Solar power bankruptcies loom as prices collapse

[Winehole23]

China spends about $30B/year on subsidies, and there all kinds of cheap lands and buildings available and of course the labor is super cheap.

Opportunity beckons, mr. boss man!

[TeyshaBlue]

I dunno. Im pretty underwhelmed with the quality of goods from China. I cant imagine what the QC would be like for their panels.

[boutons_deux]

North American Photovoltaic Market Set to Double Year over Year in Q4’11

“PV is now positioned to take significant market share from other energy sources as it approaches grid parity in some regions. Downstream companies are facing enormous challenges to adapt to rapidly changing channel structure and business models in order to successfully participate in that opportunity,” said Craig Stevens, President of NPD Solarbuzz.

In Q4’11, the North America photovoltaic market is forecast to grow 33% Q/Q and 101% Y/Y. Q4'11 installations of more than 0.8 GW of PV capacity are expected, resulting in a total demand of over 2.2 GW in 2011.

http://www.altenergymag.com/emagazin...2%80%9911/1822

[boutons_deux]

SolarCity and Bank of America Merrill Lynch Move Forward With Project SolarStrong, Expected to Build More Than $1 Billion in Solar Projects

SAN MATEO, Calif., & NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--SolarCity and Bank of America Merrill Lynch today announced that they have agreed to terms on financing for SolarStrong, SolarCity's ambitious five-year plan to build more than $1 billion in solar power projects for privatized U.S. military housing communities across the country. As part of the project, SolarCity plans to partner with the country's leading privatized military housing developers to install, own and operate rooftop solar installations and provide solar electricity at a lower cost than utility power. SolarStrong is ultimately expected to create up to 300 megawatts of solar generation capacity that could provide power to as many as 120,0001 military housing units. SolarStrong would be the largest residential solar photovoltaic project in American history.

"This project demonstrates the long term viability of large-scale, distributed solar generation," said Jonathan Plowe, head of New Energy and Infrastructure Solutions at BofA Merrill. "We are excited to see the project through with SolarCity and extend our expertise and financing capabilities to propel residential solar to the next level."

Private equity firm U.S. Renewables Group (USRG) served as financial advisor for SolarStrong. When SolarCity began to plan SolarStrong in mid-2010, the company did not believe it could secure financing for a project of such a scope without a loan guarantee from the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE). SolarCity and USRG began the loan guarantee application process under DOE's Section 1705 loan guarantee program in October 2010, and BofA Merrill subsequently joined the application as lender. The DOE announced a conditional commitment of a partial loan guarantee for SolarStrong on Sept. 7, 2011, but the parties were unable to finalize the loan before the Sept. 30 program deadline. SolarCity and BofA Merrill continued to work to close SolarStrong without the loan guarantee.

http://www.altenergymag.com/news/201...projects/22357

[boutons_deux]

San Luis Solar Ranch

http://news.cnet.com/2300-11128_3-10...er&tag=nl.e434