Comments on: September 2021 Issue: United States vs. China: The Silicon Solar Battle

By: Kelly Pickerel

Kelly Pickerel — Thu, 31 Mar 2022 20:03:33 +0000

In reply to David.

It never opened. https://www.idahostatejournal.com/news/local/new-plan-for-hoku-local-businessmen-propose-industrial-park-at-former-polysilicon-plant/article_660f5ee2-41be-5129-ba55-8b559b378ff0.html

By: David

David — Thu, 31 Mar 2022 19:42:30 +0000

HOKU went bankrupt I believe, but was trying to get a plant up in the U.S., Idaho maybe. What happened to their plant?

By: Kelly Pickerel

Kelly Pickerel — Sat, 09 Oct 2021 01:03:30 +0000

In reply to Solarman. The cover story talks about why REC is not running. They've been priced out of the market.

By: Solarman

Solarman — Fri, 08 Oct 2021 21:41:12 +0000

In reply to Jeff Ferry.

There is this company REC that has a foundry that ‘has’ operated in Washington State, it appears to be Dutch owned and past articles on this plant have bragged about the capability of the plant to provide silicon crystalline and polymorphic silicon, but also product for wafers, gasses for solar PV and perhaps for IC chips. Why isn’t “this” plant running 24/7 to support the U.S. ‘need’ for silicon products used in solar PV and IC manufacturing? This company was originally constructed in Washington State to take advantage of the amount of cheap hydrogeneration of electricity. Something reeks of usury that the Government complains and yet this plant isn’t up and running?

Entity, NERC, North American Electric Reliability Corporation says most of the spare parts kept on hand for the national grid are from foreign countries like China, Russia, Italy, Spain and I’d submit, spare parts to keep the grid up should be manufactured and warehoused all within the confines of the U.S. boarders. The deeper one digs the more obvious OUR Government has allowed trade to get to the point that some of the most basic materials are available from other countries, this threatens the very National Security of this country and it’s citizens.

By: Marc Keller

Marc Keller — Wed, 06 Oct 2021 16:05:18 +0000

As a commercial solar installer I would like to see better relations between USA and China by creating a shared technology and commodity program for PV

By: Douglas J Hoffman

Douglas J Hoffman — Sun, 26 Sep 2021 15:37:35 +0000

Currently there are zero ingot and wafer manufacturers in the US? If there are manufacturers currently. Who are the big players?

By: Lance Stokes

Lance Stokes — Fri, 24 Sep 2021 02:38:36 +0000

I agree. However, even if we were able to get government subsidies for the manufactirebof ingots and silicon wafers, what about the material’s used to dope the silicon to obtain the desired electrical properties for solar cells? It is my understanding that the bulk of those needed materials are also primarily located off shore. Perhaps a yeoman measure of diplomacy could be implemented so agreements and trade policies could be reached with the Chinese and other countries who have those materials in quantity. Collaboration, although difficult, may be a path to consider. It seems to me the planet has become too small to revert back to the approach of the stoic farmer who built everything, grew everything, etc. totally independent of anyone else. As Americans, that may be difficult to resort to, but as survivors, it may be a requirement.

By: Jeff Ferry

Jeff Ferry — Thu, 23 Sep 2021 19:20:51 +0000

Absolutely right Kelly. We can and must rebuild an entire US solar supply chain here, from polysilicon through cells and modules here. We have the expertise, we have first-class startups and large companies, we have the capital to support them. All we need is long-term support from the government establishing that if China is going to subsidize, exploit slave labor, and manipulate the market, we must keep out Chinese product. We cannot allow China to monopolize a critical market like renewable energy equipment and technology