Solar panel manufacturer Solyndra, which recently filed for bankruptcy, got special treatment from the Obama administration, some have alleged, since the company's $535 million in federally guaranteed loans had much lower interest rates than those of other green energy companies, according to an investigative report.
The FBI raided Solyndra's office, although it would not comment on the reason. The company shut without giving notice to its employees and contractors, which many large companies are legally required to do.
However, Lewis Milford of the Clean Energy Group argued critics are inconsistent in highlighting Solyndra's failure, since there are many examples of failure in government projects -- and that a high rate of failure is inevitable in innovative fields. Overall, the Loan Guarantee Program has performed well, and Solyndra's failure is not a reason to abandon it, Forbes argued.
Solyndra is only one of many solar energy companies around the world struggling recently, due in large part to rising costs of materials and weaker-than-expected demand for panels, which have led to a sharp rise in mergers and acquisitions compared with last year.
Germany has long been a solar powerhouse, but one of its companies -- SolarWorld -- is also having trouble, and is shutting down factories in Germany and the U.S. and consolidating manufacturing. Another German solar company, Solon, is shutting an Arizona plant and laying off workers.
All this activity "is Darwinism at work in business," said an executive of manufacturer Abound Solar.
Solar at Scale
Nonetheless, large solar projects are moving ahead. The U.S. has offered a loan guarantee for putting solar panels on military housing, which could double the number of residential rooftop arrays in the country.
With solar panel costs falling, the European Photovoltaic Industry Association said, solar could be competitive with conventional energy within a couple of years in some markets, and across Europe by 2020.
Also, a new projection from the International Energy Agency said in 50 years' time, solar energy could provide more than half the world's power.
Spinning up Fresh Debate
Iran joined the list of nuclear countries by connecting its first nuclear power plant to the grid last week, according to the country's official media.
Also, the International Atomic Energy Agency reported Iran began running upgraded centrifuges. Iran also offered to allow inspectors "full supervision" of its nuclear activities for the next five years, in exchange for lifting sanctions.
Iran has reportedly tested weapons systems, which some experts said cast doubt on Iran's claim that its nuclear program is limited to producing electricity. But arms expert Mark Fitzpatrick of the International Institute for Strategic Studies said that without proof, it is too soon to jump to the conclusion Iran is pursuing nuclear weapons. Nonetheless, in discussions at the United Nations, several countries kept pressure on Iran to suspend uranium enrichment until a monitoring deal is worked out.
Storm Brewing Over Clouds
A paper in the journal Remote Sensing has generated a lot of thunder, since the authors argued their study of clouds suggested the climate is not as sensitive to greenhouse gas emissions as had been thought. But many other experts have poked holes in the study, with one arguing the controversial study's model fails to conserve energy, so it violates a basic principle of physics. The journal's editor resigned over the controversy.
Energetic Ghost Town
To test out new energy technologies in conditions between the overly controlled confines of the lab and the all-too-messy real world, a company is planning to erect in New Mexico a 20-square-mile, $200-million "ghost town" outfitted with real buildings -- but no people.
The Climate Post offers a rundown of the week in climate and energy news. It is produced each Thursday by Duke University's Nicholas Institute for Environmental Policy Solutions.
Mobilizing to prevent it can utilize rooftop solar, reboot the economy and generate millions of jobs.
See the Aesop Institute website for an explanation and a couple of maps that speak much louder than words.
This is a real peril, much worse than any terror attack. It needlessly threatens millions of lives and possibly the survival of the nation.
Action to minimize the potential impact could even unify the country - survival is a powerful motivation.
panels lasting longer and better than predicted http://solar.gwu.edu/Research/EnergyPolicy_Zweibel2010.pdf Great article about price of solar now 3$/W installed. last 100 years, 1-2 cents pwer KWH after the first 20 years and the loan is paid off.
http://cleantechnica.com/2011/06/10/solar-power-graphs-to-make-you-smile/
Great chart of energy source amounts: http://cleantechnica.com/2011/08/23/solar-power-intro-3-key-solar-power-points-top-solar-power-news/
http://www.sunelec.com/ 75 cents per Wp.
Solyndra recently[when?] installed a solar panel on the equator in Singapore. This system is part of an effort that began several years ago. In 2006, Solyndra began deploying demonstration systems around the world. .... There are more than 1000 Solyndra systems installed around the world and the company shipped its 100th megawatt of panels in March 2011.
Fanned
If this guy wasnt POTUS he'd be on the FBA 10 most wanted list
I am learning to make them from the internet. Public libraries should keep up with this and inform the public about it. I think that this would be a great role for the modern public library, along with general literacy and other educational programs.
http://www.sunelec.com/ 75 cents per Wp.
cheapest new solar panels 1-2$/Wp http://www.ecobusinesslinks.com/solar_panels.htm
http://www.panelprice.com/
http://www.solarbuzz.com/facts-and-figures/retail-price-environment/module-prices (the worst, they only list prices quantity 1, for large panels only)
http://pvinsights.com/ average prices .85 thin 1.5$ Si
Then see what subsidies you can get, there are lots of them: http://www.dsireusa.org/
Too bad the federal government gives extremely low interest loans to banks and we get little from it, but low interest loans for homeowners to install solar would remove some of the need for new large generating facilities and the huge transmission lines to connect them. The lines already connected to your house are sufficient to transmit power back to the grid when you produce more than you use.
Energy efficiency always pays off in savings, where ever the electricity comes from. Added insulation has a quicker pay off than almost anything else. I looked at new refrigerators and found the energy star models cost less than my fridge did 11 years ago and run on 1/3 of the power as the old one. When it comes time to replace old appliances, check the labels. Replacing light bulbs with CFL or LED is an easy way to knock 10% or more off the power bill. Every bit helps and when you consider buying home solar, a smaller investment will do if efficiency has been improved.
solar for homes will make sense long before its used for 24/7 power generation....
http://energy.sourceguides.com/businesses/byGeo/byC/Iran/byP/solar/solar.shtml
and some background on Iranian alternative energy programs:
http://itee.uq.edu.au/~aupec/aupec02/Final-Papers/H-Kazemi1.pdf
Also the wind power:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wind_power_in_Iran