BEIJING, Dec 10, 2008 (AsiaPulse via COMTEX) -- The China National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) and its affiliate National Energy Bureau are currently working on policy support and subsidy measures for solar power generation in China, said Shi Dinghuan, chairman of Chinese Renewable Energy Society (CRES) recently.
Shi noted that the government was increasing input in the development of renewable energy in terms of financial investment, R&D support and demonstration projects.
"Investment into energy projects, clean energy and ecological environment construction would contribute to stimulating domestic demand, which will also benefit further adjustment of China's energy structure in the development of low-carbon economy," said Shi.
Showing posts with label clean energy. Show all posts
Showing posts with label clean energy. Show all posts
Wednesday, December 10, 2008
Suntech Power and Open Energy Sign Solar Roof Tile Licensing Deal
License Agreement Combines Open Energy's Award-Winning Design and Innovation with Suntech's Manufacturing and Marketing Expertise
[09-December-2008]
SAN DIEGO and SAN FRANCISCO, Dec. 9 /PRNewswire-Asia/ -- Suntech Power Holdings Co., Ltd. (NYSE: STP), a leading manufacturer of photovoltaic (PV) modules, and Open Energy Corporation (OTC Bulletin Board: OEGY), a developer of innovative and elegant BIPV products, energy management applications and solar energy solutions announced that they have entered into an exclusive agreement licensing the worldwide manufacture, distribution and marketing of Open Energy's building integrated solar roof tile product to Suntech. Open Energy granted Suntech an exclusive license of the intellectual property incorporated into its solar roof tile product and any similar or new generation tile roof products. The solar roof tiles are 50 watt four foot BIPV tiles and are available in different color panels.
"The relationship with Suntech gives Open Energy access to unmatched manufacturing capabilities and a worldwide distribution network, with particular strength in Europe and Asia," said David Field, president & chief executive officer of Open Energy. "This allows us to reach even more international customers and gives us the opportunity to concentrate on our award-winning and innovative product design for next generation products. As the solar industry continues to grow in 2009 particularly in Europe, where BIPV solar systems enjoy substantial market premiums, it will be critical to have the reach and scale that the relationship with Suntech brings to our company. We chose to work with Suntech because they have world class manufacturing, an incredible sales force and a solid foundation of resources and customers."
"Open Energy is widely recognized for designing innovative, award-winning solar solutions, while Suntech is a world leader in manufacturing, marketing and sales of solar products," said Leonard May, Suntech Managing Director of BIPV Products. "By combining these core strengths, we are confident that we will consistently deliver innovative products, the highest quality and outstanding value to our customers capitalizing on the strengths of both companies."
Eagle Roofing Products is expected to continue as master distributor of the tile product in the U.S.
About Open Energy
Open Energy Corporation is a next-generation solar energy company that develops clean energy solutions, innovative solar products and energy management applications. Open Energy's award-winning products include proprietary, cost-competitive and attractive BIPV solar tiles, membranes and asphalt/composition products. In addition, the EcoTouch Energy Management System gives consumers control over their energy usage while saving money. Open Energy's portfolio of products and services are coupled with innovative financing to enable green Solar Communities to provide low-cost power with little to no upfront cost to the consumer. Open Energy is headquartered in Solana Beach, California. For more information, visit http://www.openenergycorp.com .
About Suntech
Suntech Power Holdings Co., Ltd. is a world leading solar energy company as measured by both production output and capacity of solar cells and modules. Suntech is passionate about improving the environment we live in and dedicated to developing advanced solar solutions that enable sustainable development. Suntech designs, develops, manufactures, and markets a variety of high quality, cost effective and environmentally friendly solar products for electric power applications in the residential, commercial, industrial, and public utility sectors. Suntech offers one of the broadest ranges of building integrated photovoltaic (BIPV) products under the MSK brand. Suntech has sales offices worldwide and is a market share leader in key global solar markets. For more information, please visit http://www.suntech-power.com .
[09-December-2008]
SAN DIEGO and SAN FRANCISCO, Dec. 9 /PRNewswire-Asia/ -- Suntech Power Holdings Co., Ltd. (NYSE: STP), a leading manufacturer of photovoltaic (PV) modules, and Open Energy Corporation (OTC Bulletin Board: OEGY), a developer of innovative and elegant BIPV products, energy management applications and solar energy solutions announced that they have entered into an exclusive agreement licensing the worldwide manufacture, distribution and marketing of Open Energy's building integrated solar roof tile product to Suntech. Open Energy granted Suntech an exclusive license of the intellectual property incorporated into its solar roof tile product and any similar or new generation tile roof products. The solar roof tiles are 50 watt four foot BIPV tiles and are available in different color panels.
"The relationship with Suntech gives Open Energy access to unmatched manufacturing capabilities and a worldwide distribution network, with particular strength in Europe and Asia," said David Field, president & chief executive officer of Open Energy. "This allows us to reach even more international customers and gives us the opportunity to concentrate on our award-winning and innovative product design for next generation products. As the solar industry continues to grow in 2009 particularly in Europe, where BIPV solar systems enjoy substantial market premiums, it will be critical to have the reach and scale that the relationship with Suntech brings to our company. We chose to work with Suntech because they have world class manufacturing, an incredible sales force and a solid foundation of resources and customers."
"Open Energy is widely recognized for designing innovative, award-winning solar solutions, while Suntech is a world leader in manufacturing, marketing and sales of solar products," said Leonard May, Suntech Managing Director of BIPV Products. "By combining these core strengths, we are confident that we will consistently deliver innovative products, the highest quality and outstanding value to our customers capitalizing on the strengths of both companies."
Eagle Roofing Products is expected to continue as master distributor of the tile product in the U.S.
About Open Energy
Open Energy Corporation is a next-generation solar energy company that develops clean energy solutions, innovative solar products and energy management applications. Open Energy's award-winning products include proprietary, cost-competitive and attractive BIPV solar tiles, membranes and asphalt/composition products. In addition, the EcoTouch Energy Management System gives consumers control over their energy usage while saving money. Open Energy's portfolio of products and services are coupled with innovative financing to enable green Solar Communities to provide low-cost power with little to no upfront cost to the consumer. Open Energy is headquartered in Solana Beach, California. For more information, visit http://www.openenergycorp.com .
About Suntech
Suntech Power Holdings Co., Ltd. is a world leading solar energy company as measured by both production output and capacity of solar cells and modules. Suntech is passionate about improving the environment we live in and dedicated to developing advanced solar solutions that enable sustainable development. Suntech designs, develops, manufactures, and markets a variety of high quality, cost effective and environmentally friendly solar products for electric power applications in the residential, commercial, industrial, and public utility sectors. Suntech offers one of the broadest ranges of building integrated photovoltaic (BIPV) products under the MSK brand. Suntech has sales offices worldwide and is a market share leader in key global solar markets. For more information, please visit http://www.suntech-power.com .
Tuesday, December 9, 2008
Chinese PV pioneer helps build Israel's biggest solar power station
www.chinaview.cn 2008-12-09 06:27:49
KATSRIN, Israel, Dec. 8 (Xinhua) -- Israel's biggest solar power station was inaugurated on Monday in this Israeli northern town, setting up a landmark in the Chinese-Israeli cooperation in the field of clean energy.
The 50 KW rooftop project, estimated to generate 85,000 KWH a year, was co-built by China's Suntech Power Holdings Co., Ltd., a world-leading solar energy company, mainly specialized in photovoltaic (PV) power generation technologies, and Solarit Doral, a major local player in Israel's renewable energy market.
Dubbed the biggest and most efficient of its kind so far in Israel, the solar power station is integrated into Israel's national grid, as the Jewish state has been carrying out incentive measures to prod the development of alternative energy, including purchasing cleanly generated electricity at a relatively higher price.
Highlighting the urgent need to find alternative resources to power the world and protect the environment, Zhao Jun, Chinese ambassador to Israel, said at the ceremony that China has been investing heavily in alternative energy, and shares great cooperation potentials with Israel in relevant respects.
"It is very appropriate and natural for Chinese and Israeli companies to work together on this," he told Israeli National Infrastructures Minister Binyamin Ben-Eliezer and local officials.
Ben-Eliezer, whose ministry has unveiled an ambitious plan to produce 20 percent of its electricity through renewable resources by 2020, stressed that Israeli government pays high attention to the development of clean energy, and noted that Israel and China should deepen cooperation in commonly-interested fields, particularly water resources and renewable energy.
Meanwhile, representatives from Suntech, a listed company in New York Stock Exchange, said that the company is planning with its Israeli counterpart to construct a larger solar power plant in southern Israel.
Editor: Sun
KATSRIN, Israel, Dec. 8 (Xinhua) -- Israel's biggest solar power station was inaugurated on Monday in this Israeli northern town, setting up a landmark in the Chinese-Israeli cooperation in the field of clean energy.
The 50 KW rooftop project, estimated to generate 85,000 KWH a year, was co-built by China's Suntech Power Holdings Co., Ltd., a world-leading solar energy company, mainly specialized in photovoltaic (PV) power generation technologies, and Solarit Doral, a major local player in Israel's renewable energy market.
Dubbed the biggest and most efficient of its kind so far in Israel, the solar power station is integrated into Israel's national grid, as the Jewish state has been carrying out incentive measures to prod the development of alternative energy, including purchasing cleanly generated electricity at a relatively higher price.
Highlighting the urgent need to find alternative resources to power the world and protect the environment, Zhao Jun, Chinese ambassador to Israel, said at the ceremony that China has been investing heavily in alternative energy, and shares great cooperation potentials with Israel in relevant respects.
"It is very appropriate and natural for Chinese and Israeli companies to work together on this," he told Israeli National Infrastructures Minister Binyamin Ben-Eliezer and local officials.
Ben-Eliezer, whose ministry has unveiled an ambitious plan to produce 20 percent of its electricity through renewable resources by 2020, stressed that Israeli government pays high attention to the development of clean energy, and noted that Israel and China should deepen cooperation in commonly-interested fields, particularly water resources and renewable energy.
Meanwhile, representatives from Suntech, a listed company in New York Stock Exchange, said that the company is planning with its Israeli counterpart to construct a larger solar power plant in southern Israel.
Editor: Sun
Thursday, October 16, 2008
Jiuquan will build 10GW solar power plant
2007 November China National Development and Reform Commission approved the Jiuquan 10GW wind power project, the total installed capacity will be 10.65GW, and the total investment will be 100 billion CNY.
2008 April China National Development and Reform Commission approved the development plan of Jiuquan wind power project.
Jiuquan is super rich in wind energy, its total exploitable wind power is 40GW.
The installed wind power capacity will reach 5.16GW by the end of 2010, and reach 12.71GW by the end of 2015. Then Jiuquan will become one key clean energy base in China.
2008 April China National Development and Reform Commission approved the development plan of Jiuquan wind power project.
Jiuquan is super rich in wind energy, its total exploitable wind power is 40GW.
The installed wind power capacity will reach 5.16GW by the end of 2010, and reach 12.71GW by the end of 2015. Then Jiuquan will become one key clean energy base in China.
Friday, October 10, 2008
Suzlon Green Power Commits USD5 Billion To Renewable Energy In China And India
September 30, 2008
Suzlon Green Power, an enterprise wholly owned by India's Tanti family, announced at the 2008 Clinton Global Initiative that it will bring 3,500 megawatts of electricity to nearly 10 million people.
Suzlon pledged USD5 billion in green energy assets over five years, primarily in India and China. Of the USD5 billion total project value, Suzlon Green Power will provide approximately USD1.5 billion in equity.
"The urgent global need for clean energy compelled me to dramatically expand my family's business holdings," said Tulsi R. Tanti, who is best known as the founder of the wind-turbine company, Suzlon Energy, based in India. "Our flagship business Suzlon Energy continues to focus on developing wind power solutions, offering wind turbines to the global market. On the other hand, we now commit to developing and owning green power assets through Suzlon Green Power, which will bring energy where it is needed most."
Tanti's efforts are global, with a majority of Suzlon Green Power's projects to be located in India and China, two areas with burgeoning energy needs. The company estimates that its projects will create 1,000 jobs directly and many times more indirectly, and will reduce emissions by the equivalent of seven million tons of CO2 a year.
The International Energy Agency estimates that the world's energy needs will increase by more than 50 percent by 2030, and both China and India's energy use is set to double between 2005 and 2030. Suzlon, with other global organizations, is exploring the most efficient renewable energy sources that can be scaled-up to meet this exponentially growing demand for energy.
Suzlon Green Power, an enterprise wholly owned by India's Tanti family, announced at the 2008 Clinton Global Initiative that it will bring 3,500 megawatts of electricity to nearly 10 million people.
Suzlon pledged USD5 billion in green energy assets over five years, primarily in India and China. Of the USD5 billion total project value, Suzlon Green Power will provide approximately USD1.5 billion in equity.
"The urgent global need for clean energy compelled me to dramatically expand my family's business holdings," said Tulsi R. Tanti, who is best known as the founder of the wind-turbine company, Suzlon Energy, based in India. "Our flagship business Suzlon Energy continues to focus on developing wind power solutions, offering wind turbines to the global market. On the other hand, we now commit to developing and owning green power assets through Suzlon Green Power, which will bring energy where it is needed most."
Tanti's efforts are global, with a majority of Suzlon Green Power's projects to be located in India and China, two areas with burgeoning energy needs. The company estimates that its projects will create 1,000 jobs directly and many times more indirectly, and will reduce emissions by the equivalent of seven million tons of CO2 a year.
The International Energy Agency estimates that the world's energy needs will increase by more than 50 percent by 2030, and both China and India's energy use is set to double between 2005 and 2030. Suzlon, with other global organizations, is exploring the most efficient renewable energy sources that can be scaled-up to meet this exponentially growing demand for energy.
Friday, June 13, 2008
Yunnan Shilin to Create China's Biggest Solar Power Station
SHILIN, Jun 12, 2008 (SinoCast via COMTEX) -- Shilin, a developing city in Yunnan Province in Southwest China, will build up the country's biggest solar energy photovoltaic power station with total investment of CNY 3.7 billion.
Yunnan Power Investment New Energy Development Co., Ltd. is the main investor of this project, which is located in Shilin Town, Shilin County and covers a plot of land as large as 173.33 hectares.
The solar power station will have installed capacity of 66 megawatts and will interconnect with the local power grids to supply electricity to users in Yunnan. As a key project on the list of Yunnan Province's 2008 planning, the station is scheduled to kick off construction from October 2008 and complete within 2009.
Photovoltaic power generation is a good utility of solar energy, which is widely believed as a clean energy and is encouraged by the central government of China. Notably, Yunnan is one of the best places in China that is suitable for solar energy development because of its high altitude and strong sunshine.
Yunnan Power Investment New Energy Development Co., Ltd. is the main investor of this project, which is located in Shilin Town, Shilin County and covers a plot of land as large as 173.33 hectares.
The solar power station will have installed capacity of 66 megawatts and will interconnect with the local power grids to supply electricity to users in Yunnan. As a key project on the list of Yunnan Province's 2008 planning, the station is scheduled to kick off construction from October 2008 and complete within 2009.
Photovoltaic power generation is a good utility of solar energy, which is widely believed as a clean energy and is encouraged by the central government of China. Notably, Yunnan is one of the best places in China that is suitable for solar energy development because of its high altitude and strong sunshine.
Friday, January 4, 2008
CTDC Holds a Ribbon Cutting Ceremony to Showcase First SnO2 Production Line
January 03, 2008: 09:00 AM EST
HONG KONG, Jan. 3 /Xinhua-PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- China Technology Development Group Corporation , a provider of clean and renewable energy products and solutions focusing on solar energy business in China, today announced that it held a ribbon cutting ceremony to showcase the first SnO2 production line at China Merchants Zhangzhou Development Zone on December 28, 2007.
Accompanied by Mr. Alan Li, our Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, many important government and business leaders including Dr. Yuning Fu, President of China Merchants Group ("CMG"), Mr. Zheng Hu, Vice President of CMG, Mr. Keqing Liu, Secretary General of Zhangzhou Government, Mr. Jianguo Li, Mayor of Zhangzhou City, and Mr. Bin Wu, General Manager of China Merchants Zhangzhou Development Zone, participated in this important opening ceremony. All of participants also had an opportunity to tour CTDC's 129,000 square feet manufacturing facility. The local government officials not only publicly endorsed CTDC's investment in the solar energy sector focusing the China market, they also vowed to provide all necessary government support and other incentives, such as land and grant, to CTDC in the future.
This ceremony marks another key milestone for the company to manufacture and sell the proprietary SnO2 base plates, a key component of a-Si (Amorphous Silicon) Thin Film PV products, which can optimize the performance of Building Integrated Photovoltaic (BIPV). BIPV involves solar panels integrated directly into a building's architecture to provide one source of electricity for the building. Amorphous-silicon material is itself semi-transparent and thus is most suitable for transparent modules.
"We are honored to have so many government and business leaders to attend the opening ceremony of our first showcase production line, and receive full support and endorsement from them on our new expansion into solar energy business in China," commented Mr. Alan Li, Chairman and CEO of CTDC, "Under the vast investment holdings by China Merchants Group, we are the only platform which focuses exclusively on alternative energy and Green technology development. We fully intend to leverage the abundant resource and support from CMG, our principal shareholder, to become a leader in clean and renewable energy sector in China, and ultimately deliver greater shareholder value."
About SnO2 base plate technology:
SnO2 solar base plate is a type of transparent conductive oxide (TCO) substrate of amorphous silicon (a-Si) or thin film solar cells. SnO2 thin films have a number of benefits: they are corrosion resistant; have good thermal stability; are of low cost yet have high rigidity; and have excellent photo-electronic properties. SnO2 base plates have a variety of applications in solar cells, liquid crystal displays, gas-sensitive sensors, antifogging devices and electrostatic protection, especially in Low-E glass.
About CTDC
CTDC is a provider of clean and renewable energy products and solutions focusing on solar energy business in China. CTDC's ultimate principal shareholder is China Merchants Group ( http://www.cmhk.com ), one of the biggest state-owned conglomerates in China.
For more information, please visit our website at http://www.chinactdc.com
HONG KONG, Jan. 3 /Xinhua-PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- China Technology Development Group Corporation , a provider of clean and renewable energy products and solutions focusing on solar energy business in China, today announced that it held a ribbon cutting ceremony to showcase the first SnO2 production line at China Merchants Zhangzhou Development Zone on December 28, 2007.
Accompanied by Mr. Alan Li, our Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, many important government and business leaders including Dr. Yuning Fu, President of China Merchants Group ("CMG"), Mr. Zheng Hu, Vice President of CMG, Mr. Keqing Liu, Secretary General of Zhangzhou Government, Mr. Jianguo Li, Mayor of Zhangzhou City, and Mr. Bin Wu, General Manager of China Merchants Zhangzhou Development Zone, participated in this important opening ceremony. All of participants also had an opportunity to tour CTDC's 129,000 square feet manufacturing facility. The local government officials not only publicly endorsed CTDC's investment in the solar energy sector focusing the China market, they also vowed to provide all necessary government support and other incentives, such as land and grant, to CTDC in the future.
This ceremony marks another key milestone for the company to manufacture and sell the proprietary SnO2 base plates, a key component of a-Si (Amorphous Silicon) Thin Film PV products, which can optimize the performance of Building Integrated Photovoltaic (BIPV). BIPV involves solar panels integrated directly into a building's architecture to provide one source of electricity for the building. Amorphous-silicon material is itself semi-transparent and thus is most suitable for transparent modules.
"We are honored to have so many government and business leaders to attend the opening ceremony of our first showcase production line, and receive full support and endorsement from them on our new expansion into solar energy business in China," commented Mr. Alan Li, Chairman and CEO of CTDC, "Under the vast investment holdings by China Merchants Group, we are the only platform which focuses exclusively on alternative energy and Green technology development. We fully intend to leverage the abundant resource and support from CMG, our principal shareholder, to become a leader in clean and renewable energy sector in China, and ultimately deliver greater shareholder value."
About SnO2 base plate technology:
SnO2 solar base plate is a type of transparent conductive oxide (TCO) substrate of amorphous silicon (a-Si) or thin film solar cells. SnO2 thin films have a number of benefits: they are corrosion resistant; have good thermal stability; are of low cost yet have high rigidity; and have excellent photo-electronic properties. SnO2 base plates have a variety of applications in solar cells, liquid crystal displays, gas-sensitive sensors, antifogging devices and electrostatic protection, especially in Low-E glass.
About CTDC
CTDC is a provider of clean and renewable energy products and solutions focusing on solar energy business in China. CTDC's ultimate principal shareholder is China Merchants Group ( http://www.cmhk.com ), one of the biggest state-owned conglomerates in China.
For more information, please visit our website at http://www.chinactdc.com
Friday, December 28, 2007
China promises investment in renewables
BEIJING, Dec. 26 (UPI) -- China promised Wednesday to step up development of renewable energy, the official Xinhua news agency reported.In an effort to help curb emissions, the government has vowed to promote hydroelectric, nuclear, solar and wind energy, as well natural gas extracted from garbage dumps and coal mines.
In the country's first white paper on its energy conditions and policies, Beijing pledged to give top priority to developing renewable energy.
"China's energy development emphasizes thrift, cleanness and safety," says the white paper titled "China's Energy Conditions and Policies."
The share of renewable sources in China's energy consumption rose from 4 percent in 1980 to 7.2 percent last year, according to the paper. However, it notes that the energy structure is still largely based on coal, and will be for a long time.
"China will pay more attention to the clean utilization of energy resources, especially coal, and make it a focus of environmental protection," the paper said. "As a responsible developing country, China attaches great importance to environmental protection and prevention of global climate change."
In the country's first white paper on its energy conditions and policies, Beijing pledged to give top priority to developing renewable energy.
"China's energy development emphasizes thrift, cleanness and safety," says the white paper titled "China's Energy Conditions and Policies."
The share of renewable sources in China's energy consumption rose from 4 percent in 1980 to 7.2 percent last year, according to the paper. However, it notes that the energy structure is still largely based on coal, and will be for a long time.
"China will pay more attention to the clean utilization of energy resources, especially coal, and make it a focus of environmental protection," the paper said. "As a responsible developing country, China attaches great importance to environmental protection and prevention of global climate change."
Tuesday, September 25, 2007
Yingli Green Energy Added to NASDAQ Clean Edge U.S. Indexes
BAODING, China--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Yingli Green Energy Holding Company Limited (NYSE: YGE) ("Yingli Green Energy" or the "Company"), a leading vertically integrated photovoltaic ("PV") product manufacturer in China, today announced that it will be added to the NASDAQ Clean Edge U.S. Index (Nasdaq: CLEN) and the NASDAQ Clean Edge U.S. Liquid Series Index (Nasdaq: CELS) (the "Indexes"), effective with the market open on Monday, September 24, 2007.
Mr. Bryan Li, Chief Financial Officer of Yingli Green Energy, commented, "As a leading vertically integrated PV manufacturer in China, we have always been dedicated to the promotion of clean and sustainable energy and we are very honored to be added to the NASDAQ Clean Edge U.S. Index and the NASDAQ Clean Edge U.S. Liquid Series Index. We hope the Indexes will help further strengthen the development of the whole alternative energy industry."
According to NASDAQ's press release on semi-annual changes to the NASDAQ Clean Edge U.S. Indexes dated September 17, 2007, the Indexes are designed to track the performance of clean-energy companies that are publicly traded in the U.S. The Indexes include companies engaged in the manufacturing, development, distribution, and installation of emerging clean-energy technologies such as solar photovoltaics, biofuels and advanced batteries. The five major sub-sectors that the Indexes cover are Renewable Electricity Generation, Renewable Fuels, Energy Storage & Conversion, Energy Intelligence and Advanced Energy-Related Materials.
About Yingli Green Energy
Yingli Green Energy Holding Company Limited ("Yingli Green Energy") is one of the leading vertically integrated photovoltaic ("PV") product manufacturers in China. Through the Company's principal operating subsidiary in China, Baoding Tianwei Yingli New Energy Resources Co., Ltd., Yingli Green Energy designs, manufactures and sells PV modules and designs, assembles, sells and installs PV systems that are connected to an electricity transmission grid or those that operate on a stand-alone basis. With 200 MW of total annual production capacity in each of polysilicon ingots and wafers, PV cells and PV modules, Yingli Green Energy is currently one of the largest manufacturers of PV products in China.
Additionally, Yingli Green Energy is one of the limited number of large-scale PV companies in China to have adopted vertical integration as its business model. Yingli Green Energy currently plans to gradually expand annual production capacity of polysilicon ingots and wafers, PV cells and PV modules to 400 MW by the end of 2008 and to 600 megawatts by 2010. Yingli Green Energy sells PV modules under its own brand name, Yingli Solar, to PV system integrators and distributors located in various markets around the world, including Germany, Spain, China and the United States.
Mr. Bryan Li, Chief Financial Officer of Yingli Green Energy, commented, "As a leading vertically integrated PV manufacturer in China, we have always been dedicated to the promotion of clean and sustainable energy and we are very honored to be added to the NASDAQ Clean Edge U.S. Index and the NASDAQ Clean Edge U.S. Liquid Series Index. We hope the Indexes will help further strengthen the development of the whole alternative energy industry."
According to NASDAQ's press release on semi-annual changes to the NASDAQ Clean Edge U.S. Indexes dated September 17, 2007, the Indexes are designed to track the performance of clean-energy companies that are publicly traded in the U.S. The Indexes include companies engaged in the manufacturing, development, distribution, and installation of emerging clean-energy technologies such as solar photovoltaics, biofuels and advanced batteries. The five major sub-sectors that the Indexes cover are Renewable Electricity Generation, Renewable Fuels, Energy Storage & Conversion, Energy Intelligence and Advanced Energy-Related Materials.
About Yingli Green Energy
Yingli Green Energy Holding Company Limited ("Yingli Green Energy") is one of the leading vertically integrated photovoltaic ("PV") product manufacturers in China. Through the Company's principal operating subsidiary in China, Baoding Tianwei Yingli New Energy Resources Co., Ltd., Yingli Green Energy designs, manufactures and sells PV modules and designs, assembles, sells and installs PV systems that are connected to an electricity transmission grid or those that operate on a stand-alone basis. With 200 MW of total annual production capacity in each of polysilicon ingots and wafers, PV cells and PV modules, Yingli Green Energy is currently one of the largest manufacturers of PV products in China.
Additionally, Yingli Green Energy is one of the limited number of large-scale PV companies in China to have adopted vertical integration as its business model. Yingli Green Energy currently plans to gradually expand annual production capacity of polysilicon ingots and wafers, PV cells and PV modules to 400 MW by the end of 2008 and to 600 megawatts by 2010. Yingli Green Energy sells PV modules under its own brand name, Yingli Solar, to PV system integrators and distributors located in various markets around the world, including Germany, Spain, China and the United States.
Friday, September 21, 2007
China's New Road Map for the Development of Energy and Technology
Vice Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress and the president of the Chinese Academy of Science Lu Yongxiang said on September 19 that energy is the basis of China's sustainable economic and social development and the national competence. It's time to establish a sustainable energy system in China. To set up a strategic road map for China's development of energy and technology remains an important pledge toward the establishment of a sustainable energy system and achieving an optimal energy structure.
On the same day, at the Symposium of the Sustainable Energy Development Strategy held in Beijing, Lu put forward his road map for the Development of China's energy and technology. He outlined three short-term, mid-term and long-term objectives.
Short-term objectives (till 2020): Emphasis should be put on developing energy-saving and clean energy technology; improving ways energy is efficiently utilized; striving for breakthroughs in zero emissions, Integrated Gasification Combined Cycle (IGCC) and so on; developing key technologies to capture, store and use carbon dioxide plus provide demonstrations of these technologies; pushing forward highly efficient coal liquefaction technologies toward demonstration stages and consequent applications; actively developing renewable energy technologies and finally; further developing non-traditional fossil energy technologies.
Mid-term objectives (around 2030): Priority should be given to promoting nuclear energy and renewable energy as primary sources. China must strive to make breakthroughs in the following areas: fast neutron reactor technology, highly efficient solar conversion technology, Intelligent Energy Grids and so on.
Long-term objectives (around 2050) China must establish a system for sustainable energy development that will basically meet the overall energy demand for China's economic and social development and reduce the country's degree of dependence on fossil energy to less than 60 percent, thus turning renewable energy into one of the leading energy resources. Expanding application and commercialization of renewable energy technology and seeking breakthroughs in fusion energy technology are also included.
Lu Yongxiang stated that, the CAS, as our nation's strategic technological force, should focus on developing core technologies revolving around energy-saving and advanced, clean, renewable or alternative energy. The CAS will look to the future and make proper arrangements for research core areas that may exert significant influence on the future.
(China.org.cn by Zhang Ming'ai, September 20, 2007)
On the same day, at the Symposium of the Sustainable Energy Development Strategy held in Beijing, Lu put forward his road map for the Development of China's energy and technology. He outlined three short-term, mid-term and long-term objectives.
Short-term objectives (till 2020): Emphasis should be put on developing energy-saving and clean energy technology; improving ways energy is efficiently utilized; striving for breakthroughs in zero emissions, Integrated Gasification Combined Cycle (IGCC) and so on; developing key technologies to capture, store and use carbon dioxide plus provide demonstrations of these technologies; pushing forward highly efficient coal liquefaction technologies toward demonstration stages and consequent applications; actively developing renewable energy technologies and finally; further developing non-traditional fossil energy technologies.
Mid-term objectives (around 2030): Priority should be given to promoting nuclear energy and renewable energy as primary sources. China must strive to make breakthroughs in the following areas: fast neutron reactor technology, highly efficient solar conversion technology, Intelligent Energy Grids and so on.
Long-term objectives (around 2050) China must establish a system for sustainable energy development that will basically meet the overall energy demand for China's economic and social development and reduce the country's degree of dependence on fossil energy to less than 60 percent, thus turning renewable energy into one of the leading energy resources. Expanding application and commercialization of renewable energy technology and seeking breakthroughs in fusion energy technology are also included.
Lu Yongxiang stated that, the CAS, as our nation's strategic technological force, should focus on developing core technologies revolving around energy-saving and advanced, clean, renewable or alternative energy. The CAS will look to the future and make proper arrangements for research core areas that may exert significant influence on the future.
(China.org.cn by Zhang Ming'ai, September 20, 2007)
Thursday, September 13, 2007
ISES Solar World Congress 2007 (SWC2007) will be held in Beijing, China, from September 18 to 21, 2007.
The International Solar Energy Society and the Chinese Solar Energy Society warmly welcome you to the ISES Solar World Congress 2007 (SWC2007) in Beijing, China, from September 18 to 21, 2007.
China with its huge population and vast area, while in some parts still poverty-stricken and lacking basic supplies such as water and electricity, is one of world's biggest producers and consumers of energy. The economic miracle that has set the country on a trajectory of unheard-of growth puts its energy industry in the difficult position of having to face both insufficient energy supply and an ever more ardent need to engage in environmental protection. There is no way out of this predicament than to change the means of energy production, improve the efficiency with which energy is used, and adjust the overall energy structure, especially with a view to further incorporating solar energy and other renewable energies. Within the frameworks of such a new system of sustainable development, both economic growth and environmental protection will be compatible.
The Chinese government has made the development of renewable energy a high priority in its strategy for national sustainable development. Ambitious targets have been set in its mid- and long-term planning, projecting a 10% contribution of renewable energies to the total energy mix in 2020. With the Renewable Energy Law passed on January 1, 2006, the utilization and strategic development of renewable energy in China has drawn worldwide attention and acclaim.
China's 11th Five-Year-Plan lays out a comprehensive set of measures to gear the country towards sustainable development; its objectives are to
-implement preferential policies for renewable energies in finance, taxation, and mandatory market share,
-encourage production and consumption of renewable energies,
-enhance their proportion in the consumption of primary energies,
-speed up wind energy development,
-set up thirty large-scale wind power stations with over 100 MW of dynamoelectric power generation capacity,
-build wind power bases of GW proportions,
-quicken the exploration of biomass energy,
-support and develop straw and waste incineration, as well as landfill- gas generation,
-set up straw and wood power stations,
-extend the production performance of biomass solidified fuel, fuel ethanol, and bio diesel,
-raise the cumulative installed capacity of grid connected wind power and biomass generation to 5 GW and 5.5 GW respectively, and
-exploit and utilize energetically solar, geothermal and ocean energy.
We hope that the participants of the ISES Solar World Congress 2007 will provide more answers on how to effectively promote sustainable development and which resources to use for that purpose. We count on your knowledge and experience!
The SWC2007 will be held at Beijing International Convention Center (BICC). The BICC is located in the northern part of Beijing, within the Asian Games Village. The National Olympic Games Park is just across the street - a perfect opportunity for you to feel the Olympic spirit even before 2008!
The venue is 30 minutes from Beijing Capital International Airport by car.
China with its huge population and vast area, while in some parts still poverty-stricken and lacking basic supplies such as water and electricity, is one of world's biggest producers and consumers of energy. The economic miracle that has set the country on a trajectory of unheard-of growth puts its energy industry in the difficult position of having to face both insufficient energy supply and an ever more ardent need to engage in environmental protection. There is no way out of this predicament than to change the means of energy production, improve the efficiency with which energy is used, and adjust the overall energy structure, especially with a view to further incorporating solar energy and other renewable energies. Within the frameworks of such a new system of sustainable development, both economic growth and environmental protection will be compatible.
The Chinese government has made the development of renewable energy a high priority in its strategy for national sustainable development. Ambitious targets have been set in its mid- and long-term planning, projecting a 10% contribution of renewable energies to the total energy mix in 2020. With the Renewable Energy Law passed on January 1, 2006, the utilization and strategic development of renewable energy in China has drawn worldwide attention and acclaim.
China's 11th Five-Year-Plan lays out a comprehensive set of measures to gear the country towards sustainable development; its objectives are to
-implement preferential policies for renewable energies in finance, taxation, and mandatory market share,
-encourage production and consumption of renewable energies,
-enhance their proportion in the consumption of primary energies,
-speed up wind energy development,
-set up thirty large-scale wind power stations with over 100 MW of dynamoelectric power generation capacity,
-build wind power bases of GW proportions,
-quicken the exploration of biomass energy,
-support and develop straw and waste incineration, as well as landfill- gas generation,
-set up straw and wood power stations,
-extend the production performance of biomass solidified fuel, fuel ethanol, and bio diesel,
-raise the cumulative installed capacity of grid connected wind power and biomass generation to 5 GW and 5.5 GW respectively, and
-exploit and utilize energetically solar, geothermal and ocean energy.
We hope that the participants of the ISES Solar World Congress 2007 will provide more answers on how to effectively promote sustainable development and which resources to use for that purpose. We count on your knowledge and experience!
The SWC2007 will be held at Beijing International Convention Center (BICC). The BICC is located in the northern part of Beijing, within the Asian Games Village. The National Olympic Games Park is just across the street - a perfect opportunity for you to feel the Olympic spirit even before 2008!
The venue is 30 minutes from Beijing Capital International Airport by car.
Wednesday, September 12, 2007
China Urges Electricity Suppliers to Buy 'Green' Power
by Ling Li
Starting this month, China's State Electricity Regulatory Commission (SERC) will assume nationwide oversight over power companies that are required under the country's renewable energy law to prioritize purchases of the maximum amount of 'green' electricity available in their coverage areas, according to a recent regulation released by SERC. This renewable power includes energy generated from sources such as hydropower, wind power, biomass, solar power, tidal power, and geothermal energy.
The regulation also details the authority, measures, and responsibilities necessary for SERC to facilitate the integration of renewable sources into power systems. It allows all renewable power facilities, with the exception of medium- and large-scale hydropower plants, to receive government subsidies in power pricing rather than having to participate in competitive bidding.
China adopted its first law on renewable energy in 2005 and has since issued several supplementary rules and regulations to boost the use of renewable energy. Yet renewable sources still account for only a very small portion of domestic power supply, mainly because of the high generation costs. The cost of electricity generated from solar power, for example, is some 3 yuan [US$ 0.39] per kilowatt-hour, while that from a typical coal-fired power plant is only around 0.22 yuan [US$0.028] per kWh.
A supplementary regulation on renewable power pricing and cost sharing, authored by the National Development and Reform Committee, has helped break this cost bottleneck by requiring power suppliers on the grid to purchase renewable electricity at either a government-fixed or a government-directed price. The additional cost of renewable energy is to be borne by electricity users.
An extra "renewable energy" charge of 0.001 yuan [US $0.00013] for every unit of electricity has been added to household utility bills since June 2006.
China's rapid economic growth relies heavily on coal-fired power and poses a serious challenge to the nation's energy supply as well as to its natural resources and environmental quality. The central government has recognized the importance of promoting renewable energy as a fundamental national strategy to achieve the dual goals of energy efficiency and sustainable development.
According to China's middle- and long-term plan for renewable energy development, the share of renewables used in primary energy consumption is to be increased to roughly 10 percent by 2010 and nearly 16 percent by 2020, up from some 7 percent in 2005. "Green" electricity, meanwhile, is to account for some 6 percent and 8 percent of the nation's total power generation by 2010 and 2020, respectively.
The success of renewable energy typically requires both government supports and market incentives, according to some entrepreneurs in the power industry. They argue that in addition to the current price subsidy, the Chinese government needs to further develop a mix of strong policies to encourage renewable power generation, such as providing loans or tax credits to green power producers.
Starting this month, China's State Electricity Regulatory Commission (SERC) will assume nationwide oversight over power companies that are required under the country's renewable energy law to prioritize purchases of the maximum amount of 'green' electricity available in their coverage areas, according to a recent regulation released by SERC. This renewable power includes energy generated from sources such as hydropower, wind power, biomass, solar power, tidal power, and geothermal energy.
The regulation also details the authority, measures, and responsibilities necessary for SERC to facilitate the integration of renewable sources into power systems. It allows all renewable power facilities, with the exception of medium- and large-scale hydropower plants, to receive government subsidies in power pricing rather than having to participate in competitive bidding.
China adopted its first law on renewable energy in 2005 and has since issued several supplementary rules and regulations to boost the use of renewable energy. Yet renewable sources still account for only a very small portion of domestic power supply, mainly because of the high generation costs. The cost of electricity generated from solar power, for example, is some 3 yuan [US$ 0.39] per kilowatt-hour, while that from a typical coal-fired power plant is only around 0.22 yuan [US$0.028] per kWh.
A supplementary regulation on renewable power pricing and cost sharing, authored by the National Development and Reform Committee, has helped break this cost bottleneck by requiring power suppliers on the grid to purchase renewable electricity at either a government-fixed or a government-directed price. The additional cost of renewable energy is to be borne by electricity users.
An extra "renewable energy" charge of 0.001 yuan [US $0.00013] for every unit of electricity has been added to household utility bills since June 2006.
China's rapid economic growth relies heavily on coal-fired power and poses a serious challenge to the nation's energy supply as well as to its natural resources and environmental quality. The central government has recognized the importance of promoting renewable energy as a fundamental national strategy to achieve the dual goals of energy efficiency and sustainable development.
According to China's middle- and long-term plan for renewable energy development, the share of renewables used in primary energy consumption is to be increased to roughly 10 percent by 2010 and nearly 16 percent by 2020, up from some 7 percent in 2005. "Green" electricity, meanwhile, is to account for some 6 percent and 8 percent of the nation's total power generation by 2010 and 2020, respectively.
The success of renewable energy typically requires both government supports and market incentives, according to some entrepreneurs in the power industry. They argue that in addition to the current price subsidy, the Chinese government needs to further develop a mix of strong policies to encourage renewable power generation, such as providing loans or tax credits to green power producers.
Monday, August 13, 2007
Olympics: China trying to put on a ''green'' Olympics
BEIJING, Aug. 7 (Xinhua) -- The Chinese capital is adopting eco-friendly technologies in transportation, power supply, water and waste management to ensure a "green" Olympic Games, according to the Chinese Ministry of Science and Technology.
The city plans to use 100 hybrid-electric vehicles as public buses at all venues and several hundred electric vehicles will serve in the logistics departments of the Olympic Village and all stadiums while electric bicycles will be provided in the main Olympic area, according to the press release.
The project also covers Beijing's public transport system, setting a goal of having 80 percent of buses and 70 percent of taxis fueled by clean energy by 2008.
As part of the efforts, 14 electric buses have been running on one bus route for two years in Beijing as a pilot project while 1,300 buses fueled by compressed gas have been put into operation.
Of the two million square meters of buildings used for the Olympics, 26.9 percent will be powered by clean energy like solar energy, wind and geothermal power, the ministry said.
The seven main stadiums in Beijing will be equipped with solar generators with a total capacity of 480 kw while 90 percent of the lighting outside the stadiums and hot water supply in the Olympics Village will powered by solar energy.
Beijing will have its first wind power plant by the end of this year with a capacity of 50,000 kw, which will supply main stadiums.
All major Olympics venues are equipped with rainwater collectors and sewage recycling facilities to save water, the ministry said.
And 90 percent of the waste produced in the Olympic areas will be sent to waste plants for sorting and recycling, it said.
To realize these goals, the ministry, the Beijing municipal government and the Olympic organizers have spent 1.86 billion yuan(245 million U.S. dollars) in research and development of relevant technologies and facilities.
However, the city's environmental problems, particularly air quality, are still worrying many people a year before the Games.
The city plans to use 100 hybrid-electric vehicles as public buses at all venues and several hundred electric vehicles will serve in the logistics departments of the Olympic Village and all stadiums while electric bicycles will be provided in the main Olympic area, according to the press release.
The project also covers Beijing's public transport system, setting a goal of having 80 percent of buses and 70 percent of taxis fueled by clean energy by 2008.
As part of the efforts, 14 electric buses have been running on one bus route for two years in Beijing as a pilot project while 1,300 buses fueled by compressed gas have been put into operation.
Of the two million square meters of buildings used for the Olympics, 26.9 percent will be powered by clean energy like solar energy, wind and geothermal power, the ministry said.
The seven main stadiums in Beijing will be equipped with solar generators with a total capacity of 480 kw while 90 percent of the lighting outside the stadiums and hot water supply in the Olympics Village will powered by solar energy.
Beijing will have its first wind power plant by the end of this year with a capacity of 50,000 kw, which will supply main stadiums.
All major Olympics venues are equipped with rainwater collectors and sewage recycling facilities to save water, the ministry said.
And 90 percent of the waste produced in the Olympic areas will be sent to waste plants for sorting and recycling, it said.
To realize these goals, the ministry, the Beijing municipal government and the Olympic organizers have spent 1.86 billion yuan(245 million U.S. dollars) in research and development of relevant technologies and facilities.
However, the city's environmental problems, particularly air quality, are still worrying many people a year before the Games.
Wednesday, July 25, 2007
Clean tech within China presents clear opportunity
China is not feted for its stewardship of the environment. One recent World Bank report found that 16 of the world's 20 most polluted cities were in China; a draft version of another report puts the total economic cost of outdoor air and water pollution at around $100 billion a year, or 5.8 percent of China's GDP.
By some estimates, China has now overtaken America to become the world's largest producer of greenhouse gases. Environmental protests, such as one that took place in Xiamen last month in response to a plan to build a chemical plant in the city, are on the rise.
Pollution resulting from China's growth is a huge problem, but to investors it presents an enormous opportunity. Venture-capital investment in clean tech in China is picking up, increasing by 147 percent from $170 million in 2005 to $420 million last year, according to the Cleantech Group, an industry research body. Most of this investment was in solar energy, a booming field in which several Chinese firms have gone public in the past year.
But although China has now become the world's third-largest manufacturer of solar panels, most of them are exported, thanks to the subsidies offered in the developed world.
Several initiatives aim to promote the development and deployment of clean technologies within China itself. The most prominent is the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) of the Kyoto protocol, the United Nations treaty on climate change. Under the CDM, projects that reduce emissions of greenhouse gases in poor countries earn credits, which can be purchased by rich countries in lieu of reducing their own emissions as required by the treaty. The Chinese government has already approved 524 such projects; China accounted for 61 percent of the CDM market last year, which was worth nearly $5 billion.
The Chinese government is also introducing environmental targets of its own in areas such as building regulations, appliance efficiency and the energy consumption of big companies. Meeting them will require vast sums to be spent on new technologies, and several schemes involving local and foreign institutions aim to encourage that investment.
The latest, announced in Beijing last week, is a nonprofit, public-private organization called the Joint U.S.-China Co-operation on Clean Energy. It grew out of an energy conference that took place in Shanghai in April and is headed by Peggy Liu, a former Silicon Valley executive who is now a venture capitalist in China.
Liu says its aim is to compress 30 years of clean-tech development into just 10, in part by bringing together innovators and investors. It will promote investment in both reducing energy demand and greening supply. It is particularly enthusiastic about the prospects for trimming energy consumption in buildings, which can be two or three times more energy-hungry in China than elsewhere.
Rob Watson, a member of the joint committee and the man behind LEED, a popular standard used to certify green buildings around the world, said he has been commuting to China regularly in recent years to advise local builders and contractors. He likens the energy-distribution system to a "leaky bucket" and says plugging the obvious holes could have a big impact relatively quickly.
Last year the government set a goal of reducing the energy consumption of new buildings by 50 percent, and in some cases by 65 percent. Yet success depends not only on the strength of regulations, but also on the zeal with which local authorities enforce them. As in the rest of the world, relatively few green technologies are competitive without subsidies or incentives of some sort. A shining exception is solar-powered water heaters, of which China has more than any other country. Chinese firms sold $2.6 billion of them last year alone.
The combination of environmental degradation, economic growth and manufacturing prowess means that China "has the opportunity to be at the forefront in finding solutions to the energy problem that the world faces," said Richard Branson, a British businessman who is investing in a range of clean-tech initiatives.
In the 1960s, after all, Japan was also a fast-growing, polluted country; yet today Japanese firms are the leading manufacturers of hybrid cars and solar panels.
By some estimates, China has now overtaken America to become the world's largest producer of greenhouse gases. Environmental protests, such as one that took place in Xiamen last month in response to a plan to build a chemical plant in the city, are on the rise.
Pollution resulting from China's growth is a huge problem, but to investors it presents an enormous opportunity. Venture-capital investment in clean tech in China is picking up, increasing by 147 percent from $170 million in 2005 to $420 million last year, according to the Cleantech Group, an industry research body. Most of this investment was in solar energy, a booming field in which several Chinese firms have gone public in the past year.
But although China has now become the world's third-largest manufacturer of solar panels, most of them are exported, thanks to the subsidies offered in the developed world.
Several initiatives aim to promote the development and deployment of clean technologies within China itself. The most prominent is the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) of the Kyoto protocol, the United Nations treaty on climate change. Under the CDM, projects that reduce emissions of greenhouse gases in poor countries earn credits, which can be purchased by rich countries in lieu of reducing their own emissions as required by the treaty. The Chinese government has already approved 524 such projects; China accounted for 61 percent of the CDM market last year, which was worth nearly $5 billion.
The Chinese government is also introducing environmental targets of its own in areas such as building regulations, appliance efficiency and the energy consumption of big companies. Meeting them will require vast sums to be spent on new technologies, and several schemes involving local and foreign institutions aim to encourage that investment.
The latest, announced in Beijing last week, is a nonprofit, public-private organization called the Joint U.S.-China Co-operation on Clean Energy. It grew out of an energy conference that took place in Shanghai in April and is headed by Peggy Liu, a former Silicon Valley executive who is now a venture capitalist in China.
Liu says its aim is to compress 30 years of clean-tech development into just 10, in part by bringing together innovators and investors. It will promote investment in both reducing energy demand and greening supply. It is particularly enthusiastic about the prospects for trimming energy consumption in buildings, which can be two or three times more energy-hungry in China than elsewhere.
Rob Watson, a member of the joint committee and the man behind LEED, a popular standard used to certify green buildings around the world, said he has been commuting to China regularly in recent years to advise local builders and contractors. He likens the energy-distribution system to a "leaky bucket" and says plugging the obvious holes could have a big impact relatively quickly.
Last year the government set a goal of reducing the energy consumption of new buildings by 50 percent, and in some cases by 65 percent. Yet success depends not only on the strength of regulations, but also on the zeal with which local authorities enforce them. As in the rest of the world, relatively few green technologies are competitive without subsidies or incentives of some sort. A shining exception is solar-powered water heaters, of which China has more than any other country. Chinese firms sold $2.6 billion of them last year alone.
The combination of environmental degradation, economic growth and manufacturing prowess means that China "has the opportunity to be at the forefront in finding solutions to the energy problem that the world faces," said Richard Branson, a British businessman who is investing in a range of clean-tech initiatives.
In the 1960s, after all, Japan was also a fast-growing, polluted country; yet today Japanese firms are the leading manufacturers of hybrid cars and solar panels.
Wednesday, June 6, 2007
Historical Review of Solar Energy
The history of utilization of solar energy in recent times can be calculated from the year of 1615 when French engineer invented the prototype solar-driven engine in the world. The invention was regarding a pumping machine, which the air was heated by utilizing the solar energy to expand to do work on drawing water. During the period of 1615 to 1900, many sets of solar-powered device and other solar energy device were developed in the world. All of these device were mostly employed photospot method to collect the sunlight, which the power of engine was not so effective, and actuating medium were mainly the water steam that were expensive in cost and impractical in value. Most of the machine were designed and manufactured by the fans of solar energy.
In the hundred years of 20th century, the history of the solar energy technologies development can be divided into 7 stages which will be introduced respectively as follows:
1. The First Stage (1900---1920)
In this stage, the research focus of solar energy in the world were still on the solar-powered device which variable photospot method were applied and flat plate heat collector and low boiling point actuating medium were started to use; the capacity of the device was gradually expanded with the max. output power of 73.46kW; device was utilized with the definite end-use and in higher cost.
The typical built device included: one set of solar energy pumping device constructed in California of U.S in 1901 which employed truncation taper photospot with the power of 7.36kW; 5 sets of twin-circulated solar-powered engine built in U.S in 1902 to 1908 which employed the flat plate heat collector and low boiling point actuating medium; 1 set of solar energy pump comprised of 5 parabolic mirror in a length of 62.5m, width of 4m built in Cairo of Egypt in which the total light collecting area could reach 1250m2.
2. The Second Stage (1920-1965)
For these 20 years, the research of solar energy was implementing on the poor stage, which the mandate to participate in the development and the research projects had been widely declined due to the mass utilization of fossil fuels and the second world war (1935---1945) while the solar energy couldn’t satisfy the urgent demand upon the energy. Therefore, the research and development of solar energy was due to be gradually deserted.
3. The Third Stage (1945-1965)
For these 20 years after the Second World War, some foresight person has noticed that the petroleum and natural gas resources had been rapidly decreased and called for attention on these issues in order to gradually promote the recovery and development of the solar energy research. Solar energy institutes were setup and academic exchanges and exhibitions were held which raised the research upsurge again on solar energy.
In this period, great progress was achieved in the research of solar energy, in particular: the foundation theory of selective paints proposed in the First International Solar Thermal Academic Conference in 1955, which black nickel had been developed as the practical selective paints, contributing to development of high-effective heat collector; the practical silicon solar cells developed by Bell Lab in U.S in 1954 which laid the foundation for large scale utilization of photovoltaic generation.
Furthermore, there were still other significant results, including:
a. One set of 50kW solar stove was built by French National Research Center in 1952;
b. The worldwide prototype ammonia-water absorbing air conditioning system heated by flat plate heat collector with the capacity of 5 tons was built in Florida of U.S in 1960;
c. An engine equipped with silicon window was invented in 1961.
In this stage, research on foundation theory and foundation material of solar energy was reinforced and academic breakthrough, i.e. selective paints and silicon solar cells were achieved. The flat plate had been well developed and ripe in technologies. Progress had been achieved in the research of solar energy absorbing air conditioners and a batch of pilot solar room was established. Preliminary research was conducted on the engine and tower type solar-powered generation technologies.
4. The Fourth Stage (1965---1973)
In the stage, the research work on solar energy was standstill due to the reason that the utilization technologies of solar energy had entered into the growing stage which was no ripe in process, heavy in investment and lower in effect. Thus it cannot compete with conventional energy, which resulted in the absence of attention and support from the public, enterprise and government.
5. The Fifth Stage (1973---1980)
After petroleum played a leading role in the worldwide energy structure, it has been a key factor to control the economic and determine the fatal, development and declining of a country. After the explosion of Middle East War at Oc., 1973, OPEC employed the method of declining the production and increasing the price to support the struggle and safeguard the national benefits which resulted in heavy economic attack for those countries that relied on importing large amount of inexpensive petroleum from the region of Middle East. Thus, some people in the western countries were frightened to call that the energy or petroleum crisis had been launched in the world. This crisis made people realized that the existing energy structure should be completely changed and transition to the future energy structure should be speed up.
From that on, many countries, especially the industrialized countries turned their attention towards the support on the research and development of solar energy and other renewable energy technologies. The upsurge of developing and utilizing solar energy had been raised again in the world. In 1973, U.S drew up a government scale sunlight power generation program which the research budget for solar energy were increased in a large amount, and solar energy development bank was to established to facilitate the solar energy products to be commercialized. In 1974, Japan published the sunlight program made by the government, among which the solar energy development projects included solar room, industrial-use solar energy system, solar thermal generation, solar cells production system, scattered and large scale photovoltaic generation system. In order to implement this program, the government of Japan input large amount of manpower, material resources and financial resources.
The upsurge on the utilization of solar energy raised in 1970s in the world also impacted on China. Some foresight technicians started to devote to the solar energy industry one after another and positively proposed to the relative department of the government and published books and periodicals to introduce the international trends on the utilization of solar energy. Solar stove was popularized and utilized in countryside; solar water heater was launched in the city; solar cells used in space have started to be applied in the ground. In 1975, the first national solar energy utilization working exchanges conference held in An yang, Henan Province further promoted the development of solar energy industry in China. After this meeting, the solar energy research and promotion had been brought into the government program and awarded support of specialized fund and material. In some universities and institutes, solar energy task team and research departments were established one after another. Solar energy research institutes were also launched in some places. At that time, an upsurge on utilization of solar energy was emerging in China.
During this period, research and development of solar energy entered into an unprecedented well-developed stage with the following characteristics:
a. Each country enhanced planning on solar energy research. Many countries worked out short term and long-term sunlight program. The utilization of solar energy had been a governmental action with intensive support. The international cooperation was very active which some developing countries had started to participate in the utilization of solar energy.
b. The research field was expanding; research work was developed day by day and significant results achieved, for example, CPC, vacuum heat collecting pipe, non-crystal silicon solar cells, water-photolyzed hydrogen production and solar energy thermal power generation.
c. The solar energy development program worked out by each country existed the problems that the requirement was too high and urgent and insufficient expectation on difficulty in implementation. They have thought to replace the mineral energy in the short time and to utilize the solar energy in large scale. For example, U.S has once scheduled to build a small size solar energy demonstration satellite power station in 1985 and one set of 5 million kW space solar energy power station in 1995. In fact, this program has been adjusted in later, and the space solar energy power station has not yet been realized.
d. Products such as solar water heater and solar cells were started to commercialize. The solar energy sector has been preliminarily established with a small scale and ineffective economic effects.
6. The Sixth Stage (1980-1992)
The upsurge on utilization of solar energy emerged in 1970s was fallen into a stage of being developed in a low and slow step in 1980s. Many countries in the world declined the research budget for solar energy in successive in a large amount, in particular the U.S.
The main reasons resulted in this situation were that the international oil price was corrected in a large range while solar energy product cost was still remaining as before which may be of no competitive capability; no any significant breakthrough on solar energy technologies to increase the efficiency and reduce the cost which led to break down people’s confidence to develop solar energy; increased development on nuclear power which may restrain on a certain degree on the development of solar energy.
Influenced on the turndown of solar energy in the worldwide in 1980s, research work in China also declined in a certain degree. Due to the reason that the utilization of solar energy was heavy in investment, ineffective in results, difficult in energy storage and large in land covering, solar energy should be considered as the future energy. Some person even proposed that the technology could be introduced after it would be developed successfully. Only few people supported such viewpoint, but it was very harmful which will result in unfavorable influence on the development of solar energy industry.
During this period, although the research budget has been mitigated in a large amount, the research work remained uninterruptedly, among which some projects achieved progress which facilitated people to investigate seriously on the program and goads worked out before and to adjust the research focus so that to strive for great achievement by less input.
7. The Seventh Stage (1992---Until Now)
Excessive burning of fossil fuel led to worldwide environmental pollution and ecological destruction, which has been threatened the substance and development of human beings. Under such circumstance, UN held the international environment and development conference in Brazil in 1992. On this meeting, a series of important document were published including the Environment and Development Manifesto, Agenda of 21st century and UN Framework Pact on Climate Changing in which the environment and development were brought into the integrated framework, and sustainable model was established. After this conference, each country enhanced the development of clean energy technologies, and developed the solar energy in line with the environmental protection so as to make the utilization of solar energy be well developed.
After this conference, Chinese government also turned their attention towards the environment and development and pointed out 10 pieces of tactic and measure definitely to develop and popularize the clean energy including solar energy, wind energy, thermal energy, tidal energy and biomass energy in accordance with the reality; worked out Agenda of 21st century in China and further focused the solar energy projects. In 1995, the State Planning, the State Economic and Trade Commission, the State Ministry of Science and Technology worked out the Outline for Development of New and Renewable Energy from 1996 to 2010, which definitely pointed out the goads, objectives and relative tactic and measure towards the development of new and renewable energy from 1996 to 2010 in China. The publishing and implementation of the document further promoted the development of solar energy industry in China.
In 1996, UN held the worldwide solar energy summit conference in Zimbabwe. The Solar Energy and Sustainable Development Manifesto was published after the meeting. Important document, i.e. Worldwide Solar Energy 10-Year Action and Program (1996---2005), International Solar Energy Pact, Worldwide Solar Energy Strategic Planning were discussed during the meeting. This meeting further showed each country’s commitment to developing the solar energy. Worldwide joint action was required to extensively utilize the solar energy.
After 1992, the worldwide utilization of solar energy has entered into a developing stage with the characteristic that:
a. The utilization of solar energy can be consistent to the sustainable development and environment protection, and can be carried out jointly to realize the development strategy in the world;
b. Definite development goals with focus projects and effective measure, which will be favorable to overcome the shortage to ensure the long-term development of solar energy industry;
c. In the course of expanding the research of solar energy, attention was paid to convert the academic results into production, develop solar energy industry, speed up the progress to be commercialized, expand the utilization field and scale and increase the economic benefits;
d. Active international cooperation in the field of solar energy with expanding scale and obvious effect.
In view of the review, the development of solar energy in the 20th century was not so smooth. Generally speaking, low tide period was happened after every high tide period. The low tide period lasted for nearly 45 years. The development of solar energy differed with that of coal, petroleum and nuclear energy in understanding and development period, which could be demonstrated that it was very difficulty to develop the solar energy and it cannot be realized to large scale utilize in the short term. On the other hand, it was showed that the utilization of solar energy was also affected by the supply of mineral energy, politics and war. However, in a word, the solar energy has achieved greatly in academic results in 20th century than in any other century.
In the hundred years of 20th century, the history of the solar energy technologies development can be divided into 7 stages which will be introduced respectively as follows:
1. The First Stage (1900---1920)
In this stage, the research focus of solar energy in the world were still on the solar-powered device which variable photospot method were applied and flat plate heat collector and low boiling point actuating medium were started to use; the capacity of the device was gradually expanded with the max. output power of 73.46kW; device was utilized with the definite end-use and in higher cost.
The typical built device included: one set of solar energy pumping device constructed in California of U.S in 1901 which employed truncation taper photospot with the power of 7.36kW; 5 sets of twin-circulated solar-powered engine built in U.S in 1902 to 1908 which employed the flat plate heat collector and low boiling point actuating medium; 1 set of solar energy pump comprised of 5 parabolic mirror in a length of 62.5m, width of 4m built in Cairo of Egypt in which the total light collecting area could reach 1250m2.
2. The Second Stage (1920-1965)
For these 20 years, the research of solar energy was implementing on the poor stage, which the mandate to participate in the development and the research projects had been widely declined due to the mass utilization of fossil fuels and the second world war (1935---1945) while the solar energy couldn’t satisfy the urgent demand upon the energy. Therefore, the research and development of solar energy was due to be gradually deserted.
3. The Third Stage (1945-1965)
For these 20 years after the Second World War, some foresight person has noticed that the petroleum and natural gas resources had been rapidly decreased and called for attention on these issues in order to gradually promote the recovery and development of the solar energy research. Solar energy institutes were setup and academic exchanges and exhibitions were held which raised the research upsurge again on solar energy.
In this period, great progress was achieved in the research of solar energy, in particular: the foundation theory of selective paints proposed in the First International Solar Thermal Academic Conference in 1955, which black nickel had been developed as the practical selective paints, contributing to development of high-effective heat collector; the practical silicon solar cells developed by Bell Lab in U.S in 1954 which laid the foundation for large scale utilization of photovoltaic generation.
Furthermore, there were still other significant results, including:
a. One set of 50kW solar stove was built by French National Research Center in 1952;
b. The worldwide prototype ammonia-water absorbing air conditioning system heated by flat plate heat collector with the capacity of 5 tons was built in Florida of U.S in 1960;
c. An engine equipped with silicon window was invented in 1961.
In this stage, research on foundation theory and foundation material of solar energy was reinforced and academic breakthrough, i.e. selective paints and silicon solar cells were achieved. The flat plate had been well developed and ripe in technologies. Progress had been achieved in the research of solar energy absorbing air conditioners and a batch of pilot solar room was established. Preliminary research was conducted on the engine and tower type solar-powered generation technologies.
4. The Fourth Stage (1965---1973)
In the stage, the research work on solar energy was standstill due to the reason that the utilization technologies of solar energy had entered into the growing stage which was no ripe in process, heavy in investment and lower in effect. Thus it cannot compete with conventional energy, which resulted in the absence of attention and support from the public, enterprise and government.
5. The Fifth Stage (1973---1980)
After petroleum played a leading role in the worldwide energy structure, it has been a key factor to control the economic and determine the fatal, development and declining of a country. After the explosion of Middle East War at Oc., 1973, OPEC employed the method of declining the production and increasing the price to support the struggle and safeguard the national benefits which resulted in heavy economic attack for those countries that relied on importing large amount of inexpensive petroleum from the region of Middle East. Thus, some people in the western countries were frightened to call that the energy or petroleum crisis had been launched in the world. This crisis made people realized that the existing energy structure should be completely changed and transition to the future energy structure should be speed up.
From that on, many countries, especially the industrialized countries turned their attention towards the support on the research and development of solar energy and other renewable energy technologies. The upsurge of developing and utilizing solar energy had been raised again in the world. In 1973, U.S drew up a government scale sunlight power generation program which the research budget for solar energy were increased in a large amount, and solar energy development bank was to established to facilitate the solar energy products to be commercialized. In 1974, Japan published the sunlight program made by the government, among which the solar energy development projects included solar room, industrial-use solar energy system, solar thermal generation, solar cells production system, scattered and large scale photovoltaic generation system. In order to implement this program, the government of Japan input large amount of manpower, material resources and financial resources.
The upsurge on the utilization of solar energy raised in 1970s in the world also impacted on China. Some foresight technicians started to devote to the solar energy industry one after another and positively proposed to the relative department of the government and published books and periodicals to introduce the international trends on the utilization of solar energy. Solar stove was popularized and utilized in countryside; solar water heater was launched in the city; solar cells used in space have started to be applied in the ground. In 1975, the first national solar energy utilization working exchanges conference held in An yang, Henan Province further promoted the development of solar energy industry in China. After this meeting, the solar energy research and promotion had been brought into the government program and awarded support of specialized fund and material. In some universities and institutes, solar energy task team and research departments were established one after another. Solar energy research institutes were also launched in some places. At that time, an upsurge on utilization of solar energy was emerging in China.
During this period, research and development of solar energy entered into an unprecedented well-developed stage with the following characteristics:
a. Each country enhanced planning on solar energy research. Many countries worked out short term and long-term sunlight program. The utilization of solar energy had been a governmental action with intensive support. The international cooperation was very active which some developing countries had started to participate in the utilization of solar energy.
b. The research field was expanding; research work was developed day by day and significant results achieved, for example, CPC, vacuum heat collecting pipe, non-crystal silicon solar cells, water-photolyzed hydrogen production and solar energy thermal power generation.
c. The solar energy development program worked out by each country existed the problems that the requirement was too high and urgent and insufficient expectation on difficulty in implementation. They have thought to replace the mineral energy in the short time and to utilize the solar energy in large scale. For example, U.S has once scheduled to build a small size solar energy demonstration satellite power station in 1985 and one set of 5 million kW space solar energy power station in 1995. In fact, this program has been adjusted in later, and the space solar energy power station has not yet been realized.
d. Products such as solar water heater and solar cells were started to commercialize. The solar energy sector has been preliminarily established with a small scale and ineffective economic effects.
6. The Sixth Stage (1980-1992)
The upsurge on utilization of solar energy emerged in 1970s was fallen into a stage of being developed in a low and slow step in 1980s. Many countries in the world declined the research budget for solar energy in successive in a large amount, in particular the U.S.
The main reasons resulted in this situation were that the international oil price was corrected in a large range while solar energy product cost was still remaining as before which may be of no competitive capability; no any significant breakthrough on solar energy technologies to increase the efficiency and reduce the cost which led to break down people’s confidence to develop solar energy; increased development on nuclear power which may restrain on a certain degree on the development of solar energy.
Influenced on the turndown of solar energy in the worldwide in 1980s, research work in China also declined in a certain degree. Due to the reason that the utilization of solar energy was heavy in investment, ineffective in results, difficult in energy storage and large in land covering, solar energy should be considered as the future energy. Some person even proposed that the technology could be introduced after it would be developed successfully. Only few people supported such viewpoint, but it was very harmful which will result in unfavorable influence on the development of solar energy industry.
During this period, although the research budget has been mitigated in a large amount, the research work remained uninterruptedly, among which some projects achieved progress which facilitated people to investigate seriously on the program and goads worked out before and to adjust the research focus so that to strive for great achievement by less input.
7. The Seventh Stage (1992---Until Now)
Excessive burning of fossil fuel led to worldwide environmental pollution and ecological destruction, which has been threatened the substance and development of human beings. Under such circumstance, UN held the international environment and development conference in Brazil in 1992. On this meeting, a series of important document were published including the Environment and Development Manifesto, Agenda of 21st century and UN Framework Pact on Climate Changing in which the environment and development were brought into the integrated framework, and sustainable model was established. After this conference, each country enhanced the development of clean energy technologies, and developed the solar energy in line with the environmental protection so as to make the utilization of solar energy be well developed.
After this conference, Chinese government also turned their attention towards the environment and development and pointed out 10 pieces of tactic and measure definitely to develop and popularize the clean energy including solar energy, wind energy, thermal energy, tidal energy and biomass energy in accordance with the reality; worked out Agenda of 21st century in China and further focused the solar energy projects. In 1995, the State Planning, the State Economic and Trade Commission, the State Ministry of Science and Technology worked out the Outline for Development of New and Renewable Energy from 1996 to 2010, which definitely pointed out the goads, objectives and relative tactic and measure towards the development of new and renewable energy from 1996 to 2010 in China. The publishing and implementation of the document further promoted the development of solar energy industry in China.
In 1996, UN held the worldwide solar energy summit conference in Zimbabwe. The Solar Energy and Sustainable Development Manifesto was published after the meeting. Important document, i.e. Worldwide Solar Energy 10-Year Action and Program (1996---2005), International Solar Energy Pact, Worldwide Solar Energy Strategic Planning were discussed during the meeting. This meeting further showed each country’s commitment to developing the solar energy. Worldwide joint action was required to extensively utilize the solar energy.
After 1992, the worldwide utilization of solar energy has entered into a developing stage with the characteristic that:
a. The utilization of solar energy can be consistent to the sustainable development and environment protection, and can be carried out jointly to realize the development strategy in the world;
b. Definite development goals with focus projects and effective measure, which will be favorable to overcome the shortage to ensure the long-term development of solar energy industry;
c. In the course of expanding the research of solar energy, attention was paid to convert the academic results into production, develop solar energy industry, speed up the progress to be commercialized, expand the utilization field and scale and increase the economic benefits;
d. Active international cooperation in the field of solar energy with expanding scale and obvious effect.
In view of the review, the development of solar energy in the 20th century was not so smooth. Generally speaking, low tide period was happened after every high tide period. The low tide period lasted for nearly 45 years. The development of solar energy differed with that of coal, petroleum and nuclear energy in understanding and development period, which could be demonstrated that it was very difficulty to develop the solar energy and it cannot be realized to large scale utilize in the short term. On the other hand, it was showed that the utilization of solar energy was also affected by the supply of mineral energy, politics and war. However, in a word, the solar energy has achieved greatly in academic results in 20th century than in any other century.
Thursday, May 31, 2007
Sector Snap: Solar Cell Makers
Associated Press 05.30.07, 12:10 PM ET
Shares of Chinese solar cell makers declined in early trading Wednesday following disappointing quarterly reports from two companies. Companies also took a hit from a drop in the Chinese stock market.
Suntech Power Holdings Co. (nyse: STP - news - people ) declined 71 cents, or 2.1 percent, to $33.85, as investors expressed concerns with a drop in the company's first-quarter margins, which fell to 19.9 percent from 30.1 percent.
However, analysts said they still like the stock due to growth prospects. The company's adjusted profit and sales beat estimates.
Solarfun Power Holdings Co. gave up $2.12, or 17 percent, to $10.30, after the company said it swung to a first-quarter loss due to higher expenses.
The company also cut its 2007 sales outlook.
On Wednesday, the Chinese markets tumbled after China's government raised a tax on stock trading to curb a market boom amid concerns about a possible bubble, adding further pressure to the sector.
American shares of other Chinese solar cell makers also lost ground. JA Solar Holdings Co. gave up 58 cents, or 2.5 percent, to $22.46, Trina Solar Ltd. fell $3.52, or 7.3 percent, to $45.01, and China Sunergy Co. shed 65 cents, or 5 percent, to $12.25.
Meanwhile, similar U.S.-based companies also declined. Evergreen Solar Inc. (nasdaq: ESLR - news - people ) declined 13 cents to $8.32, while First Solar Inc. lost 81 cents, or 1.2 percent, to $66.32. Energy Conversion Devices Inc. (nasdaq: ENER - news - people ) lost 31 cents to $33.63.
Bucking the trend, SunPower Corp. (nasdaq: SPWR - news - people ) rose 8 cents to $52.95.
Shares of Chinese solar cell makers declined in early trading Wednesday following disappointing quarterly reports from two companies. Companies also took a hit from a drop in the Chinese stock market.
Suntech Power Holdings Co. (nyse: STP - news - people ) declined 71 cents, or 2.1 percent, to $33.85, as investors expressed concerns with a drop in the company's first-quarter margins, which fell to 19.9 percent from 30.1 percent.
However, analysts said they still like the stock due to growth prospects. The company's adjusted profit and sales beat estimates.
Solarfun Power Holdings Co. gave up $2.12, or 17 percent, to $10.30, after the company said it swung to a first-quarter loss due to higher expenses.
The company also cut its 2007 sales outlook.
On Wednesday, the Chinese markets tumbled after China's government raised a tax on stock trading to curb a market boom amid concerns about a possible bubble, adding further pressure to the sector.
American shares of other Chinese solar cell makers also lost ground. JA Solar Holdings Co. gave up 58 cents, or 2.5 percent, to $22.46, Trina Solar Ltd. fell $3.52, or 7.3 percent, to $45.01, and China Sunergy Co. shed 65 cents, or 5 percent, to $12.25.
Meanwhile, similar U.S.-based companies also declined. Evergreen Solar Inc. (nasdaq: ESLR - news - people ) declined 13 cents to $8.32, while First Solar Inc. lost 81 cents, or 1.2 percent, to $66.32. Energy Conversion Devices Inc. (nasdaq: ENER - news - people ) lost 31 cents to $33.63.
Bucking the trend, SunPower Corp. (nasdaq: SPWR - news - people ) rose 8 cents to $52.95.
Friday, May 25, 2007
Major Solar Module Suppliers in China
The solar energy industry is booming in China, and there are several hundreds of solar module suppliers in China in 2007. I would like to name just a few major solar panel manufacturers here for your reference, please see below:
1. Suntech Power
2. Yingli Solar
3. Yunnan Tianda
4. Shanghai Topsolar Green Energy
5. Solarfun
6. Super Solar
7. ERA Solar
8. Ningbo Solar
9. Trina Solar
10. DASOL
11. Canadian Solar
12. Jetion
13. Jiangsu Shunfeng Photovoltaic Technology
14. Shanshan Ulica Solar Energy
15. Wuxi Sun Power
16. TaiZhou Sopray Solar
17. Jiangsu TianBao Pv Energy
18. Shenzhen Topray Solar
19. ET Solar
20. Himin
If you would like to know more about the solar panel manufacturers in China, please feel free to contact me.
1. Suntech Power
2. Yingli Solar
3. Yunnan Tianda
4. Shanghai Topsolar Green Energy
5. Solarfun
6. Super Solar
7. ERA Solar
8. Ningbo Solar
9. Trina Solar
10. DASOL
11. Canadian Solar
12. Jetion
13. Jiangsu Shunfeng Photovoltaic Technology
14. Shanshan Ulica Solar Energy
15. Wuxi Sun Power
16. TaiZhou Sopray Solar
17. Jiangsu TianBao Pv Energy
18. Shenzhen Topray Solar
19. ET Solar
20. Himin
If you would like to know more about the solar panel manufacturers in China, please feel free to contact me.
Wednesday, May 23, 2007
Solar's Rosy Assessment
Research group sees good news in mass production, global competition.
May 22, 2007
By Andrea Quong
Solar power is poised to become a large-scale, affordable energy source within three to five years, the president of the Worldwatch Institute said Tuesday.
Chris Flavin, who heads the Washington, D.C.-based environmental research organization, based his comments on a forecast suggesting that surging production of photovoltaic cells—the building blocks of solar panels that turn sunlight into electricity—will drive prices of those cells down by 40 percent over the next three years.
The forecast, by the Prometheus Institute, a Cambridge, Massachusetts-based think-tank, suggests that the solar industry is poised to overcome a major impediment to bring sun power to the masses.
"You're going to see this emerge for the first time as an economical and large-scale energy source," said Mr. Flavin. "The dramatic growth that's going on now and the technological evolution is going to break down the costs in the next three to five years."
High production costs have meant that sun-generated electricity is much more expensive to rate-payers than conventional electricity. While subsidies have brought that down to $6 per peak watt, prices need to come down to $3 per peak watt to be competitive, said Ron Pernick, co-founder of Clean Edge, a research and consulting firm.
But economies of scale are expected to lower the cost of producing photovoltaic cells and gradually reduce the price of solar-generated electricity.
Chinese and Taiwanese manufacturers accounted for nearly half of the global increase in solar cell production, which reached 2,521 megawatts in 2006. China and Taiwan produced 547 megawatts last year, compared to only 26 megawatts just three years earlier, according to data from Worldwatch Institute and Prometheus Institute.
China, which exports most of its solar cells to Germany and Spain, displaced the U.S. as the world's third largest manufacturer behind Japan and Germany. Japan, the traditional leader thanks to the likes of Sanyo and Sharp, still controlled the largest share of the market at 36 percent last year, but its production grew only 11 percent.
"The Chinese are, in effect, nipping at our heels," said Mr. Flavin. "This time, they're getting in on the ground floor."
Chinese manufacturers like Suntech Power, which climbed from the world's eighth largest solar cell producer in 2005 to the fourth largest in 2006, rely on conventional, crystalline silicon-based technology. But that could easily change with Chinese companies, many of them startups that went public on U.S. markets, adopting new technologies, Mr. Flavin said.
U.S. market share of solar cell manufacturing slipped to 8 percent in 2006, according to Mr. Flavin. But the U.S. continues to develop next generation technologies for making cells with less or no silicon, which is currently in short supply. In the U.S., production actually rose more than 30 percent to 202 megawatts, largely due to the manufacture of thin-film cells that make do with less silicon by Phoenix-based First Solar, according to the report.
May 22, 2007
By Andrea Quong
Solar power is poised to become a large-scale, affordable energy source within three to five years, the president of the Worldwatch Institute said Tuesday.
Chris Flavin, who heads the Washington, D.C.-based environmental research organization, based his comments on a forecast suggesting that surging production of photovoltaic cells—the building blocks of solar panels that turn sunlight into electricity—will drive prices of those cells down by 40 percent over the next three years.
The forecast, by the Prometheus Institute, a Cambridge, Massachusetts-based think-tank, suggests that the solar industry is poised to overcome a major impediment to bring sun power to the masses.
"You're going to see this emerge for the first time as an economical and large-scale energy source," said Mr. Flavin. "The dramatic growth that's going on now and the technological evolution is going to break down the costs in the next three to five years."
High production costs have meant that sun-generated electricity is much more expensive to rate-payers than conventional electricity. While subsidies have brought that down to $6 per peak watt, prices need to come down to $3 per peak watt to be competitive, said Ron Pernick, co-founder of Clean Edge, a research and consulting firm.
But economies of scale are expected to lower the cost of producing photovoltaic cells and gradually reduce the price of solar-generated electricity.
Chinese and Taiwanese manufacturers accounted for nearly half of the global increase in solar cell production, which reached 2,521 megawatts in 2006. China and Taiwan produced 547 megawatts last year, compared to only 26 megawatts just three years earlier, according to data from Worldwatch Institute and Prometheus Institute.
China, which exports most of its solar cells to Germany and Spain, displaced the U.S. as the world's third largest manufacturer behind Japan and Germany. Japan, the traditional leader thanks to the likes of Sanyo and Sharp, still controlled the largest share of the market at 36 percent last year, but its production grew only 11 percent.
"The Chinese are, in effect, nipping at our heels," said Mr. Flavin. "This time, they're getting in on the ground floor."
Chinese manufacturers like Suntech Power, which climbed from the world's eighth largest solar cell producer in 2005 to the fourth largest in 2006, rely on conventional, crystalline silicon-based technology. But that could easily change with Chinese companies, many of them startups that went public on U.S. markets, adopting new technologies, Mr. Flavin said.
U.S. market share of solar cell manufacturing slipped to 8 percent in 2006, according to Mr. Flavin. But the U.S. continues to develop next generation technologies for making cells with less or no silicon, which is currently in short supply. In the U.S., production actually rose more than 30 percent to 202 megawatts, largely due to the manufacture of thin-film cells that make do with less silicon by Phoenix-based First Solar, according to the report.
FOCUS - China solar power industry grows, but exports overshadow home market
8/2/2007 05:38 London Time story 0369
BEIJING (XFN-ASIA) - China''s domestic solar power sector will continue to need government help in the near-term as high costs of installation and low returns deter market entry, experts said.
They said the near-term market will remain export-driven and limited domestically to small industrial and commercial applications.
"Manufacturers are expanding their capacity, but I don''t see a major drive to install solar power domestically," said Wang Xing, senior program officer for electricity and renewable energy at the China Sustainable Energy Program.
"Right now there is not a very strong incentive program for solar power," he said.Wang also said most domestic manufacturers are gearing production toward the export market while looking to tap the public investment in projects such as rural electrification programs."
It''s a rural market... an industrial applications market at the moment," said William Wallace, senior technical advisor at the project management office for the United Nations Development Program and Global Environmental Facility, which has partnered with China''s National Development and Reform Commission.Industry analysts said they believe the commercial solar market in China will be slow to develop without adjustments to the country''s electric pricing mechanism as solar installation in China often depends on government investment targeted at development in rural areas.
Wallace said that large scale domestic production of solar electricity is often limited to government-funded rural electrification programs.
Under the rural electrification program, the Chinese government set a goal to install electricity in some 1,000 townships last year, Wallace said, adding that the goal was achieved mostly through small scale hydro and photovoltaic systems.
"They plan to continue this to the small village level, of which there are 20,000... that could require up to (a total of) one gigawatt of photovoltaics," he said.
Wallace added that this would greatly expand the solar market though the plan is expected to take 10 years to complete.
Industry analysts said that one of the largest obstacles for solar energy is the inability to link small scale power production units to a larger power grid. "
Currently, solar energy is only combined with power generation grid networks on a trial basis in first-tier cities like Beijing and Shenzhen, but solar on-grid electricity generation has not been achieved due to its limited scale," said Gao Hu, a researcher with the Energy Research Institute under the National Development and Reform Commission.
Grid connection provides a substantial incentive for alternative energies such as solar, wind, and small scale hydro by allowing excess capacity to be sold back to the power grid.
Industry specialists, who asked to remain anonymous, told XFN-Asia that domestic consumption of solar power should improve in the next few years.
One source said that rumors are circulating in the industry that the central government will introduce policies this year to promote domestic installation of alternative energies such as solar.
But another industry official said that it may be two to three years before these policies are enacted and then another one to two years after the implementation of those policies before they generate meaningful domestic sales of photovoltaic systems.
He added that the central government wants local governments to speed up the creation of incentives.
"The mandate for the central government is... for the regional governments to really start to put in place incentives and subsidies and start to make that happen," the official said.
The central government has set a goal for renewable energy sources accounting for 10 pct of all energy consumed by the year 2010. Authorities are aiming to increase this to 16 pct by 2020.
An industry source said the mix would likely make hydro-electric capacity its top priority, followed by wind and solar.
"I think maybe it (the three- to five-year outlook for domestic Chinese solar sales) will be promising but no one knows for sure," another industry official added.
Wallace told XFN-Asia that wind will continue to dominate over solar electricity as solar energy costs roughly five to six thousand dollars per kilowatt (KW) to install while wind power costs significantly less at 1,000 to 1,500 usd per KW.
"I think the main driver for photovoltaics right now is just the economy of scale. The manufacturing base is increasing, people are gearing up production, the market is expanding and there''s an actual cost and price reduction associated with that," Wallace said.
Chinese companies such as Nasdaq-listed Solarfun Power Holdings and JA Solar Holdings as well as BP SunOasis, a joint venture linking energy giant BP PLC and solar system integrator China Xinjiang SunOasis Co, are planning rapid capacity increases in 2007.
Solarfun had annual production capacity of 120 megawatts (MW) of PV cells and 60 MW of PV modules in 2006, said a research report from Morgan Stanley. The company plans to increase its capacity for cells and modules to 240 and 180 MW by the end of this year with further increases to 360 and 300 MW in 2008, the report said.
Similarly, Jinglong Group subsidiary JA Solar, a manufacturer of monocrystalline silicon-based PV cells that began commercial operations in April of last year, had a capacity of 75 MW in 2006. The Morgan Stanley report said the company will increase capacity by 100 MW this year.
And BP SunOasis told XFN-Asia in a telephone interview that it is also planning to boost production capacity.
However, market sources said that although the domestic market is growing, the capacity boosts are geared mostly toward international markets such as the US and Europe, where policy incentives continue to spur consumption.
"You''ll continue to see growth in the base-line market, which is the commercial market, and this is telecommunications, cathodic protection for pipelines, other industrial type applications - for railroads and so forth," Wallace said.
He added that he expects the government to focus more on grid connection in the future.
For the near term, the solar water heating market will continue to grow as lower costs make it a more viable option. But while the industry ramps up capacity, government incentives will be critical to shifting the attention of Chinese manufacturers away from the export market.
BEIJING (XFN-ASIA) - China''s domestic solar power sector will continue to need government help in the near-term as high costs of installation and low returns deter market entry, experts said.
They said the near-term market will remain export-driven and limited domestically to small industrial and commercial applications.
"Manufacturers are expanding their capacity, but I don''t see a major drive to install solar power domestically," said Wang Xing, senior program officer for electricity and renewable energy at the China Sustainable Energy Program.
"Right now there is not a very strong incentive program for solar power," he said.Wang also said most domestic manufacturers are gearing production toward the export market while looking to tap the public investment in projects such as rural electrification programs."
It''s a rural market... an industrial applications market at the moment," said William Wallace, senior technical advisor at the project management office for the United Nations Development Program and Global Environmental Facility, which has partnered with China''s National Development and Reform Commission.Industry analysts said they believe the commercial solar market in China will be slow to develop without adjustments to the country''s electric pricing mechanism as solar installation in China often depends on government investment targeted at development in rural areas.
Wallace said that large scale domestic production of solar electricity is often limited to government-funded rural electrification programs.
Under the rural electrification program, the Chinese government set a goal to install electricity in some 1,000 townships last year, Wallace said, adding that the goal was achieved mostly through small scale hydro and photovoltaic systems.
"They plan to continue this to the small village level, of which there are 20,000... that could require up to (a total of) one gigawatt of photovoltaics," he said.
Wallace added that this would greatly expand the solar market though the plan is expected to take 10 years to complete.
Industry analysts said that one of the largest obstacles for solar energy is the inability to link small scale power production units to a larger power grid. "
Currently, solar energy is only combined with power generation grid networks on a trial basis in first-tier cities like Beijing and Shenzhen, but solar on-grid electricity generation has not been achieved due to its limited scale," said Gao Hu, a researcher with the Energy Research Institute under the National Development and Reform Commission.
Grid connection provides a substantial incentive for alternative energies such as solar, wind, and small scale hydro by allowing excess capacity to be sold back to the power grid.
Industry specialists, who asked to remain anonymous, told XFN-Asia that domestic consumption of solar power should improve in the next few years.
One source said that rumors are circulating in the industry that the central government will introduce policies this year to promote domestic installation of alternative energies such as solar.
But another industry official said that it may be two to three years before these policies are enacted and then another one to two years after the implementation of those policies before they generate meaningful domestic sales of photovoltaic systems.
He added that the central government wants local governments to speed up the creation of incentives.
"The mandate for the central government is... for the regional governments to really start to put in place incentives and subsidies and start to make that happen," the official said.
The central government has set a goal for renewable energy sources accounting for 10 pct of all energy consumed by the year 2010. Authorities are aiming to increase this to 16 pct by 2020.
An industry source said the mix would likely make hydro-electric capacity its top priority, followed by wind and solar.
"I think maybe it (the three- to five-year outlook for domestic Chinese solar sales) will be promising but no one knows for sure," another industry official added.
Wallace told XFN-Asia that wind will continue to dominate over solar electricity as solar energy costs roughly five to six thousand dollars per kilowatt (KW) to install while wind power costs significantly less at 1,000 to 1,500 usd per KW.
"I think the main driver for photovoltaics right now is just the economy of scale. The manufacturing base is increasing, people are gearing up production, the market is expanding and there''s an actual cost and price reduction associated with that," Wallace said.
Chinese companies such as Nasdaq-listed Solarfun Power Holdings and JA Solar Holdings as well as BP SunOasis, a joint venture linking energy giant BP PLC and solar system integrator China Xinjiang SunOasis Co, are planning rapid capacity increases in 2007.
Solarfun had annual production capacity of 120 megawatts (MW) of PV cells and 60 MW of PV modules in 2006, said a research report from Morgan Stanley. The company plans to increase its capacity for cells and modules to 240 and 180 MW by the end of this year with further increases to 360 and 300 MW in 2008, the report said.
Similarly, Jinglong Group subsidiary JA Solar, a manufacturer of monocrystalline silicon-based PV cells that began commercial operations in April of last year, had a capacity of 75 MW in 2006. The Morgan Stanley report said the company will increase capacity by 100 MW this year.
And BP SunOasis told XFN-Asia in a telephone interview that it is also planning to boost production capacity.
However, market sources said that although the domestic market is growing, the capacity boosts are geared mostly toward international markets such as the US and Europe, where policy incentives continue to spur consumption.
"You''ll continue to see growth in the base-line market, which is the commercial market, and this is telecommunications, cathodic protection for pipelines, other industrial type applications - for railroads and so forth," Wallace said.
He added that he expects the government to focus more on grid connection in the future.
For the near term, the solar water heating market will continue to grow as lower costs make it a more viable option. But while the industry ramps up capacity, government incentives will be critical to shifting the attention of Chinese manufacturers away from the export market.
Solar power heads mainstream as costs drop - report
22 May 2007 21:53:08 GMT
Source: Reuters
By Timothy Gardner
NEW YORK, May 22 (Reuters) - Solar power should become a mainstream energy choice in three or four years as companies raise output of a key ingredient used in solar panels and as China emerges as a producer of them, according to a report by an environmental research group.
"We are now seeing two major trends that will accelerate the growth of photovoltaics: the development of advanced technologies, and the emergence of China as a low-cost producer," Janet Sawin, a senior researcher at the Worldwatch Institute and an author of report, said in a statement.
Investors have flocked to solar and other renewable energy sources amid worries about the high costs of oil and natural gas and greenhouse gas emissions. Solar is the fastest growing energy source, but still provides less than 1 percent of the world's electricity, in part because its power can cost homeowners twice as much as power from the grid.
But costs could fall 40 percent in the next few years as polysilicon becomes more available, Sawin said.
More than a dozen companies in Europe, China, Japan, and the United States will boost production over the next few years of purified polysilicon, which helps panels convert sunlight into electricity, and is the main ingredient in semiconductor computer chips, according to the report.
Polysilicon's feedstock is abundantly available sand. But a downturn in silicon refining after the high-tech bubble collapse in the late 1990s has constrained the panel market.
In some of the world's sunniest places, like California, electricity from solar panels costs the same as power from the grid. A drop in solar panel prices could expand that to places that only get average sunlight, making solar more of a mainstream choice, Sawin said in an e-mail.
Last year, China passed the United States to become the world's third largest producer of solar panels, trailing only Germany and Japan.
"To say that Chinese PV producers plan to expand production rapidly in the year ahead would be an understatement," Travis Bradford, president of the Prometheus Institute, a Massachusetts-based group that promotes renewables, said in a release.
"They have raised billions from international IPOs to build capacity and increase scale with the goal of driving down costs," said Bradford, who helped write the report.
Many companies are producing thin-film solar technologies that cut the amount of silicon used in panels. Thin-film could grab a 20 percent share of the market by 2010, up from 7 percent of the market in 2006, the report said.
Source: Reuters
By Timothy Gardner
NEW YORK, May 22 (Reuters) - Solar power should become a mainstream energy choice in three or four years as companies raise output of a key ingredient used in solar panels and as China emerges as a producer of them, according to a report by an environmental research group.
"We are now seeing two major trends that will accelerate the growth of photovoltaics: the development of advanced technologies, and the emergence of China as a low-cost producer," Janet Sawin, a senior researcher at the Worldwatch Institute and an author of report, said in a statement.
Investors have flocked to solar and other renewable energy sources amid worries about the high costs of oil and natural gas and greenhouse gas emissions. Solar is the fastest growing energy source, but still provides less than 1 percent of the world's electricity, in part because its power can cost homeowners twice as much as power from the grid.
But costs could fall 40 percent in the next few years as polysilicon becomes more available, Sawin said.
More than a dozen companies in Europe, China, Japan, and the United States will boost production over the next few years of purified polysilicon, which helps panels convert sunlight into electricity, and is the main ingredient in semiconductor computer chips, according to the report.
Polysilicon's feedstock is abundantly available sand. But a downturn in silicon refining after the high-tech bubble collapse in the late 1990s has constrained the panel market.
In some of the world's sunniest places, like California, electricity from solar panels costs the same as power from the grid. A drop in solar panel prices could expand that to places that only get average sunlight, making solar more of a mainstream choice, Sawin said in an e-mail.
Last year, China passed the United States to become the world's third largest producer of solar panels, trailing only Germany and Japan.
"To say that Chinese PV producers plan to expand production rapidly in the year ahead would be an understatement," Travis Bradford, president of the Prometheus Institute, a Massachusetts-based group that promotes renewables, said in a release.
"They have raised billions from international IPOs to build capacity and increase scale with the goal of driving down costs," said Bradford, who helped write the report.
Many companies are producing thin-film solar technologies that cut the amount of silicon used in panels. Thin-film could grab a 20 percent share of the market by 2010, up from 7 percent of the market in 2006, the report said.
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