Sometimes the best scientific discoveries are made by accident. "We were doing research on the chemical reactions on metal surfaces and, on a hunch, I said let’s look at semiconductors, without a clear plan," said Eric Mazur, a physicist at Harvard University, about an experiment done in 1998. A decade later, it looks like his…
In what is likely to be the biggest expansion of renewable power, Souther California Edison (EIX) plans to put solar panels on warehouse roofs. The move is expected to provide about 250 megawatts of power — all of it from renewable energy. Such a plan would be expected to accomplish two things:
Solar stocks have seen a sharp pullback since the start of 2008, and short-term rallies from current levels should be expected. Upcoming catalysts for near-term rallies include the announcement of new supply deals, better than expected earnings results, short squeezes and the potential for supportive legislation. The more important question investors will need to ask:…
Recent economic data shows that German industrial production, exports and retail sales unexpectedly declined toward the end of 2007, suggesting that growth in Europe's powerhouse economy is slowing. Exports are clearly suffering from the stronger euro, but very few analysts predict a German recession. German exports are unlikely to fall off a cliff, as Asian…
Investors have been fretting about a U.S. recession for months, and recent polls suggest a heightened level of economic anxiety among Americans. Assuming that we go into a mild recession, is this the time for solar investors to jump ship? To the contrary – a recession might provide some attractive opportunities in the solar sector.
Photo:niznoz, Creative Commons, Flickr Happy new year! May the good fortune bore you in 2008.
T.J. Rodgers, the impressive CEO of Cypress Semiconductor (CY – Last trade $35.61), was interviewed on CNBC on Tuesday. SunPower (SPWR – Last trade $129.11) is a subsidiary of CY.
How efficient can we make thin-film solar cells?
I must admit that I've never been a fan of SolarFun (SOLF – Last trade $22.95). Good Energies, a Switzerland-based investor specializing in investments in the wind and solar segments, takes a different view. Good Energies has entered into an agreement to buy shares from SOLF's Chairman and other current shareholders to bring its stake…
Good ol' Jay Leno once said that "politics is just show business for ugly people". And thanks to the politicians the sexy solar sector just got ugly. Solar investors have been driving up valuations as if solar was going to take over the world tomorrow, and these investors have now been forced to wake up…
The world’s largest solar system integrator, Germany’s Conergy Energy (CGY.DE – Last trade €27.24), recently pre-announced that they will miss their earnings estimates due to delays in receiving solar modules. It therefore comes as no surprise that the company plans an assertive shift to more in-house production, and MEMC Electronic (WFR – Last trade $71.16)…
Photo:lynnieb, Creative Commons, Flickr Is the solar industry about to sell its soul? The emerging consensus is that solar is a commodity, and the only thing that matters is cost per watt. The quicker the industry can reduce costs, the quicker solar technology can be introduced to the masses, and the more valuable your solar…
Photo:Peter Duhon, Creative Commons, Flickr I stumbled out of bed last week, made a cup of coffee and turned on CNBC to get up to speed with the latest earnings results before heading out to work. The first thing I saw was a panel of talking heads discussing whether the Fed was going to cut…
As an alcoholic, the first step to recovery is to admit that you are an alcoholic. The same principle applies to Wall Street banks in the aftermath of the recent credit crunch: the first step to recovery is to disclose the size of losses during the recent market turmoil. At the start of October, several…
No, I am not about to embark on some anti-war propaganda, nor am I implying that LDK Solar (LDK) has anything to do with the messy conflict in the Middle East. What I am commenting on is the excessive growth of the solar industry that we are witnessing, and how this same prosperity could very…
Photo:bibliogrrl, Creative Commons, Flickr It looks like the glass is always half full at chip equipment giant Applied Materials (AMAT – Last trade $21.04). The company’s Chief Technology Officer, Winfried Hoffmann, said in a recent Reuters interview that he expects tight supplies of polysilicon, a key component in solar cell production, to ease from this…
Here at The Panelist, we have noticed that it has become fashionable to trash the U.S. dollar, which is why it doesn’t surprise me that supermodel Giselle Bundchen has asked to be paid in any currency except the greenback. Fashion is the consensus of a small group of people, and we sometimes need, as Derek…
Press releases are like first dates. Everybody tries to make a good impression until that unavoidable awkward moment at the end of the date (Run away? Handshake? Hug? Kiss? Your place or mine?) Just like singles on a first date, press releases rarely talk about the bad stuff. After reading a recent press release from…
Yesterday, the World Bank said that China has the capacity to absorb the impact of the recent international financial market turmoil if it spreads to its robust economy. “Even if the financial crisis brings about a global economic slowdown, it will help China to adjust its pace of economic development,” said Louis Kuijs, senior economist…
MEMC Electronic Material (WFR – Last trade $58.82) reported last week that a construction incident at its Pasadena, Texas, polysilicon facility resulted in a power outage to the entire site. Although the power was eventually restored later that day, the unplanned and abrupt shutdown of high temperature and pressure chemical operations caused considerable complications. The…
Here’s some great news for solar investors: Despite the recent market turbulence, oil fundamentals remain tight and prices are finding a solid footing in the face of aggressive short-selling by some speculators. Even if prices on Wall Street nosedive, solar stocks could remain well-supported as a hedge against higher energy costs.
Photo:Ben Bawden, Creative Commons, Flickr The drive for carbon reduction has many critics. Brace yourself for a heated lecture if you are lucky enough to bump into one of these critics at your next house party. They will spend hours telling you about the true origins of global warming, and they will blame rising food…
Have we now found a bottom for stocks? In Part 2 we recommended the "wait-and-see" approach, as more economic data is needed to show the impact of the subprime meltdown. I'm not going to pretend that it's easy to call a top or a bottom, but I believe that there is good value out there.
Shopping for bargains in the solar sector? As we pointed out in Part 1, some selling may have been overdone, creating attractive entry points for solar investors. I wish I can sit here and write about why you should buy TrinaSolar (TSL – Last trade $41.77) after they surprised everyone with their recent earnings report. I…
It finally happened! On Friday the Fed cut its discount rate – what it charges banks for direct loans – by 0.5% to 5.75%, in an effort to increase liquidity in longer-term loans and bonds. But Bernanke-bashing is alive and well, and there is a choir of analysts saying that Bernanke has gone soft on…