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Posted on 05/03/2014 7:17:51 PM PDT by ckilmer
May 3, 2014
$72.15 $0.95 (1.33%)
Last week, the Cleantech Group and Heslin Rothenberg Farley & Mesiti P.C. co-released their 2013 Clean Energy Patent Growth Index, which tracks clean energy patents issued by the United States Patent and Trademark Office. The index is meant to depict a trajectory of innovative activity in the clean energy sector. Among its highlights:
Image credit: Clean Energy Patent Growth Index.
Potential home-court advantage aside, the numbers indicate the U.S. is and will continue to be the hub for solar innovation, which is why SunPower (NASDAQ: SPWR ) and First Solar (NASDAQ: FSLR ) warrant consideration for any solar investor. SunPower, which touts the highest-efficiency commercially available panels has long demonstrated its R&D prowess. In 2013, SunPower took home second solar prize with 28 patents awarded (compared to 10 for First Solar).
But what's more impressive is where SunPower stacks up against non-solar giants. The solar-only, San Jose-company actually makes the top 25 of all clean energy patents issued since 2002-a list that includes the likes of GM, Toyota, GE, and Siemens.
Image credit: Clean Energy Patent Growth Index.
Innovation is at the core of what SunPower does. The company has a nearly three-decade track record in the industry and has long been hailed as the efficiency leader. As Apple reminded Blackberry, in addition to countless other but no less fitting examples, if you're not innovating, you're not winning. And if you're not winning, you're losing.
The New Solyent Green.
Seriously, if you live in a climate with lots of year around sunshine, like southern California and the American Southwest, solar energy can be a good investment.
Mediterranean countries’ homes and businesses have solar energy hookups.
Seriously, if you live in a climate with lots of year around sunshine, like southern California and the American Southwest, solar energy can be a good investment.
I hope they only build them in Bird free zones!!!
How does solar work at night?
Ignorant question.
During the day the panels charge batteries that are used during the night time.
Sorry I thought you were being snarky.
Re: “During the day the panels charge batteries that are used during the night time.”
Electrical storage devices are very expensive, for individual homes and for large commercial projects.
Can you give me a link for any solar installation where a solar + battery system is operating at a practical and unsubsidized cost?
The great thing about solar is that it’s way bigger than the monstrously expensive PV arrays that the dimwits in DC focus on. The best solar investments are DIY projects:
You can build these for a few hundred to a couple thousand dollars, some of which will pay for themselves in a year or two.
And projects for every climate too. Like space heating a Montana barn in the dead of winter.
I don’t live in an arid or semi arid climate nor do I pay much attention to solar but its clear to me that if solar power keeps dropping in price for the next decade at the same rate it did in the last decade — then— instead of seeing solar farms dotting the landscape of the southwest from a jet as you fly to LA—most of the US southwest will covered with solar farms. Plus all the roofs of the houses will have photovoltaic arrays or some such.
When the numbers work everything else works
Might take 20 years but it will happen.
It's still very expensive and low efficiency.
Deep-cycle batteries are expensive as well - but the way to make it work is to reduce consumption.
"Practical" is relative. I see Solar as merely a way to reduce dependence on the grid AND be ready for grid down situations - 24/7 power for the fridge, freezer, and few electrical outlets.
We have tons of sunshine where we live. The problem is the systems are exorbitantly expensive. A 20 year payoff is just not in the cards. Besides I would hope that in 20 years the systems they have now would be seriously outdated......which means you just paid off something worth nothing.
Until the prices come down it just doesn’t make sense. And I am one who would love a total roof coverage of solar if possible.
They are finding out these vapor ovens are killing hundreds of birds that fly over!!!
They are finding out these vapor ovens are killing hundreds of birds that fly over!!!
................
true. but industry talk is that that solar thermal plant is likely the last of its kind to be built. but its not because of the birds. its because they’re too expesive.
the new ones coming onstream will be photovoltaic. they’re cheaper
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