RSS FeedIn this edition of ‘Analysts’, we get to hear from Ishita Manjrekar, working, solar industry analyst for Primary Global Research. She’s on Bloomberg, talking about about First Solar (FSLR), Suntech and the Chinese solar market.
The discussion begins with what I consider to be a misunderstanding, when Ishita is asked what are the two types of technologies used to generate electricity from the sun. The answer should be Photovoltaic (P.V.) and concentrating thermo-solar. Instead, she discuses the two most popular P.V. panel types (silicon based and thin film based), completely ignoring the concentrating thermo solar industry. Oh, well.
She goes on to talk about a very important factor in the solar energy market – price of silicon. Due to oversupply, silicon prices have been dropping, causing silicon-based solar panels to become cheaper than thin film solar panels, which do not rely on silicon to generate electricity and who’s strongest selling point was low manufacturing costs. That trend (silicon based solar panels becoming cheaper than thin-film solar panels) is nicely reflected in the stock prices of the two companies discussed in the video – First Solar(blue line),a thin-film panels manufactures vs. Suntech(red line), a market leader in silicon based solar panels:
China’s solar energy market
Another topic of discussion is the Chinese solar energy market. I’m a strong believer in china becoming a global solar energy leader, both on the supply but also on the demand side. China has deep pockets, a huge landmass, and a terrible environmental track record, making it a strong candidate to dominant the solar industry. There are already very positive signs from the Chinese government and I predict that more and more Yuans will go into turning solar energy to electricity.
Ishita explains that the impact of the Chinese solar incentive program will not be immediate (Q3 and Q4 2009), and I have to agree with her. A company that is well positioned in the Chinese solar market is Canadian Solar, who has already won a couple of large projects there, and is headed by a Chinese CEO.
Posted in 
Tags: 
It seems that everywhere you turn you are seeing more and more Solar products beginning to emerge. One of the latest trends that is hitting the Global Market is Solar For Golf Carts. Many Golf Courses are taking the Eco-Friendly approach to their Golf Courses by using recycled water, biodegradable materials, Chemical Free pesticides and fertilizers to name a few. But the Newest and most fascinating is putting Solar Tops on the Golf Carts!
May 2009, Sebonack Golf Club in Southhampton, NY converted 39 of their 40 Golf carts into Solar. Earlier in the year, the Jockey Club Kau Sai Chau Public Golf Course in Hong Kong became the first club in the world to outfit it’s entire fleet of golf carts with Solar Tops. Both claim an annual savings of over $50,000.00 US by going Solar. Hawaii Prince Golf Club has also converted 10 of their golf carts.
The impact this is having is not only the reduction in their Carbon footprint, but the reduction in downtime for their golfers and the savings on electric costs because they do not have to plug in as often. And one of the greater advantages to going Solar is the extended battery life. The costs savings become tremendous as well as continuous.
SolarForGolfCarts.com has opened the doors for the international market as well with their distributorship in Turkey and Panama.
This is definitely a trend worth watching. And encouraging for those of us who look to business’ that become more Eco-Friendly.