Posted on 06/17/2014 11:58:19 AM PDT by PoloSec
We recently explained how Tesla needs to build what it is calling a "gigafactory" for batteries in order to survive. The rest of the world is not building enough lithium ion storage to meet what Tesla thinks will be surging demand, so it has decided it must do it itself by making a very costly factory.
Tuesday, SolarCity (Elon Musk's other company) announced it will have to do the same for solar panels. The firm unveiled plans to build one of the world's largest high-efficiency solar panel plants, using technology from Fremont-based Silevo, which they also said they'd acquired.
"We expect to have to install 10 gigawatts [of high-efficiency panels] a year," Chairman Elon Musk said on a conference call announcing the move. "If you look at the current capacity in the world, we're not able to do that right now."
It's not just a supply question. Solar panel prices have been falling in recent years thanks to a production boom in China. But the panels getting produced, though cheap, aren't terribly efficient and prices have begun bottoming out anyway.
They are likely to begin climbing: Government subsidies for renewables start getting phased out in 2016, and the political environment for rebooting them remains unstable at best.
Plus, in a call with BI, CTO Peter Rive said recent U.S. moves to slap tariffs on Chinese panels served as a "catalyst" for looking into building the Silevo plant.
Will the demand be there? The firm's own polling suggests there is. But if you assume that electricity customers are price agnostic, rooftop solar still has some ways yet to go to become cost competitive with fossil fuels. Musk recognizes this and beating fossil fuels at their own cost game remains his ultimate goal.
(Excerpt) Read more at businessinsider.com ...
Is there some magic source of electricity I don't know about?
More businesses totally underwritten by Federal Leftist Grants.
How much is the Federal Government putting into this boondoggle and how much will Musk siphon off the top for ‘management fees’ and CEO salary?
Tesla stock looks like the biggest slam dunk short I’ve ever seen.
But I’d never bet against a regime ally.
Operation Bluestar?
There are two magic sources of electricity - hydroelectric and nuclear. They are both incredibly safe, cost effective and even carbon free for believers in that particular strain of voodoo.
Unfortunately they are both considered “icky” by the watermelon tree-huggers, so neither one will be properly developed and expanded.
nobody says EVs are green. (or at least I don’t)
.........
EVs are disconnected from Arabs and Exxon.
Is there some magic source of electricity I don't know about?
Don't forget how gaia herself delivered all the materials free of manufacturing to Tesla.
They are not disconnected from the carbon dioxide scam, which is just as dangerous as the Arabs.
I hope solar goes down the flush and he loses his ass!
SCTY up 18.5% today
People have been saying that since it was $150...
I remember when people were saying Amazon was a slam dunk short back in the late 1990's.
Musk’s salary is $33,280 per year at TSLA and is not listed in the SCTY proxy.
The vitriol for a disruptive innovator like Musk on this site is astounding...
“When you can show me that Fukushima, WIPP and Hanford are clean enough for you to visit with your family for a picnic, then we can consider the nuclear option. “
If the nuclear power plant mfrs. had any reason to believe that the US would allow the technology going forward, they would invest in better technology. There have been no major improvements to nuclear power generation for decades thanks to our government. As for Fukushima, TELCO was negligent in how in managed their nuclear plants. To a large degree the problem was poor management and maintenance practices and not upgrading their plants to avoid catastrophes. It’s like replacing the Bay Bridge in San Francisco. We could have bet that “ the big one” wouldn’t come along any time soon, or we could replace an aging, deficient structure. We did the latter.
Bezos is a Baraqqi crony capitalist also.
http://www.breitbart.com/Big-Journalism/2013/08/05/Obama-visit-Amazon-Bezos
I never bet against the regime, at least for now.
But my hope is to someday be the next John Paulson.
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