Why has module selection for US solar projects become a risky and complicated affair?
https://www.pv-tech.org/why-has-module-selection-for-us-solar-projects-become-a-risky-and-complicated-affair/
MARCH 21, 2022

Bipartisan National Security Experts Urge Congress to Pass Competitiveness Legislation to Boost Semiconductor Production and Domestic Manufacturing
https://www.commerce.gov/news/press-releases/2022/03/bipartisan-national-security-experts-urge-congress-pass-competitiveness
MARCH 21, 2022
"
On Monday, March 21st, a bipartisan cohort of national security officials urged Congress to swiftly pass legislation revitalizing domestic semiconductor manufacturing, boosting domestic manufacturing, and helping America economically outcompete China and the rest of the world in the 21st century. Joining Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo and members of Congress from both parties, the officials warned that failing to boost U.S. semiconductor production and domestic manufacturing leaves U.S. economic and national security at risk and vulnerable to global supply chain shocks, like we’ve seen over the past two years.

The event comes as Secretary Raimondo and a growing number of voices from both parties call on Congress to move toward final passage of the Bipartisan Innovation Act, which would invest $52 billion in domestic semiconductor production, spur innovation and advanced manufacturing in every corner of America, as well as create America’s first Supply Chain Resilience Office.

Semiconductors are integral to the function of U.S. military communication, navigation, and advanced weaponry systems. The Department of Commerce has worked to deprive the Russian military of the semiconductors it needs for weapons, vehicles, and communication capabilities in its unprovoked assault against Ukraine. The U.S.’ share of global chip production has fallen from 40 percent in 1990 to just 12 percent today. 90 percent of the world’s leading-edge semiconductors are made outside of the United States, and global shortages of semiconductors have resulted in higher prices for American consumers – with one-third of inflation over the last year due to higher auto prices.

“Chips are essential components of our most vital and sensitive military equipment. Our overreliance on foreign manufacturers puts crucial elements of our national and economic security at risk,” said Secretary Raimondo. “ Our competitors like China are racing to support their semiconductor industries and they aren’t waiting for us to catch up. Every day we wait is a day we fall further behind.”

“It is vital that Congress act now to counter Chinese economic aggression, compete, and secure competitive advantages necessary to preserve peace and promote prosperity,” said Lieutenant General (Ret.) H.R. McMaster.

“At the Center for Tech Diplomacy at Purdue, we strongly endorse rapid passage of the Bipartisan Innovation Act,” said Bonnie Glick, Former Deputy Administrator of USAID. “The longer we delay, the more we leave open the door for the Chinese Communist Party to drive toward their Made in China 2025 goal.”

"At a time when democracies face an urgent threat, government investment in U.S. technological leadership is a strategic national imperative," said Former Under Secretary of State Keith Krach. "It will also serve as a powerful catalyst for additional private-sector investment and send a clear message to our citizens, allies, and the Chinese Communist Party itself that America is united in its commitment to preserve our precious freedom from authoritarianism."

Secretary Raimondo was joined by Senator Todd Young, Representative Doris Matsui, Former National Security Advisor Lieutenant General (Ret.) H.R. McMaster, Former Deputy Administrator of USAID Bonnie Glick, Former Under Secretary of State for Economic Growth Keith Krach, Former Deputy National Security Advisor Matthew Pottinger, and National Security Commission on Artificial Intelligence Commissioner and Former Google CEO Eric Schmidt. The roundtable came as the Department of Commerce continues to enforce sweeping export controls against Russia, targeting its ability to procure semiconductors, advanced technology, and other components essential to the continuity of Russia’s military operations.

..
"

VIDEO: Young Joins Commerce Secretary, Bipartisan National Security Experts for Discussion on Domestic Semiconductor Manufacturing, USICA
https://www.young.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/video-young-joins-commerce-secretary-bipartisan-national-security-experts-for-discussion-on-domestic-semiconductor-manufacturing-usica
MARCH 21, 2022

Remarks by President Biden Before Business Roundtable’s CEO Quarterly Meeting
https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/speeches-remarks/2022/03/21/remarks-by-president-biden-before-business-roundtables-ceo-quarterly-meeting/
MARCH 21, 2022

EU gas exit could lift wind, solar spending by 300 billion Euros
https://www.bloomberg.com/professional/blog/eu-gas-exit-could-lift-wind-solar-spending-by-300-billion-euros/
MARCH 21, 2022

Ola invests in StoreDot in bid to bring its 5-minute charging batteries to Ola’s fast electric scooters
https://electrek.co/2022/03/21/ola-invests-in-storedot-in-bid-to-bring-its-5-minute-charging-batteries-to-olas-fast-electric-scooters/
MARCH 21, 2022

STOREDOT, THE EXTREME FAST CHARGING BATTERY PIONEER, ANNOUNCES STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIP WITH OLA ELECTRIC
https://www.prnewswire.com/il/news-releases/storedot-the-extreme-fast-charging-battery-pioneer-announces-strategic-partnership-with-ola-electric-301506594.html
MARCH 21, 2022
"
HERZELIYA, Israel, March 21, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- StoreDot, the pioneer of extreme fast charging - XFC -technologies for electric vehicles, has secured a multi-million-dollar investment from Ola Electric, India's leading EV manufacturer with a mission to accelerate the world's transition to sustainable mobility. Ola Electric is planning to incorporate and manufacture StoreDot's fast charging battery technologies for future vehicles in India.

The new funding comes as part of StoreDot's Series D investment round. It will be used for research and development and to accelerate the scaling up to mass production its silicon-dominant anode XFC lithium-ion cells, which will be initially capable of delivering 100 miles of range in 5 minutes of charge by 2024.

Headquartered in Bengaluru, India, Ola Electric is ramping up its investments in core R&D in advanced cell chemistry and manufacturing, as well as cutting edge battery technologies and new energy systems. It recently announced a $100 million investment to set up Ola Futurefoundry, its global center for advanced engineering and vehicle design, in the UK where it will work on its future range of electric vehicles including both four and two-wheelers, in collaboration with its Bengaluru center.

Dr Doron Myersdorf, StoreDot CEO "We are extremely excited to be entering into this strategic partnership with Ola. Both companies are committed to delivering a zero-emissions world, breathing clean air in our cities and ensuring that EV drivers never have to worry about charging times and range anxiety. Ola Electric's plans to bring StoreDot's extreme fast charging battery technology to India and manufacture our XFC cells for its EVs, will offer Indian consumers longer range and vastly superior charging speed performance. We continue to focus on offering our customers a clear, hype-free technology roadmap that extends far into the future while delivering 100 miles of range in just a 2-minute charge, within a decade."

Bhavish Aggarwal, Founder and CEO, Ola, said: "We are committed to Mission Electric and to accelerate the world's transition to electric mobility, our ambition is to build a complete ecosystem for EVs here in India. The future of EVs lies in better, faster and high energy density batteries, capable of rapid charging and delivering higher range. We are increasing our investments in core cell and battery technologies and ramping up our in-house capabilities and global talent hiring, as well as partnering with global companies doing cutting edge work in this field. Our partnership with StoreDot, a pioneer of extreme fast charging battery technologies, is of strategic importance and a first of many."

Ola is joining a wide range of high-profile investors and partners in StoreDot – a roster that now includes Daimler, VinFast, BP, Samsung, TDK, and EVE Energy. The company is also working closely with major automotive manufacturers on next-generation electric vehicles and architectures, currently conducting real-world tests with the silicon-dominant-anode advanced '100in5' cell samples. StoreDot's ground-breaking XFC cells will be available in both pouch and the 4680-family form factor – the formats increasingly favored by global car manufacturers.
"

The Goldilocks Conundrum Of Manufacturing
https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbesbusinesscouncil/2022/03/15/the-goldilocks-conundrum-of-manufacturing/?sh=2161bfd67d03
MARCH 15, 2022
"
Co-Founder and CEO of Group14 Technologies, a battery materials company developing silicon-carbon composite material for lithium-ion markets

To take the reins on supply chain management amid near-constant unpredictability, countries are doubling down on domestic manufacturing, requiring companies of all sizes to reevaluate their approach to manufacturing. With every company vying for market share, executives are rejiggering strategies to best ensure that their product is produced and available at the exact quantities demanded, not too much and not too little—a concept I call the Goldilocks conundrum of manufacturing.

In a crowded landscape like the energy sector, with many forces constantly pushing and pulling the market, the industry will certainly evolve in many ways over the span of the next five years. Balancing supply and demand comes down to rightsizing, and the only solution that guarantees success is a modular approach, designed to maximize manufacturing efficiency alongside the flexibility needed in an ever-changing industry. There is a specific operational optimum required to produce uniform, high-quality batches at scale—just what sectors like the automotive industry need to meet EV (electric vehicles) demand. For companies in a similar situation, turning to modularity in design grants major benefits.

...
"

Hahahahah latterligt at folk sælger på 15 tallet😂😂😂😂😂

REC asks for annexation
https://columbiabasinherald.com/news/2022/mar/24/rec-asks-annexation/
MARCH 24, 2022
“

According to REC Silicon Vice President for FBR Sales Chuck Sutton, REC used to own the land — located immediately to the north and west of REC’s production facility on Road N Northeast — but has optioned to buy it if the company can get it into the UGA.

“It gives us the flexibility for expansion,” Sutton said.

In a letter to the Moses Lake City Council sent Monday, Sutton wrote that REC has acquired “new investors and partners seeking to build out manufacturing for the solar supply chain in the United States,” and is looking “at building co-located manufacturing sites” on REC property.

..
“

Dette er jo såpass bull at kursen burde steget et par kroner på dette alene! Men neida, her er de fleste vettskremte pinnsvin: -Pappa Røkke er ute, det er faaarli det, som han sa i Flåklypa Grand Prix.

Dette er mega bull!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Så ikke før nå at det snakkes om "manufacturing sites" (altså et flertall av fabrikker som skal co-lokaliseres med REC!
Da er det vel nærliggende da å tro at det kommer både Wafer og modul produksjon Moses Lake. Det er vel et strategisk smart grep av Hanwa å samle alt av solar produksjon på et sted.

Tenk at denne nyheten drukner i folks forvirring… Utrolig.

Lad os håbe Hanwha sætter scenen for at kunne efterlade alle disse papirhænder i støvet.

Today Q CELLS' parent company Hanwha Solutions Corporation announced plans to execute a multi-billion-dollar expansion across the entire solar energy supply chain. From low-carbon polysilicon raw material to Made-in-America solar modules, we're striving to help the U.S. regain its leadership in clean energy solutions and create good-paying jobs right here in America.

Q CELLS is thrilled about the prospect of developing a fully U.S. based supply chain marked by expanded local manufacturing, and acknowledges that the implementation of Sens. Jon Ossoff and Raphael Warnock's Solar Energy Manufacturing Act for America (SEMA) along with smart trade and federal procurement policy will serve as catalysts for making that happen successfully.

This major effort will better position Q CELLS as the dependable, No.1 choice for the American market. Read the press release at the link here: https://bit.ly/3DkFzq1

#QCELLS #HanwhaSolutions #usmanufacturing #ultralowcarbonsolar
https://www.linkedin.com/posts/q-cells-north-america_qcells-hanwhasolutions-usmanufacturing-activity-6912549109094658049-oOai?utm_source=linkedin_share&utm_medium=member_desktop_web

UPDATE - Hanwha plans multi-billion-dollar investment in US solar industry
https://renewablesnow.com/news/update-hanwha-plans-multi-billion-dollar-investment-in-us-solar-industry-778300/
MARCH 24, 2022
"
..
Hanwha Solutions said on Wednesday that the acquisition “is only the prelude” to its plan to rebuild the full solar supply chain in the US. The Korean company intends to proceed with investments in virtually every sub-sector of the US solar manufacturing industry.

The plan revolves around Q Cells’ existing 1.7-GW solar panel factory in Georgia, which Hanwha says is the largest in the country, and REC Silicon’s currently idle polysilicon production facility in Moses Lake, Washington. That site was shut down in 2019 because of the impacts of Chinese tariffs on US-made polysilicon, uncertain market conditions and reduced demand for REC Silicon’s solar-grade polysilicon, but Hanwha aims to reopen the facility next year.

"We imagine a Moses Lake factory brought back to life with local workers clocking in and operating the plant," said a Hanwha spokesperson.
...
"

REC Silicon stanger mot teknisk motstand
https://finansavisen.no/nyheter/aksjeanalyse/2022/03/24/7840467/teknisk-analyse-rec-silicon-stanger-mot-teknisk-motstand
MARCH 24, 2022
“..

Det signaliserte at aksjen kunne fortsette opp mot 17,70-nivået og kanskje 18,35-nivået. RSI ligger over 50-nivået og med den positive undertonen kan det være rom for videre oppgang mot 20,30- og 22-nivået.
Gitt at den positive undertonen holder kan eventuelle korreksjoner bli forbigående. Ved eventuelle korreksjoner er det teknisk støtte på 17,20-nivået og mer ned mot 16-nivået, 200-dagers glidende gjennomsnitt og 15,60-nivået.

..”

https://pv-magazine-usa.com/2022/03/23/hanwha-commits-to-us-manufacturing-across-the-supply-chain/?utm_source=USA+%7C+Newsletter&utm_campaign=fa765211bc-RSS_EMAIL_CAMPAIGN&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_80e0d17bb8-fa765211bc-160093481

Også her; Hanwha sin lovnad om supply chain.

Solar manufacturing is heavily concentrated in China which still relies on a coal-heavy grid, resulting in high embodied carbon in their solar panels. Bloomberg Green reports that Chinese companies are doubling down on their solar manufacturing in the coal rich areas of Xinjiang and Inner Mongolia, and as a nation China is ramping up – not down – coal use. Increasing carbon emissions to make more solar panels is simply the wrong direction.

There is a better way: ultra low-carbon solar panels are being produced in low-carbon economies, and these manufacturers are rapidly expanding in the US, EU and elsewhere. Ask your suppliers about the carbon footprint of their PV products.
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2022-03-14/china-doubles-down-on-coal-endangering-climate-goals?sref=9CfV7WKt
https://www.linkedin.com/posts/ultra-low-carbon-solar-alliance_faced-with-turmoil-china-turns-to-its-old-activity-6912772487579602944--yyh?utm_source=linkedin_share&utm_medium=member_desktop_web

We need to work on the energy transition with renewed urgency. Pending legislation, if passed, will spur investment and create significant manufacturing scale in the clean technologies that will power the future. Moreover, investment and scale will fuel the innovation that underpins long-term industry success.
https://breakthroughenergy.activehosted.com/index.php?action=social&c=363&m=449
https://www.linkedin.com/posts/cubicpv-inc_in-todays-edition-we-learn-how-america-activity-6912756285486620672-yzwD?utm_source=linkedin_share&utm_medium=member_desktop_web

BIDEN ADMINISTRATION DRAFTING ORDER TO INVOKE DEFENSE PRODUCTION ACT FOR GREEN ENERGY STORAGE TECHNOLOGY
https://theintercept.com/2022/03/24/biden-defense-production-act-green-energy/
MARCH 24, 2022
“

The order would declare that “ensuring robust, resilient, and sustainable domestic industrial base to meet the requirements of the clean energy economy is essential to our national security,” according to a draft of the document that remains in the “pre-decisional” phase. That reasoning follows a renewed push from the administration on its climate change priorities in light of shocks in the oil and gas market following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. The order would specifically call for the “domestic mining, beneficiation, and value-added processing of strategic and critical materials from sustainable sources for the production of large capacity batteries for the automotive, e-mobility, and stationary storage sectors is essential to national defense.” The Intercept has reached out to the White House for comment.

…
“

SENATORS MARKEY AND WARREN LEAD COLLEAGUES IN URGING PRESIDENT BIDEN TO DEPLOY CLEAN ENERGY AND ENERGY-EFFICIENT ELECTRIC TECHNOLOGIES IN RESPONSE TO PUTIN’S ENERGY MARKET DISRUPTION
https://www.markey.senate.gov/news/press-releases/senators-markey-and-warren-lead-colleagues-in-urging-president-biden-to-deploy-clean-energy-and-energy-efficient-electric-technologies-in-response-to-putins-energy-market-disruption
MARCH 23, 2022
“

Washington (March 23, 2022) – Senator Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), Chair of the Environment and Public Works Subcommittee on Clean Air, Climate, and Nuclear Safety, and Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), today led a letter to President Joseph R. Biden urging him to employ his existing executive authorities to advance the development and widespread adoption of clean energy and energy-efficient electric technologies, such as heat pumps, in order to reduce demand for Russian fossil fuels, cut emissions, and save money for consumers in both the United States and allied countries. The letter was joined by Senators Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), Cory Booker (D-N.J.), and Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.).



In addition to ongoing efforts to pass climate justice and clean energy funding through Congress, the letter recommends that the President employ the Defense Production Act or authorities through the Defense Security Cooperation Agency, which have previously been used to provide humanitarian assistance to allies or ramp up domestic production and provide certainty to important U.S. sectors. Within the heat pump sector alone, a federal investment of $600 million over five years could help the United States develop 30 manufacturing plants and produce three million heat pumps a year by 2025. It is estimated that deploying an additional five million heat pumps could cut our demand for oil equivalent to nearly a third of the amount we import from Russia. The accelerated production and deployment of electric appliances will help reduce U.S. and European demand for Russian energy.



“In tandem with banning Russian fossil fuel imports, your administration could deploy existing authorities, including the DPA and military sales, to accelerate the production and deployment of electric appliances to help reduce U.S. and European demand for Russian energy,” wrote the Senators in their letter to Biden. “With guaranteed federal contracts and other financial incentives, U.S. manufacturers will have the support they need to ramp up their production of electric heat pumps and key components—creating thousands of jobs, boosting local economies, saving money for consumers, reducing unhealthy emissions, and destroying President Putin’s oil and gas-based business model.”



A copy of the letter can be found HERE.

“

Okay okay okay, hvad sker der ikke lige hvis onkel Joe gør dette?

Over 200 groups call on Biden to use the Defense Production Act to help Ukraine by accelerating the clean energy transition
https://www.stand.earth/bidendpasignon
MARCH 9, 2022

Defense Production Act Authorities and U.S. Domestic Energy Supplies
https://crsreports.congress.gov/product/pdf/download/IN/IN11884/IN11884.pdf/
MARCH 11, 2022
“
..

DPA and Energy Supplies: Background
Past congressional actions to amend the DPA in response to the oil crises of the 1970s have sought to clarify that an executive response under the DPA should be made to “actions taken outside of the United States” that could impact domestic energy supplies, in order “to assure the availability of domestic energy supplies for national defense needs.” Currently the DPA policy statement (50 U.S.C. §4502) specifies that “to the maximum extent possible” U.S. domestic energy supplies should be augmented through “reliance on renewable energy sources (including solar, geothermal, wind, and biomass sources), more efficient energy storage and distribution technologies, and energy conservation measures.”
The Executive Branch previously employed DPA authorities domestically on a limited basis to respond to the 2000-2001 California electricity crisis when the Department of Energy (DOE) made use of DPA Title I prioritization authorities “to ensure that emergency supplies of natural gas continued to flow to California utilities.” This use of DPA authorities generated some congressional concern, with some Members contending that these authorities applied “only in the case of emergencies that had clear national security implications.” DOE countered that DPA authorities to “maximize domestic energy supplies” had been “an element of the inventory of energy agency authorities for a very long time” and had been used to prioritize contracts associated with pipeline construction and upgrading DOE strategic petroleum reserve storage facilities, among other purposes, as part of the “ordinary business of the federal government.”

..
“

UPDATE 2 - REC Silicon expects decision on Moses Lake restart by end-2022
https://renewablesnow.com/news/update-2-rec-silicon-expects-decision-on-moses-lake-restart-by-end-2022-778438/
MARCH 25, 2022

Solar starts strong, growing 40% year over year in January
https://pv-magazine-usa.com/2022/03/25/solar-starts-strong-growing-40-year-over-year-in-january/
MARCh 25, 2022
"
..
Multiple anti-dumping and anti-circumvention cases are another hampering force on the industry. Though solar reached new heights in January, major solar developer SOLV Energy CEO George Hershman told pv magazine that “deployment is frozen.” Hershman said the uncertainty caused by these tariffs is simply too much to digest in a utility-scale solar project, where module prices can account for 50% of the cost or more. SOLV‘s projects can exceed $300 million, so a 50-250% tariff would impose between $75 -$375 million in additional costs. This level of risk is untenable and is why Hershman describes the case as “an affront to the solar industry.”

Despite all of these hurdles, the solar PV train keeps rolling. The White House calls for 100% carbon free electricity by 2030, at least half of which would be locally supplied clean energy meeting 24/7 demand. The nation has eight years to get there, and solar PV is positioned to be center-stage for the next decade of deployment.
"

Meyer Burger: Annual results 2021 reflect successful transformation into PV cell and module manufacturer – EQ Mag Pro
https://www.eqmagpro.com/meyer-burger-annual-results-2021-reflect-successful-transformation-into-pv-cell-and-module-manufacturer-eq-mag-pro/
MARCH 26, 2022
“
..
Outlook
To overcome the dependency on fossil energy imports, the deployment of photovoltaics in Europe needs to be boosted – and not only to mitigate climate change. There is also a growing consensus that the necessary higher level of strategic autonomy can only be achieved with a strong European PV industry. In addition, customers are increasingly asking for high-performance products made locally and in a highly sustainable manner.

In this context, Meyer Burger is confident about the next, potentially accelerated expansion phases. As a European, integrated, technologically autonomous PV specialist that is ready to scale up, Meyer Burger is uniquely positioned in this respect. Similarly, the U.S. market offers enormous potential for further expansion.
..
“

Koch Industries, Built on Oil, Bets Big on U.S. Batteries

CEO Charles Koch has fought climate regulation; his company is now spreading investments across the U.S. battery supply chain

Koch Industries Inc., the energy-based conglomerate whose CEO long opposed environmental regulation and funded groups that questioned climate change, has emerged as one of the biggest financial backers of the battery industry.

A Koch Industries unit has made at least 10 investments worth at least $750 million in the U.S. battery supply chain and electric vehicles in the past 18 months, regulatory filings, news releases and FactSet data show. Koch’s battery investments are among the biggest from outside the auto industry, analysts say.

Founded more than 80 years ago as an oil refiner, Koch Industries is now the most diversified U.S. battery investor, said Vivas Kumar, a former Tesla Inc. senior manager and industry analyst who last year launched a battery-parts startup. “It’s stunning just how many different battery supply chain players they’ve taken a stake in,” he said.

Koch Industries is now a top shareholder in startups such as Freyr Battery SA, FREY -2.65% Aspen Aerogels Inc. ASPN -1.71% and Standard Lithium Ltd. SLI 3.20% The money comes at a crucial time for many of these companies, which need to spend heavily to commercialize their products. Koch appears to be focused on building up the battery industry in the U.S.

“The speed of the energy transition is directly correlated with companies like Koch participating in it,” said Tom Jensen, CEO of Freyr, a Norway-based company working to make low-cost, sustainable batteries. Koch Industries has a 10% stake in Freyr, which was worth about $120 million as of the end of last year, according to FactSet. The companies have a joint venture to make batteries in the U.S.

Koch Industries, based in Wichita, Kan., declined to comment about its battery investments. It has said little publicly about its battery strategy. The company has made the investments through Koch Strategic Platforms, a subsidiary of its investment group that it launched in late 2020 to invest in the energy transition, computing, automation and healthcare.

Koch Industries operates thousands of miles of pipelines that move oil and gas around the country and several large refineries. The company posts annual sales of about $120 billion through brands such as Brawny paper towels and Dixie cups, fertilizers and fabrics.

Chief Executive Officer Charles Koch and his late brother David donated billions of dollars to conservative and libertarian political causes, including some that opposed environmental regulation and questioned whether climate change is a problem.

One of the groups they have backed, Americans for Prosperity, has fought efforts by the Environmental Protection Agency to regulate carbon emissions. They have donated to the Competitive Enterprise Institute and the CO2 Coalition, both of which also supported former President Donald Trump’s 2017 withdrawal from the Paris climate accord, argue against the benefits of electric vehicles and question whether global warming caused by the burning of fossil fuels is a major issue.

In late 2020, Charles Koch, then 85 years old, wrote in a book that his partisanship was a mistake and said he hoped to address societal problems. His company’s political-action committee has continued donating heavily to Republican candidates.

Koch Industries has targeted companies that aim to provide raw materials for batteries, including lithium producer Standard Lithium and battery recycling company Li-Cycle Holdings Corp. LICY -3.40% Most battery materials are produced overseas, often in China, and shortages have driven up prices.

The company has also backed startups out to make better batteries, such as Solid Power Inc., SLDP -2.55% a maker of solid-state batteries that is backed by Ford Motor Co. and Bayerische Motoren Werke AG . Aspen Aerogels makes products that boost battery performance.

Koch has made the wagers through a combination of equity stakes and convertible debt that would become equity if share prices rise.

Shares of many of the companies have been volatile, with many clean-tech startups down recently on Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, interest-rate increases and supply-chain disruptions swinging markets. Short sellers who wager on share-price declines have bet against Standard Lithium, arguing that the company’s technology doesn’t work. Koch has said it conducted extensive due diligence before investing and is excited about Standard’s potential. Standard has called the accusations false and misleading.

Some analysts expect Koch Industries’ investments will spur others to follow them.

“When you see these large players jumping in the pool, you have to wonder, ‘What do they see that I don’t?’ ” said Chris Berry, founder of House Mountain Partners LLC, an adviser to battery-metals companies and investors.

—Ben Foldy contributed to this article.

https://www.wsj.com/articles/koch-industries-built-on-oil-bets-big-on-u-s-batteries-11647946147

President Joe Biden will broadly endorse the climate, social safety net and tax-code changes the White House has pursued as part of his “Build Back Better” agenda in his budget proposal Monday, but he won’t specify the costs or revenues in a bid to avoid disrupting congressional negotiations.

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2022-03-26/biden-to-sidestep-build-back-better-proposals-in-his-budget?cmpid=socialflow-twitter-business&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=socialflow-organic&utm_source=twitter&utm_content=business

Jeg tror ikke denne har blitt postet?

fra 9 Mars

http://www.koreaherald.com/view.php?ud=20220309000469&mod=skb

Karl Thomas Neumann inn i styret i OneD, OneD er lokalisert i Palo Alto og Moses Lake.

Solar industry position on anti-forced labor law draws scrutiny
https://www.spglobal.com/marketintelligence/en/news-insights/latest-news-headlines/solar-industry-position-on-anti-forced-labor-law-draws-scrutiny-69418269
MARCH 23, 2022
“..

"[There] can be no safe harbor, no 'trusted traders' in the context of Uyghur forced labor," Martina Vandenburg, president of the Human Trafficking Legal Center, said in a statement. "Press releases and public commitments do not end forced labor. Enforcement does."

While the new anti-forced labor law applies to imports of all kinds that are tied to manufacturers and raw material suppliers in Xinjiang, the solar industry's potential exposure to the region is particularly challenging for the Biden administration, which is trying to limit climate change. China is a dominant player in green energy markets and supply chains.
..”

Hanwha Solutions wins France's solar farm project
https://amp.kedglobal.com/newsAmp/ked202203280001
MARCH 28, 2022
“
..
"Thanks to the relatively short periods of time to build solar farms, solar energy is drawing more attention from Europe than before, which is seeking to reduce reliance on Russian energy," said a Q Cell official.
“

BULL

The U.S. Seeking New Alliance in Semiconductor Industry
http://www.businesskorea.co.kr/news/articleView.html?idxno=89777
MARCH 28, 2022
“..
The U.S. government recently proposed a semiconductor industry alliance of the United States, South Korea, Japan and Taiwan. The purpose is to keep China in check as it is rapidly emerging in the industry.

The South Korean government’s current stance is that the proposal is not fully acceptable. This is because South Korean companies are running key facilities in China, which is the largest semiconductor market in the world. According to market research firms, China’s semiconductor consumption, US$299.1 billion a year, is about half of the global total.
..”

Sydkorea och Frankrike är ensamma i världen om att ställa krav på CO2 från solceller.
Om Qcells ska vara aktiva i båda dessa marknader måste de öppna ML asap.

LONGi raises prices of G1, M6 wafers as supply chain hurdles continue
https://www.pv-tech.org/longi-solar-increases-price-of-smaller-wafers/
MARCH 28, 2022

[EVENT] Ecolabels for PV panels: the missing link for EU-based, green PV manufacturing?
https://euagenda.eu/events/2022/03/30/ecolabels-for-pv-panels-the-missing-link-for-eubased-green-pv-manufacturing
When
30 Mar 2022 @ 03:00 pm
30 Mar 2022 @ 05:30 pm
Duration: 2 hours, 30 minutes
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While solar photovoltaics markets are booming globally, the question of sustainability has never been more important than now: PV paves the way for reducing drastically carbon emissions globally and in Europe, accelerate the energy transition and contribute significantly creating jobs and economic value. However, the question of how to improve the sustainability of PV products is still at the core of the political agenda, with the need to develop an energy sector cleaner, greener and more sustainable than the one it is replacing. One of the key policy instrument that could increase the sustainability of PV products is the ecodesign concept and its

This event intends browsing through the current situation and highlight the positive impacts on the market and industry that such policies could trigger.

PV IMPACT is trying out a variety of approaches to stimulate PV research, development and innovation initiatives in Europe. These include organising matchmaking events for companies so they can find partners with whom to work on future projects under EU and/or national funding schemes; targeting and supporting two specific industrial companies: ENEL Green Power and Photowatt; and monitoring progress in PV through collecting data on public spending in the EU, on private spending, on the kinds of projects being funded and on the overall performance of PV technology, including forecasting of future spending.

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U.S. Chamber Comments on the Department of Commerce Strong Domestic Semiconductor Industry RFI
https://www.uschamber.com/security/supply-chain/u-s-chamber-comments-on-the-department-of-commerce-strong-domestic-semiconductor-industry-rfi
MARCH 28, 2022

UItra Low-Carbon Solar Alliance
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The Clean Energy Buyers Institute has released new resources about ultra #lowcarbon solar and embodied carbon in the solar supply chain. These resources give a comprehensive overview on how buyers can help build a resilient, sustainable solar supply chain by specifying ultra low-carbon solar using #ecolabels.

Learn more on their website:
https://cebi.org/programs/disc-e/
https://www.linkedin.com/posts/ultra-low-carbon-solar-alliance_decarbonizing-industrial-supply-chain-energy-activity-6914223264009523200-B9CG/

Denne blev delt af Mossegutten på ugetråden - tænker også den passer godt ind her. Så jeg kopierer den skamløst ind. Mange tak for deling, Mossegutten!!

Hanwha Solutions to raise $491 mn with materials unit split-off
https://www.kedglobal.com/corporate-restructuring/newsView/ked202203290021
MARCh 29, 2022
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NEEDS MONEY FOR INVESTMENTS

Investors had not welcomed the split-off plan in September last year when the decision was first known with Hanwha’s stock prices down to low-30,000 won from mid-40,000 won. But the split-off was expected to improve the company’s financial structure and provide money for investments since the unit is not a core business, some analysts said.

“It will be positive to focus on the solar power business, the mid-to-long-term growth engine, by securing cash through the sale of the unit for shareholders’ value,” said Kang Dong-jin, an analyst at Hyundai Motor Securities.

Hanwha came under pressure from financial burden, given its recent investments.

Since November of last year, the company has secured a 21.34% stake in Norway-based polysilicon manufacturer REC Silicon ASA through two rounds of investments of 245 billion won to ensure a stable procurement of solar cell materials in the US. Hanwha also signed a deal to acquire a 100% stake in RES Mediterranee SAS, a French wind and solar power plant operator, for 984.3 billion won in August 2021.


Hanwha has recently raised 600 billion won through a sale of a 49% stake in its polyvinyl chloride (PVC) unit in Ningbo, China, to a South Korean PE firm.
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Det er alltid spennende å følge om ord kan omsettes i handling gjennom lovforslag eller budsjettforslag. Her er et eksempel på det siste som kan ha stor betydning fremover:

The Department of Energy’s (DOE) budget includes investments to fight climate change through the accelerated deployment of clean energy, restructure our energy portfolio to strengthen our energy independence, and invest in urban and rural communities that have been disproportionately impacted by climate change but overlooked in the clean energy transition.

https://www.energy.gov/articles/statement-energy-secretary-granholm-president-bidens-doe-fiscal-year-2023-budget

Maxeon still has sights set on U.S. solar manufacturing hub
https://www.solarpowerworldonline.com/2022/03/maxeon-still-has-sights-set-on-u-s-solar-manufacturing-hub/
MARCH 29, 2022