Thin Film Share to Plunge Further We in Greenworldinvestor have been saying for a long time that thin film PV solar is a losing investment. There have been numerous bankruptcies during the last major downturn in 2008; and this time has been even worse. Most of the thin film startups have gone belly up and […]
My last article on GE-FSLR collaboration raised many readers’ doubts about why I think this agreement will not be very fruitful. Hence here goes another article to further emphasize on my stance. Cadmium Tellerium technology which has been made popular by First Solar (FSLR) is in imminent danger of being made obsolete by the huge […]
FSLR acquires GE’s Thin Film technology First Solar is the world’s leading producers of solar panels with a solar panel technology that differs from almost all of its competitors. First Solar Solar Panels use Cadmium-Tellurium Thin Film Solar technology, while the majority of the Solar Industry uses Crystalline Silicon Technology. Despite stiff competition from the silicon technology and […]
Cadmium Tellurium Thin Film Solar Technology championed by thin film solar panel leader First Solar is set to become a victim of capitalism’s creative destruction as cheap crystalline silicon panels from China have forced Abound Solar and GE to down shutter on their factories. Note Cd-Te which is the largest selling thin film technology in […]
GE is one of the biggest companies in the world and has one of the biggest Green businesses as well.GE is the most profitable wind turbine manufacturer and is one of the largest renewable energy developers in the globe as well.GE like other electrical and power conglomerates like Siemens has decided to invest billions of dollars into Green Energy.Till recently Solar Energy had gotten scant attention from GE just like Siemens too has not invested a lot.However the 50% CAGR rates of Solar Energy,the fast declining costs have made it imperative for GE to have a presence in this market.GE had bought a thin film solar company Prime Solar a few years ago to acquire the Cadmium Tellerium Technology which First Solar uses in its Solar Panels.
First Solar is going to the biggest producer of solar panels in the world despite having a solar panel technology which differs from almost all of its competitors.First Solar Solar Panels use Cadmium-Tellurium Thin Film Solar Technology while the majority of the Solar Industry uses Crystalline Silicon Technology.Despite the difference First Solar is the most valued solar stock in the world and has been for a long time.Despite stiff competition from the silicon technology and most of the thin film companies going bankrupt,First Solar has managed to hold on cutting costs and improving yields continuously.In fact First Solar Solar Panels have the lowest cost of production in the world.First Solar Solar Panels efficiency has also increased in the last few years such that First Solar is now targeting commercial segments of the market.Note First Solar earlier used to sell solar panels mostly to developers and utilities to build ground mounted solar panel farms where the lower efficiency of the Cd-Te solar panels did not matter.The reason is that in large solar farms space and area constraints are not there unlike in rooftops where the space is a major issue.