Solar Stocks News
Yesterday,
First Solar (Nasdaq: FSLR) was up 6.31%, with a Morgan Stanley initiating a equal weight rating and a $28 price target.
Credit Suisse cites results will be driven by management's plans to add capacity, reduce costs and margin expansion. Sets $32 target price.
And other companies are joining the war for thin-film solar cell technology.
Taiwan based
AU Optronics Corp. (NYSE: AUO) said to have recruited a team of specialists to produce thin-film solar cells.
SunPower, (SPWR) recently announced one of the biggest acquisitions in the industry's history to help the San Jose, Calif., company reach that goal.
The company plans to buy PowerLight, a firm that installs solar panels, for about $330 million. The cash-and-stock deal should close early next year, pending approvals.
Labels: AUO, FSLR, SPWR, STP
The price of solar energy
Interesting article at Renewable Energy Access.
Not always the region with more sun can be the best choice for solar plants, since electricity rates tend to weight even more in the solar energy cost.
The Future of Solar Power Lies in the NortheastToday, even in the best case scenario, solar power still requires substantial subsidies. It will be another decade before it reaches the break even point -- that is, the point where solar power becomes economical without subsidies.
The Southwest does enjoy a tremendous sunlight advantage over the Northeast, making solar power less expensive in that region. However, the advantage does not come close to compensating for the difference in electricity rates.
read the full article, by Jonathan Klein,
hereLabels: Solar Energy prices
Solar-powered bus
This might be the first publicly solar powered bus used, even if its not really profitable for long distances, running for 60km seems a good result for a prototype:
Solar-powered bus seen asviable businessThe first commercially viable solar-energy bus has been successfully developed under a joint state-private research project. The 20-seater minibus was introduced yesterday by the Office of the National Research Council of Thailand (NRCT) and Clean Fuel Energy Enterprise Co (C-FEE), a private manufacturer of electric mini-cars, golf carts, tuk-tuks and motorcycles.
This project is seen as the first-ever practical research work of its kind,'' said Prof Ahnond Bunyaratvej, the NRCT secretary general.
''The bus, which took seven months to develop, features 10 solar-cell panels of one square metre each on its roof. It has a maximum speed of 60 kilometres per hour and can be continuously driven for 60 km.''
Read the full article in
Bangkokpost here
More aid for German solar energy plant
The war for the biggest incentives for solar energy is on, later today was the California state, now it's Europe with even more help given to Germany, already one of the top world's solar energy producer.
European Commission OKs aid for German solar energy plantThe European Commission has authorized E76 million of aid, which the German government intends to grant to Conergy over three years to construct a new production plant for solar energy modules in Frankfurt (Oder).
The project, which will be spread over three years (from 2006 to 2008), is aimed at producing solar energy modules that make it possible, as the main part of an integrated solar energy system, to convert sunlight into electricity.
The project is expected to create around 1,000 new jobs in Frankfurt (Oder) which is a disadvantaged area eligible for regional aid and has an unemployment rate of 20.1%.
full article at
Energy Business review
California regulators issue solar energy guide
News at reuters:
SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - The California Pubic Utilities Commission on Thursday issued requirements and other details for a new energy program that aims to make the state one of the world's biggest producers of solar energy.
...
The state's goal is to install 1 million rooftop solar panels on homes, businesses, farms, schools and public buildings over the next 10 years to produce 3,000 megawatts, or the equivalent of six large power plants.
...
The program has a budget of $2.2 billion that will pay incentives for solar projects beginning on January 1, 2007.
Read the full article
here
Solarfun and Trina Solar IPO
There were two new solar IPOs this week, that didn't really got nice receptions from the market but should still be interesting to watch.
Solarfun Power Holdings (SOLF) produces photovolatic cells.
Solarfun Power Holdings Co. Ltd. plans to sell 12 million American depositary shares between $11.50 and $13.50 per ADS in an initial public offering.
Each ADS represents five common shares.
Solarfun started trading today with a 20% drop, probably because the high pricing was already a warning note to many investors these last days.
After the market re-evaluates this stock, we will analyze it's future potential, so it's better to just keep away until it stops falling.
Trina Solar (TSL) produces integrated solar power products and will offer 5.3 million shares at $13.50 - $15.50 per share. Estimated net proceeds of $67.4 million will be used to purchase raw materials, complete construction of manufacturing facilities and for general corporate purposes.
Trina Solar had its second session today, with shares falling 6.8%, again not a good sight for new Chinese solar energy companies.
Meanwhile SunTech Power, also a Chinese company, is actually having the best performance of the whole group.
Labels: IPOs, SOLF, STP, TSL
Solar energy park
There is a new project, scheduled to begin construction in 2010, with more than 1000 MegaWatt! Probably the biggest solar plant project, in paper, that would create more than 300 jobs in San Luis Valley.
One more project to add up to the global race to build the largest, most capable, solar power plant in the world.
Presently ongoing construction is the world's biggest, 100megawatt
Chinese solar power plant, to be finished before 2010.
In the news:
A New York startup with local roots will announce plans today to build the world's largest solar energy park in the San Luis Valley.
The $2 billion park, christened SolarDunes by developer SkyFuel, would have a total capacity of 1,000 megawatts - enough electricity for more than 300,000 homes and businesses along the power-hungry Front Range.
Read the rest at
rockymountainnews.com
The Bear and the Bull in Solar Energy
Bears and Bulls are present in everyday markets, and in Solar Stocks this is no different.
Today we have two very good examples of raging Bulls and drowning Bears in the small Solar energy sector.
Chinese solar energy company Suntech Power Holdings Co. Ltd. said Monday it signed a deal with Sunlight Group Inc. to buy silicon wafers over a five-year period.
With rising profits this year, and reaching new relative highs today, Sun Tech Power(STP) is the top performer of the solar energy group:
DSTI has recently come under a lot of selling pressure with some of its investors backing off, and even a recent funding wasn't well received by the investors.
Castlerigg Master Investments Ltd., an offshore investment fund, gave Daystar $15 million in May, in exchange for a senior convertible note.
DSTI is going for its 2nd consecutive losing week.
DayStar is still looking for additional funding as it seeks to ramp up its manufacturing capabilities.
Better days might come to Daystar Technologies, but in the short-term, this stock is still a sell.
Labels: DSTI, STP
Polysilicon shortage, again...
The well known polysilicon shortage continues, know probably continuing into the next decade until the industry can bring sufficient material volumes into the supply chain.
Until then, new tecnologies like
CIGS will continue to spread, and more companies are expecting to only use thin-film materials in their next solar cell products.
"The tight polysilicon market could last two years longer than previously expected," possibly continuing to 2010 or 2011
you can read the full article in the
Electronic Engineering Times Asia,
here:
Polysilicon shortage could persistLabels: CIGS, Polysilicon, Polysilicon shortage
Bullish Coverage on Suntech Power
China-based Suntech Power Holdings was a strong performer today, up 7.27%, after Jefferies & Co. initiated a buy rating on the solar power company.
Analyst Jeffrey W. Bencik put a $38 price target on the photovoltaic cell maker's stock in a research report, commenting on the benefit from long-term silicon contracts and growth in the overall solar market.
After a quick analysis of the STP chart, we can see that there is still some resistance in the $33 area, and if we get a higher move in the next days, the mid term trend can definitely change with new 7 month highs.
STP Chart:
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Suntech Power Holdings is one of the best performers in the solar technology group, and is one of my top choices for a renewable energy portfolio.
40% efficient solar cell
The solar cell technology battle of efficiency vs price rages on:
The U.S. Department of Energy has announced a new solar cell that can convert more than 40% of sunlight into electricity. The cell, made by Boeing-Spectrolab, uses mirrors and prisms to boost the sunlight going into the cell. The DOE says the cells could be sold for $3 per watt and make electricity for 8 to 10 cents per KW/hour.
Regular solar cells are approximately 15 percent efficient because they convert regular sunlight. Concentrator cells, like this new breakthrough cell, use relatively cheaper mirrors and prisms to focus sunlight on the more expensive gallium-arsenide portion of the cell.
...
in TG Daily article
Honda investing in CIGS solar cells
CIGS (copper indium gallium diselenide) thin-film solar cells technology is heating up, with each week more and more companies joining this new industry.
You can read more about the advantages of
CIGS solar panel technology in other posts like this
oneHonda Soltec is building a new plant that will become operational in autumn 2007 with an annual capacity of 27.5MW.
The more is invested in this type of technology, the closer we get to competitive solar energy that can become cheaper than oil energy.
Check the
Honda Worldwide homesite
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