Solar Power World

Breaking Solar News: China Is Slapped with High Solar Tariffs

The U.S. solar power industry (along with China) has been on its toes since a coalition of solar panel manufacturers filed an anti-dumping complaint last fall. The U.S. Department of Commerce placed mild tariffs on Chinese solar manufacturers in March, but continued to investigate to see if these companies are illegally distorting the market. Today, we finally have a decision. Many... Read More

Solar Policy: It’s True: There IS A Right-Wing Conspiracy To Sabotage Solar

Two weeks ago, I wrote a piece suggesting that the clouds of war were gathering within the United States against its solar industry. I warned that opponents of the industry were gathering together, joining forces and were planning to wage war against the industry. I warned that they would fight us everywhere — from the national level, where they would cut funding, to introducing... Read More

Navigating by the Sun: U.S. Department of Defense White Paper

Principal Solar, Inc has released a white paper entitled Navigating by the Sun: U.S. Department of Defense Takes Aggressive Lead as Early Adopters of Solar Energy. The paper explores the leadership role the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) is playing as early adopters of solar energy technologies. “Driven by climate change and the need for energy security, the DoD’s solar... Read More

Finally, We Have Bipartisan Support

In some of my past show recaps, you’ll sense my frustration with the dissent between parties over renewable energy decisions—particularly the PTC. One former member of FERC noted at a recent wind event that Democrats and Republicans used to agree on clean-energy policy until, basically, Solyndra. Even though this was a horrible loss of tax payer dollars and a crisis for... Read More

India Saw Record $10.3B Clean Energy Investment In 2011

Investment in India out-paces the rest of the world, thanks to the improving cost-competitiveness of wind and solar. Clean energy investments in India reached $10.3bn in 2011, some 52% higher than the $6.8bn invested in 2010. This was the highest growth figure of any significant economy in the world. There is plenty of room for further expansion – in 2011, India accounted... Read More

Electric Generation Adequacy & Reliability Policy Forum

After several threats of rolling blackouts and water issues from 2011, concern in Texas continues to grow over power generation. ERCOT has projected looming shortages of electric generation capacity in the years ahead. Texas Renewable Energy Industries Association, TREIA has invited industry and policy leaders to discuss these issues at the Electric Generation Adequacy & Reliability... Read More

Industry CEOs Launch Global Solar Council

In an effort to expand the solar market in a united, global fashion, representatives of leading international companies in the solar photovoltaic industry launched the Global Solar Council, a CEO-level industry coalition whose aim is to expand the global deployment of solar energy in a sustainable and cost-competitive way. Global Solar Council members will engage with policymakers... Read More

China’s Five-Year Plan For Solar

In addition to an array of illegal subsidies that have enabled China’s state-sponsored solar industry to seize more than half of U.S. and world market share at the expense of U.S. companies and jobs, the government of China recently issued a new Five-Year Plan for solar that provides for even greater government control and support of its industry, according to an analysis commissioned... Read More

Solar Policy: This. Is. War. Will You Join Me In This Fight?

One ought never to turn one’s back on a threatened danger and try to run away from it. If you do that, you will double the danger. But if you meet it promptly and without flinching, you will reduce the danger by half. — Sir Winston Churchill The storm clouds of war are starting to gather over solar policy. We are seeing the early skirmishes going on already on both the... Read More

An Insightful Discussion Of The German Solar Industry, Past And Future

I posted a note on a LinkedIn asking what the heck is going on in Germany. If you follow me on Twitter or on Facebook (@SolarFrankA and @SolarPowerWrld, and Facebook), you know I’ve been a little perplexed about what exactly is going on in the German solar market. One day, I’ll see stories saying it’s up, and the next day there’s an article saying it’s... Read More

A Recap of ABB’s Automation and Power World 2012

I learned something new today. The George Brown Convention Center in Houston is huge! Seriously, it’s ginormous. I know this because I practically walked the entire two miles around the whole thing looking for the door. Once I approached the loading center, I figured it was time to ask for help. Shout out to the member of the cleaning staff who helped me find my way, and... Read More

Solar Speaks: The Tussle In Tennessee

Welcome to the inaugural edition of Solar Speaks, Solar Power World’s podcast series that gives you the opportunity to hear from the industry’s biggest newsmakers — in their own words. In this edition, Editorial Director Frank Andorka talks to Andrew Johnson, executive director of the Tennessee Solar Energy Industries Association, to talk about the Tennessee law that would... Read More

Taxes, Taxes Everywhere (Why Are States Trying To Kill Solar?)

On this Tax Day, when your federal, state and local taxes are due, the time has come to address the taxes on the solar industry. I’m perplexed why some states, including California (CALIFORNIA, for crying out loud), seem to be hellbent on throttling the nascent solar industry in its crib. (I apologize in advance for my rant. It is Tax Day, after all, and I just wrote a huge... Read More

The Solar “News” Story That The Media Got Wrong

Unless we stand up and make sure our voices are heard by anyone who makes false and/or misleading attacks on the industry, misperceptions about solar will continue to fester — doing lasting damage to the industry we all know and love. I suppose it’s easy to get a story like this wrong if you don’t understand the solar industry at all (or, for that matter, the way new... Read More

Solar Trade Dispute: Let’s Hold China Accountable

By Gordon Brinser The Coalition for American Solar Manufacturing, which SolarWorld leads, is striving to remove unfairly traded imports from the U.S. market as a first step toward rekindling robust international competition, growth in U.S. renewable-energy manufacturing jobs and steady and sustainable gains in efficiency and affordability. Unless markets operate on principles... Read More