Any strategies which reduce installation costs that are implemented by PV installers in the US will get a free boost from the falling price of modules. However there is no such bonus for solar thermal installers, which forces them to count more on selecting specific equipment and other strategies of labor to bring down the costs of their system.  The biggest savings is currently offered by “balance-of-system”, aka, BOS, solar thermal, because the cost of traditional technologies has little potential to go down.

Many installers find the economic challenges of the residential solar thermal community more difficult than commercial and industrial ones, and an all in one system gives a further opportunity for savings in both labor and BOS.  Though they won’t work for every situation; an all in one solar thermal system can help installers save bid on equipment costs, and this can be the difference in the feasibility of a project.

Variously advertised as plug and play, prepackaged, or solar thermal kits, all in one systems are well reviewed by installers and customers for their ease of use and effectiveness. Wagner Solar has even begun removing traditional elements from their all in one system; Secusol.

The Secusol avoids overheating because of its hybrid, “unpressurized drain back system”, and it doesn’t need a separate tank or pump station, as it drains fluid straight into the coil, and the pump attached beneath the heat exchanger, leaving all elements within the unit itself; the entirety of liquid is returned to the system and none is left in the collectors once the pump is finished, so it will never overheat.

“With the collectors and the racking on the roof, we can run the lineside connection in the side or outside, and you won’t see more than a tank with insulation if you put it inside. “ said Stephen Sawicki, director at Wagner Solar.  The Secusol reaps further savings for installers because of its wide range of features including a preset controller, components for siphoning and pouring, and an insulated line set, according to Sawicki.

“It’s common for people to call us during filling simply because it seems too easy. There’s no need to set pressure or anything.” He says. The company says its model allows a decrease in installation time of 50% in contrast to traditional methods.

The Secusol is offered in 12 different designs and kits, with various options like gallon size (66 or 93), placement of collectors, and specializations for specific climates like the Southeast or North.

The Installers

The real test of any product is if it works as effectively in real life.

The owner of SEO Solar Store in Barrington, New Hampshire, Jack Bingham, says that he was asked to installed two prototype Secusol models, and that since that he’s done at least a dozen installations, with most of them in residential homes. Bingham says that it has proved effective against the winter in the North and has been able to produce hot water consistently with no issues. “They’ve exceeded our expectations” he says.

A solar company in Scotia, New York, Allura Solar, has done one Secusol installation, and says the customer has been “ecstatic” about the performance of the machine, Michael Cellini, President of Allura Solar, says.

They’re currently undergoing a second installation with a new method which Cellini says is a great opportunity for the installation. “We can easily do an all in one system with any new build, no matter the floor plan, because we just pre-install conduits in the walls, so that it’s solar ready whether they want it or not” says Cellini.

The layout of the Secusol can be tougher for retrofit. “The collectors have to be above the tank for a drain back system, and this can’t always be accommodated.”  The height of the building of the installation is also important. It’s good for a typical 2 story home if the system is in the basement.  Cellina and Bingham each denote the ease with installing the Secusol, though Cellini says that a one day installation may be difficult.

The Economics

Caleffi Solar in Milwaukee has provided many different residential applications, which offer anything from collectors to tubing to controls. “You only need the screws on the roof to get it up. No torches, no welding, nothing too tough” says Bob Rohr, training manager of Caleffi.

They hope to bring down costs for both installers and customers with different packages. There are many advantages to these setups, with dealers not needing to contend with customers calling about repairs and such.

“We make it so anyone can operate it with no difficulty” says Rohr, even saying that installers benefit with increased access. However the labor of rooftop installations is still a problem, both for physical problems and technical problems, and many companies either keep their systems on the ground or work with roofing companies.

For residential solar thermals, any savings helps, but can all in one make that much of a difference?

“When we first developed these kits it was mostly for residential application, but now we do more commercial work than anything else” Rohr says.  Sometimes the gap can be bridged by savings, and the Secusol is best for customers looking for affordable options. Wagner claims it’s the lowest priced home solar thermal system in its home state.  However, Rohr warns of taking this thrifty, cost cutting strategy too far, saying “You can only go so low with the price and still offer high quality.”

Article written by Jennifer Coleman of Sun Source Solar Energy Brokers, providing solar brokering, brokerage, and solar energy consulting services in Santa Rosa, Marin, Sonoma, Napa, Solano and San Francisco Counties.  For more information, please visit www.SunSourceSolarBroker.com.

Virtual metering is the practice of having another property owner host solar panels on their roof; to create energy for their own use, while selling the excess energy to a consumer who cannot host solar panels on his own roof.  Utility companies, municipalities, and even independent investors often fund these, which gives rise to the name “Community Solar”. 

Virtual metering allows you to take advantage of solar anywhere, regardless of whether you’re renting, living within a homeowner’s association, or have predominant shade issues over your roof.  It’s also a low cost option which makes solar power available to lower income families and homes.

“The concept is akin to leasing a panel and putting it on your home, except with Community Solar it’s a larger array which is put on the territory of a utility service or municipality. All risks for ownership and maintenance are appropriated by the utility service, which makes for lower costs, fewer obligations for customers, and no aesthetic worries.” says Mike Taylor, research director for the SEPA (Solar Electric Power Association).

 Could Virtual Metering Be the Solar Model of the Future?

Taylor, research director at SEPA, maintains that virtual metering is a key to the increased usage of solar power in the country. “Utility companies are gaining interest in virtual metering, and the low prices of solar are expanding that interest. Getting the benefits and yields of solar power into the hands of more people across more diverse demographics is hugely important. Community solar could be offered by as many as 30 utilities by the time the year is up. However it’s still a niche market and there are other factors to take into consideration.”

These factors include the economic climate and the possible rise of utility prices otherwise, “If solar power is successful in reducing the amount of electricity used significantly, then utilities will no longer have the ability to cover the cost of maintaining the grid of electricity, which could force them to raise prices, and the electric grid is still crucial to our everyday lives. The added cost would in large part have to be accounted for by those without solar.”

These factors, which Taylor mentions, are similar to those brought up by Scott Gordon, the senior VP of HelioPower, who spoke about a possible “grid of the future”. Gordon says that as more people move to solar, utilities will move away from generation and creation towards distribution. Hence, the ability of community solar and virtual metering to create energy could work to keep energy costs from escalating out of control, as well as, inadvertently penalizing the “have -nots”.  

Article written by Jennifer Coleman of Sun Source Solar Energy Brokers, providing solar brokering, brokerage, and solar energy consulting services in Santa Rosa, Marin, Sonoma, Napa, Solano and San Francisco Counties.  For more information, please visit www.SunSourceSolarBroker.com.

Fact: Ambient light is perfectly sufficient for solar panels, and they can produce significant amounts of energy on days with poor weather. Solar panels are more effective in these temperatures than in hotter temperatures. This may seem contradictory, take for instance, solar panels in Sacramento, which is mostly sunny, are only one percent more effective than those in San Francisco, which is often foggy. Also take into consideration that Germany is the leader in home solar, a region of the world known for cloudy and overcast weather.

Excess solar energy can be stored in batteries.

Fact: A solar panel connected to utility grid electricity is not applicable to battery storage, unless you are living off the utility grid where public electricity is not available. Any excess energy that your system generates is returned to the grid through a process called “net metering”. When this occurs the meter goes in reverse and your energy company gives you credit for this excess power. On overcast days or during the night you use supplied grid power, but it’s often not charged to you because of all the credit you’ve accumulated via net-metering. This method of grid tying is the most efficient for homeowners, whereas batteries would be costly and unnecessary.

Work is required to maintain solar panels.

Fact: There are no parts on the solar panel that move or will need maintenance with any frequency. It is recommended that you wash off panels about every year with a hose, but it’s common for owners to never clean panels and simply let the rain do the washing. The efficiency lost in by doing this is very little over the lifetime of a solar panel. It is recommended you remove sizable debris which falls onto the panel. Modern solar systems come with technology which allows you to monitor the efficiency and output of your panels. Your system is often monitored by the installer via remote metrics, so they’ll know about any drops in power long before you realize any loss.

Solar panels may damage my roof.

Fact: Solar panels are actually effective in protecting the part of the roof that they cover because less sunlight and harsh weather are able to reach and damage your roof.  If you do have an unrelated problem with the roof the panels can be easily removed. Most types of panels aren’t even connected to the roof directly but to a system of railings. When railing mounts are penetrated into your roof, sealants are added to fill any holes or crevasses.  In addition, the mounts often have a metal flashing surrounding or covering them which protects from water leaks.  The best practice here is to have a licensed roofer work with your solar installer, so that BOTH contractors are professionally addressing your roofing concerns and the condition and age of your roof before solar panel rails and mounts are attached.

Solar is too expensive for it to outweigh the cost of equipment and installation.

Fact: It’s a misconception that solar is a luxury item, only for those households with disposable income.  Solar panels are actually a cost effective and financially advantageous concept [if] you discern the pros and cons of energy return; return on investment or if your money may be more wisely spent elsewhere. The upfront costs that used to be associated with solar are mostly gone with the help of financing or lease options.  These days, it’s feasible to step into solar with little to no down payment. On average solar panels will deliver two to four times the return in money you save in electricity. Generally it will have paid for itself within seven to fifteen years.  Overall, I would go for a residential return ratio of no more than ten years, and fifteen years if you’re a business owner who has no other option for producing energy at a reduced rate.

I’ll still receive electricity to my house when the power goes out.

Fact: Solar is tied to a grid system which INDEED goes down for the count along with the rest of the power around you.  And rightly so, because when the power fails it wouldn’t be safe to force electricity back into the transmission lines.  Therefore, your inverter will recognize this and shut down your solar power system. The only solution for uninterrupted power supply is to purchase your own generator.

Solar panels will increase my property tax.

Fact: In many states, including California, solar panels are exempt from property tax. From a financial point of view this means that solar panels actually make the value of your house go up without increasing your tax base because it’s an added amenity. This isn’t true of other things like pools or decks.  The misconception you may have to negotiate and watch for is when it comes time to sell your home and asking the new buyer to take over the terms of your solar lease contract.  This is usually not a problem, as the system is an amenity to your home’s value and still has many years of productivity.  Don’t fall for the contradiction that the buyer must be credit worthy to take over your lease.  Of course he must be credit worthy, that goes for the assumption of the solar lease AND for being able to purchase a home in the first place.  The two go hand in hand.  A buyer that is not credit worthy to take over your solar lease would certainly have no business being credit worthy to purchase a home.

Advanced tracking systems are required for solar panels.

Fact: Although there is value in having tracking systems which will help increase the efficiency of your panel, they often aren’t worth the increased cost and maintenance. Furthermore, they require additional space, which most homeowners cannot afford by forsaking a loss of real estate (space) on the roof, that is, unless they are ground or pole mount versions.

Article written by Jennifer Coleman of Sun Source Solar Energy Brokers, providing solar brokering, brokerage, and solar energy consulting services in Santa Rosa, Marin, Sonoma, Napa, Solano and San Francisco Counties.  For more information, please visit www.SunSourceSolarBroker.com.

Article written by Jennifer Coleman of Sun Source Solar Energy Brokers, providing solar brokering, brokerage, and solar energy consulting services in Santa Rosa, Marin, Sonoma, Napa, Solano and San Francisco Counties.  For more information, please visit www.SunSourceSolarBroker.com.

The decline in prices is not expected to be stalled by current demand, despite a Q2 increase in installations, which occurred in Germany, increasing the number of installations globally up to 8.2 GW from 4.9 GW in the second quarter of 2011. This seeming temporary rise in demand is rumored to have assisted the decline in prices of slow cells and modules. Though, the demand of cooling equipment increased and is expected to continue to increase for the remainder of the year.

The photovoltaic market for modules decreased from 7.03 and 7.04 billion in the first and second quarter of 2012, to $6.63 billion in the third quarter. Revenues were expected to again decline to 6.62 billion in the fourth quarter of 2012, and so they did. The price of modules fell 14% in the third quarter.  Crystalline module prices also fell further in the fourth quarter by another 9%, down from 0.70/W to 0.64 in September 2012. This trend is expected to ease in 2013, with a forecast price of $0.55 in the fourth quarter.

Factors affecting prices:

Along with overcapacity, the increasing and consistent demand for installations in China, and therefore a reduction in the module exports of China, will cause the price of the global market to sink further. The IHS said “Many solar projects which have been delayed in the country will be revived for the rest of the year and assist the global installation prices, China remains to be a market of low prices.  Because of this, even an exceptional Q4 in China likely will not help in recovery of prices”, said the Principal Analyst of IHS, Stefan de Haan.

He also included, “A reduction in the shipments of modules to Europe by Chinese producers has occurred following an investigation by the European Commission. European wholesalers will try to limit their dependence on suppliers in China in the upcoming quarter in an attempt to balance costs, while the Chinese will reduce their exports voluntarily.”

Ultimately the IHS has predicted that duties on European installations will not be imposed, but that continuing pressure on prices for Chinese suppliers is increased because of confusion over the finality of this decision, which will be made in December of 2013.

Overcapacity is expected to decrease and enable the market for photovoltaics to pick up in the second quarter of 2013. An increase of 10% on photovoltaic installations globally is expected for the entirety or 2013, despite a weakened demand in Europe, because of increases in China and Japan.

Article written by Jennifer Coleman of Sun Source Solar Energy Brokers, providing solar brokering, brokerage, and solar energy consulting services in Santa Rosa, Marin, Sonoma, Napa, Solano and San Francisco Counties.  For more information, please visit www.SunSourceSolarBroker.com.

The problem is such, that the “Polysilicon and Wafer Supply Chain Quarterly Report” for the third quarter, produced by NDP Solarbuzz, reported that the majority of poly silicon producers are losing money. Furthermore, poly silicon capacity will likely increase in the future, 2012 is expected to yield 22% growth with 18% percent more in 2013.

A Few Factoids:

The average price of poly silicon for photovoltaic (PV) applications is expected to go down 52 percent in 2012, along with the expected decline of plant utilization to 63% from 77% in 2011.

“Higher capacity is the last thing needed in poly silicon these days, but despite that many of the new plants simply can’t be abandoned.” Vice president of NDP Solarbuzz Charles Annis said. “There are even producers increasing capacity, trying to keep their costs down. Developing new technology, such as the adoption of hydrochlorniation, is one thing producers are doing, along with increasing capacity productivity.”

Poly silicon capacity in 2012 will rise above 385,000 tons, 70 percent of which is in the hands of tier 1 production companies. These tier 1 producers can single handedly satisfy complete poly silicon demand expected in the end of market forecast.

Industry Exits:

Analysts believe that, barring a surge in the demand of the market, many producers in tiers 2 and 3 will be forced to leave the industry in the upcoming year and a half.   Some tier 1 producers may not even be able to stay alive over time.
The price of poly-silicon is expected to stabilize when we reach 2013 at about $21/kilogram, given that the surviving producers in the market get their rates of utilization in conjunction with the end market demand, while making sure that the selling price will remain above up-front costs.

“Any anti dumping or countervailing measures on imported poly-silicon applied by the Ministry of Commerce in Chine will likely lead to an increase in prices,” said Annis. “This will only benefit a few poly-silicon producers, though, and only local Chinese. These measures will harm foreign and Chinese producers as well, and it will do nothing to help fix the oversupply of poly-silicon and could slow down market growth because of the price increase.”

The report adds that any increase in the price of poly-silicon will be minimized by multiple factors, including the supply offered by first tier producers and the demand of the end market in the near future.  Overall, involvement in PV solar is still a goal of big poly silicon producers. In the future, economies of scale, cheap structures, and ever growing productivity will benefit greatly as the volume of shipments grows.

Commentary on Purchasing:

Given no indication that the solar poly-silicon oversupply will come to an end, purchasing activity is being transferred to the cheaper spot market, which partially triggered a drastic 11 percent tumble in the price in April, says the Perspective Market Brief for iSuppli PV and Price Index for iSuppli Poly-silicon published by data and analytics service IHS.

Poly-silicon for photovoltaic solar cells sold for a drastically low April price of $27.20 a kilogram, in contrast to the March price of $30.70. This marked the first drop below $30 for the average price of weighted poly silicon.

This decline in pricing is due primarily to increasing volumes of sales in spot markets in contrast to contractors. In fact, the volume of the spot market went up by 22 percent between March and April in terms of kilograms.  44 percent of the shipment volume for poly-silicon was accounted for in the spot market, in contrast to 36 percent from March. The rest was accounted for with long term agreement contracts, while pricing fell mainly due to larger volumes of sales on the spot market compared to contract deals.

Glenn Gu, resident analyst of photovoltaics with IHS said, “The newly growing spot market is the new destination for poly-silicon buyers who are looking for better prices, which has caused the price of contracting to drop and a marked April decrease in the ASP. Continued spot market growth is expected in relation to the market for contracting, which only increases pressure on the pricing.”

The stock market prices varied between $19.50 and $30.00 a kilogram, and the average weighted price was $24.20, as indicated by IPPI data. The contract price of LTAs ranged between $37.00 and $18.50 and the average weighted price was $29.40.

In April the contract prices decreased by 7.8 in contrast to the 9 percent decline in spot prices. A continuing growth in the volume and proportion of the spot market signifies that the problem of oversupply and decreasing prices is likely to remain a constant in the near term.

The cash market has third party sellers delivering poly silicon right away for cash. On the other hand, the market for contracts has poly silicon sold directly from the supplier on credit and then delivered and priced with LTAs.

Low prices in spot markets are indicative of a continuing decline in prices. The current trend of oversupply and decreasing prices will end when spot market prices eclipse contracts.

Glut’s Happening:

The oversupply of poly silicon is causing the industry to struggle with production exceeding demand.  This drop in the price of poly silicon will have a subsequent effect on the pricing of systems and solar modules, heaping more misfortune on an industry that is expected to struggle this year.   The world market revenue of solar poly silicon is predicted by IHS to fall from 7.4 billion to $3.7 billion between 2011 and 2012.
 
Staying a Few Steps Ahead:

The Price Index for IHS iSuppli Polysilicon is a way to connect the price of market activity with personal needs.  The Price Index for IHS iSuppli Polysilicon examines LTA and the price of the spot market, the merit and quality of the material that is being made, and other factors including the geographic area of production, the size of the transaction, and the terms of the trade. IHS collects data using surveys among producers and buyers in the industry.  The published information expresses weighted averages which covers 45% of global volume transactions by the month.

Article written by Jennifer Coleman of Sun Source Solar Energy Brokers, providing solar brokering, brokerage, and solar energy consulting services in Santa Rosa, Marin, Sonoma, Napa, Solano and San Francisco Counties.  For more information, please visit www.SunSourceSolarBroker.com.

Article written by Jennifer Coleman of Sun Source Solar Energy Brokers, providing solar brokering, brokerage, and solar energy consulting services in Santa Rosa, Marin, Sonoma, Napa, Solano and San Francisco Counties.  For more information, please visit www.SunSourceSolarBroker.com.

The goal of this blog article is to encourage EVERYONE, but especially small businesses, to find ways to give back to their community, whether it’s through “cause marketing” or volunteerism.   This subject is heavy on my mind, as I’ve been delving into it for the past several months.  So, I thought I’d lend a little of my acquired wisdom to help other small businesses do the same.

So what is “cause marketing”?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9nqTxRt3B6s

Here’s a sample text excerpt taken from an email I sent to one non profit.

My business is looking to partner with non profits; to find a UN-intimidating and Un-alienating way to reach your donors.  In essence, to help donors see the value in using our business services to raise money for your non profit.  When donors choose to use our money saving solar panel broker services to shop for solar, we are empowered to donate a portion of our sales profits to a affiliated charitable non profit, like yours!  The more your donors use our service, the more we donate to your non profit.

One conundrum that I’ve come across with non profits is that they are in need of financial support, but ironically, they have objections to collaborating.  Common objections I face are:

• “It’s not our policy to send our donors marketing collateral to educate them about collaborations with a business to raise money”.

•  It’s against the law for our non profit 501-c3 to solicit donors without having them opt-in to receiving marketing offers.

• “We do not have time to create a cause marketing campaign to raise money”

• “We strapped for staff and time.  We just really need the donations and the volunteers without having to collaborate to become self sustaining”.
  

What to do?

Thoroughly research the non profit with whom you want to engage.  Introduce yourself to the marketing director; who you are and why you are calling.  Ask for an interview prefaced around getting to better understand their fundraising challenges, limitations, and policies.

Be succinct with the non profit and tactfully approach them about a cause marketing campaign.  Ways to be prepared are simple if you use a little empathy and strategy; putting yourself in the non profits shoes.

Learn about what type of obstacles non profits face in fundraising and get an understanding of what it’s like for them to face these challenges.  A great marketing book for non profits is called, “Guerrilla Marketing for Non Profits”.  This book will help you glean what non profits are up against and what ideas of value you may be able to lend to their fundraising efforts.  

Read about “cause marketing” … learn how it works and when, where and why it’s utilized.  Another good read on this subject is a book called “Cause Marketing for Dummies”.

Develop a strategy to approach a non profit with your ideas and be prepared with a sample power point presentation, a copy of your marketing collateral which exemplifies your purpose in affiliating your business with their cause.  Literally paint a picture the association between you and the non profit.  Also, a short slideshow video which demonstrates how you and the non profit are collaborating to help raise money for the community will help show the non profit how “donors” will receive the marketing message.  

By using forethought to package your proposition, you will gain yourself valuable buy-in and a lot less resistance when you approach non profits with a cause marketing campaign idea.

Article written by Jennifer Coleman of Sun Source Solar Energy Brokers, providing solar brokering, brokerage, and solar energy consulting services in Santa Rosa, Marin, Sonoma, Napa, Solano and San Francisco Counties.  For more information, please visit www.SunSourceSolarBroker.com.

Similar to trends in other industries, solar panel prices are no stranger to the changing market perspectives and fickle circumstances of different buyer types. Albeit, there are some unique aspects to the PV and solar technologies marketplace which make it a little more convoluted to navigate. For instance, purchasing solar electric equipment and installation, aka, (integration) nudges itself under a completely different consumer paradigm than to what most are accustomed.  Naturally, most orders come in from those who are connected to the grid via public utility.  Grid PV interconnection customers accounted for 99 percent of the entire industry’s sales in 2011, attributing this large market segment to the presence of solar subsidies and tax incentives.

Solar Wars for Subsidies Aside Conventional Forms of Power:

Because upfront solar panel prices still remain higher than desired, many solar proponents feel that solar subsidies will continue to be necessary to drive sales and protect trade, or at least until “grid parity” is achieved.  However, subsidies for furthering sales and consumption aren’t only for renewable technologies. In fact, regular old smoke belching power facilities receive their own subsidies.  In some areas, public and private power companies actually sell electricity for less than the cost of generating it, where the loss is made up with generous government subsidy money. Plenty of power utilities are government-owned for that matter. Hence, in the final step back through the subsidy lens, we can see that solar panel prices don’t get an equal opportunity in this sort of scheme.

Subsidy Training Wheels Designed for Weaning Off  May Backfire:

PV incentives are supposed to be phased out as solar panel prices continue to drop to a point where consumers can buy solar energy at an affordable price, or when the cost of energy is on par with coal fired electricity.  Thus, early adopters have helped pave the way to lower prices by using subsidies.  However, where current market conditions are driven by these incentives and the mere mention of a new tax rebate is enough to make shoppers rush on the market, this is a short lived event, and when the excitement wanes, so too, the market begins to sink again, and we are back on the teeter-totter of uncertainty.   

Still, the solar industry has been at over capacity in production in recent past and now oversupplied with inventory, and so it suffers from a major problem on the demand side. Manufacturer failures and the new solar anti-dumping laws in the United States have wreaked havoc on solar panel prices. Suntech is a leading manufacturer of PV systems, but the situation they’re in is hardly unique. The value chain stretches through raw materials and machinery before it even reaches people who actually put up rooftop installations. CSP and CPV manufacturers face their own problems. The prices of collector and tracker installations are often skewed, and this means that individual PV manufacturers often face low margins. The result; buyers sometimes hold off as they wait for lower solar panel prices, despite the available subsidies, which make it just as affordable now, than later.

What can you do to get a better perspective?  Consumers interested in the industry should get acquainted with the ABCs of solar panel prices.

Solar Panel Price Trends Part A:  What Does a Solar Panel Really Cost?

Different technology modules come with different price tags.  Learn to differentiate price from quality.  Individuals who buy panels out of the factory pick up the first and lowest price tab. They’re usually not an end-user, however, some savvy consumers who are broker connected and on the “inside track” may buy their solar module units this way.

Installers, distributors, module assemblers, manufacturers and integrators often buy from large facilities where price breaks are given for volume orders. From here, a markup gets added to the tag before they can be moved back on to the open market.

Also, keep in mind that solar brokering is becoming just as common in the PV industry, as is the term “broker” in any other market, like insurance, real estate, automobile, and mortgages.   Solar brokering of panels direct to consumer may prove a keen way to purchase solar modules and cut down on panel costs, especially if your broker is pre-aligned and affiliated with your installer-integrator. Why?  The broker-installer relationship is already there, and you’re more likely to have a smooth transition by utilizing a solar broker-energy consultant rolled into one… to bridge the transaction for you, in both acquiring the lowest cost on solar panels, as well as, introducing you to an installer-integrator, (the brokers affiliate) who will welcome you as a new customer.   It’s true, the installer-integrator will lose his profit margin-markup on the solar panels he could have made in selling to you.  However, what solar brokers may take away from their affiliate-installers markup, they make up for in reaching many more potential customers who will still need the project installers labor service.

Lastly, “inventory sales” among manufacturers are common even in the best economic condition. Since storage is expensive, manufacturers might engage in a fire sale to get things off of their hands. This changes up solar panel prices as well.

Solar Panel Price Trends Part B:  Economic Factors Effect Solar Panel Pricing.

Cost and actual price aren’t necessarily related in the PV industry. There’s really only occasionally a real relationship between the two. In fact, during the early 2000’s the price for PV modules was below the cost of production. During a good deal of the solar power industry’s history, it’s been a buyer’s market.

When the European Feed-in Tariff, (FIT) system came around in 2004, it started to drive demand for PV systems. Prices increased, and the price of polysilicon for making crystalline wafers increased along with demand. Rapid growth caused investors to dump a lot of money into both sides of the industry. As a result, huge multi-megawatt installations started to come into their own, and PV companies turned a profit for the first time.

However, the incentive driven market isn’t sustainable from an economic point of view, and it could eventually collapse even worse than it has already. This is a major problem for younger companies, for they haven’t had a chance to build endurance and backbone for lean and risky times.

Solar Panel Price Trends Part C:  Educating Consumers About the Market.

Teaching the PV electric buying consumers the sage wisdom of solar power can help a long way. Realistic expectations for PV industry performance are important as well. Some buyers prefer to rent their equipment, and their needs can be met by utility ownership and lease packages, while some buyers may benefit from private low interest financing. When the industry was really profitable, it didn’t do enough to educate consumers about energy independence. It focused instead on marketing itself to governmental agencies with promises of grid parity. The industry’s recovery, however, can be hastened by a strong campaign that will change the expectations of consumers.

A while back, it seemed that countless businesses were gearing up for so-called green marketing campaigns. However, it took only a few unethical public propaganda circulations to sour the solar landscape for businesses, investors, and the perceptions of consumers. Since some companies not involved in the PV market engaged in what’s called “green washing” to protect their image, consumers began to question many technologies that were marketed as environmentally friendly. Green washing is essentially claiming that an organization is helping out the environment while actually not making any real changes. Slacker’s activism is a problem in many schemes, and it’s no different when it comes to the solar energy industry. Hence, it will take a lot of work to undo this image and move past the scandals that have been inherited from the mismanaged marketing media of other entities.  However, it can be done with ONE unified message.

Instead of convincing everyone of a dream of extremely cheap installations, PV companies should focus on high quality designs and a unified message. Everyone was fighting each other for years instead of cooperating. This just wasn’t going to work, and now everyone’s learning that the hard way. Realizing that today’s dirt-cheap solar panel prices aren’t healthy is just as vital.

Article written by Jennifer Coleman of Sun Source Solar Energy Brokers, providing solar brokering and solar energy consulting services in Santa Rosa, Marin, Sonoma, Napa, Solano and San Francisco Counties.  For more information, please visit www.SunSourceSolarBroker.com.

A report from Global Data shows us a crystal ball image into the world of solar panel recycling and it could look pretty if we tackle the litany of chemicals associated with dismantling each panel.  According to the firm’s report, end stage PV modules are expected to produce 24,855 tons of waste in 2025. By 2035, the amount is expected to increase to a staggering 1,161,173 tons.

Is there a potential solar trash gold rush on the horizon?  Let’s take a look at the prognosticated financial opportunities of the future.   In 2025, a PV module is expected to generate $0.58 per watt in recycled value, increasing to $1.21 per watt in 2035. Substantiating these figures are the gain in solar panel installations from 2000 to 2010, as well as a forecasted increase in recycling rates.  Lastly, a rise in the market price of solar module materials, such as raw materials, including glass and aluminum adds to the mix.  In all, the total value of recycled crystalline modules is expected to increase from $122 million in 2025 to $12.9 billion by 2035.

The evident demand for solar module recycling will soon become part of the electronic waste, or e-waste stream. Today, the vast majority of e-waste that doesn’t go to the landfill ends up in third world countries, where precautions for preventing toxic exposure to humans, wildlife and the environment are disregarded.  Hence, one organization working to monitor the solar industries recycling practices is the Silicon Valley Toxics Coalition.  SVTC holds the solar industry to its credo, heralding PV as a truly sustainable energy resource.  “In doing so, it works toward polices that reduce the use of toxic chemicals in PV, implementing environmentally and socially responsible recycling systems, and insuring that workers are protected at every stage of the global PV supply chain”.

“SVTC’s annual Solar Score Card” grades solar manufacturers according to standards of product recycling, worker health and safety, chemical use and life-cycle analysis and company disclosure statements. In 2011, the top-ranking manufacturers were SolarWorld, Trina Solar, First Solar, REC and Abound Solar”.

Article written by Jennifer Coleman of Sun Source Solar Energy Brokers, providing solar brokering and solar energy consulting services in Santa Rosa, Marin, Sonoma, Napa, Solano and San Francisco Counties.  For more information, please visit www.SunSourceSolarBroker.com.