17 replies to this topic

[greensolar]

Germany’s Recent Solar Energy Record In-Depth...................



http://peakoil.com/a...record-in-depth

[greensolar]

This is interesting forecasting 92 million barrels a day in 2014.
We hit only 86 million barrels a day in 2008 when oil spiked and so did solar to new extreme highs with a world production capable of producing 83 million barrels a day.


http://phys.org/news...oil-demand.html

[Xeloris]

China to adjust liquidity, although unrelated to solar related to china in general may have an affect on solar mondayhttp://finance.yahoo...-040625609.html

[explo]

China general monetary policy might not impact China11 a lot. PV is a strategic exception to the general policy. The current PV plans is to encourage installs and consolidate manufacturing. This means credit is given mainly to project development and to select few manufacturers (the assumed long-term survivors). For other manufacturers the opposite applies (don't support them! cut your losers now banks! they are a liability to overall long-term China PV.).

However China monetary policy in fueling mode will lift world economy. which lift equity markets, which will lift our high beta China11 stocks.

[luckygoose]

As one of our biggest reference points for grid parity is the the oil price develoment I thought it would be a good to have a thread completely linked to this topic.

Lately the oil price is breaking out of is trend and is finding higher levels. This all in an economic situation in which many countries/continents are still in recession. What do you think the price will do when get the global economics gets running again? People tend to forget that grid parity can also come closer and closer at same ASP when oil is becomming more expensive. Big oil knows this already and therefore countries like the middle east with big oil production is going to invest like crazy in coming decade. They know and told the market already that solar power can better be used for oil production than the oil itself which can be sold at higher margins to the market.

I see the coming decade as a perfect storm for solar power. The current market situation gave and is still giving everybody an unique opportunity to step in low. I don not see a situation like this coming back soon. Solar is here to stay and I predict (hard to believe for a lot of people) that we will have a shortage of panels sooner than everybody holds for possible because of the perfect storm.

In some time from now the EU will think how did we become so stupic to not support maximum installations in a time when there was a huge opportunity to install solar at low cost and support desperately needed employment and economic development. Now we are forced to buy at higher prices and we cannot get the capacity we would like to receive. As a result we need to import very expensive oil that funny enough is also produced with solar energy. Next to this we will get penalties because we did not invest in CO2 reduction in line with international agreements. As the other countries did invest (surpast their goal) they will put more pressure on CO2 related politics as they will come out possitive.

As often looking forward is not the best part of the EU. We rather adjust to short term development and do looking back politics and adjust to situations that harm us even more then that we adjust in such a way that we gain by it.

The Chinese are not stupic; they see this already coming. This is why they support their strategic solar industry and give hints!! in the discussions with the EU that we need to know that we need them not so long from now as our current capacity will be nothing with what is needed in the near future. You rather want to be friends with the country that can support you than frustrate the hell out of them.

Lucky

p.s. sorry for going a bit of topic with the capacity story

[nanofrogfish_spf]

Just a comment about how oil and solar are related...

Although solar stock prices tracked oil prices when they spiked a few years back, the real fuels that solar mostly competes with on a global basis is natural gas, coal and nuclear. For oil extraction countries in the MENA region, solar makes since since dirty alternatives for power generation, such as coal and diesel, or other refined fuels need to be imported and are expensive. And any form of burning the oil directly is not only a dirty proposition (not even sure this is economically feasible/possible), but impacts the profits that can ultimately be generated from this limited fuel source.

Where solar and other renewables can indeed have a big impact on oil consumption world-wide, is when it generates electricity cheaper than the other sources, coupled with the replacement of gas powered vehicles with electric...

[SolarRoof]

http://www.azcentral...-customers.html


Not sure anyone has seen this, but an interesting development brewing in AZ. I am a Phoenix resident with solar on my roof (and more to be added soon). The debate is about how much credit solar owners should get for power they generate -- ie, currently, they are credited at the same cost they pay to the utility, 1 to 1, but the utility wants to pay less, or charge a monthly fee to solar owners, which would significantly extend the payoff period for solar owners.

A bit of a blip on the big solar radar, but could be significant if all utilities followed suit.

My first post, so hoping I followed protocol. I've been reading and gleaning great info for a couple of months. Thanks for the great site.

[forestg]

Plant Yates Closure, More Solar Approved
http://www.times-her...ower-Yates-etc-

[sunnysky]

http://www.cleanener...ompanies-071013



When storage catches up, utility customers will have a true alternative to grid power. Residential customers in particular will be able to choose between buying grid power, investing in solar and battery systems they own, or leasing solar panels and batteries similar to leasing solar panels from companies like Sunrun, SolarCity, Sungevity and Vernego. When solar and storage can be an outright replacement for grid connections, it won’t matter anymore if utilities allow third-party owned energy production on their grids, which has kept leasing companies out of some markets. Consumers will be able to choose to replace grid power with solar.

[sunnysky]

http://www.cleanener...-started-071013

This is the first part of the 3-part series, which is related to the AZ Utilities story that SolarRoof posted earlier.

[sunnysky]

http://www.torquenew...-grid-apis-volt


Speaking about energy storage, it seems that solar powered electric car charging is picking up steam, following Musk's Superchargers for his Tesla cars. I'm a full believer of a future with electric cars.

[CrouchingTiger]

http://www.renewable...tbacks?page=all

Here are updates about non-cadmium based thin film solar, particularly CIGS (copper-indium-gallium-selenide), and some major players in the field.

[joshchang]

http://news.xinhuane...c_125004475.htm

EU is asking for 0.58 euro per watt and China still insists 5 cents lower. EU also asks for maximum 60% of volume to be imported from China.

Looks like a deal is very close...

[explo]

Should be any day this week if they'll make their target of a couple of week ahead of absolute deadline August 6.

[Jacob]

one of our biggest reference points for grid parity is the the oil price

Solar makes electricity. Oil, except for a few small markets like Hawaii and Alaska, is not used for electricity. So they are not switchable energy sources. The price of oil is irrelevant to solar grid parity. For solar, the fossil fuels that matter are natural gas and coal.

In the rich world, almost all new electricity capacity is either solar, wind, or natural gas. China and India have recently done huge coal-fired build-outs. New technologies for extracting natural gas have greatly increased the supply (and greatly decreased the price) of natgas in the U.S.. China and India have huge untapped regions with the same kind of shale geology, as the U.S. If they learn to use this technology, they may install less solar. Today, they have to import expensive and insecure natgas. Fraccing into shale is probably the biggest long-term threat to solar grid parity.

[Uncle Chang]

EU is asking for 0.58 euro per watt and China still insists 5 cents lower. EU also asks for maximum 60% of volume to be imported from China.

SO it's 58c vs 53c, from 60c vs 50c, how about 55.5c? I love bargaining!
China can say "we've met you more than half way?"!
They should switch to that unacceptable 60% before coming back for a couple of cents, also they should ask all imports into EU must be quoted above the same price.

[odyd]

Fraccing into shale is probably the biggest long-term threat to solar grid parity.

And to life as we know it. Have you ever put your water on fire? I suggest watch Gasland
http://www.gaslandth.../about-the-film


You have an interesting approach.You own TSL ( I thought you owned three stocks), but make comments on CSIQ only, and now you seem to promote fracking on the solar forum?
BTW China and India, both, have own nightmare:coal.
Heating oil is very popular in Eastern Canada. They burn oil in Middle East for electricity all the time. It is peculiar that those countries are announcing ever more money on solar projects. Sustainability is the key word.

[spiritcraft]

Wait for lawsuits and inevitable greed from the Koch brother, Haliburton types who control natgas. Natural gas is not endless, Fracked natgas is not without major issues like Earthquakes, flaming drinking water, unscrupulous leasing and public thievery of resources. (see Pennsylvania) Meanwhile... the Sun is free.

As for heating oil, the Northeast US has areas where there are not any gas lines installed... granite seems to have been a slight issue. It is electricity or amazingly expensive propane or oil. As to the Middle East, the Saudis could burn oil for fun but have plans to export PV produced electricity instead.

Hmm, seems like someone thinks they can rain on our parade of facts?