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<p class=MsoNormal><font size=4 color=blue face=Arial><span style='font-size:
14.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:blue'>Hi there,<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=4 color=blue face=Arial><span style='font-size:
14.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:blue'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=4 color=blue face=Arial><span style='font-size:
14.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:blue'>Thin film is still getting bad press after
early production suffered degradation issues way back in the 90’s.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=4 color=blue face=Arial><span style='font-size:
14.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:blue'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=4 color=blue face=Arial><span style='font-size:
14.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:blue'>There is plenty of evidence that thin film
produces at least 10% more energy because it performs better at temperature and
responds better to global irradiance.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=4 color=blue face=Arial><span style='font-size:
14.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:blue'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=4 color=blue face=Arial><span style='font-size:
14.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:blue'>Some brands may be problematic today but
this is equally true of crystalline modules.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=4 color=blue face=Arial><span style='font-size:
14.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:blue'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=4 color=blue face=Arial><span style='font-size:
14.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:blue'>Sure the efficiency is down and more area
is needed for the same rated power but some brands are delivering 20% more
energy in some climates.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=4 color=blue face=Arial><span style='font-size:
14.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:blue'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=4 color=blue face=Arial><span style='font-size:
14.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:blue'>As for degradation, I have seen crystalline
BP’s with every panel turning brown and clapping out after just 12 years
in the pacific Islands.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=4 color=blue face=Arial><span style='font-size:
14.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:blue'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=4 color=blue face=Arial><span style='font-size:
14.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:blue'>So let’s be Brand specific and not
lump all thin film together and tar it with the same brush, based on early
failures 30 years ago. <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=4 color=blue face=Arial><span style='font-size:
14.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:blue'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=4 color=blue face=Arial><span style='font-size:
14.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:blue'>Current issues backed up with hard data
would be very useful…<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=4 color=blue face=Arial><span style='font-size:
14.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:blue'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 color=black face=Arial><span style='font-size:
12.0pt;font-family:Arial'>Regards<br>
Carl Emerson<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=1 color=white face=Arial><span style='font-size:
9.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:white'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
</div>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 color=black face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:12.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 color=black face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:12.0pt'>First Solar's thin film is definitely part of the
industry's early onset under performance problem.<br>
With monocrystalline under $1/watt, I just don't understand why big projects
are still going forward with thin film. <br>
I would only use thin film for partial shading, or curved, odd shaped
surfaces. (RV roofs, not MW plants)<br>
The bean counters are putting too much faith in warranties and spread sheets,
instead of looking at real life long term performance history. PV's been
around now for several decades; there's just no excuse to keep repeating the
same mistakes over again.<br>
<br>
<br>
<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<pre><font size=2 color=black face="Courier New"><span style='font-size:10.0pt'>R.Ray Walters<o:p></o:p></span></font></pre>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 color=black face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:12.0pt'>On 5/31/2013 1:02 AM, Brian Teitelbaum wrote:<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
</div>
<blockquote style='margin-top:5.0pt;margin-bottom:5.0pt'
cite="mid:8961DF9D3453CF41A4A5B6E6BECA4C7722CE385667@VS-SJEXCH01.recsolar.local"
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<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color="#1f497d" face=Calibri><span
style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:Calibri;color:#1F497D'>I don’t know
for sure, but the S. California installation in the article is likely a large
Unisolar installation down there.<u5:p></u5:p></span></font><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color="#1f497d" face=Calibri><span
style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:Calibri;color:#1F497D'><u5:p> </u5:p></span></font><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color="#1f497d" face=Calibri><span
style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:Calibri;color:#1F497D'>However, since the
article talks about Chinese modules, which are mostly crystalline, I
don’t think thin film is the major problem, if there really is one.<u5:p></u5:p></span></font><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color="#1f497d" face=Calibri><span
style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:Calibri;color:#1F497D'><u5:p> </u5:p></span></font><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color="#1f497d" face=Calibri><span
style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:Calibri;color:#1F497D'>Not mentioned in the
article is the possibility for micro-fracturing of the cells being a major
problem, especially since they are sliced so thin these days, and generally
shipped lying flat, which must cause a lot of flexing during transport.<u5:p></u5:p></span></font><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color="#1f497d" face=Calibri><span
style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:Calibri;color:#1F497D'><u5:p> </u5:p></span></font><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color="#1f497d" face=Calibri><span
style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:Calibri;color:#1F497D'>Brian Teitelbaum<u5:p></u5:p></span></font><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color="#1f497d" face=Calibri><span
style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:Calibri;color:#1F497D'>AEE Solar<u5:p></u5:p></span></font><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color="#1f497d" face=Calibri><span
style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:Calibri;color:#1F497D'><u5:p> </u5:p></span></font><o:p></o:p></p>
<div>
<div style='border:none;border-top:solid #B5C4DF 1.0pt;padding:3.0pt 0cm 0cm 0cm'>
<p class=MsoNormal><b><font size=2 color=black face=Tahoma><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Tahoma;color:windowtext;font-weight:bold'>From:</span></font></b><font
size=2 color=black face=Tahoma><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Tahoma;
color:windowtext'> <a href="mailto:re-wrenches-bounces@lists.re-wrenches.org">re-wrenches-bounces@lists.re-wrenches.org</a>
[<a href="mailto:re-wrenches-bounces@lists.re-wrenches.org">mailto:re-wrenches-bounces@lists.re-wrenches.org</a>]
<b><span style='font-weight:bold'>On Behalf Of </span></b>Carl Emerson<br>
<b><span style='font-weight:bold'>Sent:</span></b> Thursday, May 30, 2013 2:50
PM<br>
<b><span style='font-weight:bold'>To:</span></b> 'RE-wrenches'<br>
<b><span style='font-weight:bold'>Subject:</span></b> Re: [RE-wrenches]
Defective modules<u5:p></u5:p></span></font><o:p></o:p></p>
</div>
</div>
<p class=MsoNormal><u5:p><font size=3 color=black face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:12.0pt'> <o:p></o:p></span></font></u5:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=4 color=blue face=Arial><span style='font-size:
14.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:blue'>Hi there,<u5:p></u5:p></span></font><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=4 color=blue face=Arial><span style='font-size:
14.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:blue'><u5:p> </u5:p></span></font><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=4 color=blue face=Arial><span style='font-size:
14.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:blue'>Hilton’s third question is important.<u5:p></u5:p></span></font><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=4 color=blue face=Arial><span style='font-size:
14.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:blue'><u5:p> </u5:p></span></font><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=4 color=blue face=Arial><span style='font-size:
14.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:blue'>Are we seeing a rise in thin film failure
or is this only mono and poly?<u5:p></u5:p></span></font><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=4 color=blue face=Arial><span style='font-size:
14.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:blue'><u5:p> </u5:p></span></font><o:p></o:p></p>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 color=black face=Arial><span style='font-size:
12.0pt;font-family:Arial'>Regards<br>
Carl Emerson</span></font><o:p></o:p></p>
</div>
<u5:p></u5:p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=4 color=blue face=Arial><span style='font-size:
14.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:blue'><u5:p> </u5:p></span></font><o:p></o:p></p>
<div>
<div class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center'><font size=3
color=black face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:12.0pt;color:windowtext'>
<hr size=2 width="100%" align=center>
</span></font></div>
<p class=MsoNormal><b><font size=2 color=black face=Tahoma><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Tahoma;color:windowtext;font-weight:bold'>From:</span></font></b><font
size=2 color=black face=Tahoma><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Tahoma;
color:windowtext'> <a href="mailto:re-wrenches-bounces@lists.re-wrenches.org"
moz-do-not-send=true>re-wrenches-bounces@lists.re-wrenches.org</a> [<a
href="mailto:re-wrenches-bounces@lists.re-wrenches.org" moz-do-not-send=true>mailto:re-wrenches-bounces@lists.re-wrenches.org</a>]
<b><span style='font-weight:bold'>On Behalf Of </span></b>Hilton Dier III<br>
<b><span style='font-weight:bold'>Sent:</span></b> 30 May 2013 1:09 a.m.<br>
<b><span style='font-weight:bold'>To:</span></b> <a
href="mailto:re-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org" moz-do-not-send=true>re-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org</a><br>
<b><span style='font-weight:bold'>Subject:</span></b> [RE-wrenches] Defective
modules</span></font><o:p></o:p></p>
</div>
<u5:p></u5:p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 color=black face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:12.0pt'><u5:p> </u5:p><o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:12.0pt'><font size=3 color=black
face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>Greetings wrenches,<br>
<br>
I'm sure many of you have seen this article in the New York Times: <a
href="http://www.nytimes.com/2013/05/29/business/energy-environment/solar-powers-dark-side.html?hp&_r=1&"
moz-do-not-send=true>http://www.nytimes.com/2013/05/29/business/energy-environment/solar-powers-dark-side.html?hp&_r=1&</a><br>
<br>
I have already gotten an email from a panicked client asking about canceling
his project.<br>
<br>
First question: Has anybody dealt with defective modules lately, and if so,
what brands?<br>
Second question: How much does this affect first-tier manufacturers (Trina,
Suntech, Yingli...) and how much of this is "no-name" brands?<br>
Third question: Is this restricted to a particular technology such as thin
film?<br>
<br>
And the big question: How do we deal with this? I can imagine the fossil fuel
and nuclear industries promoting this story with enthusiasm.<br>
<br>
Thanks,<br>
<br>
Hilton<u5:p></u5:p><o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<pre><font size=2 color=black face="Courier New"><span style='font-size:10.0pt'>-- <u5:p></u5:p><o:p></o:p></span></font></pre><pre><font
size=2 color=black face="Courier New"><span style='font-size:10.0pt'>Hilton Dier III<u5:p></u5:p><o:p></o:p></span></font></pre><pre><font
size=2 color=black face="Courier New"><span style='font-size:10.0pt'>Renewable Energy Design<u5:p></u5:p><o:p></o:p></span></font></pre><pre><font
size=2 color=black face="Courier New"><span style='font-size:10.0pt'>Partner, Solar Gain LLC<u5:p></u5:p><o:p></o:p></span></font></pre><pre><font
size=2 color=black face="Courier New"><span style='font-size:10.0pt'>453 East Hill Rd.<u5:p></u5:p><o:p></o:p></span></font></pre><pre><font
size=2 color=black face="Courier New"><span style='font-size:10.0pt'>Middlesex, VT 05602<u5:p></u5:p><o:p></o:p></span></font></pre>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 color=black face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:12.0pt'><br>
<br>
<br>
<fieldset class="mimeAttachmentHeader"></fieldset><o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<pre><font size=2 color=black face="Courier New"><span style='font-size:10.0pt'>_______________________________________________<o:p></o:p></span></font></pre><pre><font
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href="mailto:RE-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org">RE-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org</a><o:p></o:p></span></font></pre><pre><font
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