Solar

The upside to the brutal global competition in the solar industry is a steady and sizable price drop for homeowners and utilities.

The Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory yesterday released the latest figures in a multiyear study of price trends for solar photovoltaic equipment and installation. Overall, the study, commissioned by the Department of Energy and the Clean Energy States Alliances, paints a picture of a maturing industry and falling product prices.

From 2009 to 2010, the price of a residential solar electric system fell 17 percent to $6.20 per watt, or a $1.30 decline. Measured from 1998, the … Read more

Calisolar announced today it's firing 80 workers from its polysilicon solar-cell manufacturing plant in Sunnyvale, Calif.

The solar start-up, which was founded in 2006, has more than 350 employees, according to the company Web site.

As with many solar manufacturers, Calisolar has been plagued by a price war against cheaper solar cells made by foreign manufacturers. Solar cell prices have dropped drastically in the last year, forcing companies like Evergreen Solar and Solyndra to file for bankruptcy.

But in this case, the job loss in California may be balanced out by job creation by the company in Mississippi.

Calisolar … Read more

SAN FRANCISCO--In 20 years, a majority of new cars will be electric and the world's single largest source of energy will be solar power, Tesla Motors and SpaceX founder Elon Musk said today.

Speaking at the TechCrunch Disrupt conference here, the 40-year-old billionaire co-founder of PayPal shared his vision of the future, and also gave the room full of would-be entrepreneurs some sobering advice about what they should expect when trying to get companies off the ground.

"Expect it to be difficult," Musk said. "A friend phrased it well: 'Starting a company is like eating glass … Read more

SAN FRANCISCO--In a "fireside chat" at TechCrunch Disrupt today, Silicon Valley venture capital guru John Doerr announced the launch of Erly, a new social network built around "experiences."

Doerr, the Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers partner who is considered among the most important VCs in Silicon Valley, said during an interview by TechCrunch founder Michael Arrington that Erly was built around the idea of "a different kind of interaction, an experience graph." Erly was founded by Eric Feng, the founder of Hulu (who was also a Kleiner, Perkins partner).

Erly's first product is … Read more

The laws of supply and demand are actively at work in the solar industry with two direct effects: the death of some solar panel providers and a boost in the number of solar panels installed in the U.S.

Research company Solarbuzz today reported that rapidly falling solar panel prices this year contributed to a sharp increase in planned non-residential solar projects. Two months ago, the pipeline of projects was 17 gigawatts' worth of solar capacity; it now stands at 24 gigawatts.

Commercial-scale solar projects can be solar arrays at businesses or other organizations, such as utilities. Much of the … Read more

The CEO of government-backed solar company Solyndra was visited by the FBI yesterday but agents did not search his house, according to a Solyndra representative.

The Washington Post reported yesterday that the home of Solyndra CEO Brian Harrison was searched after the FBI conducted a surprise raid at Solyndra's Fremont, Calif., solar panel plant. ABC News reported today the FBI also searched the homes of former CEO Chris Gronet and another executive, who is said to be co-founder Kelly Truman.

Solyndra spokesperson David Miller confirmed that agents came to Harrison's home but no search occurred. "FBI agents spoke to Brian Harrison at his house, they did not search it," Miller said.

An FBI representative today could not confirm or deny whether agents visited or searched anyplace other than Solyndra's headquarters, saying it is a sealed investigation. The FBI and the Department of Energy's Office of Inspector General spent the better part of yesterday in a joint search of Solyndra's offices where agents were seen taking documents.

It's still not clear what information the FBI and Energy Department are seeking, but it is expected to be related to the company's $535 million loan guarantee it secured from the Department of Energy in 2010 to build the Fremont factory. The Energy Department's Office of Inspector General conducts audits and investigations around the agency's programs. … Read more

A Democratic senator today urged President Barack Obama to use U.S. trade laws to restrict surging imports of solar panels from China in a sign that high U.S. unemployment is increasing trade tensions.

"The American solar industry is facing unparalleled challenges and without the leadership of your administration this industry may disappear leaving behind additional workers without employment," Sen. Ron Wyden said in a letter.

"Letting that happen is unacceptable."

The plea came just days after solar-panel maker Solyndra filed for bankruptcy, becoming the third U.S. solar firm to succumb to pressure from China in recent weeks.

Solyndra said it had been unable to bring down its costs quickly enough to compete with cheaper panels from China despite receiving more than $535 million in U.S. federal loan guarantees.

"Chinese imports of solar panels are surging and are on pace to increase 240 percent this year, compared to 2010," Wyden said. "Furthermore, imports of Chinese solar panels increased 1,593 percent between 2006 and 2010."

The Oregon Democrat said the Obama administration has "ample tools" to restrict the imports, including possible anti-dumping or countervailing duties. … Read more

Google disclosed how much electricity it uses as a company for the first time today when the Internet giant described how it has cut carbon emissions.

Google said today that it consumes 2.26 kilowatt-hours per user per year, about the same amount of energy as running a 60-watt lightbulb for three hours. By investing in renewable-energy projects and purchasing carbon offsets, Google has cut the greenhouse gas impact of providing its services to zero, Google's vice president of technical infrastructure, Urs Hoelzle, said on the Google Green blog.

The total amount of electricity Google uses from its operations … Read more

The FBI is searching the offices of solar company Solyndra in Fremont, Calif., this morning, the agency confirmed.

Agents began the search around 7:30 a.m. PT and were seen interviewing employees and moving in the parking lot of Solyndra's offices, the San Jose Mercury News reported today. The ongoing search is part of a joint operation between the FBI and Department of Energy's Office of Inspector General, an FBI representative said.

Solyndra last week abruptly shut down its solar panel manufacturing operation in Fremont and laid off more than 1,000 workers. On Tuesday, it declared bankruptcy … Read more