QUICK NEWS, September 18: PEOPLE STILL WANT NEW ENERGY; TOO MUCH SILICON MEANS LOW SOLAR PRICE; EFFICIENCIES FOR VEHICLES

PEOPLE STILL WANT NEW ENERGY Global Study Finds 85% Of Consumers Want More Renewable Energy

14 September 2012 (North American Windpower)

“…[Global Consumer Wind Study performed by TNS Gallup and commissioned by Vestas] reveals that 85% of consumers want more renewable energy, and 49% are willing to pay more for products made using renewable energy…

“…74% of respondents said they would have a more positive perception of a brand if wind energy were its primary energy source, and 62% of respondents said they would be more willing to buy products from brands that use wind energy…”

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“The study also found that 45% of the consumers surveyed perceive climate change as one of the top three challenges facing the world today, with 17% saying it is the single greatest challenge.

“…Bloomberg New Energy Finance’s (BNEF) Corporate Renewable Energy Index Report 2012 (CREX) found that…[in] 2011, net corporate investment in renewable power capacity outpaced that of fossil-fuel generation ($237 billion for renewables versus $223 billion for additional fossil-fuel generation)…”

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TOO MUCH SILICON MEANS LOW SOLAR PRICE Solar Polysilicon Glut Persists As Suppliers Consider Production Cuts

14 September 2012 (Solar Industry)

“With pricing for photovoltaic polysilicon declining at an accelerated rate in August, there are no signs that the glut plaguing the industry has abated, behooving tier-one suppliers to consider reducing production in order to stabilize market conditions…PV polysilicon prices last month fell at a faster rate in August than they did in July, continuing a losing streak that started in the fourth quarter of 2011…

“Looking ahead to polysilicon demand in September and October [it is possible there will be a rebound but]…an impending trade war with China in this market creates an air of uncertainty that may frighten away some buyers. If these pressures continue, September and October could potentially see weak demand, putting additional pressure on polysilicon suppliers worldwide.”

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“Price is also a matter of uncertainty because of the anti-dumping situation in China. If a punitive tariff is imposed on Korean and EU/U.S. polysilicon makers in the next three months by the Chinese Department of Commerce, these companies will be forced to accelerate price declines because China is the dominant buyer of polysilicon.

“…If Tier 1 suppliers maintain high utilization levels, the polysilicon oversupply situation will continue for the next 12 months…[A]t least 10% to 15% less polysilicon was traded during [August] compared to July. The lower demand is having a significant impact on the market for spot polysilicon because buyers still need to fulfill their long-term agreements with major suppliers, even though some buyers tried hard to keep the volume to a minimum…[On the hopeful side], demand from China is ready to take off soon - even though it has yet to materialize.”

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EFFICIENCIES FOR VEHICLES Stop-Start Vehicles; Micro Hybrid Technologies, Batteries, and Ultracapacitors: Global Market Analysis and Forecasts

3Q 2012 (Pike Research/Navigant)

“During the past decade, driven largely by an effort to meet legislated carbon emissions reduction goals for vehicle fleets, automakers have introduced technologies that enable internal combustion engines (ICEs) to turn off automatically when vehicles are stopped…

“…[S]top-start vehicles are also known as micro hybrids, idle stop vehicles, and a variety of names branded by automakers, and in many cases the technology is bundled with other fuel efficient technologies. These vehicles can offer significant reductions in fuel consumption and CO2 emissions, although the actual savings depend heavily on the drive cycle.”

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“Stop-start vehicles require more robust batteries and starter systems than are found in internal combustion engine vehicles and are priced at a small premium over ICEs but considerably less than hybrid vehicles. With the most aggressive environmental goals in the world, Europe has seen by far the greatest selection of vehicles with stop-start technology and, not surprisingly, the greatest volume of vehicles sold…

“North America has experienced a relatively slow penetration of the technology due to less stringent emissions reduction goals and an Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) testing cycle that underestimates the benefits of the technology. Worldwide, Pike Research expects more than 41 million of these vehicles to be sold annually by 2020 – nearly a tenfold increase over 2012 sales…” Tweet