manufacturing and polysilicon plant project manager, confirmed Oosterveer’s insights. “The project team, skillfully led by Fluor, has done an incredible job helping to make the impossible possible,” Sarno said. “In just 20 months, we have achieved what many said to be impossible. We literally moved mountains so that we could build the largest polysilicon plant in the world.”

LDK’s Xinyu plant is producing high purity polysilicon. Other features of the plant include a closed-loop process, state-of-the-art plant control systems and a world-class environmental protection system that further exemplify the quality standards of this unique facility.

A ceremony with more than 2,000 attendees was held earlier this month to mark the occasion. Special dignitaries included Su Ron, secretary of the Jiangxi Communist Party, Wu Xinxiong, governor of Jiangxi Province and other notable government officials.

See the original article here

Nanosolar Unveils New 640MW Factory

2009-09-12T10:09:00.000-07:00

PV-Tech, Tom Cheney

After staying relatively quiet for much of the past year, thin-film PV manufacturer Nanosolar has come out with a full docket of announcements: the completion of its 640MW panel-assembly factory near Berlin celebrated during an event attended by the German Minister of the Environment and other dignitaries; the start of serial roll-to-roll production of its flexible copper-indium-gallium-(di)selenide cells in the company’s San Jose facility; $4.1 billion in panel purchases from customers--including some of the world’s largest utility companies; NREL-verified cell efficiencies up to 16.4%; and new technical details of both its printed CIGS cell technology and utility-scale panels.

The panel-making facility, located in Luckenwalde (about 60 kilometers south of Berlin), can operate at a production rate of one panel every 10 seconds and is capable of reaching a peak capacity of 640MW when operated around the clock, according to Nanosolar. Called by TUV Rheinland inspectors “a factory unlike any we've ever seen,” the plant incorporates a fully automated, robotic line (pictured at left) integrated with a sophisticated in-line quality control measurement system to string and assemble the individually sorted and tested cells into panels. One innovative part of the production line is a high-throughput stack lamination technique developed with a "leading provider of lamination equipment."

The German panel factory is supplied with flexible aluminum-foil cells produced at the venture-backed company’s fab in San Jose. Nanosolar, which prints its cells using a proprietary CIGS ink in a mostly nonvacuum, low-cost process sequence, says it began serial production on its R2R processing line earlier this year.

"Getting to the point of serial production with the unusual extent of innovation and leapfrog cost reduction involved in our technology and delivering a product that out of the gate meets and exceeds the high bar set by the industry's existing volume manufacturers on performance and reliability is an accomplishment due to the incredibly hard work and perseverance of our team," says Nanosolar president/CEO Martin Roscheisen.

Although the facility is calibrated for rapid growth, current production is running at a subcapacity baseload rate of about 1MW per month, according to Nanosolar. Web widths run up to 1500mm on the cell line, while certain process steps can attain throughputs as high as 40m/min, he told PV Tech. A full roll of processed, unsingulated PV foil is equivalent to 100KW.

The San Jose plant will be ramped in sync with the company's market-introduction plan, which it says focuses on achieving “product bankability” with commercial banks and delivering on the company's $4.1 billion in contractual customer commitments.

"With almost all large solar installations credit financed, broad-based product bankability is our key next commercial goal,” states the company CEO (pictured at left). “We have long prepared for this, including through the technology choices we have made, the strong balance sheet we have maintained, the quality of customers we have secured, and the local production we have built."

The product coming off those automated assembly lines is Nanosolar’s first offering, the Utility Panel—what it calls the industry’s first solar electricity module specifically designed as well as electrically and mechanically optimized for utility-scale solar power systems.

Featuring an innovative design scheme, the company says the IEC 61646-certified panel effectively eliminates the “balance-of-system penalty” that medium-efficient thin panels from First Solar and others have conventionally carried relative to higher-efficiency, more-expensive crystalline-silicon panels.

The Utility Panel is the industry’s highest-current thin module, by up to a factor of six, according to Nanosolar, and is also the first PV module certified by TUV for a system voltage of 1500V--about 50% higher than the next highest certified device. The combination of enhanced current and voltage enables utility-scale panel array lengths and results in a host of substantial balance-of-system cost savings, the company says.

On the mechanical side, the panel package employs a dual-tempered glass/glass design housing the flex cells, which is distinctly stronger than that of conventional thin-film-on-glass modules, achieving about 70% greater mounting span, thus facilitating substantially lower mounting costs, the company says.

The full panels as well as their components and materials have been put through a wide range of rigorous indoor and outdoor reliability and performance testing, done internally and with third-party firms, in a variety of geographic and climate conditions, and are certified under various IEC, UL, and other standards, according to Nanosolar.

“We have a huge effort on testing and are in fact expanding this even further,” Roscheisen told PV Tech. “We believe the standard tests are limited in some ways. We are interested in looking at combinations of stresses as well as various forms of dynamic behavior.”

On the cell side, the National Renewable Energy Laboratory has independently verified that the company’s metal-wrap-through back-contact, printed-CIGS-on-metal-foil devices produced on its Gen 3 line have reached active-area conversion efficiencies as high as 16.4% during tests conducted earlier this year. “Our lab and production teams have managed to make more progress on efficiency than we had planned on in any of our business plans,” says Roscheisen.

Noting that “we print CIGS onto inexpensive metal foil, something that some have been skeptical can work while others have been wondering whether it can deliver cells better than 6% efficient,” he explains that the latest efficiency numbers for the foil cells actually “represent two world records in one: It's the most efficient printed solar cell of any kind (all semiconductor and device technologies) as well as the most efficient cell on a truly low-cost metal foil (with a material cost of only a cent or two per square foot and mil thickness).”

Going beyond the champion cell results, Roscheisen reveals that “in terms of our current baseline production process, our best production rolls now achieve higher than 11% median efficiency measured as equivalent to panel efficiency, with very tight cross- and down-web uniformity.”

NREL’s Miguel Contreras, the senior scientist who supervises the CIGS group at the national lab, told PV Tech that his team has supported Nanosolar “with official measurements, characterization, transferring the know-how we have in making 20% solar cells in the labs. We showed them what the [film] structures look like, what they should shoot for, to improve their own processes and materials—that was our strongest contribution to them.”

But he gives full credit to Nanosolar, saying “truly, it’s to their merit on most or all of the work that’s been done. We just helped a little bit in their success, and I’m proud and honored to be part of that effort.”

(More info on Nanosolar's cell technology and the design and innovation behind its Utility Scale panel can be found in white papers and elsewhere on the company's relaunched website. Also check out the Chip Shots blog for an exclusive unfiltered interview with Nanosolar chairman/CEO, Martin Roscheisen.)

See the original article here

LDK's New Poly-Si Plants Online at $25/kg Cost

2009-09-09T06:45:00.000-07:00

September 9, 2009

Jiangxi-based multicrystalline wafer maker LDK Solar (NYSE:LDK) put a RMB 12 billion high purity silicon project into production September 8, Beijing Business Today reports. The project has a current production capacity of 5000MT but will reach annual output capacity of 15,000MT after scheduled completion at the end of 2009, said the report quoting company Chairman and CEO Peng Xiaofeng. LDK's silicon costs are below $25 per kilogram at present and will drop below $20 in the near future, according to Peng, adding that he is confident photovoltaic energy costs will match traditional energy generation costs in the next few years.

In January, LDK production at the 15,000MT plant was scheduled to start in the second quarter of 2009 and said in June it would reach 5,000MT capacity in the third or fourth quarter.

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NREL Confirms Spectrolab's 41.6% Conversion Efficiency Record

2009-08-28T09:20:00.000-07:00

PV-Tech, Tom Cheney

The National Renewable Energy Laboratory has validated a new world record for terrestrial concentrator solar-cell efficiency using Spectrolab's latest multijunction photovoltaic devices. The cells from the Boeing subsidiary hit efficiencies of 41.6% during June tests at the Department of Energy lab in Golden, CO, topping the previous record of 41.1% held by the Fraunhofer Institute in Germany.

"This latest record asserts Spectrolab's leadership position in high-efficiency multijunction solar cells and brings the industry one step closer to achieving affordable solar electricity," said David Lillington, president of Spectrolab. "This cell is an advanced version of our lattice-matched cell technology that will be incorporated quickly and successfully into our production line. This milestone underscores our emphasis on realizing the highest efficiency cells in high-volume production."

Produced in February 2008, the new cell is an advanced version of the lattice-matched triple-junction technology already produced in high volumes for space and terrestrial applications at Spectrolab's fab in Sylmar, CA, where the new technology was pioneered more than a decade ago. The new cell incorporates several improvements in wafer processing to reduce metal grid shadowing and series resistance, increasing the device's overall efficiency.

"Over the past decade, Spectrolab's efforts developing terrestrial solar cell efficiency have achieved an average improvement of approximately one percentage point per year, and we expect to continue that pace," added Lillington.

Spectrolab says that its cells power 60% of all satellites in orbit around the Earth as well as the solar arrays providing the International Space Station with electricity. The Boeing unit expects to reach an annual capacity of 300MW in 2010, following a series of investments to meet increasing terrestrial concentrating PV demand from SolFocus and other customers.

See the original article here

Suntech grabs 25% market share in California

2009-08-28T09:16:00.000-07:00

PV-Tech, Mark Osborne

Although the realization has set-in that the expected U.S. solar market boom is increasingly becoming a 2010 affair, Suntech Power has already seen a significant increase in both sales and market share gains in the country, especially within California, which could be SunPower’s closest crystalline silicon competitor in the sunshine State. Suntech said it had notched-up approximately US$25 million in sales in California in the second quarter of 2009, close to 8% of sales in the quarter. The company claimed it had grabbed a 25% market share, up from only 8% in Q109, based on data supplied from the California Public Utilities Commission.

The all important pipeline of large-scale projects is also building strongly, according to Suntech's Chairman and CEO, Dr. Zhengrong Shi in a conference call to discuss second-quarter financial results;

“We still view the U.S. as one of the high-potential, global solar market particularly in 2010 and beyond. To help capture this demand, we have made significant investments in the U.S. We currently have over 50 people based there. To-date, we have bid on over 2GW of projects with Gemini Solar and other project developers, and we are on the shortlist for nearly 1GW of projects that requires multi-year delivery starting from 2010 and beyond.”

With a significant U.S. pipeline in the making, Suntech has had to focus on reducing shipping costs as well as logistics in the country to ensure shorter delivery times and improve overall customer satisfaction as the competitive landscape is becoming increasingly intense due to the massive over-capacity in PV module supply.

In the short-term all PV manufacturers will need to improve logistical aspects of their businesses and should the market take-off in 2010 and beyond, local manufacturing will become essential to retain and build market share.

Zhengrong Shi noted in the conference call that previously announced plans to build a module plant in the U.S. was progressing well, with site selection now down to just two locations with a decision due in a couple of months.

Main rival to Suntech in California is SunPower, which said in July that based on the California Public Utilities Commission data, it had increased its market share in the State to over 30%, noting that it had extended its share lead from the first quarter.

See the original article here

Chinese Government Stops Import of Scrap Polysilicon

2009-08-28T09:11:00.000-07:00

PV-Tech, Tom Cheney

China has stopped accepting scrap polysilicon recycled to make solar wafers from sources outside the country for environmental reasons, according to a Reuters report.

The move could send ripples through the Chinese supply chain, affecting the scrap poly traders and the companies that sell to them--including major foreign suppliers-- in a potentially negative fashion, while for Chinese polysilicon firms, the ban may lead to opportunities to increase their revenues.

"China's Environmental Protection Ministry said it imposed the ban because the heavy chemicals that come in contact with scrap polysilicon when reused to make solar wafers and panels produce waste that could harm the environment," according to the news service.

"In a way, the ruling was designed to protect (China's) very young polysilicon industry," KK Chan, CEO of Nature Elements Capital, told Reuters. "The sector needs all the help it can get given a supply glut of the material."

Chinese poly producers such as GCL-Poly, Yingli Green Energy, ReneSola, and Tongwei could all benefit, although ReneSola CFO Charles Bai was quoted in the news report as saying that the move "should not have an impact, given there is sufficient supply of polysilicon in the market."

See the original article here

The Next Energy Innovators

2009-07-23T22:45:00.000-07:00

Business Week, Pete Engardio and Adam Aston

Like many eco-conscious homeowners, Darin Budwig and his wife had long wanted to put solar panels on their roof in suburban Glendale, Calif. What stopped them was the high price. "I wanted to do the right thing for the environment," says Budwig, a registered nurse, "but I really had to ask whether it was worth taking on $30,000 in debt."

Enter SolarCity. After the Budwigs put $1,000 down, the three-year-old startup installed panels on their modest ranch home that meet almost all the family's electricity needs. SolarCity also took care of the many complexities that make going solar such a hassle. The company designed and purchased the system and lined up building permits, financing, and government tax breaks. In return, the Budwigs agreed to lease the system for 15 years at $73 a month—$95 a month less than they pay, on average, for conventional power. They expect to recoup their $1,000 investment in less than a year. Since 2006, SolarCity says, it has struck similar deals with 3,500 homeowners, businesses, and schools in California, Arizona, and Oregon. The goal, says CEO Lyndon Rive, is "to create a multibillion-dollar company in clean power."

Say "energy company" to most people, and they'll probably think of an oil giant such as ExxonMobil (XOM)or their local utility. But, in a burst of innovation that could rival the info-tech revolution, global demand for alternative energy is spawning a broad and bewildering array of tiny companies with big ambitions. Many are now hitting the market with products and services—in the thick of the worst U.S. recession in decades.

To help readers get a handle on this fast-changing scene, BusinessWeek teamed up with GreenBiz.com, a green business information service. We don't promise any will blossom into the next Google (GOOG) or Cisco Systems (CSCO). And because they are private, there are no public data on cash flow or profits. But innovators on the list have the brainpower, intellectual property, and ambition to play a role in the coming energy revolution. Since the focus here is strictly under-the-radar, we have excluded famous green startups such as battery maker A123 and electric-car ventures Tesla Motors and Better Place. But like those well-publicized players, all the ones on this list have lined up significant venture backing. "These are companies that, so far, have survived the gauntlet of fund-raising, R&D, and the economic downturn," explains Joel Makower, executive editor of GreenBiz.com, a unit of Greener World Media.

Some of the outfits, such as Southwest Windpower, Solyndra, and Clean Current Power Systems, are chipping away at the technological obstacles that have made alternative energy systems—wind, solar, and hydro power—too costly. Others, such as SolarCity, are reinventing the business model behind alternative power. Still others, including SmartSynch, Verdiem, and Fat Spaniel Technologies, are harnessing the Internet to help utilities remotely manage the energy consumption of their customers' PCs, office air conditioners, and factory lights. In addition, we've identified a handful of companies selling gizmos and services that help slash power usage, from Bridgelux—which makes low-cost solid-state lighting—to GridPoint, whose smart grid software can track and control electrical devices in your home, from appliances to electric cars and solar panels.

For the founders of these startups, the usual path to personal wealth—an initial public offering—is blocked for now. But some will make their fortunes when large companies swallow the small. And although there is enormous risk, there also will be new ways for ordinary investors to profit in this sector when capital markets finally thaw out.

A BOOST FROM THE FEDS

Even in a terrible business climate, several factors are bolstering the fortunes of cleantech companies that were up and running before the financial crisis hit. The $787 billion federal stimulus bill makes billions in funding available for everything from lithium-ion car batteries to green construction. And new federal and state tax incentives make the price of solar and wind power more competitive with fossil fuels. If passed, the carbon emissions trading system approved by the House of Representatives would increase pressure on both businesses and households to use any means they can to conserve energy or switch to cleaner fuels. Then there's the price of oil. For all the volatility, it's bound to rise again when global growth resumes and emerging economies kick back into high gear, says GreenBiz's Makower. (Disclosure: Makower is an adviser to VantagePoint Venture Partners and has a small financial interest in the firm. VantagePoint has investments in five companies on the list: Bridgelux, BrightSource Energy, MiaSolé, Solazyme, and Tendril.)

As the roster of 25 startups shows, advanced green technologies are finally graduating from the lab and taking root commercially. AltaRock Energy of Sausalito, Calif., is building its first U.S. power plant in Northern California, tapping geothermal heat in "basement rock" deep in the ground to boil water in artificial reservoirs. And Coulomb Technologies in Campbell, Calif., is on track to install more than 1,000 curbside recharging stations for electric cars across the U.S. this year, up from just 100 last year.

MAKING IT SIMPLE

Several startups say they are close to price parity with carbon-based fuels. One common benchmark is to produce electricity at around 10 cents per kilowatt hour. That would still be about 40% pricier than power from coal plants, but it's on a par with the gas-fired plants utilities rely on during peak times. "If you can make power that can compete with a gas-fired plant, you can have a huge market," says Joseph Laia, CEO of Santa Clara's (Calif.) MiaSolé, which is marketing solar panels made from low-cost, flexible materials.

As some innovators grapple with technology challenges, others are focusing on making clean energy systems easier for ordinary people to use. "The real innovation now won't be in making a better panel that is 10% cheaper," says SolarCity CEO Lyndon Rive, who co-founded the company with his brother Peter. "Widespread adoption will come if you can take away the complexity and hassle of installing solar."

SolarCity's chief asset is computer automation. Working with satellite images of customer rooftops and utility-rate data, it cuts the process of designing each installation and obtaining building permits and government rebates from months to days. The software also estimates the return on solar investments for each customer and remotely monitors their use of power. The company says it makes a profit on the installations. SolarCity's advantage: It gets a volume discount on the panels, and its software tools help streamline costs.

Another startup, BioFuelBox of San Jose, also is betting on an innovative business model. It collects waste from facilities such as meatpacking plants and sewage processors, converts it to biodiesel, and then sells the fuel. The company wasn't the first to figure out how to cook waste into useful stuff. But BioFuelBox realized the true value lay not in selling disposal systems to customers but in saving them money by taking their refuse for free. So it developed compact refineries that can be loaded onto flatbed trucks and sent to waste sites. Even if the government eliminates subsidies for biodiesel, the company says it can profitably sell its fuel for the same price truckers pay for oil-based diesel. Its first refinery is in Idaho, converting waste from potato processing plants. Given that the world produces 12 billion gallons a year of suitable waste that can be turned into diesel, CEO Steven Perricone hopes to "run a large network of microrefineries worldwide in three or five years."

Executives such as Perricone, a veteran of three previous Silicon Valley startups, know cynics have good reason to doubt bullish claims. In the past decade alone, investors have been burned by the hype over dot-coms and biotech. Many more will surely lose bets on green energy. But Perricone says he is being careful not to oversell the technology before the first commercial projects have been tested in the field. "Many of us remember the wild claims of the Internet," Perricone says. "There are terrific opportunities in this industry for those who execute, but before we go for more funding, we want the data to prove our technology works."

For now, many executives at the 25 startups say their chief worry is the broader economy. With venture funds tapped out, raising capital to develop products or simply keep operating can be tough. Bank financing to build power projects or ramp up production remains frozen, too. The sharp drop in oil prices from $147 per barrel last summer has also cooled enthusiasm for renewables. Numerous companies with promising technology already have gone dark for lack of funds. More will shut if the downturn persists.

The funding drought is especially frustrating for startups that struggled to overcome technical challenges. In 2007, Verdant Power installed prototype turbines to generate electricity from currents in New York's East River. But the river was more turbulent than Verdant expected, and the fiberglass turbine blades fractured. A new design with stronger blades made of an aluminum-magnesium alloy has generated power for the past year. Now Verdant is ready to install 30 more near U.N. headquarters. The recession "slowed us down," says Verdant President Trey Taylor. "We could do a lot more a lot faster if we had more money."

It is always risky to predict the fate of tiny startups in a fast-changing industry. That is true for all 25 companies on the BusinessWeek/GreenBiz list. But together they showcase both the potential breakthroughs and business models needed to make green energy viable.

With John Carey

To learn more about clean energy from GreenBiz.com, visit http://www.greenbiz.com/bw

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LA Community Gets Solar & WiFi in One

2009-07-23T22:40:00.000-07:00

Open Neighborhoods®, a neighborhood social networking service, today announced that it has selected SolarCity®, a national leader in solar power system design, financing, installation, monitoring and related services, for a new program designed to increase clean energy production and public broadband access in the Mar Vista neighborhood of Los Angeles.

SolarCity is extending a price discount and affordable financing options on residential and commercial solar systems to Mar Vista residents and businesses participating in the GoSolar Mar Vista community program. In addition, SolarCity will work with Open Neighborhoods to provide free rooftop Wi-Fi antennas linking participants with public broadband access via the Open Mar Vista community Wi-Fi network.

GoSolar Mar Vista was introduced last summer with a goal of promoting awareness of available renewable energy incentives and establishing a goal of 100% clean energy in Mar Vista by 2018. The initiative was inspired by Al Gore’s Alliance for Climate Protection and its Repower America campaign for 100% clean energy by 2018.

“With the year-round sunshine we receive -- and roughly half the cost of rooftop solar panels subsidized by state and federal incentives and tax rebates, it became clear to us that we can certainly reach 100% clean electricity by 2018 in Mar Vista,” said Open Neighborhoods co-founder James Brennan.

See the original article here

Solyndra’s Backlog Reaches $2 Billion

2009-07-09T22:26:00.000-07:00

PV-Tech, Mark Osborne

Cylindrical CIGS-based thin-film PV specialist Solyndra has passed the US$2 billion in sales backlog with the signing of a new long-term sales agreement with German systems integrator Umwelt-Sonne-Energie GmbH, worth US$238 million through 2013. Unlike other thin-film producers, Solyndra is specifically targeting only rooftop installations, due to its unique solar system technology that is claimed to generate more electricity on an annual basis, compared to other technologies from typical low-slope commercial rooftops. In October 2008, Solyndra’s backlog stood at US$1.2 billion, and the company has since secured over US$800 million in long-term contracts.

“Solyndra’s revolutionary technology redefines performance for large roofs compared to conventional PV technologies in terms of installation cost, non-penetrating wind performance, rooftop loading, and energy production per roof,” commented Arnold Berens, Managing Director of Umwelt-Sonne-Energie.

"Solyndra´s innovative cylindrical module geometry and fast and easy mounting technology provide definitive proof that even today, dramatic breakthroughs in PV engineering are possible.” added Daniel Grünauer, Managing Director of USE.

Europe is a key market for Solyndra and in particular Germany. Umwelt-Sonne-Energie mainly operates in Germany as well as the Czech Republic, Belgium, Austria and Croatia.

See the original article here

Visit Solyndra here

QuantaSol Unveils 28.3% Efficient Single-Junction Solar Cell

2009-06-30T22:27:00.000-07:00

World record made public at UK's Royal Society Summer Science Exhibition

Business Wire, Kingston-Upon-Thames, England, Jun 30, 2009

QuantaSol Ltd, a new independent designer and manufacturer of strain-balanced quantum-well solar cells, has developed what it believes to be the most efficient single junction solar cell ever manufactured. Developed in just two years, QuantaSol's single-junction device has been independently tested by Fraunhofer ISE as achieving 28.3% efficiency at greater than 500 suns.

QuantaSol was established in June 2007 as a spin-out of Imperial College London to commercialise the University's solar cell IP and offer devices to concentrator Photovoltaic (PV) systems developers. Imperial will be featuring a QuantaSol device as part of its presence at the Royal Society Summer Exhibition in London this week.

"Our technology is the industry's best kept secret. This is the first time that anyone has successfully combined high efficiency with ease of manufacture, historically a bug-bear of the solar cell industry," said Kevin Arthur, QuantaSol's CEO. "We're now gearing up to provide multi-junction cells of even higher efficiencies as early as Q1 2010."

QuantaSol's approach combines several nanostructures, of two or more different alloys, in order to obtain synthetic crystals that overcome the problems associated with current solar cell designs. It also greatly enhances the photovoltaic conversion efficiency.

The company, which has a development laboratory in Kingston-upon-Thames, Surrey, completed a GBP 2m second funding round last week. It will now concentrate on cutting the cost of ownership of solar energy by moving to multi-junction devices.

Editor's notes:

QuantaSol is funded and backed by the Low Carbon Accelerator and Imperial Innovations, and its strain-balanced quantum-well solar cell (SB-QWSC) is believed to be the highest performing single-junction concentrator cell in the world with the potential to enhance multi-junction cells to record efficiencies very soon.

Solar cell manufacturers need to find a crystalline semiconductor material that exhibits the optimum light absorption range, is a good absorber of solar radiation (silicon, for instance, is weak), has essentially the same lattice spacing of commercially available substrates like Gallium Arsenide or Germanium, and can be deposited seamlessly on those substrates to form a unique artificial crystal with no defects or unwanted impurities, using commercially viable crystal-growth technologies. None of the known semiconductor compounds or alloys can meet all these conditions at the same time.

QuantaSol's approach combines several nanostructures of two or more different alloys in order to obtain synthetic crystals that overcome the problems associated with current solar cell designs and also enhances the photovoltaic conversion efficiency.

www.quantasol.com

U.S. to Speed Solar Energy Development in the West

2009-06-30T22:24:00.000-07:00

Interior Secretary Ken Salazar signs an order that sets aside some 676,000 acres of federal land -- more than half in California -- for study and environmental reviews.

Los Angeles Times/Julie Cart

The Obama administration on Monday announced that it would put solar energy development in the West on a fast track, with Interior Secretary Ken Salazar signing an order that sets aside more than 1,000 square miles of public land for two years of study and environmental reviews.

Although the clean-energy initiative identifies some 676,000 acres of federal land for study, more than half -- 351,000 acres in the Mojave Desert -- are in California. According to maps released by the Interior Department, the solar project areas abut the border of Joshua Tree National Park, the Mojave Preserve and two national wildlife refuges in the southeastern part of the state.

The proposed California solar-generating areas are projected to have the annual capacity to produce 39,000 to 70,000 megawatts of electricity at full development -- enough to serve millions of homes. There are three large solar projects undergoing environmental review in the state.

President Obama has promised to promote the use of federal land for the production of alternative energy and has set a goal of obtaining 10% of the nation's electricity from renewable sources by 2010. Salazar vowed to have 13 "commercial-scale" solar projects under construction by the end of 2010.

Federal land managers have already announced plans to establish areas of concentrated wind and geothermal energy harvesting. The Bureau of Land Management has gotten about 470 renewable energy project applications. Those include 158 active solar applications, covering 1.8 million acres.

Monday's announcement in Las Vegas opens up land in six Western states to leasing by private companies. "We are putting a bull's-eye on the development of solar energy on our public lands," Salazar said.

Conservation groups reacted to the announcement with praise but cautioned that even so-called green projects could conflict with protected lands and sensitive species.

"We support the identification of the best places for renewable energy on public lands," said Alex Daue of the Wilderness Society. "We can't have a repeat of the oil and gas industry, where it's spread wide across the landscape anywhere they want. We need a focused look at places where there's the least conflict and highest opportunity for success."

In California, the Mojave Desert is already the scene of intense interest from energy companies and a land rush to apply for solar leases. Environmentalists are monitoring maps so that leasing doesn't take place in wilderness, areas of importance for wildlife and other resources, and high-value recreation sites. The Mojave is home to all of that, including national parks, threatened and endangered species and one of the West's most popular off-road-vehicle recreation areas.

Salazar said federal agencies had already ruled out solar leasing on protected lands and would examine potential effects on wildlife before allowing projects to proceed. The two-year environmental study will cost $22 million, he said.

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Dept of Energy Announces Investments in Photovoltaic Research

2009-06-19T06:35:00.000-07:00

Photovoltaic Supply Chain and Cross-Cutting Technologies

The Photovoltaic (PV) Supply Chain and Cross-Cutting Technologies project identifies and accelerates the development of unique PV products or processes that will impact the solar industry. The project supports the overall goals of the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Solar Energy Technologies Program (SETP or Solar Program).

The PV Supply Chain and Cross-Cutting Technologies activities are a component of the systems development and manufacturing activities, within the SETP PV subprogram.

Background

Non-solar companies have many technologies and practices that are beneficial to the PV industry. These capabilities can be used in PV-specific manufacturing methods and products. Examples of such high-impact technologies include processing steps to improve throughput, yield, or diagnostics; material solutions to improve reliability or enhance optical, thermal, or electrical performance; or system components that streamline installation. The cost reduction as a result of these improvements might be small in terms of a single product or processing step, however the overall impact of these ideas become significant when implemented across the PV industry.

The funded projects range from automated assembly to semiconductor fabrication, and target manufacturing and product cost reduction with the potential to have an impact within 2 to 6 years on a substantial segment of the PV industry.

Awardees

DOE will invest up to $22 million in the following 24 new PV Supply Chain and Cross-Cutting Technologies projects. The investment is part of $117.6 million in American Recovery and Reinvestment Act funding, which was announced in May 2009. The selected applicants are listed by two topic areas. These project partners will provide more than $50 million in matching funding.

Topic 1: Proof of Concept Technical/Feasibility Assessment

Each project below receives up to $150,000 during a 12-month period to evaluate or assess and test an idea that can impact the solar photovoltaic industry.

Accustrata ($150,000)
College Park, Maryland

* Develop a real-time optical monitoring system based on fiber optic reflectance measurements optimized for use in a thin-film production environment to improve the process flow and reduce costs.

Advanced Cooling ($150,000)
Lancaster, Pennsylvania

* Develop new bonded copper thermal interface for high concentration PV that experiences rapid thermal cycles with a design that targets lower thermal stress and resistance.

Alenas Imaging ($148,000)
Conway, Massachusetts

* Develop an inspection tool to detect micro-cracks in PV cells using thermo-reflectance at one-tenth the equipment cost of the best current methods.

Fraunhofer USA, Inc. Center for Laser Technology ($150,000)
Plymouth, Michigan

* Develop a laser process to create pitting on solar cell surface to increase light absorption with the goal of providing superior optical surfaces, improved device performance, and reduced use of hazardous chemicals.

Optomec, Inc. ($150,000)
Albuquerque, New Mexico

* Enhance an existing non-contact printing mechanism to support fully printed, fine feature collector lines on the front surface of crystalline silicon solar cells.

Palo Alto Research Center, Inc. ($150,000)
Palo Alto, California

* Develop a novel approach to creating the front side metallization and selective emitter layer of crystalline silicon solar cells, using selective laser ablation to create contact points on the front surface and a screen printer to make the connections with conductive paste.

Photonic Glass Corp. ($149,000)
Sharon, Massachusetts

* Reduce glass surface reflectance by ion beam surface modification to create a graded index of refraction.

PPG Industries, Inc. ($149,000)
Allison Park, Pennsylvania

* Develop coatings that can be applied in a continuous automated process at a lower temperature and labor intensity than current PV protective materials like ethylene vinyl acetate.

SiOnyx Inc. ($128,000)
Beverly, Massachusetts

* Develop a silicon surface treatment with femtosecond laser processing technology to enable increased light absorption and significantly larger spectral bandwidth for film silicon PV.

Solar Red ($150,000)
San Jose, California

* Develop an all-AC, building integrated, thin-film cadmium telluride PV system for asphalt shingled sloped roofs. This plug-and-play, snap-in/snap-out AC PV system will significantly reduce installation costs.

Texas Engineering Experiment Station ($147,000)
College Station, Texas

* Develop a novel method for thin film poly-Si cell fabrication that has a low thermal budget that is applicable to large area, low cost substrates for mass production. Texas Engineering will use a pulsed rapid thermal annealing process to convert a-Si to poly-Si via a vertical crystallization mechanism.

University of Houston ($150,000)
Houston, Texas

* Evaluate an ion beam-assisted deposition process to double the efficiency of thin film PV while benefiting from the advantage of thin film manufacturing by the use of less material and roll-to-roll continuous processing.

University of Missouri ($150,000)
Rolla, Missouri

* Develop processes to recycle solar grade silicon from top-cut scraps and slurry wastes from the wire sawing process.

The University of Texas at Arlington ($120,000)
Arlington, Texas

* Demonstrate the feasibility of electrodeposited and solution-doped transparent conducting oxides (TCOs) such as zinc oxide, which is an "on-top" TCO that can be deposited on semiconductors in thin-film and future solar cells including amorphous silicon, copper indium gallium selenide and emerging solar cells.

Washington Technology Center ($136,000)
Seattle, Washington

* Develop nano-imprinted diffraction gratings for light trapping in crystal-silicon film PV, since light trapping is essential in low cost thin crystalline silicon devices to ensure acceptable light absorption and current generation.

Topic 2: Research, Development, and Demonstration

Each project below receives up to $3 million during a 3-year period for research, evaluation, verification, testing, and demonstration. The winners are listed below with more specific project details.

3M ($1.2 million)
St. Paul, Minnesota

* Develop a polymer barrier film that has lower inherent costs and higher transparency, replacing traditional barrier films.

Air Products and Chemicals, Inc. ($1.58 million)
Allentown, Pennsylvania

* Develop an advanced radio frequency plasma chemical vapor deposition process with new gas-phase additives to achieve deposition for thin film silicon solar cells at increased growth rates and reactant utilization.

DuPont ($3 million)
Wilmington, Delaware

* Develop a continuous, in-line manufacturing tool using atomic layer deposition to produce a flexible ultra moisture barrier film to enable new thin film flexible PV products.

General Electric (two awards)
Niskayuna, New York

* Develop a system integrated, distributed PV architecture employing module-level DC to DC Maximum Power Point Tracker, rack, module, and power conversion components that will reduce increasing the energy yield, reducing total lifecycle costs, and improving overall system reliability and availability. ($1.8 million)
* Develop a novel functional thin film platform that will allow for boosting the efficiency of any solar cell using down-shifting materials. Down-shifting is the process of converting high energy near-UV light within the solar spectrum to lower energy light that is more effectively used by the solar cell. ($1.2 million)

Sierra Solar Power ($3 million)
Fremont, California

* Accelerate development of a high-volume manufacturing silicon epitaxy growth system, which is optimized for PV production that will enable the commercial manufacture of cells made from thin layers of monocrystalline silicon on cheap metallurgical-grade silicon wafers, reducing feedstock costs and capital equipment expenses.

Silicon Genesis Corporation ($3 million)
San Jose, California

* Accelerate development of a silicon wafering tool that enables a dramatic reduction in silicon waste by utilizing a cleaving process as opposed to the conventional wire saw process.

Varian Semiconductor ($3 million)
Gloucester, Massachusetts

* Develop a manufacturing tool that produces sheets of single-crystal film silicon in a continuous mode with significantly higher throughput and lower material costs than conventional manufacturing processes.

XeroCoat ($2.96 million)
Redwood City, California

* Develop and commercialize a low-cost, novel glass antireflective coating that enables high transmission of light and therefore higher energy output from any glass PV module.

Visit the Dept of Energy Website Here

LDK Solar Reaches Milestone with 660kg Silicon Ingot

2009-06-19T06:29:00.000-07:00

LDK Solar Co., Ltd., a manufacturer of multicrystalline solar wafers, today announced that it has successfully produced a multicrystalline silicon ingot weighing 660 kilograms (kg).

The 660 kg ingot was the largest ingot produced at LDK Solar and represents a 46.7% increase in capacity from the standard 450 kg ingot. Maximum furnace capacity is approximately 800 kg.

"We reached an important milestone on the roadmap of our technology development for multi-crystalline silicon ingots," stated Dr. Yuepeng Wan, Chief Technology Officer at LDK Solar. "We have continued to develop technology aimed at solidifying and augmenting LDK Solar's cost leadership position. Our objective with this development was to improve product quality and at the same time decrease the cost of multicrystalline ingot production. The larger ingots will lower capital expenditure and contribute to the reduction of production cost. The increased charge size directly contributes to lower power consumption, higher yields, improved efficiencies of downstream processing equipment, and reduced unit consumption of consumables and some direct costs."

See the original article here

Energy Innovations' Fully Integrated Sunflower System

2009-06-14T14:29:00.000-07:00

Energy Innovations, the same company that released the ray tracker recently unveiled a concentrated photovoltaics (CPV) product designed for commercial roof tops. The Energy Innovations Sunflower concentrates sunlight similar to a magnifying glass onto highly efficient solar cells. Although we have discussed these types of products in the past, the SunFlower is the only CPV product on the market that has received UL certification!

This means soon the SunFlower will qualify for state incentives, which makes the SunFlower a much more sought after CPV product. The SunFlower system not only magnifies the sun onto high-efficiency cells to generate extreme output for low cost, but also has a built in tracking system, enabling it to follow the sun through out the day, to increase overall efficiency even further. The tracking system is powered by the energy that the SunFlower creates and is compatible with non-roof penetrating mounting systems, making the installation easy and more affordable.

As you can see the SunFlower produces more energy through out the course of a day and uses less silicon (the expensive element of the solar panel) thus making the system more cost effective than traditional PV. Since concentrating solar power systems only work in areas with direct rays of sunlight, the systems are most cost effective in areas such as the southwestern us and Hawaii. The light is concentrated 800x onto solar cells that have a 35% efficiency rate!

The first units will ship in early 2009, and we're excited to see some of these units deployed in the real world to see how well they will handle heat. What I don't see on this product is a heatsink or cooling system. How do you think the SunFlower stays cool when its concentrating the sun 800x?

See the original article here

2009 Cell Awards Announced

2009-06-03T11:30:00.000-07:00

PV Tech/ June 3, 2009

The Cell Award event at Intersolar Munich on May 28 highlighted some of the best tools, technologies and regions from the PV manufacturing elite. The event was initiated to address the need for an independently-judged platform upon which to assess the most successful and esteemed technologies and potentials in the solar industry.

The International Solar Technology Awards are organised by a group of leading solar media, research organisations and industry associations. Award winners were determined by the combination of scores from an expert judging panel and a popular vote. The judging committee included senior technical experts from the Fraunhofer ISE, Moser Baer, SolarWorld, Q-Cells, Suntech, and ChinaSunergy.

The awards were presented by leading industry representatives, including Nick Sarno, Senior Vice President of Manufacturing at LDK Solar; Holger von Hebel, President of ersol; Dr Uros Merc, CEO of Bisol; Eleni Despotou, Policy Director and Deputy Secretary General of EPIA; and Jerry Stokes, President of Suntech Europe.

“Technological developments are at the heart of driving production costs down to ensure the photovoltaics industry continues on its path to grid-parity and beyond,” said LDK's Sarno. “It was a pleasure to be involved in the Cell Award ceremony and congratulate the finalists and winners of the categories that thousands of people in the PV industry voted for.”

In the seven categories, the organisers came up with a shortlist of two or three entries per category.

The winners of the 2009 Cell Award are:

Industry Choice Award

+ BTU International: Meridian in-line diffusion system

Best technical product for module assembly

+ EFD: PV cell ribbon and bus bar methodology

Best process technology c-Si cell manufacturing lines

+ SiXtron: SunBox silane-free coating system

Best technical product for thin-film module manufacturing

+ Oerlikon Solar: KAI 1200 PECVD system

Best technology for silicon feedstock and wafer processes

+ tec5: VINSPEC SP in-Line process control

Best region for manufacturing solar technologies

+ IMG Saxony: Solar Valley

Green Solar Manufacturing Award

+ Linde Electronics: Onsite Fluorine Generator

Overall, the Awards were a huge success, with several of the entrants reiterating their intention to not only enter the awards again next year, but also to spread the word of the potential visibility in the industry that being part of the awards can offer.

Entries for the 2010 Cell Award will open in September during the 24th EU PVSEC. Further details will be available in September on www.cellaward.com.

See the original article here

U.S. Bancorp & SolarCity Team up for Solar Power Plan

2009-06-03T10:33:00.000-07:00

Reuters/ June 3, 2009

A unit of U.S. Bancorp and privately-held SolarCity have teamed up to wire homes and businesses in California, Oregon and Arizona, with no upfront costs, while taking advantage of government tax credits.

The agreement, for which no value was disclosed, allows U.S. Bancorp Community Development Corp., a unit of U.S. Bancorp, to take advantage of tax breaks including a solar tax credit.

In return, the bank pays for the purchase and installation of solar power by SolarCity, which markets and maintains the systems. Homeowners and businesses purchase the electricity generated from their roofs.

"We are able to offer a home owner or a business owner a solar financing solution that costs them less than if they bought the same amount of electricity from the utility," said Lyndon Rive, chief executive of SolarCity, from company headquarters in Foster City, Calif.

Homeowners also may choose to pay the cost of the installation, which can run to $20,000 and has a payback period for eight to 10 years, Rive said.

Darren Van't Hof, vice president of the U.S. Bancorp unit said in a telephone interview from St. Louis that the two companies have created a tax equity fund which finances the solar lease plan.

The joint fund reaps the benefits of the tax breaks, sharing the revenue stream between the bank and SolarCity, he said.

The company takes care of maintenance for 15 years, after which a homeowner can renew the plan, upgrade, buy the system or have it removed, Rive said.

Rive said the company already has a six-month backlog and the agreement, signed a few days ago, will allow it to whittle away that backlog and sell more systems.

"It is allowing us to hire an additional 100 installers," increasing the force to 300, he said.

Rive said he expects that the company will sell 3,000 systems this year, and that is only the beginning. He said the company's income tripled last year and he sees huge growth in the coming eight years, which is how long Congress designed the tax break to last.

"We expect to deploy hundreds of thousands of systems over this time period," he said.

The privately held company is three years old and has received $56 million in venture capital backing, $25 million from solar panel producer First Solar. The remainder comes from entrepreneur Elon Musk and from venture capital firm Draper Fisher Jurvetson.

SolarCity says it is the largest residential installer of solar-powered systems in the United States.

(Reporting by David Lawsky; editing by Carol Bishopric)

See the original article here

Solar Executives Seeing Signs of Recovery

2009-06-02T21:58:00.000-07:00

Reuters/Michael Erman and Nichola Groom/June 2, 2009

Solar power executives are seeing encouraging signs of what could be a major recovery in U.S. solar demand, but they are still cautious about the rest of this year after being pummeled by the global credit crisis.

"The prospects for 2010 and beyond are quite significant," Suntech Power Holdings Co Ltd Chief Strategy Officer Steven Chan told the Reuters Global Energy Summit on Tuesday. "Next year, I wouldn't be surprised if the U.S. market tripled off of this year."

The solar industry was virtually unscathed by the economic downturn until late last year, when funding for all types of projects dried up.

That lack of financing combined with a pullback in solar tax breaks in Spain released a flood of solar panels into the market, driving prices down and hurting producers' profits.

But Chan and Tom Werner, the chief executive of U.S. rival SunPower Corp, see positive signs in both the credit markets and in U.S. policy to support renewable energy.

Despite the weak economy, Chan expects the solar market in the United States to be about flat in 2009 compared with 2008. At the same time, Suntech expects to double its U.S. market share to 20 percent this year from 10 percent last year.

The federal stimulus package has already helped improve sentiment in the market, Werner said, though he does not expect those funds to affect the company's bottom line until "the back half of the year, perhaps Q4." He sees a much larger impact in 2010.

SunPower has seen six weeks of encouraging trends during the first half of this quarter, Werner added, but was quick to warn that the Unites States could be in the middle of a W-shaped recovery that would not be sustained.

FINANCING STILL SCARCE

Energy Conversion Devices Inc CEO Mark Morelli was more sober in his outlook for the U.S. solar market this year, arguing that access to project financing remains scarce and government stimulus funds have yet to kick in.

"It's marginally better," said Morelli, whose company reported an 81 percent drop in quarterly profit in May and declined to provide any outlook.

"The issue is really the pace by which things are moving," he said. "It's very slow. The U.S. market in particular is very slow."

ECD makes lightweight, flexible solar laminates for rooftops and buildings that convert sunlight into electricity. The thin film products are made from amorphous silicon and unlike traditional solar panels, do not rely on costly crystalline silicon as their primary raw material.

Like its larger competitor, First Solar Inc, the company has resorted to providing financing to its customers in order to get projects started.

But even Morelli said he was "a bit optimistic" about 2010.

"We don't know when the financing will come back; we just hope it will come back," he said.

For its part, Suntech said it was seeking between $200 million and $500 million from Chinese banks to help fund solar projects outside of China.

"They are now open to funding for overseas projects and overseas trade finance," Chan said of the discussions the company is having with Chinese banks. "It's just a question of their due diligence and getting them comfortable with the projects."

See the original article here

LDK Solar Partners with ESPE to Develop PV Plants in Italy

2009-05-30T10:53:00.000-07:00

Trading Markets/May 27, 2009

LDK Solar, a manufacturer of multicrystalline solar wafers, has entered into an agreement with ESPE, a system integrator within the photovoltaic sector, to develop photovoltaic plants in the Apulia region of Italy.

Construction has commenced on the first of five plants totaling 5MW. LDK Solar will supply wafers for the photovoltaic (PV) project and ESPE will provide engineering, procurement, and construction services and system integration.

Xiaofeng Peng, chairman and CEO of LDK Solar, said: "We are very excited to expand LDK Solar's presence into Italy. The PV market in Italy is one of the most interesting European markets and is forecast to grow significantly over the next three years."

Tiziano Meneghetti, founder and president of ESPE Group, said: "We are pleased to work with LDK Solar on the development of these PV plants. We believe the PV market in Italy has strong potential and we look forward to working together to capitalize on the growing opportunities."

See the original article here

National Semiconductor & Suntech Collaborate on SolarMagic Technology

2009-05-27T12:40:00.000-07:00

National Semiconductor Corp. (NYSE:NSM), of Santa Clara, Calif. (USA), and Suntech Power Holdings Co. Ltd. (NYSE:STP), the world’s largest crystalline silicon photovoltaic (PV) module manufacturer, have signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to evaluate National Semiconductor’s SolarMagicTM technology with the intention of jointly promoting the technology and developing future solutions.

National’s SolarMagic power optimizers use distributed electronics throughout a solar installation to recoup energy lost due to real-world conditions such as shade, debris and panel mismatch.

"We are proud to be working with Suntech, the world's leading manufacturer of crystalline silicon photovoltaic modules, a company that shares our vision for what it will take to increase the adoption of solar," said Michael Polacek, Senior VP of Key Market Segments and Business Development for National Semiconductor. “Our strength in analog and power management lends itself well to solar, enabling us to apply unique innovation to the solar market.”

“Innovation in the solar industry is a collaborative process and we are excited about this opportunity to potentially combine National Semiconductor’s SolarMagic technology with Suntech’s high efficiency solar panels,” said Dr. Cai, VP of Systems R&D for Suntech. “This innovative technology has the potential to improve power harvest for solar owners and thereby increase the affordability of solar systems.”

National developed SolarMagic technology to improve the energy harvest of solar arrays. Because of the characteristics of solar modules, real-world conditions—caused by shading from trees, chimneys or power lines; debris such as leaves or dirt, and panel aging—can lead to disproportionate power losses. SolarMagic compensates for these circumstances, creating a more consistent energy supply to the home or business owner.

About National Semiconductor
National Semiconductor is a leader in analog power management technology. Its products include easy-to-use integrated circuits, PowerWise products that enable more energy-efficient systems, and SolarMagic products which improve the energy output of solar arrays. The company celebrates its 50th anniversary this year. Headquartered in Santa Clara, Calif., National reported sales of $1.89 billion for fiscal 2008. Additional information is available at www.national.com.

About Suntech
Suntech Power Holdings Co., Ltd. (NYSE: STP) is the world's leading solar energy company as measured by production output of crystalline silicon solar modules. Suntech designs, develops, manufactures, and markets premium-quality, high-output, cost-effective and environmentally friendly solar products for electric power applications in the residential, commercial, industrial, and public utility sectors. With regional headquarters in China, Switzerland and the United States and sales offices worldwide, Suntech is passionate about improving the environment we live in and dedicated to developing advanced solar solutions that enable sustainable development. For more information, please visit http://www.suntech-power.com.

See the original article here

Obama Tours Largest Solar Array in U.S.

2009-05-27T12:11:00.000-07:00

May 27, 2009

Today, President Obama toured the largest domestic solar array, located at Nellis Air Force Base in Nevada.

See the full article here

U.S. Announces Money for Green Jobs Program

2009-05-27T12:02:00.000-07:00

AP/ Dan Elliot/ May 27, 2009

DENVER (AP) — Vice President Joe Biden and two Cabinet secretaries unveiled a national program Tuesday to train workers for "green jobs" that will make public housing more energy-efficient.

Biden, Housing Secretary Shaun Donovan and Labor Secretary Hilda Solis announced the plan in Denver at a meeting of President Barack Obama's task force on the middle class.

Donovan said some of the $4 billion from Obama's $787 billion economic stimulus plan that was budgeted to renovate public housing will be spent to create jobs for making the dwellings more energy efficient.

Solis, another task force member, said $500 million will be distributed as grants for training workers. That sum includes $50 million for communities battered by job losses and restructuring in the auto industry.

Investing in public housing will improve its quality, reduce energy costs for residents and the government and create jobs for people who live in the units and their neighbors, Donovan said. Some of the stimulus money also will be used for basic repairs and maintenance.

The energy, education and labor departments also announced a partnership to help link the unemployed with jobs, training and education opportunities.

Led by Biden, the task force has been working since January on policies to help America's middle class. A report it released in February said green jobs pay up to 20 percent more than other jobs and can't easily be transferred overseas.

Obama has argued that putting an environmental focus on the economy — reducing dependence on foreign fuel, developing domestic energy alternatives and addressing climate change — can help pull the U.S. out of its worst downturn since the Depression.

"How could we possibly lead in the 21st century without a fundamental change in our energy policy?" Biden said Tuesday.

"It necessitates the jobs that will get us there," he added. "Green jobs are good jobs."

See the original article here

SunPower Releases First Solar Monitoring iPhone App

2009-05-18T22:00:00.000-07:00

Fast Company/May 18, 2009

SunPower's new iPhone application makes it easy to monitor solar panel performance on the go. The application is just one part of the SunPower Monitoring System, which keeps track of SunPower solar panel performance with an in-home wall-mounted LCD display and an Internet-based program.

The iPhone app keeps track of a number of statistics, including current solar panel generating capacity, lifetime panel production, today's production, today's usage, and today's net difference between production and usage.

SunPower's iPhone app will likely have a limited appeal--it only works with SunPower solar panels--but it's part of an increasing push by alternative energy and smart grid companies to increase the remote capabilities available for their products. GainSpan is developing iPhone applications to monitor and control home temperature, water heaters, HVAC, and lighting, and Visible Energy's UFO Power Strip is controlled by an iPhone app.

See the original article here

New York Plans 100 MW Solar Project

2009-05-18T21:05:00.000-07:00

New York Governor David Paterson has announced a 100 MW solar photovoltaic project in New York. The initiative follows on the heels of a recently announced 50 MW solar photovoltaic project. Together, these projects totaling 150 MW would position New York as the state with the second highest installed PV capacity.

The new installations will help New York reach its aggressive renewable energy goals - by 2015, the state wants to receive 45 percent of its electricity through energy efficiency and clean renewable energy.

The New York Power Authority will issue a Request for Expressions of Interest for the purpose of exploring a public-private partnership for the installation of up to 100 megawatts of solar photovoltaic systems, including roof-mounted and ground-mounted PV arrays at municipal facilities, public and private schools, businesses and state agencies throughout New York. The deadline for receipt of RFEI proposals is July 7, 2009.

Specifically, NYPA is seeking proposals that would promote “potential regional economic development opportunities for local component manufacturing and assembly.”

If the RFP is issued, it would likely result in a 2010 project start date.

In an attempt to be more environmentally friendly, New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg proposed that wind turbines be installed on top of the city’s skyscrapers and bridges.

The city has also issued an RFP last year for private solar developers to purchase, install, own and maintain solar panels on city-owned buildings in all five boroughs as part of PlaNYC.

See the original article here

Solar Market to Reach $70 Billion by 2013

2009-05-18T16:35:00.000-07:00

According to SRI Consulting's latest report, the global solar market will double in 2013, reaching 70 billion U.S. dollars. Due to the volatility of oil prices in recent years and the effects of global warming, renewable energy development has been increasingly widespread support, the company explained. The first and second generation of photovoltaic cells require different forms of silicon, very little of the transition metal elements, as well as non-metallic elements. Thereby increasing the price of silicon material. The third and fourth generation of technology to focus on organic polymer and nano-materials, thereby reducing production costs.

"Organic photovoltaic cells research in recent years has made tremendous progress. The conversion efficiency has been more than 5%. Of course, commercial silicon cells are still the main market, because its conversion efficiency has exceeded 25%."

SRIC's report examined the photovoltaic industry in new equipment. From raw materials to final production, the field of solar energy has a very great opportunity, and is increasing at an alarming pace. Organic battery manufacturers are now actively seeking cooperation with the electronics companies.

See the original article here

San Francisco Approves Major Solar Project

2009-05-08T12:06:00.000-07:00

The New York Times, May 8, 2009

San Francisco’s Board of Supervisors has approved a plan to build what would be the largest solar photovoltaic array in California. With 5 megawatts of capability spread over 25,000 panels, it will, if completed, also be the largest municipal solar project in the United States.

(Larger, non-municipal arrays exist, including a 14-megawatt, 70,000 panel array at Nellis Air Force Base in Nevada.)

San Francisco’s proposed system — which would produce roughly the amount of energy used by 1,000 households, the developers said — would bring the city’s total solar capacity to 7 megawatts. It will be used to power municipal properties such as schools and government offices.

“Earlier this week, San Francisco took another major step towards achieving our commitments to reduce greenhouse gases and grow our green economy,” said San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom in an e-mail message. “With this single project, we will more than triple San Francisco’s solar energy production, build California’s largest photovoltaic system, and help lead the state towards a future of clean, renewable energy.”

Under the deal, Recurrent Energy, a local solar company, will assume the initial financial responsibility for the panels, as well as pay for ongoing operating and maintenance costs. In return, the city incurs no up-front expenses, but is obliged to purchase energy directly from Recurrent Energy at a cost of 23.5 cents per kWh, plus 3 percent per year.

In years 7, 15 or 25 of operation, the city has the option to purchase the array outright at fair market value or $33 million — whichever is higher.

The project had seen some controversy. Four of the eleven San Francisco supervisors voted against the project, most of them citing concerns that the deal does not allow the the board to review the contract terms each year. Other opponents thought the city would end up wasting money over the 25-year life of the agreement, should solar panel prices drop significantly in the short term.

Proponents of the deal, however, argued that the project wouldn’t be possible without the public-private partnership. By farming out construction to a private company, the project becomes eligible for major federal tax incentives worth 30 percent of total project costs. (Although Recurrent Energy is not releasing its estimates, the city estimated it would cost $40 in initial construction costs alone.)

Had the city undertaken the project itself, it would not be eligible for those same tax credits, raising the price tag, according to some estimates, to over $85 million.

Construction on the project is slated to begin this summer and should be completed by 2010.

See the original article here

China's Installed Photovoltaic Capacity to Rise

2009-05-07T06:12:00.000-07:00

China's solar PV installed capacity is likely to reach 10,000-20,000 megawatts by 2020, with the implementation of its solar photovoltaic (PV) roof plan and other supportive measures, China Securities Journal quoted Wang Zhongying, head of the Renewable Energy Development Center of the Energy Research Institute (ERI) as saying.

The predicted capacity is far higher than the government's original plan, which targets at 1,800 MW of solar PV installed capacity by 2020.

China has announced a plan to build the country's largest solar PV project in Dunhuang, Gansu, with a primary installed capacity set at 10 MW.

Bidding for the project, enterprises have offered an average power price of 1.5 yuan/kwh.

Although the price is still far higher than the 0.6 yuan kwh price of wind-generating electricity selling to grids and the 0.3 yuan/kwh price of on-grid thermal power, it can reflect the sharp decline in the solar PV costs, said Wang.

Calculated on the basis of current solar PV cost and on-grid thermal power price, the Chinese government needs to give one yuan of subsidy to each kwh of electricity generated from solar power, Wang noted.

Wang also stated that the Chinese government was likely to draw up more favorable measures to encourage investment in solar power projects.

China announced a solar PV roof plan in March, promising to grant a 20 yuan/watt-peak subsidy to solar PV projects whose single installed capacity exceeds 50 kWp.

Now, China-based solar PV product makers like SunTech Power Holdings Co., Ltd. (STP.NYSE), Solarfun Power Holdings Co., Ltd. (SOLF.Nasdaq) and the China Technology Development Group Corporation (CTDC.Nasdaq), are suffering significant losses due to foreign market shrinkage and a large number of provisions against price drops.

See the original article here

China Plans Massive Increase of Solar Capacity

2009-05-05T08:16:00.000-07:00

Rujun Shen and Jacqueline Wong, Reuters, May 5, 2009

China is set to smash its target for a roll-out of solar power by 2020 more than fivefold and possibly even tenfold, a researcher with the National Development and Reform Commission, the economic planning ministry, said on Tuesday.

Under the NDRC's renewable energy plan set out in 2007, China would have 1,800 megawatts of installed solar capacity by 2020.

But Wang Zhongying, assistant director at the NDRC's Energy Research Institute and head of its Renewable Energy Development Centre, said the country was likely to far exceed that.

"The goal that we made originally is probably too low," he said at a solar energy conference in Shanghai. "By 2020, we can reach 10,000 MW or more."

He cited an international aspiration for countries to get 1 percent of electricity from solar by 2020, which would mean a target of 40,000 MW for China, which he said was too high.

"China could reach 10,000 MW or higher, maybe 20,000 MW."

He stressed that the forecast was his own opinion and not an official target.

At the end of 2008, solar power capacity attached to the grid was less than 100 MW, or 0.01 percent of China's entire installed capacity.

China is massively dependent on coal, used to generate around 80 percent of its power, but hopes to lessen coal's dominance by using more hydro, wind, nuclear and biomass.

The government is expected to unveil an economic stimulus package for renewable energy within the next few months.

Shi Dinghuan, president of the Chinese Renewable Energy Society, said the 2020 goal for renewable energy would be revised under the new stimulus plan to more than double the 2007 plan.

Even with a tenfold increase in its 2020 target, solar would play a much smaller part in China's overall power mix than those other energy sources. Under the original plan, biomass and wind were set to reach 30,000 MW by 2020, with nuclear at 40,000 MW.

China has already more than tripled the 2020 target for wind to 100,000 MW and is expected to easily surpass its nuclear target. [ID:nPEK336151]

The revised target for wind could be 100-150 GW, Xinhua news agency quoted sources close to the plan as saying on Tuesday.

Firms with exposure to China's solar sector include Suntech Power (STP.N), Trina Solar (TSL.N), ReneSola (SOLA.L), China Sunergy (CSUN.O), LDK Solar (LDK.N), Yingli Green Energy (YGE.N), and Solarfun (SOLF.O).

SOLAR SUBSIDY

China announced the plan to grant subsidy to pilot solar power projects attached to buildings in March. Industry officials applauded the effort, but also said the subsidy plan has its own problems.

"It's a great policy, a positive sign that the government wants to support the development of the solar industry. But it's difficult to implement the policy," said Wang from the NDRC's Energy Research Institute.

Beijing said it would provide 20 yuan per Watt-peak (Wp) of subsidy for solar power projects attached to buildings that, in addition to other requirements, have capacity of more than 50 kiloWatt-peak (KWp).

Wang said the central government was studying detailed guidance on the policy, which potentially could push for a big stride in the solar industry's development.

Industry officials said many companies have already shown enormous interest in the subsidy, including solar companies and real estate developers.

See the original article here

A Stronger, More Efficient Photovoltaic Industry

2009-04-19T10:38:00.000-07:00

Semiconductor International, April 17, 2009

The economic turmoil of the PV market in 2009 could actually turn into a more mature and orderly supply chain for the worldwide solar industry when growth returns, iSuppli predicts.

What does not kill me makes me stronger. Although 19th century German philosopher Nietzsche probably did not have our global photovoltaics (PV) market in mind when he penned those words, they are nonetheless applicable, according to the latest report from iSuppli Corp. (El Segundo, Calif.). The economic turmoil of the PV market in 2009 could actually turn into a more mature and orderly supply chain for the worldwide solar industry when growth returns, the market researcher said today.

Worldwide installations of PV systems are expected to drop 32% this year, down to 3.5 GW from 5.2 GW in 2008. With the average price per solar watt declining by 12% in 2009, global revenue generated by PV system installations will plunge 40.2% -- from $30.5B in 2008 to $18.2B in 2009.

“For years, the PV industry enjoyed vigorous double-digit annual growth in the 40% range, spurring a Wild West mentality among market participants,” said Henning Wicht, senior director and principal analyst for iSuppli. “An ever-rising flood of market participants attempted to capitalize on this growth, all hoping to claim a 10% share of market revenue by throwing more production capacity into the market. This overproduction situation, along with a decline in demand, will lead to the sharp, unprecedented fall in PV industry revenue in 2009.”

However, the 2009 PV downturn, like the PC shakeout of the mid-1980s, is likely to change the current market paradigm, cutting down on industry excesses and leading to a more mature market in 2010 and beyond, according to iSuppli’s analysis. “The number of new suppliers entering and competing in the PV supply chain will decelerate and the rate of new capacity additions will slow, bringing a better balance between supply and demand in the future,” Wicht said.

The Spain effect

Perhaps the most significant factor in PV’s slowdown this year was the government-imposed cap on feed-in tariffs in Spain, leading directly to a sharp decline in expected PV installations. Spain accounted for 50% of the world’s PV installations in 2008, caused in part by an artificial demand surge as Spain’s government prepared to lower the cap for feed-in tariffs to 500 MW. This set a well-defined deadline for growth in the Spanish market in 2009 and 2010.

Although the Spanish situation is spurring a surge in excess inventory and falling prices for solar cells and systems, this will not stimulate sufficient demand to compensate for the lost sales in 2009. Even new and upgraded incentives for solar installations from the United States and Japan — and attractive investment conditions in France, Italy, the Czech Republic, Greece and other countries — cannot compensate for the fall-out in Spain this year, iSuppli reported. The Spanish impact will continue into 2010, restraining global revenue growth to 29.2% for the year.

Of course, the PV market has not been immune to the economic woes and credit crunch faced on a global scale. “Power production investors and commercial entities are at least partially dependent upon debt financing,” Wicht noted. “Starting in the first quarter of 2009, many large and medium solar-installation projects went on hold as they awaited a thaw in bank credit flows.”

The market turnaround

The PV market is expected to turn back around after 2010, when the fundamental drivers of PV demand will reassert themselves, iSuppli said. Revenues are forecast to increase 57.8% in 2011, with similar growth rates in 2012 and 2013.

“PV remains attractive because it continues to demonstrate a favorable return on investment,” Wicht said. “Furthermore, government incentives in the form of above-market feed-in tariffs and tax breaks will remain in place, making the ROI equations viable through 2012. Cost reductions will lead to attractive ROI and payback periods even without governmental help after 2012.”

See the original article here

Bright Future for China's Solar Power Sector

2009-04-17T16:35:00.000-07:00

Shanghai Daily, Fu Chenghao, April 19, 2009

China's aim to become a major global player in solar power has been boosted by a new subsidy program that will help cut the cost of attaching cells to rooftops and fill a manufacturing gap from declining demand from abroad.

The government announced last month that solar power attached to buildings in projects involving more than 50 kilowatts would be eligible for a subsidy of 20 yuan (US$2.90) per watt.

China is the world leader in the manufacture of photovoltaic (PV) cells, or panels that covert sunlight into electricity. The surging cost of polysilicon, a key ingredient, in recent years had forced Chinese manufacturers to rely on demand from countries that offered subsidies for solar use.

But now, with a substantial increase in supply, the price of polysilicon has plummeted.

"With the bursting of the price bubble for polysilicon, the timing is right to subsidize solar power development," said Wei Qidong, secretary general of the PV industry association in Jiangsu Province. "That will encourage domestic use, create a stronger market for Chinese manufacturers and advance the nation's efforts to promote alternative, clean energy sources."

Jiangsu is China's major solar-cell manufacturing base, home to such big names such as Suntech Power Holdings Co and Canadian Solar Inc.

The 20-yuan subsidy, which equates to what's offered in California and is three times that of Japan, will cover nearly half the cost of solar power conversion, including equipment and installation, the government said.

The subsidy translates to a drop in power generation cost to about 1 yuan per kilowatt hour, only a quarter of some domestic pilot solar projects though still more than double the domestic grid prices for conventional coal-fired power.

Gao Jifan, chairman and chief executive of Trina Solar Ltd, called the subsidy plan, jointly unveiled by the Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development, a "precursor" of longer-term state support. He believes that the rooftop plan is a good starting point before subsidies are extended to larger utility-scale projects, which will require a tariff regime to make solar electricity commercially viable.

Germany, for example, passed a law in 2000 obligating grid operators to pay set prices, or feed-in tariffs, for renewable electricity sources. As a result, Germany has become one of the world's largest PV markets.

Tariff system

China does have a renewable energy law requiring distributors to buy renewable energy from generators, but it lacks a tariff system to boost the viability of solar power. At present, pricing is at the discretion of the National Development Reform Commission, based on the principle of reasonable cost plus reasonable return.

"If we are to have a feed-in tariff system like Europe's, it has to win approval from the National People's Congress, and that may take more time," Gao said. "So the government has decided to start up the domestic market as soon as possible by going after the rooftop market first," he said from his office in Changzhou, Jiangsu. Gao said China could account for 10 percent of the global PV market in three years to five years, up from less than 1 percent now.

The new subsidy comes as Chinese solar companies are struggling with reduced access to credit and a drop-off in demand from countries such as Spain because of the recession.

In addition to fighting climate change and boosting energy conservation, China's subsidy program is aimed at helping domestic PV makers by activating a largely untapped home market, the ministries said.

"The financial crisis is benefiting domestic PV makers because it has brought down polysilicon prices and drawn government attention to the needs of an increasingly mature industry," Wei said.

Sha Xiaolin, chairman of Qiangsheng Photovoltaic Technology Co (QS Solar), said he was optimistic about the large-scale use of solar power, saying "an energy crisis would be much more frightening than the financial crisis."

QS Solar, unlike most solar cell makers that rely on polysilicon, is developing the emerging technology of thin film. Although it has a lower conversion efficiency, thin film is cheaper and can be manufactured with higher throughput.

Investors have welcomed the government's subsidy plan, with solar stocks surging in China and the United States, where many Chinese solar companies are listed.

Shares in Hebei Province-based Tianwei Baobian Electric Co have soared 44.5 percent in Shanghai trading since the subsidy announcement. The Shanghai Composite Index rose 9.3 percent in the same period.

Analysts said the subsidy program won't necessarily have a big impact this year because it will take time to get up and running.

Based on the central government's subsidy budget of 400 million yuan on renewable energy this year, at most 20 megawatts of solar capacity could be subsidized in 2009, the China Securities Journal reported, citing Ping An Securities analyst Wang Fan.

That amount is a fifth of China's total installed solar capacity in 2007, or 5 percent of Trina Solar's planned shipment of 400MW this year.

But the domestic industry is on the verge of a big leap forward.

"I believe there will be an explosive growth in the domestic PV market, not just double-digit growth," Sha said.

See the original article here

China Takes Steps To Rebalance Its Solar Industry

2009-04-16T12:46:00.000-07:00

Renewable Energy World, Lou Schwartz, China Strategies LLC

As Jin Baofang, the Chairman of the Board of the Jinglong Group, a Chinese solar energy company and a delegate to the National People's Congress, recently said of the relationship between the Chinese economy and the economies of large consuming nations: "when nations that are large consumers sneeze, our manufacturers immediately catch a cold."

The worldwide financial crisis has laid bare the unhealthy symbiotic relationship between the Chinese and Western economies. The unsustainable economic model that had Western countries (most notably the U.S.) buying cheap, labor-intensive exports from China with funds borrowed from the Chinese has collapsed. Consequently the West (and particularly the U.S.) will have to reorient its economies to produce and save more and consume less while China will have to restructure its economy so that it relies less on exports and increases domestic consumption to maintain its impressive GDP growth.

The Chinese solar power industry is a case in point, reflecting (no pun intended) China's unhealthy dependence on exports and the prospects for renewed growth as the Chinese government adjusts its model for economic growth.

In the words of Shi Dinghuan, an advisor to the State Council and Chairman of the Board of the China Renewable Energy Society, the new energy industry in China that has suffered the most from the worldwide financial crisis is China's solar industry. Through the end of 2008, China had become the world's largest producer of photovoltaic cells, but because approximately 98% of sales of PV products were exports, when financing became tight worldwide, orders for PV products from China were widely cancelled, particularly from the three largest consumers of Chinese solar power products: Spain, Germany and Japan.

The contraction and/or cancellation of orders from the West has been widely deleterious to China's solar power industry. For example, before the financial crisis of late 2008, in previous years, Wuxi's Suntech had operated at 60% capacity utilization during the winter months; since the worldwide financial crisis, Suntech has operated at capacity utilization rates one-half normal levels. The sudden drop-off in manufacturing activity in turn has forced Suntech to lay off approximately 10% of its existing workforce and not follow through on its plans to increase the company's workforce by an additional 20% or so.

Smaller PV manufacturers with fewer resources than Suntech, have been forced out of business. One need only look at the current stock prices of publicly traded Chinese solar companies and compare them to what those stocks were selling for a year or more ago, to appreciate the body blow that the Chinese solar power industry has taken of late due to its excessive dependence on foreign trade. Suntech's 52-week high was in excess of $50/share; as of March 27, 2009 a share of Suntech sold for less than $11/share.

Jin Baofang rightly points out that the root of the imbalance in the market for Chinese PV products that has come back to haunt Chinese solar manufacturers is the excessively low targets for development of China's domestic solar industry: the {Mid to Long Term Plan for Renewable Energy} sets the objective of China having a cumulative total of only 300 megawatts (MW) of installed PV power by 2010, increasing to just 1800 MW by 2020. These objectives for domestic growth of installed solar power in China are seriously out of balance with the output capacity of China's PV manufacturing industry.

Shi Dinghuan has stated that what China's solar power manufacturing industry needs is a more active set of government policies to support and subsidize the adoption of solar power domestically, along the lines of the industrial policies that have created significant growth in the Chinese wind industry (see recent article). Because the use of solar power in China has been insignificant, the potential for growth is outstanding.

Very recently the framework of such policies intended to jumpstart domestic solar power demand and turn around China's overly export-oriented PV industry has begun to emerge. In late March, the Chinese Ministry of Finance promulgated its {Interim Measures for the Administration of Government Subsidies of Building Uses of Solar Energy Photovoltaic Power} (called "Interim Measures") and the accompanying {Implementing Opinion Concerning Speeding Up the Promotion of the Use of Solar Energy PV Power in Buildings} (called "Solar-Powered Buildings Promotion Opinion"), which together provide a framework for the implementation of China's "Solar-Powered Rooftops Plan."

Initially the Solar-Powered Rooftops Plan will be a demonstration project in selected towns and counties, a formula that has been successfully used by Chinese policy-makers over the years with respect to countless initiatives. The Solar-Powered Rooftops Plan seeks to develop demonstration projects for building integrated solar power (including solar power rooftop units and PV curtain walls) in large and mid-sized cities that are relatively well developed economically. The plan also supports the development of PV systems in villages and remote areas that are outside the reach of the power grid.

The central feature of the Interim Measures is a financial stimulus for the Chinese solar power industry: the Ministry of Finance has earmarked a special fund to provide subsidies for PV systems that are at least 50 kilowatts (kW) in size and have 16% efficiency for mono-crystalline PV products, 14% efficiency for multi-crystalline PV products and 6% efficiency for thin-film applications; for 2009 the subsidy is now set at up to 20 Yuan/watt [US $2.93/watt]. It is estimated that the new subsidy will cover the approximate cost of the equipment or perhaps one-half to 60% of the total cost of an installed system.

With the exception of the solar power systems subsidies set out in the Interim Measures, the plan is, for the most part, merely suggestive of what needs to be done to develop a thriving solar industry in China. Though the Chinese usually do a good job in filling in the interstices of plans as time goes on, at present this plan appears improvised to address the dire condition of the Chinese PV industry.

In this sector as in countless others, the Chinese have much work ahead to reorient their industries from an excessively large reliance on foreign trade to one that is more balanced, but in order to accomplish that objective, the Chinese must create and deploy a domestic technology development, legal, marketing, administrative and human infrastructure to match the manufacturing and export prowess of the Chinese solar industry. The Interim Measures are one important, though tentative, step in that direction.

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First Solar & Sempra to Build 48MW PV Plant

2009-04-15T16:59:00.000-07:00

First Solar, Inc. announced yesterday the execution of an agreement to construct a 48 megawatt ground-mounted solar panel based solar farm for Sempra Generation near Boulder City, Nevada; around 40 miles southeast of Las Vegas.

First Solar (NASDAQ:FSLR) will design, engineer and construct the facility and expects to begin construction in 2009.

Once completed in 2010, the Copper Mountain Solar project will likely be the largest PV based solar farm in North America, with a solar power generation capacity of 48 MW - enough to supply more than 30,000 homes. Together with the existing 167,000 photovoltaic panels at Sempra's 10 MW facility completed late last year, the power plant will incorporate nearly 1 million solar panels.

The solar farm is largest renewable energy project so far for Sempra Generation, part of Sempra Energy (NYSE:SRE); moving the company closer to their goal of becoming the first U.S. firm to own 500 MW of solar power.

First Solar is the largest producer of solar panels in the USA, with manufacturing capacity growing more than 2,500 percent from 2004 to more than 500 megawatts in 2008. First Solar's 2009's annual production capacity is expect to exceed 1 gigawatt, the equivalent of an average-sized nuclear power plant. The company also recently announced it reduced its manufacturing cost for solar modules in the fourth quarter to USD 98 cents per watt, breaking the USD $1 per watt price barrier.

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China's Jiangsu to Detail Solar Power Subsidy Policy

2009-04-10T09:15:00.000-07:00

Jiangsu Province in East China is drawing up specific provisions for the implementation of national subsidy policy for solar photovoltaic (PV) projects, said Wei Qidong, secretary-general of Energy Research Association of Jiangsu Province.

This is seemed as an encouraging action to materialize China's newly issued subsidy policy on solar PV power projects, which provides 20 yuan for each watt-peak of installed solar PV power capacity.

The Ministry of Finance and Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development jointly released China's version of solar roof program earlier.

The subsidy policy is aimed to build a number of demonstrative solar PV projects, mainly solar PV roof projects and PV curtains in large and midsize cities as well as off-grid solar PV power stations in rural and remote areas.

Still, industry insiders have expressed their concern on the available amount of subsidy each year given the lack of exact number of subsidy to be provided.

Wang Sicheng, an expert with solar PV industry, said that the government has to provide at least 10 billion yuan of subsidy for 500 MW of China-made solar products each year, accounting for 25 percent of national overall output in 2008.

It's hard to evaluate the impact of solar PV roof program on solar PV industry when the total subsidy amount number isn't available.

Wei said that solar product manufacturers are unlikely to enjoy subsidy on solar PV power projects and on solar PV electricity for the same time.

Overshadowing concerns on China's solar PV industry also include the sustainability of subsidy policy and possible over-crowded investment and speculation spurred by the subsidy policy.

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Q-Cells & LDK Solar Announce Joint Venture

2009-04-09T23:18:00.000-07:00

Editors note: This announcement from the world's largest cell producer and the world's largest wafer manufacturer is, to my knowledge, the first joint venture between any two such heavyweights in the photovoltaic industry. It represents a new approach for both firms and is further evidence that LDK Solar is committed to becoming a vertically integrated company.

Q-Cells SE and LDK Solar Co., Ltd., today announced the formation of a joint venture focusing on large PV systems and market development in Europe and China. Given their complementary core business models and regional market expertise, the two companies intend to take advantage of value chain optimization and integrated cost reduction.

A joint project pipeline is already in place and the first 40MW project has commenced. The projects of the joint venture will utilize 100% solar wafers from LDK Solar and 100% solar cells from Q-Cells. The joint venture is already in discussions with potential buyers of the first turn-key project, which will be in Europe, and is in the planning stages for future joint projects in the emerging Chinese market.

The partnership between the two companies in the area of PV systems is not intended to be exclusive, but rather to focus on developing specific projects of mutual benefit, with the shared goal of accelerating the move to grid parity.

“We are very pleased to announce this joint venture and further expand our relationship with LDK Solar.” commented Anton Milner, CEO of Q-Cells SE. “This joint venture will strengthen our position in the crucial business area of large-scale PV power plants.”

"We look forward to the many new opportunities that will emerge as a result of our partnership with Q-Cells," stated Xiaofeng Peng, Chairman and CEO of LDK Solar. “As leaders of the solar industry, we are excited to announce this joint venture for exploring and developing new business.”

See the press release here

Albuquerque's Mayor Details New Energy Projects

2009-04-09T19:29:00.000-07:00

New Mexico Business Weekly/Megan Kamerick/April 7, 2009

The city of Albuquerque is getting $5.1 million in energy efficiency block grants, much more than the $3.2 million officials originally anticipated.

The funds, from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, or ARRA, will be used for solar installations at city-owned parking facilities, the purchase of 20 to 25 hybrid vehicles, such as Honda Civic Hybrids and Ford Escape Hybrids, and new “cool roofs” for city buildings that will allow the installation of photovoltaic systems.

The list of projects came from an energy task force of business and government leaders convened to prioritize the spending of the ARRA funds. At a news conference, Mayor Martin Chávez referred to the team good-naturedly as a collection of “geeks and nerds, but very attractive ones.”

Chávez made the announcement beneath one of the oldest solar arrays in the city, installed by Sacred Power Co. for the Indian Pueblo Cultural Center in 1999. Sacred Power’s founders were part of the task force.

Of the funds, $2.75 million will go toward solar installations on four city multi-level parking structures that are good candidates for solar systems. The average structure has a monthly energy bill in excess of $3,000, said John Soladay, director of environmental health for the city. A 10-kilowatt photovoltaic system, the minimum design size for such a structure, would bring cost savings of about $4,788 annually. Initial estimates suggest the city can install 150kW on the structures, which could save between $75,000 and $100,000 annually in energy costs.

The parking structures also would have sites to allow people to charge electric vehicles and hybrid electric vehicles, including the general public and city officials, who will be driving new hybrid vehicles that will be purchased with $750,000 of the block grant funds.

About $1.5 million will be used to re-roof a number of city facilities that currently are not engineered to hold new photovoltaic systems. This will prepare the buildings for the installation of thin-film PV systems.

Soladay said between 30 and 50 structures could be re-roofed, representing between 125,000 and 150,000 square feet. Bids are out now to find qualifying vendors, he said, who should be selected within the next 90 days.

The next step would be to get funding for the PV systems, and the city could pursue the many competitive grants in the ARRA funds for that purpose. It could also use Clean Renewable Energy Bonds or seek a partnership agreement with a power services company to achieve that next step.

More than 500kW of installation is possible in the next 18 to 24 months, according to city officials, with an annual energy cost savings of between $350,000 and $500,000.

Chávez said the city will try to buy the solar technology locally, but that will be dependent on federal regulations. There are at least four companies up and running or opening soon here that manufacture solar components: Advent Solar, Emcore, SkyFuel and Schott Solar (which is building a plant at Mesa del Sol).

The $5.1 million is formula-based funding under ARRA. There is a whole wave of competitive grant funds that the city plans to pursue, Chávez said, and it will look for partnerships in the private sector to land that money.

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Coming Soon to the Sunshine State: The Sunshine City

2009-04-09T13:35:00.000-07:00

Time/Michael Grunwald/April 9, 2009

An NFL lineman turned visionary developer today is unveiling startlingly ambitious plans for a solar-powered city of tomorrow in southwest Florida's outback, featuring the world's largest photovoltaic solar plant, a truly smart power grid, recharging stations for electric vehicles and a variety of other green innovations. The community of Babcock Ranch is designed to break new frontiers in sustainable development, quite a shift for a state that has never been sustainable, and lately hasn't had much development. (Read "Is Florida the Sunset State?")

"Some people think I got hit in the head a few too many times," quips developer Syd Kitson, who spent six years in the trenches for the Green Bay Packers and Dallas Cowboys before entering the real estate business in the mid-1980s. "But I still believe deeply in Florida. And the time has come for something completely different." (See the top 10 green stories of 2008.)

To anyone familiar with southern Florida's planning-nightmare sprawl of golf courses, strip malls and cookie-cutter subdivisions named after the plants and animals they replaced, Kitson's vision for his solar-powered, smart-growth, live-where-you-work city of 45,000 people east of Fort Myers is breathtakingly different. That's why the press conference held today revealing his development plans for the historic Babcock Ranch property will feature representatives from the Audubon Society, the World Wildlife Fund and the Sierra Club.

The history of Florida is littered with spectacular, landscape-changing proposals that never made it past the drawing board. The watery wisp of Everglades National Park known as Flamingo, population zero, was once touted as the next Chicago. Kitson's financial partner, Morgan Stanley, has had a rough time lately, and some locals remain skeptical that he can turn his $2 billion green vision into reality. "We've been hearing a lot of very exciting ideas, but we have no idea how this is actually going to happen," says Conservancy of Southwest Florida CEO Andrew McElwaine.

Then again, Kitson has already cleared two of his most difficult hurdles: getting the land and the right to build on it. In 2006, he engineered a deal with then-Governor Jeb Bush and the previous owners of the 91,000-acre ranch in which the state spent $350 million to purchase 73,000 of the most environmentally sensitive acres — the largest preservation buy in Florida history. Kitson paid about about the same amount for the remaining 18,000 acres, and he says half of that will remain green space within the new community.

Kitson has been promising unprecedented sustainability all along, but today's shocker was the announcement of Florida Power & Light's plan to provide electricity for Babcock Ranch with a 75-megawatt photovoltaic plant nearly twice as big as the current record-holder in Germany. Solar power has been slow to catch on in the gas-powered Sunshine State, but FPL hopes to start construction on the 400-acre, $300 million plant by year's end. The utility expects it will provide enough power for Babcock Ranch and beyond. At $4 million per megawatt — FPL estimates the costs to its customers at about 31 cents per month over the life of the project — it should be more than four times as cost-effective as the nuclear reactors FPL is trying to build near the Florida Keys.

Kitson's slick website also promises "groundbreaking" strategies to promote energy efficiency for all Babcock Ranch buildings. And that's not all: "Ultra-modern electric vehicles will glide along avenues beneath the glow of solar-powered street lamps, plugging in to recharge at convenient community-wide recharging stations. Revolutionary Smart Grid technologies will monitor and manage energy use, while Smart Home technology will allow residents to operate their homes at maximum efficiency." Kitson's goal is to reduce carbon emissions, oil dependence and energy bills, while turning Babcock Ranch into a mecca for clean-energy research and development, attracting high-tech companies that will provide high-wage jobs.

The idea is to create a self-contained community where people can live and shop and work and go to school and have fun without long car trips. Kitson's construction plans start with a walkable and bikable downtown that will include a magnet school, a wellness facility and sustainable retail as well as 8,000 homes — including affordable homes for local workers. "In Florida, everyone has to drive everywhere they want to go," Kitson says. "And everyone thinks the solution to congestion is to build more roads. I think the solution is to design communities so you don't need more cars on the roads."

Of course, talk is cheap. It's no secret that growth has been Florida's primary economic engine for decades. Yet Fortune 500 companies haven't flocked to its sprawling bedroom communities with lousy schools and overpriced houses, and the paving of paradise has left the state with overtapped aquifers, overcrowded hospitals, overstretched services, traffic jams, a dying Everglades and a vanishing sense of place.

Kitson promises to avoid the mistakes of the past. "We're impressed with their commitments," says Wayne Daltry, Lee County's director of smart growth. "Now we have to pound them to keep their commitments. No plan survives contact with reality — and in this case the reality is called the bottom line."

Given the dismal state of the economy in Florida and the dismal environmental track record of developers, it's easy to be skeptical. Kitson already had to lay off some of his southwest Florida staff. But unless the sun stops shining, the current housing collapse won't last forever. Florida is always going to be nicer than Brooklyn or Cleveland in the winter. It's about time someone tried to make growth environmentally and economically sustainable. And it's about time someone tried to use that sunshine for something other than getting a tan.

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First Solar Completes Acquisition of OptiSolar's Pipeline

2009-04-09T13:32:00.000-07:00

First Solar has announced that it has completed its acquisition of OptiSolar’s photovoltaic project pipeline. First Solar expects to construct the solar power plants developed under the pipeline over the next several years and sell them to a combination of regulated utilities, diversified energy companies and other independent power producers.

In addition, the core development team responsible for assembling and executing on the solar project pipeline has joined the First Solar development team. First Solar acquired all of OptiSolar’s project development business in an all-stock transaction valued at approximately $400 million. As a result of the closing today, First Solar will issue approximately 3 million shares of common stock representing a dilution of about 3.5 percent. This is less than the approximate 5 percent dilution expected when the acquisition was announced, due to recent appreciation in the price of shares of the Company’s common stock.

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Chicago Unveils Solar Powered EV Charging Stations

2009-04-09T11:43:00.000-07:00

Examiner/Matt Kelly/April 9, 2009

Coulomb Technologies, the Silicon Valley-based developer of the Smartlet, an individually controlled charging station located in public and private parking areas, just announced the unveiling of the nation's first solar-powered electric vehicle charging station in the city of Chicago.

The announcement is a joint statement with Carbon Day Automotive, the US midwest distributor of the Coulomb Technologies ChargePoint™ Networked Charging Stations and a division of Carbon Day, an organization dedicated to increasing environmental awareness by encouraging people to play a part in saving the planet.

But Chicago? Really?

On average Chicago boasts maybe 84 sunny days per year, while Los Angeles by contrast has 300+, more than most American cities, except perhaps some desert southwest locales. The City of Angels also has one of the most dedicated EV communities, a utility company, Southern California Edison, that is passionate about smart-grid technology which they are investing millions of dollars in, and a public-transportation system that when compared to smaller, less car-focused cities, like Chicago, is sorely lacking.

And remember LA in the '70's? You could hardly breathe due to the smog here, and it was this city that showed the world how progressive policies can clean up the air. Because of this, I find it hard to believe that any community will embrace this public-charging technology more so that Angelenos.

Richard Lowenthal, Coulomb founder and CEO, agrees. "Coulomb is anxious to bring clean cars and clean fueling to Los Angeles. Our partner in Southern California, Clean Fuel Connection, has the people, the skills, and the technology to make LA a leader in the transformation to vehicles that don’t rely on imported oil and keep our air clean.

He adds, "Los Angeles showed the world in the 70’s that it could clean up its air, and now it could be a leader in the revolution to electric vehicles. We just await a signal from Los Angeles that they’re ready to welcome back electric vehicles."

Coulomb also recently announced a deployment of its technology in a partnership between the city of Walnut Creek, CA and 511 Contra Costa, a transportation demand management program, which promotes green transportation alternatives, installing three electric vehicle charging stations in city-owned downtown parking garages, serving 150-volt and 220-volt plug-in electric and hybrid cars. Coulomb also is in negotiations with the cities of Seattle, WA and Portland, OR, and there are unconfirmed rumors Santa Monica and Pasadena, CA will also be deploying their technology.

What's obvious is that LA needs leadership on this issue from the Mayor's office and City Hall in the form of clear policy decisions, which would create jobs and would cost almost nothing to install thanks to $400 million in Federal stimulus funding available through the Clean Cities organization. Then, once again LA can show the world that we can lead the way in clean air and clean transportation.

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