GE to build nation's largest solar power plant

GE to build nation's largest solar power plant

www.cbsnews.com

General Electric Co. announced Thursday that it would spend $600 million to build the nation's biggest solar panel factory. It would build the same type of so-called thin film solar panels manufactured by First Solar Inc., the biggest producer of solar panels in the world.

GE also announced Thursday that testing by a government laboratory showed that its panels set an efficiency record for this type of thin film panel, made from the elements cadmium and tellurium.

(visit the link for the full news article)

The headline seems somewhat misleading. Building largest solar power plant like a solar power generating station? Perhaps that too but the article says they are building the largest solar panel factory.

Is there something new in the works with solar? GE seems to think there is some new promise. If there is a way to get a head of the competition then some of the largest corporations will get in on the game. Green is becoming fashionable.

Still, analysts say GE's size, manufacturing experience, and ability to invest heavily in technology and to finance projects is sure to eventually pressure First Solar and other solar makers.

The big boys can make sure the little fish don't get bigger, at least that is the plan.

"The big boys are entering the space and it doesn't bode well for the smaller players," Chew said.

First Solar shares dropped $2.35 to $148.25. GE shares slipped 30 cents to $20.24.

Well, good news for the consumer? Perhaps. GE has been into wind generators, now this film method of solar looks promising. It may not be the most efficient producer of solar but it is low-cost and that can make the difference. Solar may not make it cheaper but environmentally more friendly can be good.



www.cbsnews.com
(visit the link for the full news article)

The road to hell is paved with good intentions.

Until each person possess private power source for their house, car and otherwise the big boys can set the price no matter where the energy comes from.

Green, coal, nuclear they all can be metered out and a price set.

reply to post by Erongaricuaro


I must admit I'm a little confused about what is happening between the lines here.

At first glance I see cheaper solar but then it looks like GE's production will be far less?

The company did not say where the factory would be built. Abate said it would eventually employ 400 people and be producing panels by 2013. The plant would have the capacity to build 400 megawatts worth of panels per year, enough to power about 80,000 homes. By comparison, First Solar will have 2,300 MW of capacity by the end of this year.

But they go on to say it will be the cheapest panel. Does this mean cheaper per watt?

The only thing I catch for sure is GE is investing heavily to well poised just in case a new technology emerges that makes Solar really worth while. I would imagine this move indicates their analysts feel this is likely.

They bought-out the largest wind powered turbines in Tehachapi, Ca. When the original mills finally break, they hardly ever replace with a new design. They just want to make a token effort and a small profit.
Nice thread S&Fs!

Originally posted by Realtruth
Until each person possess private power source for their house, car and otherwise the big boys can set the price no matter where the energy comes from.

Green, coal, nuclear they all can be metered out and a price set.

edit on 7-4-2011 by Realtruth because: (no reason given)

Your right I have been waiting for this system to come out it was at first going to be $499 and put out 400 watts but I guess that didn't work for them? here is the link www.jetsongreen.com... it would be easy to install you just plug it into and outlet. As for as GE I hope they can make some really good home systems to like the Clarian ones but way better or way cheaper. It's still good to see solar going into service at least it's a start.

This smells of a distraction from GE, a distraction from the GE made reactors poisioning the world with their faulty fukushima reactors . And just incase GE is listening. Well..........Its a bit late GE. GE You have already posioned the world with your nuclear crap, and if you, GE ,thinks this token gesture of your proposed solars park will change this, well you are mistaken. Unless your said GE solar park can take back all of that cancer causing radiation back out of the atmosphere that your GE made fukushima plant is spewing out, well then your solar park means, S%%T.
GE you make me sick, GE you repulse me.

GE payed no taxes to the U.S government Last year and now they are expanding into every energy capability known to man. Why don't we just elect them to president of the United corporations/(States). Hey they declared corporations as a person last year. Why not?

Hail GE and Obama our overlord chat your slogan just like 1984(Yes We Can ) The Bleet of the Obama sheeple.

GE to build nation's largest solar power plant

I guess so they have a couple of their nuclear reactors melting down in Japan.

I wonder how long this idea has been in the works or if it just a reaction to the Japan nuclear crisis.

The trouble I see on the horizon with the energy giants getting in on the renewable deal, is that they always find a way to make thier products unreasonably expensive or to ensure that they get a regular monthly payment from whatever energy production methods they use.

However, this finance driven ideaology surrounding energy supply, distribution and regulation will doom our species regardless of what method is used to produce the energy. It matters not one whit in the long run, wether we die from carbon monoxide poisoning due to heavy pollution, or wether we die off because we cannot afford to keep ourselves warm, or power important equipment in hospitals and so on. The end result is the same.

The only acceptable way for these solar panels to be produced and dispersed is for an affordable price to be attatched to them, so every homeowner or businessman, can afford one without detriment to thier financial circumstances, and to ensure that every single one will continue to function beyond the life of the building on which it is to be placed so that they never require expensive replacement. Of course, like the ever lasting light bulb (the technology for which has existed for at least four decades) no one will want to build them because it wont earn them obscene amounts of money.

I think however, that this is rather the point. Either solar power is virtualy handed over cost free, or we must accept that money is more important in this day and age, than right and wrong, than fairness, and more important than keeping pensioners warm, or providing better circumstances in third world nations. I for one cannot accept that any consideration can outweigh that oppertunity to advance the whole of humanity, and improve all of our lives.

reply to post by Erongaricuaro


GE has some competition. Samsung has a great 241 watt solar panel for only $700.
250 watt solar panels are on the way. SunPower still has the lead on efficiency.

Originally posted by XRaDiiX
GE payed no taxes to the U.S government Last year and now they are expanding into every energy capability known to man. Why don't we just elect them to president of the United corporations/(States). Hey they declared corporations as a person last year. Why not?

Hail GE and Obama our overlord chat your slogan just like 1984(Yes We Can ) The Bleet of the Obama sheeple.

edit on 7-4-2011 by XRaDiiX because: (no reason given)

edit on 7-4-2011 by XRaDiiX because: (no reason given)

And NOW they are expanding into every energy capability?? New to this are you?

Reductio ad Obamum, how clever. "No We Can't" is a better slogan? I don't believe that really gets us anywhere but it does appear to be today's popular refrain.

With the giants entering the solar push I am hoping now we will begin to see some low-cost and efficient power alternatives.

reply to post by Erongaricuaro


This reminded me of a product I heard about a few years ago - some kind of 'fabric' that doubled as siding or roofing. Sounds like GE is trying to diversify, away from nuclear plants.

A quick search for "+solar +fabric" finds this, doesn't seem to be what I recall. But interesting anyway:

The benefits of this type of solar installation are numerous. They are lightweight, flexible, easily deployed, portable, movable, can be hooked up to battery storage, they don’t require heavy or complicated mountings, and you certainly don’t need a permit to install one. Now if only they could develop a “plug and play” installation so individuals could do it themselves, these could easily be on the shelves of Walmart or Ikea and selling like hotcakes.

+ FTL Solar

reply to post by soficrow


soficrow, this is what came to mind after reading your post.

solar shingle

In California, we got fed up with being held up, swindled, cheated, gouged, etc for electricity by the likes of Enron, which prompted an even greater push to go off grid. After going through the rolling black outs and fraud perpetueated by companies in the power business, we knew there had to be a better way.

GE to build nation's largest solar power plant, Thats the funniest thing I have heard all day, I understand their previous track record was in creating FukUsHima, isn't that basically nuking the planet, you have made me laugh well done, it seems like the perfume covering the poo.

solar energy and green energy ie solar and wind will never become a viable option to the majority of americans in this country

for these 2 simple facts:

the wind doesn't blow the same amount and long enough for everyone in this country
the sun doesn't shine the same amount and long enough for everyone in this country.

sure people can invest billions of dollars into the industry but if market saturation is negligible then it doesn't have the potential as the sources we have now.

fossil fuels are not dependent on either sun or wind not so good as its a finite source but you can use it anywhere in the world

They have been developing more efficient solar cells slowly for years, it just doesn't get talked about too much:

Full Spectrum Solar Cell - 2002

S & F for some actual good news for once.

Originally posted by neo96
fossil fuels are not dependent on either sun or wind not so good as its a finite source but you can use it anywhere in the world

True. As the United States military learned the hard way....in Iraq. And which is why the military had to go "green" because of their Iraq experience.

From 2006.

From 2010.

If the human race put as much energy into making renewable energies as they do war and trouble, all our power problems would have been solved 20 years age.