Solar Economics and ‘what next to subsidize?’ Wholesale solar module prices have stabilized around $0.70/watt, down from over $2 in 2009. Balance of system (labor, aluminum, inverter) costs now exceed module tabs, meaning that solar PV is, essentially, an E&C business, where the arbitrage between cost, subsidy, and power values has primarily accrued to the …
Investment Opportunity for Small Hydro?? Of course, the IEAs definition of renewables includes hydro, which accounts for about 80% of the 2018 forecast. This is all the more impressive given hydropower’s stall in developed markets, largely due to environmental pressures. However, a recent proposal by the Obama administration may bring new projects to the US …
Gee, we didn’t see this Coming (!!!!) – Tunisia, Egypt, Libya, Yemen, Bahrain, Oman – coming, did we? Well, actually, what the locals are calling the ‘internet intifadah,’ a seismic recipe of: Youth – 50-70% of populations under 30 Unemployment – 10-30%, depending on age and location Inflation – Food “consumes” up …
AntiDumping Penalties on Chinese Solar Cells Well, it only took about seven months for the USDOJ to impose penalties on one element of the solar PC supply chain. Following on a previous finding, the agency levied 31-250% surcharges on imported cells, or modules containing Chinese cells. Larger producers who provided data/defense were generally levied …
The Oil Price So Brent has retreated 25% from $126 to ‘below par’ in less than two and a half months, and WTI, the US benchmark, is 20% lower over the same timeframe. What’s changed? Then (March 22) Amidst rising Iranian concerns and news that the IEA would recommend release of crude/product from various Strategic …
The Oil Price So Brent has retreated 25% from $126 to ‘below par’ in less than two and a half months, and WTI, the US benchmark, is 20% lower over the same timeframe. What’s changed? Then (March 22) Amidst rising Iranian concerns and news that the IEA would recommend release of crude/product from various Strategic …
Harsh Reality in the UAE The 60% controlled Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC) concession, featuring minority partners (Shell, Total, BP, ExxonMobil), expires in 2014. Amidst jockeying for renewal and terms, the IOCs are offering carbon capture technology to aid an existing project under the control of Masdar, the UAE’s clean technology entity, where costs …
Oil Markets and Geopolitics – Continued Confusion but Market Tightness Overstated Our view on the 2012 oil market has been that higher prices would be more justified by actual outages (Sudan, Yemen, Russia, Syria) than perceived disruptions (Iran). And so it has been, to date, abetted by product dislocations in the US. Add to supply …
Like solar, LEDs are in massive oversupply, as (among other reasons) the 3-D TV market meets with less market interest than forecast. A leading Taiwanese producer is running at 50% of capacity. But costs are also falling, and prices are getting very close to economic parity with compact fluorescent products. Once $100, a 6 …
CleanTech – Nearing a bottom? In the late 1990s, and again around 2005, Wall Street Research eliminated most of its steel analysts, and consolidated the chemical ‘space’ into one per firm. While not a cause, the moves served as a leading and contrary indicator, as the US steel and chemical industries rebounded – sharply, as …