Vince Sanchez

5 Must-Read Stories in Oil and Alternative Energy

You should include LDK Solar as the world leader in Polysilicon.

On the other hand, I don't see the relation between a recession and the increase in polysilicon demand. A recession will bring a decrease in energy demand and consequently a decrease in energy bill, bringing energy prices down.
Thus, under a "recession mode" there will be no driving forces to impulse an increase in the supply/demand of high cost solar panels.
Solar energy will have better penetration opportunities as technology reduces costs, energy policies facilitates the deployment and final customers contribute -voluntarily- to take a green move.

Don't Count on Spain for Solar Success

I invite all of you to read this fresh article, at:
www.renewableenergyacc...

Opportunities for Solar PV energy is worldwide not only on fast growing regions like Spain and Germany

here is a relevant statement from Dr. Flavin, President of WorldWatch Institute:
"Worldwatch Institute President, Christopher Flavin, drives home the impact China may have on the world. "How this story ends up may have as large an impact on the world's future as it does on China's. If China is able to scale up its renewable energy technologies to the levels needed to have an impact domestically, and if it is able to achieve the low prices needed to succeed in the local market (known in manufacturing circles as the "China price"), it may be virtually inevitable that these same technologies will soon be adopted on a massive scale around the globe."

Sunpower Has the Hype, Suntech Has the Growth

A 20% or 30% conversion efficiency for thicker layer, is not possible, that does not work that way.
The current commercial 12-15% PV efficiency is limited because of physico-chemical or Photo conversion mechanism, materials structure and manufacturing design.
20%-30% effic can be reached at the lab, with highly specialized materials that would be no-competitive for world market; at this moment we are far away to have those efficiencies for commercial cells.
SIlcion will be the main material for solar cells in this century, due to availability , costs, environmental and convenience.

CIGS and CdTe are for the specialized market not for the masses.