Category Archives: Greentech Media
Greentech Media is an integrated online media company designed to deliver the highest-quality content in the industry, whether it is research, news or critical networking events. Greentech Media is headquartered in Cambridge, Mass., with operations in New York City, San Francisco and Munich.
The PV Solar Industry in 2016
Four years is a long time in the solar industry. Think about what’s happened in the U.S. industry since 2009: We’ve seen a recession, a massive boom in federal spending, a precipitous drop in solar module prices, a wave of bankruptcies, a nasty trade battle with China, a slowdown in utility-scale projects, a strong gain [...]
Suntech Closes Arizona Factory
Suntech, on the heels of several losing quarters and a boardroom bloodbath involving the removal of its wealthy founder as chairman, is closing its 50-megawatt Goodyear, Arizona solar panel factory. This was a factory once heralded by Suntech (and its former CCO Andrew Beebe), as a sure sign that Suntech was committed to building PV [...]
Dow Chemical Gobbles Up NuvoSun
NuvoSun, a thin-film solar firm founded by former MiaSolé CEO Dave Pearce, was just acquired by Dow Chemical. Dow had invested in the firm in early 2010. According to sources close to the deal, NuvoSun is now a wholly owned subsidiary of Dow Chemical. Dow has not yet responded to our inquiries. Presumably, the NuvoSun [...]
Attention Jewish Seniors: Cadillac Introduces New EV Hybrid Vehicle
Cadillac unveiled a first ELR concept back in 2011, and ever since then everyone was pretty sure a production would also follow. Things got pretty clear in 2012 when a leak from OnStar confirmed Cadillac would dive into the hybrid realm with a vehicle not named Escalade. The model finally made its world debut at [...]
CdTe PV Efficiency Record Goes Back to First Solar
Last month we reported on how General Electric quietly stole the cadmium telluride (CdTe) solar cell effficiency crown from First Solar (NASDAQ: FSLR) — with a solar cell clocking in at 18.3 percent. When I asked First Solar CTO Raffi Garabedian for a comment at the time, he was respectful, but said that it didn’t [...]
Amonix Teams Up with Solar Junction
2012 was not a good year for concentrated photovoltaic (CPV) solar firms. GreenVolts went under and Amonix went quiet after shuttering its Nevada factory and laying off much of its staff. Brad Mattson, CEO of Solexant and semiconductor entrepreneur, spoke at PARC recently and suggested that CPV technology might succeed in the shape of a [...]
Big Banks: Scared of Solar Projects?
Given the uncertainty in today’s solar industry, are bank credit committees backing away from solar generation projects? Jennifer Graham, a VP at Prudential Capital Group and panelist at Solar Power Generation 2013, said, “There are certainly a lot more questions,” adding that her institution doesn’t consider solar deals valued at less than $45 million. “‘What [...]
The Future of the Global Renewables Industry
How much renewable energy will the world consume in the coming decades? That depends on who you ask. If you’re an oil company with a stake in the continued use of fossil fuels, you’ll probably downplay the penetration of renewables. If you’re an international organization with a conservative reputation, you’ll probably see moderate growth. And [...]
Rumor: More Layoffs at Nanosolar?
The slashing continues at CIGS solar PV aspirant Nanosolar. Last week Nanosolar went through a round of layoffs, according to sources and verified with a company spokesperson. The spokesperson would not reveal the magnitude of the staff cuts. Sources claimed 75 percent of the staff was let go. The spokesperson said that Nanosolar was “in [...]