INDUSTRYNEWS CSP looks bright for North America


THE concentrating solar power (CSP) industry in North America has experienced setbacks in recent months, including a number of large CSP projects facing lawsuits or being replaced by solar photovoltaic (PV) projects. A new report published by IDC Energy Insights titled, Business Strategy: Make-It-or-Break-It Time for Concentrating Solar Power (Document # EI227491), evaluates the challenges faced by the industry and reveals why it is too early to give up on CSP.


Large CSP plants have been facing challenges due to the difficulty of siting them without disturbing environmentally or culturally sensitive lands, and the difficulty of financing projects that incorporate unproven technologies. At the same time, CSP plants face serious competition from PV, as PV plants continue to drop in price, are relatively quick to permit and build, and investors are comfortable financing them.


Despite these challenges, CSP technology holds three advantages over PV technology that make it attractive for solar projects: it delivers higher quality power, it experiences fewer intermittency


issues (and can go so far as to provide baseload power if storage is incorporated), and it has the potential to use integrated storage to align its output with peak demand periods.


“Over the next few years, it will be critical for the CSP industry to demonstrate technical viability and cost effectiveness, to gain the confidence of investors and expand its foothold in the market,” said Jay Holman, research manager for IDC Energy Insights’ Renewable Energy Strategies research advisory service. “This means completing projects that are currently in the pipeline on time and on budget, while pursuing markets where they can extract a premium for the grid- friendly power CSP provides.” While large CSP projects enable high


efficiencies and low costs, smaller projects are easier to site, permit, and finance. In the report, Best Practices: Finding the Sweet Spot for Micro CSP, The Holaniku at Keahole Point Case Study (Document # EI227275), IDC Energy Insights provides an in-depth analysis of an innovative micro CSP project that uses technology optimized for projects in the 2-50 MW size range. The approach, which incorporates two hours of thermal energy storage, attempts to bring the benefits of CSP to smaller, more manageable and more financeable locations.


In some states, utilities are mandated under Renewable Portfolio Standards (RPS) to generate a certain percentage of their power using renewable energy methods such as wind and solar power and, as such, are motivated to contract with or build new renewable energy plants, including those run by CSP. CSP systems use lenses or mirrors to concentrate large areas of sunlight, which convert to heat to drive a steam turbine connected to an electrical power generator, producing renewable electrical power.


MEMC resumes wafer production in Japan ahead of the original schedule.


MEMC Electronic Materials announced that it has resumed production of 300mm wafers at its facility in Utsunomiya, Japan following the earthquake that occurred on March 11. The facility has been shipping unaffected product and has resumed production on qualified process tools, while continuing to inspect, qualify, and ramp additional equipment.


Production yield on operating tools has been comparable to pre-earthquake levels, raw material availability has been good, and power availability has improved. Full 300mm production is targeted to be achieved by the middle of May.


The facility’s small volume of 200mm wafer capacity, previously scheduled to be moved to the company’s Ipoh, Malaysia site during the third quarter of 2011, is now in the process of being moved


“I am very proud of the character and resolve displayed by our employees in responding to this disaster and recovery,” commented Ahmad Chatila, MEMC’s Chief Executive Officer. “As a company we came together, forming worldwide response teams within hours of the earthquake, to make certain that our first


15


priority, the safety of all employees and their families, was assured.


Also within hours of the quake, we began facility inspections and hundreds of additional employees around the world initiated efforts to repair damage and resume production. My sincerest thanks go out to our employees whose commitment and focus enabled us to resume production so quickly. However, our foremost thoughts remain with the Japanese people during the recovery.”


“In the overall semiconductor and electronics industries, many have been affected by this disaster in Japan. We continue to listen intently to needs and ideas in the marketplace to help lessen the impact of this tragedy on our customers, potential customers and others in the industry.”


www.solar-pv-management.com Issue IV 2011


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45  |  Page 46  |  Page 47  |  Page 48