Goldman: Solar power is the other rapidly developing industry in China as China now accounts for about 1/3 of solar power production capacity globally. The speaker refuted the view that PV cell production is an energy-ineffective process as he pointed out that the energy breakeven time is about 2 years for PV cells energy used to produce PV cells equals the energy generated by the PV cells but the normal lifetime is around 20 years. He also believes that solar energy could become commercially viable in the foreseeable future as the energy generating cost has been reduced from Rmb4 to Rmb1.1 per kWh over the past few years and is getting close to the Rmb0.3-0.4/kWh level of coal-fire power plants.
Tag Archives: solar
Cleantech Networks in Australia

- Image by kool_skatkat via Flickr
Cleantech is the biggest potential for Australia to take part of the low-carbon future and enable production in the country rather than consumption.
My friend, John O’brien is doing is bit to popularise clean tech. He is the MD of Australian Cleantech and has been running a very successful networking event in Adelaide. Now he has taken it to the big boys in Sydney by recently launching the Sydney Cleantech Network where he reports that about 150 people attended.
John provides examples of the companies which gave a 2 minute presentation.
Five companies then did ‘two minute pitches’ explaining their products and services and detailing their upcoming funding requirements. The companies were:
- CMA Corporporation – A leading integrated Australian-based recycling group that provides products and services to customers across three continents.
- Acoustica – Commercialising the world’s best “Green” Noise Barrier – Quietwave® Captive Membrane Technology.
- T3Energy – Developer of both a solar space heating and super-insulated building technologies will reduce energy consumption in homes by up to 80% while offering a competitive and compelling alternative to conventional homes.
- Azure Energy – The Azure Energy ALI system produces seven forms of energy from Solar Energy, in all weather conditions
- Universal Power Storage – Universal Power Storage (UPS) has the only invention in the Massive Electrical Storage (MES) space that can potentially deliver the largest scale electrical storage system in the world: rectifying the largest market failure in the electricity market – base load storage.
Companies need money and expertise to develop in Australia and then conquer the world; if not Australia will lose valuable people and future jobs to other countries.

IBM’s plans for Solar
Energy saving solar technology will be built into asphalt, paint and windows.
Ever wonder how much energy could be created by having solar technology embedded in our sidewalks, driveways, siding, paint, rooftops, and windows?
The list includes ‘thin-film’ solar cells, which are 100 times thinner than silicon-wafer cells used today, are cost-efficient and can be ‘printed’ and arranged on a flexible backing, on the sides of buildings, tinted windows, cell phones, laptops, cars, and even clothing.
In the next five years, solar energy will be an affordable option for you and your neighbors. Until now, the materials and the process of producing solar cells to convert into solar energy have been too costly for widespread adoption.