PV modules dropped below $1 per watt. Everywhere, other than in Ontario

According to latest PV module pricing report by IMS Research, the average cost of Chinese Tier-2 crystalline PV modules dropped to US$0.96 per watt in January. The report cites reduced incentive levels in the major PV markets at the end of last year as having the biggest effect on the prices.
So far, the fierce competition with Chinese manufacturers brought almost all major US PV manufacturers on the verge of bankruptcy.
Meanwhile here, in Ontario, we have a different story. Manufacturers are isolated from global competition by local content rules and can charge ridiculous prices, but the whole industry was put on hold since last May. First, consumer waited election results, then, the provincial government decided to halt a program and review rules.
So far, 2011-2012 are disastrous for the industry...

Decreasing the energy consumption: Virtualization and Clouds

While we can decrease the dirty energy generation by using renewable energy sources (e.g. solar) we shall also keep working on decreasing the energy consumption. The good example how we can do it- virtualization and cloud solutions. This approach can dramatically increase utilization of hardware. No more idling. The good news - more and more businesses think this way.

My Home Solar Installation Completed

Great news! A Solar PV Installation on my house has been completed! It took me almost two years, but we did it. Now I have extra reasons to want good weather and bright sun!

Solar Power International 2010

This month I attended Solar Power International conference and trade show in Los Angeles (Oct 12-14). It was my second time on this biggest (at least in North America) solar trade event. Exposition was huge, but I have not seen any radically new products: e.g. solar shingles.

Solar Industry in Germany: First Glimpse

Finally, I have returned from my trip to Germany. I visited the most prosperous land - the free state of Bavaria. First impression: residential sector is covered just slightly - not more than 10%. However, there are a lot of large ground solar installations.

Trip to Germany: to see Green Energy in Action

I am on my trip to Germany to see by myself how green initiatives work in this country. Germany became undisputed solar energy leader due to their Feed In Tariff. I will try to figure out what we can do differently here, in North America.

New player in photovoltaic solar panels

Solar Source plans to bring 150 full-time jobs with the first 30MW phase of the photovoltaic solar panels manufacturing plant in Windsor, Ontario. The second phase will bring an additional 50 jobs to total 200 jobs for the plant. The company promises to invest “well in excess of $40 million” in its Windsor launch, with the first solar panels to be coming off the line by the end of 2010 at an operation expected to employ up to 200 people by next year. Depending on the renewable energy marketplace, a Windsor workforce can be up to 500 within three years.

Solar Source Ontario is a joint venture of a subsidiary of Canadian merchant bank Solar Bancorp Inc. and India-based multinational HHV.

Visit the following links to learn more about domestic content and photovoltaic solar panel installation in Ontario.