All About Solar | Green Energy News

June 18, 2006 – Vol.11 No.13

ALL ABOUT SOLAR.

This week’s news.

While industry insiders can often be overly optimistic about the future of their respective industries (often to keep investors happy) they’re also in the center of the action, so you’d think they’d know where their industry is going.

A poll taken of 450 attendees/stakeholders at the Jefferies' Alternative Energy and Cleantech Conference gave solar energy a bright future. The results of the survey showed that:

--- 51 percent thought solar energy will be cost competitive with grid-generated electricity by 2015.

--- 24 percent believe solar energy will be cost competitive with grid-generating electricity by 2010.

Industry also tries constantly to feel the pulse of consumers so it will know how to meet demand in the marketplace.

A survey of 1004 adult Americans paid for by Sharp Solar, the world’s solar leader, revealed that:

--- 79 percent though that solar power should be offered as an option on new homes. Half would be willing to pay ten percent more for the cost of the house if it had solar power.

--- 73 percent thought that solar energy was more important now than ever.

--- 42 percent wanted solar for reducing energy bills, 31 percent to reduce dependence on imported oil but only 17 percent wanted to reduce environmental pollution with solar energy. Visit Sharp at http://www.sharpusa.com/

For years, solar module companies have been making packaged solar systems for very experienced (I mean VERY experienced) homeowners to install themselves or for professionals to install easily and quickly.

General Electric has announced it has joined the ranks of the solar kit suppliers and now offers its new Brilliance line of packaged residential solar systems.

Brilliance is offered in packages in sizes ranging from 1-10 kilowatts and includes GE’s new 66-watt module for new home installations or its 200-watt module for retrofit installations. The 66-watt module is a roof-integrated line designed to be compatible with flat, cement roof tiles. Visit GE at http://www.ge.com/energy

The joint manufacturing venture known as EverQ, made up of Evergreen Solar (of the US), Q-Cells (of Germany) and Renewable Energy Corporation (of Norway, for solar-grade silicon), is now officially operating producing solar cells and panels.

The facility in Germany now has 260 people (which will rise to 300) working in 16,400 square feet of workspace. When full capacity is reached the facility will be able to crank out 30 megawatts each year of nameplate solar capacity.

Another 50 megawatt plant will begin construction later this year and EverQ plans to have 300 megawatts capacity by 2010.

By comparison Sharp Solar now has 450 megawatts of annual solar-electric manufacturing capacity. Visit Q-Cells at http://www.q-cells.com/