Solar technologies - comparison?

Question

FSLR, WFR aka Memc, and LDK seem to have different strategies or technologies for producing solar-based electricity.

Which are cheapest? Most reliable for typical rooftop installation? Are most likely to increase in popularity over the next few years?

Answer 1

I'm thinking in line with FSLR,  currently offering a 25 yr warranty, looks like some smart money is betting that too, stock is up $200 in the past year (time for a split!!!!!)  Lets face it, if you can pump out product like a giant ink jet printer, manufacturing is not limited by speed, but by supply, the TV industry will be competing for the same material. The 25 megawatt machines are going in all over the world and the 100 megawatt lines will be available soon.

Start up costs on the 25 megawatt lines are about $70 million, not the $1 billion plus for wafer plants.

I believe FSLR and Global's production for the next year are sold out to institutions, so for consumer products we'll have to wait for a few years, in the end cost/price should be about $.5 to $1.00 per watt.  Seems BP and Shell are not sure what to do right now, but when Dow Chemical and General Electric commit to the tech, we'll see PV products as ubiquitous as rolled roofing.

Answer 2

Be sure that the roof top mounting is designed to stand 90 mph or more or u could find your investment blown all over.

Answer 3

I would go for a solar tree, they will be on the market by the end of the year. Different shapes and sizes, including shrubs and flowering plant. A medium solar tree lets say a broad leaf one, with 30 to 50 thousand leaves average a 150 m2 surface for sunlight harvesting will result in a 75 watt per m2 * 150 is a lot of watts.

The trees look natural and are comparatively cheap, and they look good as well.

Alex