PV panel raw materials? [RE-wrenches]
Peter Duchon
info at asappower.com
Tue Jan 25 14:36:42 PST 2005
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Joel, Wrenches,
This is correct. This is SiO2, that is, silica. An extremely abundant
mineral; however, the processing of this ore, typically obtained by crushing
quartz, is time-consuming and expensive. Purity levels required are such
that processing itself is an expensive high-energy consumptive process.
Silicon is of course, the essential element in electronic components such as
solar cells and semiconductor chips, as we all understand. It is also true
that there are other photoelectric effect materials coming to the fore for
photovoltaic and even infrared detection purposes, particularly in the thin
film and nanoscale depts. But we are talking about what it takes for
Wrenches to continue working and growing their business. I'm sorry, that's
actually assuming that we want continue working AND growing, which is the
only way to continue working. So we can assume that.
The carbo-thermic reduction process for the production of elemental silicon
is generally based on the reduction of silicon dioxide (SiO2, quartz) by
carbon at 1700 degrees Celsius. In this reaction, the carbon reacts with
the oxygen to form carbon dioxide (CO2). In 2002, some 4.1 million tons of
silicon was produced around the globe, with a corresponding release of 6.5
million tons of the greenhouse gas CO2 into the atmosphere of said planet.
Granted, that's not all slated to pv module production of course, and not
even all the pv modules, excepting the exotics, coppers, and cadmium, and
selenium, etc, but yes, us PV'rs have been stretching it more than we know
in our discussions of clean and green concepts that we so expertly try to
impress upon our customers and the public. The very thing we pay the most
for in each and every module completes the cycle and is a direct source of
pure CO2 emissions. It's counter-thinking about greenhouse gasses weighing
so much, but to me that's a lot and there should be a better way.
A couple of points:
First, we know of a way now to reduce SiO2 to silicon through an
electrochemical process releasing no greenhouse gases into the atmosphere.
When I discovered this fact about the by-product CO2 involved in the classic
production of poly and mono-Si PV modules, it became my mission to solve the
problem and see to it that solar PV became a real green power technology and
a truly clean energy source.
Second, the existing problems of PV module supply and cost of that supply is
directly and definitively related to the time and cost involved in the
production of solar grade silicon, not to mention, government program levels
and strengths, i.e., subsidies and rebates. However, mined silicon ore, in
process to silicon ingot, sliced into wafers, or melted pellets drawn into
wafers, or deposited as a film, is typically the largest cost of the module,
above a third, even with the incredible claims of the Evergreen modules, and
aSi thin films, etc..
The demand side of the equation has pushed production capacity at the module
manufacturing level and that demand by manufacturers has exceeded the
time/cost side of the equation for silicon producers and so on down to the
silica suppliers. In fact, a major supplier to a few key manufacturers have
in-country political problems and are seeing absolutely no work being done,
and no silica and hence, no silicon, supplied for past two-three months. So
there are those kinds of problems as well.
I am involved with a source for inexpensive silica already in a powder form
and high purity that could be used as direct feedstock for the new
processing. We are talking many tens of millions of tons of relatively
pure, micro-crystalline sized particles, that require very minimal
extraction effort also -- as compared to ANY other mining operation known on
the planet, with perhaps exception of England's chalk farms -- where 1 ton
of extraction equals 1 ton of product. Same deal here but with a much more
valuable mineral. Large scale inexpensive silicon production will be the
result of my and many others efforts.
If anyone has a different interpretation so far, please let me know. If
anyone is interested in helping with small or large investments (quite
possibly securing their wrenching futures) I'd be happy to talk to you
off-list and tell you more about this opportunity. I'm seeking a lot of
money but any amount and every amount will help secure this future and it's
a damn good investment tip. That's all I'd like to "offer" on-list at this
time. There are Blue Sky Laws that tell me I dare not say any more anyway,
without a private placement memorandum in front of you. But this is no
joke. Besides, I'd really want to tell you about everything...
I mention this to the list members (and knowing the public can look at it)
because I do care about what we do and like most of you I am not in it
solely for the money but for the survival and improvement of our
planet/industry/market. The word, recovery, comes to mind. Personally, I'd
be thrilled if each and every one of us promoting renewable energy were as
prosperous as possible. In fact, I think we are not aware of that we are
not at this moment and that we deserve prosperity. If we were prosperous,
we would be busy understanding the value of having kwh costs less than that
of fossil fuels. And the value of large scale production of silicon and PV
modules and massive promotion efforts. And we'd stop signing our children's
death warrants when we pay even our grid-tied utility bills... And
complaining about it. So now I'm going to complain...
Begin RANT...and RAVE!
Modules should be cheap, cheap, cheap, cheapest part of the damn deal! By
weight and volume! Right? Like TV's, blenders, and construction site
radios, like everything UL listed and mass-produced! Then it will make
sense to the homeowner and the corp. captains and biz owners to LET the
seller/installer make some well-deserved amount of coin off of a 3.5kW to
350kW power plant install -- even without government "intervention." And
the modules would arrive there first! Electricity is NOT diapers or tampons
or pain relievers, it's f'n water and pork bellies and oranges! It's a
live-serving if not life-blood Commodity! And each unit, every last module,
comes with a damn flash test, that is, a nameplate, a time stamp, birth
surfer-ticket, a signature from the almighty QC God, instructions, whatever
you want to call it -- that is to say, some HARD DATA -- just like a nice
big bottle of Advil does. And now you actually KNOW how you want to
string'em up! And for all the right hell-yeah Distributed Generation
reasons too!
Come on, doesn't it just make you sick to your stum-ick to see 52% of the
generated energy in this country being lost in transmission/distribution,
human hells, and friction?
But notice if you haven't, modules are getting more expensive now! This
doesn't make sense to the CEC -- I know you've noticed that they're not
supportive of subsidizing our market with increased per watt rebates --
they're supportive of reducing it! Why? Because the perceived amount of
volume was supposed to reduce the cost of a system through market mechanisms
on its own. This is an abominable situation overall and ill-timed for our
industry if the demand/supply situation becomes worse. We're making less
and less with the competitive conditions WITHIN OUR OWN little market as a
result of increased module prices! The present situation WILL slow us down
and/or already has. And forget about the moondust! And the value of the
USD! They just may become moot points in the end.
Ok. Rant Off. I want to RAVE just a bit more. So Now...over the past three
years with all this in my head, and putting everything together now, I
actually WANT to raise some cash for this team and the greater team. I've
done my due diligience and discovery. Now it's your opportunity. Or should
be. We deserve it! Serious as skipping heartbeats because of that AC
coursing through your body. And I AM working on numerous different ways of
capitalizing (since I must) -- with either private investors, a silicon
producer's cartel, and/or a PV manufacturer buying syndicate, whom would
benefit with exclusive downline access to the world's only green mining
opportunity - period - AND the advantage of cheap supply. All of which,
will likely still happen. But this is becoming more inclusive of a project
than exclusive, in any case. So I consider it my duty to write this message
to RE-Wrenches everywhere. We'd have our conditions on the bigger players
anyway and they would still like it -- because it will make economic sense.
But I don't think that would serve US in the end, not completely.
So you can even take this relatively short message on this big subject, as a
sign of solid RESPECT towards those who "get the job done" in this crazy
market -- and you'd be right --- but it's also about seeing that vision
through. The Vision that makes the actual cost to the end user dramatically
lower and makes the residential/commercial utility power supply industries
competitive, perhaps for the first time -- by putting US in a position of
signifcant control in a very real way. Not just as "stakeholders" in a
market, but as "shareholders" in an industry. You can bet that my other
good-people investors will control the same game if you don't at least
"understand" this soon-to-be reality. So if you want to come in to this
right now, great! And if you don't, you can always wait for the IPO! I can
do my best to keep those who desire to be in the loop, as up to date on the
progress, as much as allowed.
Thanks for your time in reading this long. I for one feel like I am "giving
back" to the list for all the incredibly useful knowledge that continues to
come out of RE-Wrenches. In fact, I hope someone can help me with questions
about wind tower permitting that I've sent up to the list. So thanks again,
just for this opportunity to say Thank you to Micheal Welch and all
RE-Wrenches everywhere.
Peter Duchon
CEO
1AU, Inc.
CA A,B General Contractors
CA Energy Commission Certified Installers
www.1aupv.com pd at 1aupv.com
Systems Integrator
ASAP POWER!, a POD|NINE Creative Company pod9 at cox.net
CA Energy Commission Certified Resellers
www.asappower.com info at asappower.com
Oceanside, California, 92056 USA
* Domestic USA Inquiries 1-760-724-3777 *
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-----Original Message-----
From: Dean T. Newberry [mailto:deant at dcn.org]
Sent: Wednesday, January 19, 2005 8:38 PM
To: RE-wrenches at topica.com
Subject: Re: PV panel raw materials? [RE-wrenches]
Hi Bob,
I imagine that significant capital is being invested in processes which
lead to lower manufacturing costs for PV modules.
In researching the supply of refined silicon I noticed that at least one
company which produces the feedstock (primarily silane, SiH4 gas) is not
public. That is ASiMi LLC their website is
http://www.asimi.com/index.html#. This is the company which operates the
solar silicon plant at Moses Lake, WA that Bob Maynard mentioned in his
letter.
The following quote is from an article By BRUCE RAMSEY P-I REPORTER of
the Seattle Post-Intelligencer
Tuesday, September 3, 1996
"Union Carbide sold the plant in 1990 for less than 30 cents on the
dollar. The buyer, Komatsu
Electronic Materials, had been a customer and had shut down a similar
plant in Japan to rely on the
one in Moses Lake. The buyer and its corporate parent, Komatsu Ltd., now
own 90 percent of
Advanced Silicon; the rest is held by Tokuyama, a Japanese chemical
company. Advanced Silicon
produces its own feedstock, allowing it to create a premium priced silicon
"eleven-nines"(99.999999999 percent) pure, Warren says.
The silicon in computer chips comes from quartz rock (not sand)
mined in West Virginia and
Norway and processed there to 98.5 percent purity."
Wacker-Chemie GmbH Germany has a plant in Burghausen Bavaria producing
in excess of 5000
tons of refined silicon some of which is targeted to the solar market.
There are several chemical companies which produce silicone for the
aluminum and iron industries which
may have the capability to produce nine-nines pure silicon which is
good enough for the PV industry.
It is reported on the Elkem website that the chinese silicone refinerys
are constrained by the supply of electricity.
Evergreen has completed development of their ultra thin ribbon wafers
which use 1/3 the silicon per watt
of more typical sawed ingot wafers an advancement which makes better use
of existing feedstock.
I hope this throws a little light on the supply questions.
It is clear from reading SolarBuzz and other news sources that demand is
driving pricing in the short term, however
that creates opportunities and attracts investment, which should lead to
lower costs relatively soon.
I think everyone would like to see prices decline as long as profits are
healthy.
cul deant
-----Original Message-----
From: Jeffery Wolfe, Global Resource Options
[mailto:jeff at globalresourceoptions.com]
Sent: Thursday, January 20, 2005 7:00 PM
To: RE-wrenches at topica.com
Subject: RE: PV panel raw materials? [RE-wrenches]
Hi Bob,
My understanding is that the low iron glass is only in short supply
because the market is so small. PV uses something like one day of glass
production in the US, and so getting enough made, without stockpiling
the entire year, is difficult. (Who wants to make a product in a half
day run?) I think the PV quality silicon is the biggest issue. Can't
wait for those spray on PV cells!
Jeff Wolfe
-----Original Message-----
From: Bob Maynard, Energy Outfitters [mailto:bob at energyoutfitters.com]
Sent: Wednesday, January 19, 2005 11:43 AM
To: RE-wrenches at topica.com
Subject: RE: PV panel raw materials? [RE-wrenches]
Daryl,
The silicon plant you're thinking of is in Moses Lake, WA. I heard at
last weeks OSEIA meeting that they have sold out everything they can
produce for the next 5 years!
In addition to silicon being in short supply, of all things, Tedlar is
too! Dupont can't spool up fast enough to meet demand. I spoke with a
PV manufacturer a couple of weeks ago that is now substituting polyester
for tedlar. The polyester is supposedly better but also more money.
There's another nickel per watt!
I've also heard low iron glass is in short supply but have not been able
to confirm it.
My guess is if the global demand for pv keeps increasing at the present
rates, it may take a couple of years for everyone to spool up.
Best Regards,
Bob Maynard
-----Original Message-----
From: Joel Davidson [mailto:joeldavidson at earthlink.net]
Sent: Wednesday, January 19, 2005 2:08 PM
To: RE-wrenches at topica.com
Subject: Re: PV panel raw materials? [RE-wrenches]
A component of some sand is silicon, but PV cells and semi-conductor wafers
are made of mined silicon ore.
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