The inaugural solar conference, PV America West, took place in San Jose this week, during a strange time in the solar energy business. The news that caught everyone’s attention was the federal government’s decision, announced in the middle of the three-day trade show, to impose duties on silicon solar equipment from China. The decision came as a response to a complaint filed by solar panel maker SolarWorld and several other manufactures, and it deeply divided people in all segments of the industry, from materials makers to installers.
I was reminded of this tension when a SolarWorld executive asked me jokingly (or not) why the lanyard for my badge featured Suntech Power’s logo, and if I could be fair in my coverage if I was willing to wear that? As I looked around the conference, I saw a number of people sporting plain lanyards with no logos — I guess I should bring my own lanyard from now on.
Notwithstanding the controversy surrounding the trade dispute, the trade show offered an interesting look at prototype solar panels, robotic technology, marketing strategies and politics. Some solar companies highlighted how efficiently their solar cells and panels can convert sunlight into electricity. This marketing reflects the pressure manufacturers are under to boost those efficiency figures quickly because doing so cuts costs.
And given that where stuff is made carries a political overtone these days, it was not surprising to see companies such as Stion splashing the image of the American flag as the backdrop of its booth. On the other hand, Shinsung Solar Energy was proud to use “powered by Korea” as part of its slogan.
Here are some highlights from the trade show:
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1 / 14China Sunergy shows off a prototype bifacial solar panel that captures sunlight on both sides of the cells. -
2 / 14The cells are spaced wide apart to allow more light to get through and bounce back. Sanyo is known for using this bifacial concept. -
3 / 14Shingsung, too, exhibits a bifacial panel. -
4 / 14Brittmore Energy launches a mounting system with a robot to move and set down panels. The system can do 40 panels per hour. -
5 / 14SoloPower, which recently added retired General Wesley Clark to its board, sells flexible copper-indium-gallium-selenide solar panels. -
6 / 14SoloPower plans to start shipping a much larger format of its CIGS panel this summer. -
7 / 14Most mounting systems are made with aluminum, but Renusol offers a plastic version for flat roof installations. -
8 / 14Silevo, which is entering mass production soon, says its solar panels can deliver a high efficiency of 18 percent. -
9 / 14Stion, which will start shipping its CIGS solar panels from a new factory in Mississippi this month, plays up its made-in-USA credential. -
10 / 14TSMC, an investor in Stion and a licensee of Stion's technology, also is getting ready to start shipping its CIGS panels. -
11 / 14CertainTeed, a building materials maker, has added building-integrated solar panels to its product line. -
12 / 14Wires run along the top and sit in slots behind each building-integrated solar panel. -
13 / 14The solar industry prides itself on creating jobs amid a weak economy. Also, the neon green pedestals are a catchy way to showcase solar cells. -
14 / 14SolarWorld feels it's fighting for fair competition by asking the government to investigate whether Chinese solar companies are pricing their cells and panels way below cost.

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