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Author	Topic: Chinese Energy Company Takes Advantage of Failing US Solar Firms	Post a Reply Back to Topics

mastermariner Champion Author Texas Posts:4,236 Points:491,160 Joined:Jun 2011	Message Posted: Jan 11, 2013 7:13:26 AM Ignore mastermariner Report Abuse years ago investors were pouring their money into Silicon Valley start-up solar companies that hoped they could revolutionise the young, expensive solar industry. Unfortunately no one had banked on the dramatic fall in photovoltaic prices, driven by falling prices for raw materials, and Chinese government subsidies which led to a huge overcapacity in the market. The drop in prices devastated the Silicon Valley companies, and despite developing the new technology known as ‘thin-film solar panels’ they couldn’t compete with cheaper silicon panels. The US government tried to help by imposing large tariffs on all Chinese imported panels, but it was too little too late as most balance sheets had already been crippled and investors had been scared off. Some of the companies, such as Solyndra, Visit Oil Price for full article

mastermariner

Champion Author
Texas

Posts:4,236
Points:491,160
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Message Posted: Jan 11, 2013 7:13:26 AM

Ignore mastermariner Report Abuse

years ago investors were pouring their money into Silicon Valley start-up solar companies that hoped they could revolutionise the young, expensive solar industry.

Unfortunately no one had banked on the dramatic fall in photovoltaic prices, driven by falling prices for raw materials, and Chinese government subsidies which led to a huge overcapacity in the market.

The drop in prices devastated the Silicon Valley companies, and despite developing the new technology known as ‘thin-film solar panels’ they couldn’t compete with cheaper silicon panels. The US government tried to help by imposing large tariffs on all Chinese imported panels, but it was too little too late as most balance sheets had already been crippled and investors had been scared off. Some of the companies, such as Solyndra,
Visit Oil Price for full article

REPLIES (newest first)Ignore Short Messages

dave27johnson Champion Author Chicago Posts:1,784 Points:404,915 Joined:Feb 2012	Message Posted: Jan 12, 2013 8:02:56 AM Ignore dave27johnson Report Abuse Alternate sources of energy can be viable. There's more to China's solar energy boom than subsidies. It has involved smart planning. From the article: Hanergy is develop[ing] hydroelectric dams, and Li Hejun, the chairman, has explained that each year it’s dams generate several hundred million dollars of free cash flow, which it has decided to invest in solar energy. Currently Hanergy owns six thin-film solar factories, with three more under construction. It hopes that developing thin-film solar technology will enable it to avoid competition from other solar manufacturers such as Suntech and Yingli.
Ahking Champion Author Orange County Posts:3,492 Points:600,445 Joined:May 2011	Message Posted: Jan 12, 2013 3:11:49 AM Ignore Ahking Report Abuse Technology prices generally drops. Therefore, there is urgency to bring products out quickly, or quicker than the competition.
PDQBlues Champion Author San Diego Posts:7,054 Points:1,444,325 Joined:Jan 2009	Message Posted: Jan 11, 2013 2:30:34 PM Ignore PDQBlues Report Abuse The US develops some truly marvelous technology only to fritter it away to countries like China.
ifallsguy Champion Author Minnesota Posts:5,180 Points:1,550,695 Joined:Apr 2007	Message Posted: Jan 11, 2013 11:22:58 AM Ignore ifallsguy Report Abuse The newest business slogan in China: BUY AMERICA!!
K9LO Champion Author North Dakota Posts:2,664 Points:539,980 Joined:Nov 2010	Message Posted: Jan 11, 2013 11:21:33 AM Ignore K9LO Report Abuse China is getting into the US. Keep foreign business out of the US. Minot, ND has some of the highest gas prices in ND. Lets get the prices down.
mitt4prez Champion Author Tacoma Posts:1,728 Points:1,242,220 Joined:Nov 2007	Message Posted: Jan 11, 2013 11:18:37 AM Ignore mitt4prez Report Abuse Note that the flood of early money came in because the dam govt told everyone to get solar, it's GREEEEEEEENNNNNN and here's plenty of tax dough to play with. Our govt is hobbled by Green fanaticism, but the Chinese aren't. Why shouldn't they profit from our follies? Best that we not committ the follies to begin with.
peakkeller Champion Author Colorado Springs Posts:1,674 Points:774,325 Joined:Dec 2009	Message Posted: Jan 11, 2013 11:09:30 AM Ignore peakkeller Report Abuse The US firms turned into R&D companies, purchased by Chinese factory companies who could build actual product at a fraction of what we could.
endymion All-Star Author New York Posts:813 Points:168,680 Joined:Nov 2012	Message Posted: Jan 11, 2013 10:56:21 AM Ignore endymion Report Abuse Consolidation in a start up industry - no suprise. But look who paid to develop the patented technology and look who bought it at a fraction of its cost!
pbalmeo All-Star Author Los Angeles Posts:870 Points:183,340 Joined:Aug 2011	Message Posted: Jan 11, 2013 10:33:57 AM Ignore pbalmeo Report Abuse They saw a niche and they went for it.
crep1291 Champion Author Ottawa Posts:2,576 Points:480,635 Joined:Dec 2010	Message Posted: Jan 11, 2013 10:27:54 AM Ignore crep1291 Report Abuse "Anyone else see the intense irony in all this?" All I see is the capitalism. It's cruel, but that's the way it is.
orphancarguyPE Champion Author PEI Posts:3,827 Points:730,990 Joined:Jan 2011	Message Posted: Jan 11, 2013 9:17:44 AM Ignore orphancarguyPE Report Abuse Anyone else see the intense irony in all this?
humblepie Champion Author Toledo Posts:34,065 Points:2,367,370 Joined:Mar 2006	Message Posted: Jan 11, 2013 9:08:27 AM Ignore humblepie Report Abuse china doesnt allow unions
humblepie Champion Author Toledo Posts:34,065 Points:2,367,370 Joined:Mar 2006	Message Posted: Jan 11, 2013 8:57:11 AM Ignore humblepie Report Abuse shrewd businessmaen
merlinCO Champion Author Colorado Posts:1,620 Points:337,395 Joined:Mar 2012	Message Posted: Jan 11, 2013 8:47:19 AM Ignore merlinCO Report Abuse Why can't our government suppliment homeowners to buy American products.....oh thats right the utility companies are guaranteed to make money and not have to take the energy.
GingoutMD Champion Author Maryland Posts:3,495 Points:713,305 Joined:Jan 2010	Message Posted: Jan 11, 2013 8:43:02 AM Ignore GingoutMD Report Abuse No shock that China is taking advantage of the downturn in US solar panel manufacturing. They created the down turn in the first place by dumping cheaper made and subsidized material in the US.
Joeski1 Champion Author New Jersey Posts:9,972 Points:1,737,835 Joined:Dec 2004	Message Posted: Jan 11, 2013 8:35:17 AM Ignore Joeski1 Report Abuse PS: Ive cut dirty electric consumption by a 75% offset and dam straight I want to cut it by 100%.... sell that crap nuke, coal , amd methane gas electric production to others... I will offset it with my panels.... it gives me great pleasure to know that I have cut my electric demand from the corporate energy pushers.... like buying legal cannibus instead of from the drug cartels...
Joeski1 Champion Author New Jersey Posts:9,972 Points:1,737,835 Joined:Dec 2004	Message Posted: Jan 11, 2013 8:30:13 AM Ignore Joeski1 Report Abuse I want the power on my roof.... the US has failed to compete.... the china made panels kick ass and are cost effective..... (and they don't cause pollution through their power generation) when will the US catch up?? ah..... when will we make Tv's here again? [Edited by: Joeski1 at 1/11/2013 8:31:26 AM EST]
jeffbone Champion Author Virginia Posts:1,351 Points:397,910 Joined:Mar 2011	Message Posted: Jan 11, 2013 8:09:11 AM Ignore jeffbone Report Abuse More greenie economic success...
badbonita Champion Author Syracuse Posts:6,204 Points:1,349,710 Joined:Jul 2008	Message Posted: Jan 11, 2013 8:02:52 AM Ignore badbonita Report Abuse One thing you have to admit, the Chinese are taking advantage of being the second largest economy in the world. And are working hard at becoming the first. I always said that the thin-film solar panels would be perfect for the glass covered high rises/skyscrapers to help defray electric costs and to become greener.
Evilmaddog Champion Author British Columbia Posts:3,302 Points:953,550 Joined:Aug 2010	Message Posted: Jan 11, 2013 8:01:09 AM Ignore Evilmaddog Report Abuse the Chinese are coming...... oops there here
el_fr Champion Author Massachusetts Posts:3,322 Points:741,775 Joined:Apr 2011	Message Posted: Jan 11, 2013 7:28:42 AM Ignore el_fr Report Abuse Blame the people running these companies first.
jrs4125 Champion Author Indiana Posts:2,738 Points:587,745 Joined:Sep 2011	Message Posted: Jan 11, 2013 7:17:11 AM Ignore jrs4125 Report Abuse Like it or not its the standard in a global economy.