First Solar (FSLR) sold a 230-megawatt California solar farm to Exelon (EXC) for $1.36B - and...

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spald_fr Comments (2456)
 
[The Energy Dept. approved $4.75B in guarantees . . . on the final day of a 2005 stimulus program.]

Pigs.
30 Sep 2011, 08:44 PM Reply Like

LKofEnglish Comments (4388)
 
the days of the nuker are done. this is a hail mary and the most corrupt Administration in American history has signed off on the dirty deed. stay long Wisconsin Energy as this boondoggle will yield nothing cost effective ever for either consumers, businesses or the government itself.
30 Sep 2011, 09:52 PM Reply Like

Hendershott Comments (1055)
 
The Chinese put $30 billion into their solar companies last year. That doesn't include things like free land or government directed business. Wind and solar are producing so much electricity in Germany that it's driving electricity prices down. There's no fuel costs so it's making coal and gas fired generation more expensive. Bloomberg this morning.
30 Sep 2011, 11:09 PM Reply Like

tejant Comment (1)
 
Could you perhaps provide the bloomberg link as you have mentioned.
1 Oct 2011, 06:46 PM Reply Like

Hendershott Comments (1055)
 
Go to Bloomberg.com > news > markets > energy > "Utilities giving away electricity as wind, solar overwhelm European network" I've never figured out how to cut and paste a link.
1 Oct 2011, 08:16 PM Reply Like

Chris Lau Comments (1127)
 
Here, i'll do it for you: $TSL $FSLR $LDK
http://bloom.bg/ncPQpS

Good find, Hendershott. Not only was TSL and others completely wrong about being able to generate profits on declining prices, the demand has fallen off a cliff.
1 Oct 2011, 08:36 PM Reply Like

Hendershott Comments (1055)
 
Thanks. TSL won't go busted though. They have the support of the Chinese government. Grants, directed business, free land. It's a jobs program for them and they'll be the only ones left after they have driven every one else out of business. Similar to what the Chinese did in the rare earth business. Drove everyone else out years ago. Now there is a nascent industry trying to restart outside of China.
1 Oct 2011, 11:28 PM Reply Like

1980XLS Comments (2111)
 
I am hoping for a FSLR bounce, so I can short the crap out out it again, make money, then spend it, thereby stimulating the real economy.

After Obama is history.
1 Oct 2011, 09:53 PM Reply Like

siliconhillbilly Comments (1659)
 
If solar PV is such a wonderful technology for utility power generation, why do all of the big projects need billion dollar government subsidies (oh, excuse me, "loan guarantees") ? It's all part of the Big Lie from the pork barrel brigade in DC. Which district gets the money this time? Blah!
Maybe with all the new PV panels coming from China, the OB government will stop funding this wasteful mess. But that implies some rationality, so I won't bet that way. Disgusting!
2 Oct 2011, 12:40 AM Reply Like

kmi Comments (3844)
 
Virtually every utility scale project receives some subsidy of some sort.

The difference is domestically generated, domestically consumed, energy is good for the domestic economy.

We imported $500,000,000,000 worth of energy products last year. I'll happily subsidize the living daylights out of domestic energy production to keep that money on US soil.
2 Oct 2011, 08:47 AM Reply Like

1980XLS Comments (2111)
 
But you forgot to mention only 1% of US electricity generation involves imported petroleum.


http://bit.ly/jcCEpA/
2 Oct 2011, 09:49 AM Reply Like

1980XLS Comments (2111)
 
So, now we move from Solyndra, to FSLR for an even bigger failure and,an ever larger wealth destruction.

That is what they call growth.
2 Oct 2011, 01:02 AM Reply Like

Hendershott Comments (1055)
 
No budgets will ever balance while we run a 300 billion dollar deficit on imported oil.
2 Oct 2011, 03:06 PM Reply Like

siliconhillbilly Comments (1659)
 
Hendershott, US electricity comes from natural gas, coal and nuclear. With a bit of hydro and wind/solar thrown in.
How do overpriced solar PV farms reduce the amount of imported oil? It's almost exclusively used as a transport fuel, along with some domestic LPG. Sending money to the Chinese doesn't help anyone but the companies at the trough and their political parasites. Money to run election campaigns, anyone? Give us a few billion in subsidies and we will give you a few million in "campaign donations". Such a deal for the taxpayers! :-(
2 Oct 2011, 08:57 PM Reply Like

1980XLS Comments (2111)
 
silicon,

Check the graphs in my link.

Only 1% of electricity is petro based. If 1/2 of that is imported., it is totally insignificant.

Can't charge the electric cars with solar while the cars are in the parking lot at work, during the daytime either.

It is a scam, The stock prices tell the story.

Politicians lie, Markets don't.
2 Oct 2011, 09:04 PM Reply Like

kmi Comments (3844)
 
Siliconhillbilly are you in the utility scale energy generation business? You don't seem to know a lot about what's going on in the sector.

Renewables are now producing more power in the US than nuclear. More renewable energy capacity is coming online at a faster pace than fossil. Having a reliable, powerful electric grid will allow the transition to electric vehicles. Private investment is producing charging stations by the hundreds and thousands already, with 80% quick charges already at the 10minute mark, killing the whole 'range anxiety' meme.

Dollar for dollar renewables are close to fossils, except their product is not sold to international markets for prices determined by international demand, and the cost of production never increases.

It goes on and on...

I know it's difficult but you have to think big.
3 Oct 2011, 08:30 AM Reply Like

kmi Comments (3844)
 
1980,

Oil is produced and sold internationally. The US may not use much diesel for energy production, but it is tremendously popular globally for that use. Especially in inefficient emerging markets. This means that at any given moment when you buy an oil product you are competing on price with international markets that consume oil for energy production.

The US can diversify away from oil, and it is - consumption is down since 2006. It's is arguable that initiatives begun under the Bush adminstration and extended to today have helped. California is pushing for 33% energy generation by renewables and will likely achieve it. NY City is promoting a move away from what diesel is left in the city and pushing for solar rooftops on the huge amounts of flat topped multifamily buildings.

Solving the energy problem isn't about diesel generators but a cohesive strategy to address the export of US wealth and increase domestic productivity.
3 Oct 2011, 08:35 AM Reply Like

Hendershott Comments (1055)
 
Solar and wind are not the solution for a transportation fuel, which is what most oil is used for, unless electric cars took off, which is highly unlikely. The solution for a transportation fuel is nat gas, for trucks at a minimum. Solar and wind have a clear role to play in electricity production. They have a big advantage, which is zero fuel cost. The installed cost of a solar generator is a function of the depreciation schedule. Once it's installed there is no fuel cost, zip, nada. (No disagreement on the fallacy of buying Chinese panels). No costs for mining, transporting, cleaning. No stacks to clean, no fly ash to dispose of, nothing, just maintenance, clean the panels every now and again. But it's nat gas that can affect the trade balance. We have it, it's ours, we can pay ourselves for it, the money stays in the country. Engines run cleaner, less carbon build up, cheaper per gallon.We should be building more gas pipelines instead of oil pipelines. Apologies for the ramble, a little disjointed today even though I'm out of the market.
3 Oct 2011, 04:33 PM Reply Like