sirfisup

Will U.S. Recession Lead to Solar Depression?

Although your article was published in January I believe it has strong merit. I believe that solar will be the beneficiary of extended tax credits and because of the recent heightened awareness about escalating oil prices more pressure is being placed upon our goverment representatives to get something done especially with an election year around the corner. I doubt that many in the house or senate want to be known as obstructionists in helping our nation ween itself off Middle East oil. Although the solar industry is extremely volitile the companies that play in this space are all reporting record sales and profits. The recent discussion of lower subsidies in Spain and Germany has caused a major and unjust pullback and many of the analysts that cover the sector have also said that there are major free cash flow problems with many of these companies and that they will not be able to expand production because of the tightening credit markets. I don't foresee this to be a problem for there is sustainable demand for solar well into 2010 and beyond and with silicon prices soon to come down it will significantly increase the adoption rates and bring solar to grid parity no later than 2012. Any disruptive technology that offers significant benefits will most certainly have its infancy problems just like any major industry that gets off the ground. Fact is that major venture capital is pouring in at record levels and huge technology companies like Intel, IBM, Applied Materials just to name a few are rushing in just like the miners did during the gold rush. More and more large solar projects are coming online and more are being contracted with major utility companies and it is just a matter of time before every major oil company with the exception of BP and Shell will recognize that "if you can't beat them then join them"