Comments on: OptiSolar Crashes: Lessons for Greentech http://earth2tech.com/2009/03/20/optisolar-crashes-lessons-for-greentech/ Helping the Earth with Technology Sun, 21 Mar 2010 18:18:11 +0000 http://wordpress.com/ hourly 1 By: jim Tennier http://earth2tech.com/2009/03/20/optisolar-crashes-lessons-for-greentech/#comment-45830 jim Tennier Sat, 23 Jan 2010 14:47:29 +0000 http://earth2tech.com/?p=26620#comment-45830 <p>I'd sure like to buy about 25 of those panels at the McClellan facility... Seems such a waste to see them just sitting there all by themselves. No people.</p> I’d sure like to buy about 25 of those panels at the McClellan facility… Seems such a waste to see them just sitting there all by themselves. No people.

]]> By: steve http://earth2tech.com/2009/03/20/optisolar-crashes-lessons-for-greentech/#comment-41966 steve Mon, 16 Nov 2009 15:05:00 +0000 http://earth2tech.com/?p=26620#comment-41966 <p>It's interesting to look back how did it begin. In this article http://thefraserdomain.typepad.com/energy/2008/04/optisolar-to-bu.html</p> It’s interesting to look back how did it begin.
In this article http://thefraserdomain.typepad.com/energy/2008/04/optisolar-to-bu.html

]]> By: 10 Reasons To Celebrate/Grouse About Greentech on Earth Day http://earth2tech.com/2009/03/20/optisolar-crashes-lessons-for-greentech/#comment-29550 10 Reasons To Celebrate/Grouse About Greentech on Earth Day Wed, 22 Apr 2009 14:20:08 +0000 http://earth2tech.com/?p=26620#comment-29550 <p>[...] Style: All the record quarters of greentech venture investment last year, have helped deliver a growing list of companies that grew way too fast, overcommited, and hit a wall when they ran out of cash. Solar PV maker [...]</p> [...] Style: All the record quarters of greentech venture investment last year, have helped deliver a growing list of companies that grew way too fast, overcommited, and hit a wall when they ran out of cash. Solar PV maker [...]

]]> By: Richard http://earth2tech.com/2009/03/20/optisolar-crashes-lessons-for-greentech/#comment-27577 Richard Mon, 23 Mar 2009 17:01:28 +0000 http://earth2tech.com/?p=26620#comment-27577 <p>The prospects of clean energy created quite a buzz in a community looking for options to oil based electricity. However, the greentech sector has also been impacted by the financial crisis. It demonstrates the delicate relation of the economy as a whole when startups fill the vacuum of green energy suppliers and is undermined by the errant spending and poor planning of the financial market leaders. How much will it all cost in the long run? While it is ever so easy to print criticisms pointed towards company with a vision that fails, it is harded to express respect for those entrepenurial people willing to take the leap. Where would we be now if people like Edison never received funding because their brilliant plans to illuminate the world were deemed as a "pipe dream". It is the innovative spirit that pushed America to where it is now. It was the greed of a few that felled the forest. OS was primed for market success. How many other companies have failed due to the economic downturn. How many brick and mortar institutions would also do so if not bailed out. The lack of any monetary infusion into the greentech at a time like this lets us know where the priorities are. Not so much a failed vision but a failed commitment. One by the people. One by the government. Obama stated he would pour money into alternative energy and that this was critical for our economic stability and independance from foreign oil. Where is the money? AIG executives gained more in their bonuses then it would have taken to keep OS alive. Think about that when you are paying your taxes.... when you are paying AIG executives, when you are paying your gas bill, when you are waiting in line at the unemployment office. I was raised that charity begins at home and to help those that help themselves. Words of wisdom from generation prior that survived similar economic gloom. We still spend billions on helping contries in need, yet can't fund our own business endeavors nor the people who make up our great Country. So with poisoned pen at your side, contemplate your words and recognize that some business adventures require nondisclosure of business plans due to adverse competition in an emerging market. Too much glee in your eulogy. What good has come from your words? Good press or poor support? Put the pen to paper to solicit the people for the good of us all and not the "I told you so, it was too good to be true". The pen is a might sword that cuts both ways.</p> The prospects of clean energy created quite a buzz in a community looking for options to oil based electricity. However, the greentech sector has also been impacted by the financial crisis. It demonstrates the delicate relation of the economy as a whole when startups fill the vacuum of green energy suppliers and is undermined by the errant spending and poor planning of the financial market leaders. How much will it all cost in the long run? While it is ever so easy to print criticisms pointed towards company with a vision that fails, it is harded to express respect for those entrepenurial people willing to take the leap. Where would we be now if people like Edison never received funding because their brilliant plans to illuminate the world were deemed as a “pipe dream”. It is the innovative spirit that pushed America to where it is now. It was the greed of a few that felled the forest. OS was primed for market success. How many other companies have failed due to the economic downturn. How many brick and mortar institutions would also do so if not bailed out. The lack of any monetary infusion into the greentech at a time like this lets us know where the priorities are. Not so much a failed vision but a failed commitment. One by the people. One by the government. Obama stated he would pour money into alternative energy and that this was critical for our economic stability and independance from foreign oil. Where is the money? AIG executives gained more in their bonuses then it would have taken to keep OS alive. Think about that when you are paying your taxes…. when you are paying AIG executives, when you are paying your gas bill, when you are waiting in line at the unemployment office. I was raised that charity begins at home and to help those that help themselves. Words of wisdom from generation prior that survived similar economic gloom. We still spend billions on helping contries in need, yet can’t fund our own business endeavors nor the people who make up our great Country. So with poisoned pen at your side, contemplate your words and recognize that some business adventures require nondisclosure of business plans due to adverse competition in an emerging market. Too much glee in your eulogy. What good has come from your words? Good press or poor support? Put the pen to paper to solicit the people for the good of us all and not the “I told you so, it was too good to be true”. The pen is a might sword that cuts both ways.

]]> By: Green Energy Reporter » Blog Archive » This week in green energy http://earth2tech.com/2009/03/20/optisolar-crashes-lessons-for-greentech/#comment-27500 Green Energy Reporter » Blog Archive » This week in green energy Sun, 22 Mar 2009 16:02:03 +0000 http://earth2tech.com/?p=26620#comment-27500 <p>[...] draws an interesting parallel between the end of the clean energy boom and the dot com bust a decade [...]</p> [...] draws an interesting parallel between the end of the clean energy boom and the dot com bust a decade [...]

]]> By: eric http://earth2tech.com/2009/03/20/optisolar-crashes-lessons-for-greentech/#comment-27454 eric Sat, 21 Mar 2009 14:57:45 +0000 http://earth2tech.com/?p=26620#comment-27454 <p>I don't think the conclusion about PG&E is valid. The reason they began to develop owned and operated solar projects was largely because the exclusion on Investor Owned Utilities taking the Solar Investment Tax Credit was lifted last fall. This radically altered the economics of owning the project, rather than needing to source it through a 3rd party Independent Power Producer that could take the 30% credit.</p> <p>Additionally, one must ask whether or not PG&E (and other CA utilities in particular) are actually trying to meet their respective RPS requirements or are rather seeking to proffer the illusion that they are doing so with the CPUC when they sign huge IPP deals. The risk to PG&E of contracting with a start-up like Optisolar or Ausra or another relatively unproven company on an IPP project is relatively low as long as PG&E's resource planning can cover projected peak demand. (Many people seem to forget that we're only talking about "peak power" and not baseload generation, and as such, some of that projected demand will also be met through existing coal and natural gas peaking plants as well as efficiency). The risk of putting a project on an IOU's balance sheet, however, is very real and as such you can bet that PUCs and utilities themselves will greatly prefer to work with companies that are more "proven" than the companies upon which blogs such as this one love to focus.</p> I don’t think the conclusion about PG&E is valid. The reason they began to develop owned and operated solar projects was largely because the exclusion on Investor Owned Utilities taking the Solar Investment Tax Credit was lifted last fall. This radically altered the economics of owning the project, rather than needing to source it through a 3rd party Independent Power Producer that could take the 30% credit.

Additionally, one must ask whether or not PG&E (and other CA utilities in particular) are actually trying to meet their respective RPS requirements or are rather seeking to proffer the illusion that they are doing so with the CPUC when they sign huge IPP deals. The risk to PG&E of contracting with a start-up like Optisolar or Ausra or another relatively unproven company on an IPP project is relatively low as long as PG&E’s resource planning can cover projected peak demand. (Many people seem to forget that we’re only talking about “peak power” and not baseload generation, and as such, some of that projected demand will also be met through existing coal and natural gas peaking plants as well as efficiency). The risk of putting a project on an IOU’s balance sheet, however, is very real and as such you can bet that PUCs and utilities themselves will greatly prefer to work with companies that are more “proven” than the companies upon which blogs such as this one love to focus.

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