U.S. Solar Grew 85 Percent in First Quarter, SEIA SaysJune

[ALS]

Installed prices for all U.S. solar systems fell 17 percent to $4.44 a watt.

Ehren Goossens - BLOOMBERG - June 13, 2012

Developers installed 85 percent more solar panels in the U.S. in the first quarter than a year earlier, led by strong growth in commercial projects and demand in New Jersey, according to the Solar Energy Industries Association.

Total U.S. installations were 506 megawatts in the quarter and may reach 3,300 megawatts this year, about 11 percent of the 2012 global market, the Washington-based trade group said today in its quarterly market report.

That will make the U.S. the fourth-largest solar market this year, and one of the few countries where growth is expected to continue for the foreseeable future, according to GTM Research, a Boston consulting company that prepared the report with SEIA. Falling prices are making solar energy an economical energy choice for U.S. homeowners and businesses.
... [Read More]

[Carcus]

I recommend we put a tariff on affordable solar and put a stop to this immediately!!!

Oops, ....already taken care of. Thanks Obummer!

[southerncannuck]

Originally Posted by Carcus

I recommend we put a tariff on affordable solar and put a stop to this immediately!!!

Oops, ....already taken care of. Thanks Obummer!

I'm not sure what is better. Rock bottom prices or developing a domestic industry.

[herm]

Originally Posted by southerncannuck

I'm not sure what is better. Rock bottom prices or developing a domestic industry.

or maintaining a domestic industry.. this discussion has been going on for centuries.

3300 megawatts in a year is a serious number, at a 25% utilization factor that is getting close to the output of an AP1000 reactor, perhaps more since its power produced in the daytime.

[Carcus]

I've seen it argued that there's a lot more man hours involved in installing/maintaining solar than in the manufacture of the panels. The install/maintain cannot be outsourced to another country (most likely). Therefore -- the best job scenario is to keep the cheap panels (and the domestic growth in install/maintance) coming from China.

Plus, of all the potentially 'tariffable' things we import from China (prolly about 80% of everything you touch) ..why in the world would he start with solar panels ----the freaking "poster child product for a green future"??

Answer: because he cares about buddies, pet projects, and politics more than he cares about renewable energy or the country's future. i.e. somebody's campaign doesn't think they can afford another Solyndra.

[ALS]

Ask Orrin Hatch how that Green Energy start up in his state that was funded by the Taxpayer is working out for him in Utah. Orrin Hatch's-Solyndra-government-picks-another-loser

Orrin's political career may be toast in November over this one.

[herm]

Solyndra was always the poster child of dubious physics, lets not throw out the whole baby please.

[ItsNotAboutTheMoney]

Originally Posted by Carcus

I've seen it argued that there's a lot more man hours involved in installing/maintaining solar than in the manufacture of the panels. The install/maintain cannot be outsourced to another country (most likely). Therefore -- the best job scenario is to keep the cheap panels (and the domestic growth in install/maintance) coming from China.

Well, that argument is specious. Installation and maintenance is an overhead and not an aim other than for its necessity. Economic gain ultimately comes from productivity, and solar increases productivity by increasing the overall energy pool. But, if the system is imported it's much worse for the economy than if its manufactured demostically. It's the same principle as a Prius, which decreases petroleum imports (good) but is imported (bad) and in most cases is a net loss to the economy and, ultimately, a negative balance of payments will likely cause more economic damage. (Not necessarily, of course: as long as you produce more than you trade you can be OK).

Plus, of all the potentially 'tariffable' things we import from China (prolly about 80% of everything you touch) ..why in the world would he start with solar panels ----the freaking "poster child product for a green future"??

Answer: because he cares about buddies, pet projects, and politics more than he cares about renewable energy or the country's future. i.e. somebody's campaign doesn't think they can afford another Solyndra.

Answer:

1) Because they can't just put tariffs on things willy-nilly.
2) Because solar panels are expensive and it's easier to compete in manufacturing of high-cost goods based on the cost-benefits of high quality. See automotive industry.
3) Because, if solar PV and energy price trends continue, solar will eventually reach cost parity and at that point use will explode. At that point, if there's no US manufacturing of what would still be an expensive product there would be a significant loss to the economy. Meanwhile, the country that manufactures the panels would have a significant economic advantage of not just exports, but displacing fossil fuel at low cost.

[herm]

I think in WA you only get the solar rebates if your cells are made in the state.. or something like that.

[CRT1]

The ones I got were from Canada. Alteris speced the system and Sun Run paid for it so I didn't have a say. Working great though!

I heard that there is a glut (oversupply) of solar production at present. When this happens the Chinese (and others) tend to keep producing and then dump product at cost or a loss to gain market share.

I don't know for a fact that this is the case, but if so, this would justify a tariff and would probably withstand a challenge to the WTO.

Thoughts?