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Blog
Wednesday, July 9, 2008
Non-US solar market may hold more promise due to US economy
Jul 9 2008 9:20AM | Permalink |Comments (10) |
Given the poor state of the economy in the US, and with the situation likely to get worse for the semiconductor industry, companies supplying to customers located outside the US may have a better likelihood of business growth.
Clearly, Germany leads the world in its acceptance and implementation of solar energy with although other big solar-supporting countries such as Spain and Italy, are working hard to catch up as evidenced by thin film solar module equipment supplier Applied Material Inc’s many contracts in these geographies, with another just announced today.
Aragona, Sicily-based renewable energy producer Moncada Energy Group srl has awarded Applied a contract to establish what will be Moncada’s first photovoltaic (PV) module production facility and Applied’s first SunFab line in Italy, the two said today.
Applied’s SunFab thin film line will produce 5.7-square-meter single junction PV modules at a facility to be located in Campofranco, Sicily, expected to have an annual rated capacity of 40MW.
Moncada has plans for four additional PV plants, which are awaiting authorization, according to the company’s website.
Moncada currently has power production capacity of more than 105MW in wind energy, with the SunFab-produced modules to be used to build solar farms on some of the same land where its wind turbines are located, effectively double-harvesting its clean energy resources.
The company plans to begin production on the SunFab line in 2010.
Dr. Mark Pinto, senior VP and general manager of Applied’s energy and environmental solutions group added in a statement, “We are excited to expand our role in Italy – which has the geographic potential to realize early grid parity – from supplying crystalline silicon equipment through our Baccini business to producing the world’s largest thin film modules with our SunFab line.”
If the US economic situation continues to suffer, growth in technology and consumer sectors will be stifled, with the US solar business impacted as well, it seems to me. More hope seems to come from doing business outside the US, with alternative energy opportunities fueling some of that. Chime in with your thoughts!
--Ann Steffora Mutschler, Senior Editor
Reader Comments
at 7/9/2008 3:46:27 PM, Mike said:
While the logic behind your story seems to make sense, the reality, from my perspective, contradicts your position. I am empolyed by one of the largest distributors of PV products in the US. Our business is up very substantially from the same period last year. Additionally, we have seen significant growth every month so far this year. While some of our sales are overseas, the majority is within the US. If your opinion is correct, I would say that it is hard to imagine how good business would be if not for the US economic slowdown.
at 7/9/2008 4:17:12 PM, Ann Steffora Mutschler said:
Mike, thank you for your comments. I hope I am wrong in this case, and glad to hear things are still healthy in the US solar market!
at 7/9/2008 4:39:33 PM, Meredith Poor said:
If the slowdown is due to high energy prices, then anything that remedied high energy prices would act to improve our economic situation. As fast as people are laid off in the homebuilding industry they're taken up in RE projects, powerline transmission projects, and factories that are reopening because it's too expensive to ship things here from China. The US sits on both sides of the energy coin: high coal prices are good for coal producers, bad for power consumers. High natural gas prices are great for those building rigs and exploring for resources; bad for home heating consumers. This good news/bad news story repeats all over the place.
at 7/9/2008 11:19:33 PM, Ann Steffora Mutschler said:
Meredith, that's a very good point you make and I am curious (albeit concerned) how the US will pull out of this eventually from a macro point of view. Thanks for your comments.
at 7/10/2008 4:53:21 AM, arclight_arclight said:
The good news / bad new story repeats everywhere, all the time. Look elsewhere.
We are moving into a time when US leadership is going to be questioned everywhere, precisely because we have failed to lead. The major failure in leadership is not in our elected officials but in the citizenry itself, because we have failed to discipline ourselves financially (among other things). Savings rate has stayed in the tank. Meanwhile, we all pressure our 401K fund managers to "maximize my return, or else" without thinking through what he might have to do, or force the CEOs and Boards of Directors of the companies he invests in to do, to deliver those returns we demand. Financial returns, like money, don't grow on trees...if we want tremendous returns on our investments we have to be aware of and be willing to accept the non-financial damage that that can bring about. A responsible citizenry would connect the dots here, but we consistently fail to do that. We then wonder why manufacturing and other things are moved outside the US borders, and why there's such a problem with illegal immigration, and why our elected leaders don't seem to be able to deal with any of this. They can't because we demonstrate day after day that all we care anything about is spending ourselves into a hole today and pushing for maximum returns on what investments we do make for the future (thinking, I guess, that maximizing returns means we don't have to worry about tomorrow while we spend ourselves to death today).
at 7/11/2008 10:48:19 AM, Lou Covey said:
The US economy is really not as bad as most people . We had a 0.6 growth in the last quarter of 2007 and a 1 percent growth in the first quarter of this year. Not spectatcular, but growth nonetheless. Inflation is at 4.2 percent (and I remember when it was in the high teens) and unemployment is at 5.5 percent.
There are pockets of "really bad economies" and one of the worst is the world of print and broadcast media... who happen to be the ones reporting on the state of the economy. Might be a small conflict of interest there.
But specifically, let's focus on the solar industry. In third world countries that have not installed DC power grids like we have here in the US, solar and wind power options are cheap and highly subsidized by the government. In Europe, where they have been dealing with gas over $5 a gallon for decades, solar and wind are more cost effective, (they don't have the nuclear heebeegeebies the US does) and, again, solar and wind are heavily subsidized.
In the US, we haven't quite reached $5 a gallon. Taxes on gasoline are a fraction of Europe. Our electrical grids (except for Texas) requires power conversion to utilize solar and wind and the government is considering NOT extending subsidies.
So it's not a condition of a bad economy, but of infrastructure, governmental support and general acceptance of the option.
We're starting to see a demand for alternative power in local governments primarily because Homeland Security is demanding that local authorities and government agencies have back-up sources of power, should the grids go down... and not in the form of gas fired generators.
The current US economy is a barrier to adoption, but that's because it is still healthy. It is actually going to have to REALLY tank before the US gets on the bandwagon.
at 7/11/2008 1:16:18 PM, Ann Steffora Mutschler said:
Thank you for your comments Lou and arclight_arclight. I have a feeling you are right Lou that the US is going to have to feel more pain in order to really take responsibility and make things right in terms of our dependence on oil. It just makes sense to have a backup plan to be off the grid. What can be done at a local government level to encourage this activity?
at 7/25/2009 1:51:36 PM, www.solarenergygolfcarts.net/sm said:
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* For every hour the golf cart solar panel roof is charging in peak sun, the original charge will maintain its distance, with one additional mile added when driving on flat terrain.
* Can be used on any passenger size golf cart.
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The package consist of a Charge Controller which regulates voltage and prevents over charging. A pre-wired wiring harness, a peel and stick solar top with the simple installation instructions.
*Shipping options are available through UPS
www.solarenergygolfcarts.net/sm
at 7/25/2009 1:58:17 PM, www.solarenergygolfcarts.net/sm said:
Hawaii Prince Golf Course Finishes Field Testing
The Hawaii Prince Golf Course in Honolulu,Hi completed their independent field testing on the Peel and Stick Solar Golf Golf Cart Tops.
Go to the Link below to read their results.
www.ecgoinggreen.com/pdf_docs/PeelNStick-HPGCPresentation.pdf
More information on my website link below:
www.solarenergygolfcarts.net/sm
at 10/26/2009 10:44:20 AM, Nicole Hunter said:
This past May, Sebonack Golf Club in Southhampton, NY converted 39 of their 40 Golf carts into Solar. Earlier this year, the Jockey Club Kau Sai Chau Public Golf Course in Hong Kong became the first club in the world to outfit its entire fleet of golf carts with Solar tops. Both claim an annual savings of over $50,000.00 US by going Solar. This is definitely a trend that should be watched. As the poster before me mentioned Hawaii Prince Golf course is on the band wagon as well. They just purchased 10 solar golf cart systems for their fleet. While this isn't the PV systems you mention, it definitely is a statement that SOLAR is still growing in the US. Gainesville, FL's utility company recently became the first US Utility to implement Germany's Feed-In Tarrif. While everyone in Solar would like to believe this is a step in the right direction, I personally think feeding the grid is a more economical approach for consumers. GRU put a cap of 4MW per year and has a waitlist going forwards to 2016. They also are proposing an increase for EVERY utility customer of $.75 per month to cover the costs or loss of this program. FL is already on a waitlist for State Solar Rebates so that puts an unrealistic return on this investment if Gov'n Crist doesnt' get Federal funding to continue the Rebates. The more positive information put out there about Solar, the better informed the consumer will be in their decision to utilize Solar. www.SolarForGolfCarts.com
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