Viktige insentiver og nåværende trender

IRAs kjerneinsentiver som tar sikte på å tiltrekke seg investeringer i solcelleproduksjon (PV) er i form av skattefradrag for produksjon.

45X-incentivene er:

$3/kg for polysilisium
$12 per kvadratmeter (~$0,05/Watt) for waferproduksjon
$0,04/Watt for celler
$0,07/Watt for moduler
Disse insentivene gir en betydelig forbedring av fabrikkøkonomien for hvert av trinnene ovenfor i verdikjeden. Til tross for dette har produsentene konsentrert seg om modulmontering, som krever den laveste kapitalinvesteringen og den korteste tiden å bringe på nett. Ved utgangen av 2025 forventes om lag 60 GW modulmonteringskapasitet å være i drift med ytterligere 70 GW i planleggingsfasen. Imidlertid har bare to store selskaper, QCells og Norsun, annonsert planer for produksjonsanlegg for ingot og wafer med en samlet kapasitet på 8 GW, mindre enn 15 % av den planlagte modulkapasiteten.

Konklusjoner

De økonomiske implikasjonene av IRA-produksjonsinsentivene, handelssaken fra april 2024 og DC-policyoppdateringene kombinert vil påvirke det amerikanske produksjonslandskapet for solenergi betydelig.

Å oppmuntre innenlandsk produksjon av wafere og celler vil skape arbeidsplasser, øke kompetansen og fremme bærekraftig økonomisk vekst. Å utvikle en komplett innenlandsk forsyningskjede for solcellepaneler – fra polysilisiumproduksjon til wafer- og celleproduksjon og endelig modulmontering – vil hjelpe USA med å oppnå energiuavhengighet.

De siste oppdateringene gjør solcelle- og waferproduksjon i USA mer attraktivt, men vil kreve kontinuerlige forbedringer. Vi forventer flere produksjonskunngjøringer gjennom 2024 for å betjene den første bølgen av solcellemodulprodusenter.
https://www.linkedin.com/posts/solar-energy-manufacturers-for-america-sema-coalition_strengthening-us-solar-manufacturing-the-activity-7216103252038139904-VZtr?utm_source=combined_share_message&utm_medium=member_ios

Amid the bloodletting in batteries and EVs, two US startups--Sila Nanotechnologies, Inc. and Group14 Technologies --seem on the verge of a commercial breakout, getting their high-range, fast-charge silicon anodes into the EVs of about seven carmakers. The Electric.
https://www.linkedin.com/posts/steve-levine-1901926_the-electric-seven-ev-makers-prepare-to-activity-7216047931097837568-jmWE?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_ios

Sila Nanotechnologies and Group14 Technologies say they are almost ready to begin high-volume commercial shipments of their competing silicon electrodes. Sila CEO Gene Berdichevsky said that in a little over a year, the company would ship commercial-grade silicon anodes to four customers, including Mercedes-Benz, Panasonic, which makes batteries for Tesla and other EV makers, and two other automotive companies.

California-based Sila will manufacture the anodes at a gigafactory it is building in Moses Lake, Wash. Group14, based in Woodinville, Wash., will ship silicon anodes to three undisclosed EV and EV battery customers by the end of this year from a gigafactory it’s building with battery maker SK On in South Korea, said Group14 CEO Rick Luebbe.

Mercedes is the only automaker to announce publicly that it will use such anodes. A Mercedes spokesperson told me the company will offer Sila’s electrodes as an option in its ultraluxury G-Class SUVs in the “mid-decade,” though declined to specify a year. Renault may be next: In an interview last week, Philippe Brunet, senior vice president of EV and powertrain for Ampère, Renault's parent company, told me the French carmaker would deploy silicon anodes in the next few years, but declined to say who would be the supplier.

High-silicon electrodes are a battery breakthrough that should lead to better range and faster charging. And we may soon see some concrete products soon that use those batteries, reports The Information's Steve LeVine today:

That story notes that as the whole industry is chasing cheaper, "good enough" batteries—think LFP—these silicon-anode batteries could command a premium at first, hence why Mercedes is eager to deploy them:

In recent months, automakers have made clear that they care most about cost. Berdichevsky and Luebbe argue that they can compete with graphite, but they also appear to want a premium price for their anodes’ better performance. It’s not a surprise that the first commercial vehicle to use the anodes will be an ultraluxury Mercedes. Berdichevsky noted that consumers pay more for the iPhone than for most other brands because many view it as a superior product. And both he and Luebbe argued that the automakers are likely to charge more for vehicles that go farther and charge faster because of their anode. “They can charge a really nice premium because charge anxiety is the single biggest inhibitor to EV adoption right now,” Luebbe said.

https://insideevs.com/news/725840/porsche-cm-electric-solid-state/

Mercedes-Benz has set a target of reducing the costs of its EV batteries by as much as 30% by increasing their energy density.

The German firm aims to increase the energy density of its batteries to 0.9kWh per litre. The 120kWh battery in its most efficient current EV, the EQS saloon, has an energy density of 0.55kWh per litre.

This new target also goes beyond the 0.8kWh per litre that Mercedes claims to be achieving from lithium ion batteries with a silicon composite anode, developed with American company Sila Nanotechnologies and earmarked for future versions of the electric G-Class.

https://www.autocar.co.uk/car-news/business-tech%2C-development-and-manufacturing/mercedes-benz-targets-30-cheaper-batteries

Group14 and CustomCells Sign a Multi-Year Supply Agreement for Advanced Silicon Battery Material
NEWS PROVIDED BY
Group14 Technologies
Jul 08, 2024, 03:30 ET

WOODINVILLE, Wash. and ITZEHOE, Germany, July 8, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- German battery pioneer CustomCells and Group14 Technologies, the world's largest global manufacturer and supplier of advanced silicon battery material, today announced they have signed a multi-year supply agreement, enabling CustomCells to procure SCC55®, Group14's advanced silicon battery material.

CustomCells is planning to develop a factory in the United States with a capacity of up to 2GWh, underlining their North American growth plans. This supply agreement between Group14 and CustomCells is expected to exceed US$300M of contract value to secure a substantial supply of SCC55® beyond 2030, ensuring CustomCells' long-term capability to meet demand for their high-performance battery cells.
https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/group14-and-customcells-sign-a-multi-year-supply-agreement-for-advanced-silicon-battery-material-302190506.html

BBC News rapport om QSells Georgia og innenlands produksjon.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Ex9EQA2ZEcQ

Dette må jo være så nære en kontrakt en kan komme uten å si noe 😂

polysilisium utenfor Kina ligger stabilt på 21,50 dollar/kg.

https://www.linkedin.com/posts/bernreuter-research_polysilicon-price-wafer-activity-7217077696269344768-lf4-?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_ios

Hvor stabil/ustabil har prisene vært historisk sett utenfor Kina?

Nå skal jeg ikke bruke denne nyhets kanalen til annet enn nyheter. Men ser du på rapporten så viser det tilbake frem til des i fjor, og den grønne linjen som er utenfor Kina er helt rett. Det vil si stabilt på dette nivået. Dette beviser at utenfor kina er ikke mye opp og ned og det er bra for REC.

Du har helt ret.
Salget vil stikke helt af.
Er de ikke ved at udbygge silan produktionen, så de kan leverer.
Næste år står 2 helt nye fabrikker klar til at modtage Silan , kan kun blive en kæmpe forretning for RECSI.
Ingen tvivl om kursen skal betydeligt op
og dem der er short nu, vil få mega tab.
Alt kommer igang i 2024-2025, højest lidt over 2 mdr. til første levering, kan sagtens ske før

Håper dere fikser det som er igjen og sender snarest en børsmelding.

REC Silicon
We had an amazing week at SEMICON West in San Francisco. We’ve met with industry colleagues, participated in our Silicon Manufacturers Group (SMG) meeting, and while on the tradeshow floor, explored innovations and emerging trends in the semiconductor industry. This event is a top-notch educational experience and a truly rewarding opportunity that we always enjoy attending.

It was great to see so many of you again! Until next year!

https://www.linkedin.com/posts/rec-silicon_wearerecsilicon-semiconwest-activity-7217181229371056133-YfT4?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_ios

Ser at det gjøres et poeng av prisene utenfor Kina. Jeg har vært inne på dette tidligere, og det er at vi vet absolutt intet om i hvor stor grad Kina-prisene er vektlagt i avtalen med Hanwha. Nå er det opptil flere her på trådene som har gått frem som om de kjenner avtaledetaljene, men det gjør de definitivt ikke. Markedet er beviselig temmelig avmålt til nevnte. Og tidvis høres det ut på disse trådene som om noen sitter på positive breaking news hva gjelder REC. Her må vi bare innrømmer at de profesjonelle storinvestorene er adskillig mer oppegående enn hvilken som forumleamikk.

Har sagt det før, jeg tror ikke at REC vil gjøre den store kula i sine leveranser til Hanwha. Den som i sin tid stod med lua i hånda for å gjøre avtale med superkommersielle Hanwha, var så å si uten forhandlingskort. Setter følgelig min lit til silangass-leveranser til batteriindustrien. Et par store avtaler der, kan fort gjøre susen.

Bygg en givende karriere sammen med oss! Vi søker en innkjøpskoordinator til vårt Moses Lake-team!

Finn ut mer, eller søk raskt og enkelt: www.recsilicon.com/careers

#WeAreRECSilicon #MosesLake #GrantCountyWA #hiring #applytoday #openpositions #opportunity #procurementcoordinator #procurementjobs

At Hanwha-leveransen utløser statlig skatte-refusjon (3USD pr kg) bør ikke glemmes. Men enig i at silangass kan gi større fortjeneste. Og der bør vil ha meldinger om nye kontrakter innen året er omme.

@SolarInmass: Stay in the game, it’s a big game

https://x.com/solarinmass/status/1812186606318883132?s=46

The United States, the second largest economy in the world, accounts for 15% of global clean energy investment, and remains a major investor in oil and gas
The United States has taken important steps to scale up investments in clean energy. These investments overtook the spending that went to fossil fuels in 2020 – when oil and gas investments fell sharply – and increased to USD 280 billion in 2023 from USD 200 billion in 2020. The country also invests a significant amount in oil and gas: for every USD 1.4 spent on clean energy in 2023, US investors directed 1 USD to fossil fuels. (That is slightly below the global average of USD 1.8.)

New legislative vehicles supporting clean energy investment in the United States are the Bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act of 2021, which allocated around USD 550 billion for clean energy and infrastructure, and the US Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) of 2022, which provides an estimated USD 370 billion in funding to promote energy security and combat climate change.

These incentives are prompting faster deployment and the development of new clean energy manufacturing capacities. By the end of 2023, the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act allocated nearly USD 75 billion to clean energy, including projects related to grid improvement and expansion (USD 21.3 billion), clean energy demonstrations (USD 21.5 billion), energy efficiency (USD 6.5 billion) and clean energy manufacturing and workforce development (USD 8.6 billion). Meanwhile, tax credits from the IRA make clean energy projects in the United States more competitive and incentivise investment in vulnerable energy communities.

The increase in clean energy investment moves capital flows towards alignment with the long-term goal, announced in 2021, to achieve economy-wide net-zero emissions by 2050. However, clean energy investors have faced some headwinds, including high financing costs due to higher benchmark interest rates (that reached over 5.0% since the summer of 2023). Permitting issues and the finalization of tax credit guidance under the IRA have also meant delays in some cases.

$2 billion/day

Global clean energy investments to reach $2t in 2024

Emerging and developing markets, however, remain underfunded.

Clean energy technologies and infrastructure spending is expected to reach $2t in 2024, exceeding the spending on fossil fuels for the second time in a row, according to a report by the International Energy Agency (IEA).

In the World Energy Investment report, IEA said the $2t expenditure will cover renewables, electric vehicles, nuclear power, grids, storage, low-emissions fuels, efficiency improvements and heat pumps.

Slightly over $1t will go to coal, gas, and oil.

“Clean energy investment is setting new records even in challenging economic conditions, highlighting the momentum behind the new global energy economy. For every dollar going to fossil fuels today, almost two dollars are invested in clean energy,” said IEA Executive Director Fatih Birol.

However, the IEA noted that there are still imbalances as only $300b spending on clean energy will be going to emerging and developing economies, outside of China, led by India and Brazil, representing around 15% of the global clean energy investments.

China is expected to dominate the clean energy investments, estimated to reach $675b, followed by Europe and the US with $370b and $315b investments, respectively.

“The rise in clean energy spending is underpinned by strong economics, by continued cost reductions and by considerations of energy security. But there is a strong element of industrial policy, too, as major economies compete for advantage in new clean energy supply chains,” Birol said.

“More must be done to ensure that investment reaches the places where it is needed most, in particular the developing economies where access to affordable, sustainable and secure energy is severely lacking today,” he added.
https://x.com/jigarshahdc/status/1811749223206961514?s=46

We applaud U.S. Senators Jon Ossoff and Sherrod Brown for the continued work to protect domestic solar manufacturing from unfair trade practices, urging the CBP to enforce the anti-stockpiling provision to prevent importers from evading tariffs: https://lnkd.in/edGtFsKH

Sens. Ossoff, Brown Pressing Biden Administration to Protect Domestic Solar Manufacturing from Antidumping Practices
July 8, 2024
In February, Sens. Ossoff & Brown led a group of Senators pressing the Biden Administration to support U.S. manufacturing of strategic solar components

Washington, D.C. — U.S. Senator Jon Ossoff is continuing his work to protect domestic solar manufacturing from unfair trade practices.

Sens. Ossoff and Sherrod Brown (D-OH) launched an inquiry with U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) requesting detailed information about how the Biden Administration will enforce provisions designed to prevent importers from evading tariffs by stockpiling solar modules imported during the moratorium that ended on June 6.

“According to the White House, your Agency has announced that it will ‘vigorously enforce’ the anti-stockpiling provision, including by ‘requiring importers to provide CBP a certification of solar module utilization with detailed information about the modules being deployed.’ We urge that vigorous enforcement in the interest of American energy independence and energy security,” Sens. Ossoff and Brown wrote.

Sen. Ossoff continues working to boost domestic solar manufacturing and strengthen American energy independence.

In April, Sen. Ossoff pressed the Biden Administration to end the emergency declared in June 2022 that authorized the U.S. Department of Commerce to waive certain duties on solar products manufactured in China and imported from Southeast Asian countries.

In March, Sens. Ossoff and Rev. Warnock successfully pressed the Biden Administration to eliminate the tariff exemption for bifacial modules under Section 201 of the Trade Act of 1974 to boost the competitive advantage of American bifacial module manufacturers.

In February, Sen. Ossoff led a group of Senators pressing the Biden Administration to ensure domestic production of wafers and polysilicon is properly incentivized through the Inflation Reduction Act’s bonus tax credit for domestic content, as intended by Congress, to help American solar manufacturing compete with China.

In January, Sen. Ossoff successfully led a bipartisan group of Senators urging President Biden to increase tariffs on Chinese-made solar module, cell, and wafer imports under Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974.

The global silicon-based anode market size was estimated at USD 3 Billion in 2023 and is anticipated to reach USD 137 Billion by 2036, observing more than 48% during the forecast period. Prominent players operating in the silicon-based anode market include Tesla, LG Chem, Samsung SDI Co., Ltd., SK Innovation Co., Ltd., Northvolt AB, Sila Nanotechnologies Inc., Amprius Technologies, Enevate Corporation, 24M, Enovix Corporation. The market is characterized by several key players are vying for market share through strategies such as product innovation, partnerships, mergers, and acquisitions.
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/united-states-us-silicon-based-anode-market-81kfc?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_ios&utm_campaign=share_via

LG Energy Solution:
Watt’s Up!​

There is a next-generation battery that solves both solid-state and silicon-anode challenges all at once.​

​LG Energy Solution researchers in collaboration with others, created a new type of battery combining solid-state electrolyte with pure-silicon anode.​
​
Watch Shorts and find out more!​
[https://lnkd.in/gyTNu28h]​

#WattsUp #PureSiliconAnode #LGEnergySolution #Solidstate #Battery​
https://www.linkedin.com/posts/lgenergysolution_watts-up-2-next-gen-battery-overcoming-activity-7219568771584122881-VRPW?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_ios

https://m.youtube.com/shorts/YIiQbKQirsI

index for polysilicon outside China remains at its long-time level of US$21.50/kg. 👌
https://www.linkedin.com/posts/bernreuter-research_polysilicon-price-wafer-activity-7219614474691899393-sOYn?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_ios

Alt går REC sin vei i USA, bortsett fra tivoli børsen i Norge.

Trump kan skape store problemer for Kinas økonomi
Kinas økonomi kan svekkes hvis Trump blir valgt som president, tror Goldman Sachs.

Goldman Sachs mener at Trumps planer om 60 prosent toll på kinesiske varer kan utgjøre en stor risiko for et stort fall i veksten for Kina, ifølge CNBC.

– Beslutningstakere må tenke på innenlandsk etterspørsel og fokusere på noe som er mer vedvarende og bærekraftig for vekstutsiktene, sier Shan til CNBC og fortsetter:
https://www.finansavisen.no/politikk/2024/07/18/8156362/trump-kan-skape-store-problemer-for-kinas-okonomi

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ys-PnzlsWhQ

Dette kan komme når som helst i USA og.
Legg godt merke til de siste 4-5 linjene.

Canada adds high-purity iron, phosphorous and silicon metal to critical minerals list
20 July 2024

Canada recently added an additional three minerals—high-purity iron, phosphorous and silicon metal—to its Critical Minerals List, bringing the total to 34.

Canada released its first Critical Minerals List in March 2021 with a commitment to review the minerals identified as critical every three years. The list guides federal policy and programs and signals government areas of priority to stakeholders. Public consultations took place with provincial and territorial governments, other government departments, industry, Indigenous groups and other interested or affected stakeholders.

An analysis was undertaken to review all minerals included in the 2021 Critical Minerals List and consider potential candidates for addition. These analyses resulted in the updated Critical Minerals List that retains all 31 minerals from the 2021 list and the additional three.

Silicon metal is essential to the manufacture of chips and semiconductors, used in almost any and everything electronic.

High-purity iron ore is essential to green steel and integral to decarbonization.

Phosphorus combined with potash is essential for food security through the production of fertilizers. Phosphorus can also be used in Lithium Iron Phosphate (LFP) batteries, another strategic opportunity in the EV value chain for Canada.

There is no global definition of critical minerals so, as part of the List’s review, an updated set of criteria has been created. To be deemed a “critical mineral” in Canada, a mineral must meet both of the following criteria:

the supply chain is threatened; and

there is a reasonable chance of the mineral being produced by Canada

as well as one of the following criteria:

essential to Canada’s economic or national security; or

required for the national transition to a sustainable low-carbon and digital economy; or

positions Canada as a sustainable and strategic partner within global supply chains.

Analysts at Benchmark noted that the expansion of the list with the three new minerals could support Canadaa’s bid to become a major ex-China battery materials supplier.

Lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery cathodes contain both battery-suitable purified phosphoric acid (PPA), made using mined phosphorus feedstock, and high-purity iron.

Silicon metal is also a feedstock for silicon-graphite battery anodes.

Projects in these minerals will now be eligible for various forms of government support, including a seven-year C$1.5 billion ($1.1 billion) federal fund for new critical minerals infrastructure launched in November 2023.

https://www.greencarcongress.com/2024/07/20240720-canada.html

Many US solar factories are lagging. Except those China owns

July 17 (Reuters) - Construction of U.S. solar-manufacturing plants by Chinese companies is surging, putting China in position to dominate the nascent industry, as other American factories struggle to compete despite federal subsidies.
Chinese companies will have at least 20 gigawatts' worth of annual solar panel production capacity on U.S. soil within the next year, enough to serve about half the U.S. market, according to a Reuters analysis of corporate statements, government documents, and interviews with eight companies and researchers.

The group includes seven companies backed by Chinese firms including Jinko Solar (JKS.N), opens new tab, Trina Solar (688599.SS), opens new tab, JA Solar (002459.SZ), opens new tab, Longi (601012.SS), opens new tab, Hounen, Runergy, and Boviet, according to the analysis.
The projected rapid increase in U.S. solar panel production by Chinese-owned companies has not previously been reported, and represents a worrying result for President Joe Biden's climate agenda. While his administration is keen for new investment that creates U.S. jobs in clean energy, his government is also desperate to prevent over-reliance on geopolitical rival China as the economy transitions from oil and gas to renewables.

Chinese-backed companies have distinct advantages over competitors in the U.S., such as heavily subsidized supply chains for raw polysilicon and unfinished solar modules, as well as low-cost government financing. Like non-Chinese companies, they also collect U.S. subsidies for clean energy manufacturing embedded in the 2022 Inflation Reduction Act, Biden's signature climate law.
"You have a stacked deck here. It’s hard to imagine that anyone, particularly a greenfield manufacturer, can do it as quickly as a Chinese manufacturer," said Paula Mints, founder of solar industry research firm SPV Market Research, referring to new factories.

She and one other researcher added, however, that the Chinese investment would help the domestic solar manufacturing industry mature while creating jobs.
"They have a lot more experience building factories and setting up supply chains," said David Feldman, a solar market researcher with the U.S. Department of Energy's National Renewable Energy Laboratory.
Local and state officials in places where Chinese firms are setting up factories, including Texas, Arizona, Ohio and North Carolina, have welcomed the investments.

WE NEED AMERICAN MANUFACTURERS'

Non-Chinese manufacturers in the United States, by contrast, have found it hard to compete against a flood of cheap imports and are worried by China's outsized presence. As many as half of the announced U.S. factories may not materialize, Reuters reported last year.
U.S.-based Convalt, for example, is struggling to bring online 10 GW of U.S. capacity at a factory it started building in upstate New York in 2022.

"If we are to succeed, we need American manufacturers like Convalt to survive this onslaught of low prices, to build factories with capacities that allow us to compete against the largest global firms, with Chinese beneficial ownership," CEO Hari Achuthan said in May in testimony to the U.S. International Trade Commission, a government agency that is considering a request by Korea's Hanwha Qcells and other U.S. manufacturers to impose new tariffs on some solar imports.
Convalt's plant would make panels plus the cells, wafers and ingots that go into them, but progress stalled a year ago as global panel prices plunged 50% to levels below Convalt's cost of production, he said.
"Had we not had these low prices we should be up and running today," Achuthan said.
The Department of Energy told Reuters that developing a domestic solar supply chain would take time and that the U.S. must rely on foreign businesses for their expertise.
'COMMITTED TO BE HERE'

Chinese companies, by far the top suppliers of solar and electric-vehicle battery components imported to the U.S., now account for one-fifth of the solar factories announced since the U.S. adopted new climate subsidies, according to research firm Wood Mackenzie.
The United States has tried to ease its import addiction to Chinese solar products with tariffs, and has also banned goods linked to China's Xinjiang region over concerns about forced labor. It is now considering new duties on components made in other Asian countries where Chinese manufacturers have set up.
Chinese companies building factories in the U.S. so far are mainly investing in module production, in which solar cells imported from Asia are assembled into panels.
Longi, the world's third-biggest solar producer, for example, is pumping out panels in Pataskala, Ohio through a joint venture with U.S. clean-energy developer Invenergy called Illuminate USA. The five-gigawatt plant is among the largest announced since passage of the IRA, and the company is also exploring the possibility of building a cell facility.
"Illuminate USA is an American company, majority owned by Invenergy, who owns both the facility and the land where over 1,000 Ohioans will produce more than nine million high-quality solar panels annually at full capacity later this year," Illuminate spokesman Eric Heis said in a statement.
Trina, the No. 4 global manufacturer, plans to start a five-GW panel factory in Texas this year, and is also planning a cell facility.
"We are committed to be here and we are spending a lot of time and money to make that a reality," said Mike Nelson, head of legal for Trina's North American business.
Trina said its U.S. subsidiary is a U.S.-registered company that sources the polysilicon it uses to produce its equipment from European and U.S. sources.
While Chinese producers face opposition from some other U.S. factory owners, panel-buying U.S. project developers interested in low-cost supply welcome them.
The American Clean Power Association, a clean-energy trade group, said the U.S. solar-manufacturing sector is attracting global and domestic investment. It said U.S.-headquartered companies make up most of the operating and planned panel production.
Top U.S. producers, Hanwha Qcells and Arizona-based First Solar (FSLR.O), opens new tab, are pushing for the U.S. to impose new tariffs on component and equipment imports from countries where their Chinese rivals have built factories to supply the U.S.
"We're just asking for legitimate U.S. manufacturers to have a chance to compete with these gigantic Chinese-owned companies," said Tim Brightbill, attorney for the American Alliance for Solar Manufacturing Trade Committee, the group seeking new tariffs.
The group's rivals argue that placing duties on some cell imports and not others is unfair and will stifle construction of U.S. factories.

The Reuters Power Up newsletter provides everything you need to know about the global energy industry. Sign up here.
Reporting by Nichola Groom; Editing by Richard Valdmanis and Rod Nickel

https://www.reuters.com/business/energy/many-us-solar-factories-are-lagging-except-those-china-owns-2024-07-17/

Absolutt viktig tema dette som har blitt tatt opp fra de ikke kinesiske selskaper. De presser Biden administrasjon for å kutte støtten til de kinesiske selskaper som utnytter IRA støtten. Med denne støtten har de ikke kinesiske selskaper ikke muligheten til å konkurrer med kinesiske selskaper i USA. Det er viktig at Biden administrasjonen kutter denne støtten til de kinesiske selskaper. Tiltaket skulle hjelpe landet å gjenoppbygge Amerikansk innenlandske produksjon, og slik at USA ikke blir avhengig av Kina. Men Kina klarer å lure seg inn og både tjener penger ved å utnytte systemet og samtidig ikke lar USA bli mindre avhengig av dem.

Store selskaper slik som Hanwha og flere andre har bedt regjeringen om p revurdere denne loven slik at de kinesiske selskaper som utnytter systemet ikke for fortsette.

Lite utdrag fra artikkelen:
Faktumet om saken er at selskaper med hovedkontor eller kontrollerte kinesiske selskapers evne til å dra nytte av denne bonusen, mens de fortsetter å dra nytte av deres fangede (og overflødige) waferproduksjon i utlandet, til skade for amerikanske produsenter, er i strid med intensjonen til IRA, både i bokstav og ånd.3
Kongressen hadde til hensikt at bonusen for innenlandsk innhold direkte skulle drive forbruket av innenlandsproduserte rene energiprodukter, og spesielt å tjene som en etterspørselsdriver for rene energikomponenter hvis produksjon ble incentivert av Section 45X Advanced Manufacturing Production Tax Credit.4 Erkjenner det grunnleggende formålet. av bonuskreditten for innenlandsk innhold er å drive amerikansk produksjon av ren energi og støtte gjenopprettingsarbeid, anbefaler SEMA på det sterkeste at finansdepartementet reviderer sin foreslåtte tabell over prosentverdier for produserte produktkomponenter (MPC) ved å anerkjenne den individuelle verdien som legges til ved produksjonen av kjernekomponentene som er oppført , gjelder også:
● Legge til visse kjerne-MPC-er, spesielt utelatt fra tabellen (f.eks. wafer);
● Fjerne ikke-strategiske MPC fra bordet;
● Standardisering av verdien for MPC i en enkelt kolonne/tabell for å lage en generalisert, forutsigbar
tilnærming som enkelt kan implementeres på tvers av alle prosjekttyper og som kan stole på
for å ta betydelige investeringsbeslutninger i produksjon; og
● Sikre at kostnadene er representative for amerikansk produksjon for kapital- og driftskostnader
oppnå formålet med loven.
Hvert av kjerneverdiøkende produksjonstrinn har sine egne kapitalinvesteringer, drift og lønnskostnader, med oppstrøms komponentproduksjon av solenergikvalitets polysilisium og wafer som står overfor den høyeste kapitalinvesteringsrisikoen og tilsvarende avkastning på investert kapital. For at gjeninnsatsen skal lykkes, er det avgjørende at deres relative bidrag til verdien av det ferdige produktet er
1 Det hvite hus. Faktaark: Biden-Harris Administration iverksetter tiltak for å styrke amerikansk solenergiproduksjon og beskytte produsenter og arbeidere mot Kinas urettferdige handelspraksis.

https://static1.squarespace.com/static/620460b5a16553242f92f19f/t/669594b29013ab0c613fefe8/1721078962847/SEMA+Coalition+Comments+on+Domestic+Content_Docket+No.+IRS-2024-0023_7.15.24.pdf

Merk dette: The proposed
project would enable the sourcing of critical battery materials from within the United States
and reduce the dependence on foreign material suppliers.

July 29, 2024
The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) - National Energy Technology Laboratory
(NETL) invites comments on the Draft Environmental Assessment (Draft EA) for the
Group14 Technologies – Battery Active Materials Factory Project. The Draft EA can be
found on DOE’s NETL EA website at https://netl.doe.gov/node/6939.
The Draft EA has been prepared in accordance with the Council on Environmental
Quality’s National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) implementing regulations (40 CFR
Parts 1500-1508) and DOE’s NEPA implementing procedures (10 CFR Part 1021). DOE
prepared the Draft EA to analyze the potential environmental, cultural, and social impacts
of partially funding the construction of Group14 Technologies’ commercial-scale facility
in Moses Lake, Washington to produce a lithium-ion battery anode material for the
growing electric vehicle market. The proposed project site includes construction of up to
six process module buildings for production of the anode material. Other supporting
buildings would include an administrative building, operations building, utility building,
solid waste storage building, and nitrogen plant. Installation of parking, stormwater
infiltration pond, wastewater conveyance, various utilities, and other associated facilities
would be constructed to support operations. Once operational, the six process modules
would be expected to produce 12,000 metric tons per year of anode material. The proposed
project would enable the sourcing of critical battery materials from within the United States
and reduce the dependence on foreign material suppliers. The proposed project would
create more than 254 full-time jobs that offer benefits such as healthcare. Group14 also
plans to offer community benefits to raise equity levels in the greater Moses Lake
community. Together, these efforts would help revitalize the workforce and economy of
the greater Moses Lake community for decades to come while significantly strengthening
the U.S. lithium-ion battery industry.

https://www.energy.gov/sites/default/files/2024-07/reader-ltr-draft-ea-2220-group14-tech-battery-2024-07.pdf

https://www.energy.gov/sites/default/files/2024-07/draft-ea-2220-group14-tech-battery-2024-07.pdf

price for polysilicon outside China was seen stable by all data providers this week, with InfoLink’s index still standing at its long-time level of US$21.50/kg.

https://www.linkedin.com/posts/bernreuter-research_polysilicon-price-futures-activity-7224688367727222784-b8u1?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_ios

Paraclete Energy Launches SILO Silicon™: A Breakthrough in Silicon Anode Technology for Li-Ion Batteries.

Paraclete Energy, a leading silicon anode materials company, today announced the launch of SILO Silicon™, a revolutionary silicon anode material that will transform the Li-ion battery market, particularly the electric vehicle (EV) battery sector. This innovative technology offers unprecedented energy density and cost efficiency, enabling longer range, faster charging and more affordable electric vehicles.

SILO Silicon™ represents a significant advance in battery technology. Its unique polymer matrix architecture enables industry-leading silicon concentration, delivering up to 300% the energy density of traditional graphite anodes and outperforming competing silicon anode technologies by over 200%. This breakthrough results in significantly increased battery capacity, allowing electric vehicles to travel significantly longer distances on a single charge.

batteries news advertise
Jeff Norris, CEO of Paraclete Energy, said:

SILO Silicon™ is a game-changer for the electric vehicle industry.

“This technology directly addresses the critical needs of the market, offering longer range, faster charging and lower costs – all essential factors in accelerating the adoption of electric vehicles.”

Paraclete Energy specializes in developing high-performance silicon anode materials for electric vehicles and other lithium-ion battery applications. Paraclete Energy’s polymer matrix technology offers breakthrough performance and cost advantages over competing silicon anode technologies based on carbon architectures. The company is committed to providing innovative solutions that advance the transition to sustainable energy and transportation. Paraclete Energy is shipping SILO Silicon™ in the fourth quarter of 2024, years ahead of projected competitor projects.

https://www.linkedin.com/posts/batteriesnews_paraclete-energy-launches-silo-silicon-activity-7224787589562568706-AlGB?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_ios

Bill aims to cut 45X tax credits for Chinese solar makers

A bipartisan group of U.S. lawmakers introduced the American Tax Dollars for American Solar Manufacturing Act, aiming to prevent Chinese solar module manufacturers from claiming subsidies for their American factories.

The Inflation Reduction Act, passed in 2022, offers manufacturing 45 X tax credits for solar components made in America. While the lucrative tax credits have been attracting clean energy manufacturers worldwide to build factories in the U.S., the fact that some of the new manufacturing facilities are from Chinese companies has created a controversy that this new bill aims to solve.

The bill was introduced by Senators Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio), Bill Cassidy (D-LA), Jon Ossoff (D-GA) and Rick Scott (D-FL), seeks to protect U.S. solar manufacturing by removing the tax incentives for Chinese companies and from other “foreign entities of interest” would not be able to receive the 45X tax credits.

“By reshoring the solar supply chain, we can bolster solar manufacturing in the U.S. and ensure our country is not dependent on China for a technology that was invented here and accounted for half of our new grid energy additions last year, said Mike Carr, Executive Director of the Solar Energy Manufacturers for America (SEMA) Coalition.

The Defend Solar USA Alliance also supports the new legislation. The Alliance said in a release that while the 45X tax credit has contributed to the largest investments in factory production in nearly 100 years, it’s estimated that Chinese-controlled companies could collect more than $100 billion in federal tax credits. These credits, the Alliance contends, were “designed to support U.S. clean-energy manufacturers”.

“We shouldn’t be in the business of rewarding China at the expense of our domestic solar industry,” said U.S. Army General John Adams (ret.), and Board Member of the Defend Solar USA Alliance. “The bipartisan bill would ensure that Americans’ taxpayer dollars stay right here at home rather than help subsidize a foreign government’s efforts to put domestic manufacturers out of work. By building a successful domestic solar industry, the U.S. can break from its reliance on foreign energy sources, strengthen our supply chain and reduce our vulnerability to geopolitical conflicts.”

https://pv-magazine-usa.com/2024/08/01/solar-manufacturing-act-would-make-chinese-backed-companies-ineligible-for-45x-tax-credits/?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=linkedin

Når kommer REC sin tur tro?

The Biden administration is offering Qcells as much as $1.45 billion in conditional financing to construct the biggest US plant producing silicon ingots and wafers, the building blocks of solar panels.

The conditional loan guarantee from the Energy Department will go to the company’s plant Cartersville, Georgia. The facility will also make cells and as much as 3.3 gigawatts of panels a year, the agency said in a statement Thursday.

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2024-08-08/biden-offers-1-45-billion-in-financing-for-georgia-solar-plant?srnd=homepage-europe

Strengthening America's PV solar supply chains, starting with the largest ingot & wafer plant ever built in the U.S.! (see: https://lnkd.in/gJGzMd-u) Today, LPO announced a conditional commitment for a loan guarantee of up to $1.45 billion to Qcells USA Corp.—a leading North American crystalline silicon solar manufacturer—to finance the first vertically integrated solar manufacturing facility in the U.S. to produce ingots, wafers, cells, and panels under one roof in over a decade.

The loan guarantee will support Qcells’ solar supply chain facility in Cartersville, Georgia, which will produce ingots, wafers, cells, and finished solar panels. The facility will be the largest ingot and wafer plant ever built in the U.S., helping to address gaps in the domestic solar manufacturing supply chain and reinforcing the United States’ status as a global clean energy leader. The Qcells facility will also make larger-format wafer sizes that lower costs and increase product performance to benefit consumers.

Once fully operational, the facility is expected to produce 3.3 GW of solar panels per year, enough to supply panels to half a million American households, reducing emissions from power generation by more than 5 million tons of CO2e per year, which will help the nation reach the Biden-Harris Administration’s ambitious goal of achieving net-zero emissions by 2050.

In support of the Biden-Harris Administration’s efforts to deliver good-paying, high-quality job opportunities to communities across the country, this project is also expected to create approximately 1,200 construction jobs and, upon completion, will support 1,950 full-time operations jobs.

As with all conditional commitments that LPO offers, it's important to note that while this announcement demonstrates an intent to finance the project, the expected U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) financing will only be issued pending the satisfaction of certain conditions—including final legal, contractual, technical, and financial requirements—that the conditional commitment specifies.

LEARN MORE:

• What is a Conditional Commitment & How is it Different from a Loan or Loan Guarantee? https://lnkd.in/gkhfhYHZ
• More about the Biden-Harris Administration's "Investing in America" Agenda: WhiteHouse.gov/Invest
• Read about other LPO project announcements: https://lnkd.in/g23s_Uk4
• How LPO's Title 17 Clean Energy Financing Program is financing innovative energy projects across sectors: https://lnkd.in/gN2jDVbw

#DOELPO #FinancingAmericanEnergy #BridgeToBankability #DeployDeployDeploy #Liftoff #OpenForBusiness #BuiltInAmerica #FinancingInnovation #FinancingImpact #FinancingClimateSolutions #FinancingCleanEnergySupplyChains #FinancingPVSolar #Onshoring #Reshoring #Title17 #InvestingInAmerica
#LPONews #ConditionalCommitment

https://www.linkedin.com/posts/doe-loan-programs-office_doelpo-financingamericanenergy-bridgetobankability-activity-7227290566466711552-Z4Yk?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_ios

Eighteen Republican members of the U.S. House of Representatives have urged House Speaker Mike Johnson to preserve the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) if their party takes control of the political reins in January. #MarketsPolicy #Policy #energytaxcredit
https://www.linkedin.com/posts/pv-magazine-us_republicans-request-continuation-of-ira-post-january-activity-7227352138060898306-rN0H?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_ios

Tydeligvis er ikke bare vi aksjonærer som sliter med Ledelsens kommunikasjon. Her er noen innlegg fra ansatte i selskapet om deres opplevelse og erfaring i selskapet.

A zippia user wrote a review on Apr 2024

Pros of working at REC Silicon
Pay is good. I like my coworkers

Cons of working at REC Silicon
No one is really sure of the direction of the company. Management is subpar and communication is really lacking. There is no formal structure for employee evaluations and how pay is decided.

REC Silicon Benefits
The pay is good. We do have occasional company provided lunches.

What do you like best about REC Silicon's CEO and the leadership team?
I don't know much about them but I think they could do a better job at communicating the direction of the company and motivating people.

How would you improve REC Silicon's culture?
Communication of company goals, long and short-term goals. Provide a path for career growth, do just pay people to pay them cuz it sounds good. Unite the two plants so that there isn't this idea that Moses Lake is being supported by Butte. Look at attendance policies so that people are treated like humans and not numbers. Look at the HR person who controls everything and isn't very nice to people.

How did you prepare for the REC Silicon interview?
I researched the company and the job description.

How does your compensation at REC Silicon compare to the industry average?
Very good compared to other companies.,

What's the diversity at REC Silicon like?
I think there are extremes, some people in management don't speak very good English.

What brings you the most joy at REC Silicon?
my co-workers bring me the most joy.

Is this useful?

Et annet skriver..
Pros of working at REC Silicon
insurance is very good. my current schedule is good.

Cons of working at REC Silicon
lack of leadership in other depts, FBR needs a massive work to get up and going, yet nobody knows what's going on, the different shifts do not communicate or leave a tie in for the next shift.

REC Silicon Benefits
Training, and potential for growth .

What do you like best about REC Silicon's CEO and the leadership team?
nothing to report.

How would you improve REC Silicon's culture?
Communication between different departments.

How did you prepare for the REC Silicon interview?
I just came into it being me, and did nothing special to prepare..

How does your compensation at REC Silicon compare to the industry average?
Certain depts. need to address and revaluated for sure, as they are way below the area average for wages. Other wages are paying about average.

What's the diversity at REC Silicon like?
NA

What brings you the most joy at REC Silicon?
Potential for growth, my boss, and the freedom that my supervisor knows i will stay on task and not be micromanaged.

Dette skriver et annet…

Pros of working at REC Silicon
Enjoy smaller companies that allow diversity of opportunities and responsibilities. Individuals are given the opportunity to make a significant contribution to the company. Your influence can be as great as you want to make it.

Cons of working at REC Silicon
Internal advancement means that some of the management has limited experience in management and they seem to struggle with consistently leading the company and portraying confidence and true leadership.

REC Silicon Benefits
Pay is very competitive.

What do you like best about REC Silicon's CEO and the leadership team?
They are all very likable but only have minimal leadership experience.

How would you improve REC Silicon's culture?
Communication could be more open,, complete, and consistent.

How did you prepare for the REC Silicon interview?
Reviewing company history, goals, and markets. They reached out to me so primary preparation was mapping experience with company needs.

How does your compensation at REC Silicon compare to the industry average?
Compensation was originally above average for industry but is now just averag

What's the diversity at REC Silicon like?
Never had an issue with diverse demographics - company tries to hire diversely but local community tends to attract less diversity.

What brings you the most joy at REC Silicon?
Being able to help others and help teach them to improve their processes.

Denne er sterk!

Pros of working at REC Silicon
Benefits, pay and coworkers are the best around.

Cons of working at REC Silicon
Lack of direction, two many chiefs. Upper management is out of touch with how the plant actually runs and what resources are necessary.

REC Silicon Benefits
Just pay and benefits, no perks at REC.


Etter å ha lest endel av disse og det gir meg tydelig tegn ledelsen og selskapet tror å gi ansattene massevis av gaver, mat og høye lønn da er de fornøyde, men her har de fleste pekt på de samme problemene som vi kjenner til og de er alvorlige. Mangel på kommunikasjon med ansatter
Mangel på kommunikasjon mellom avdelinger
Ledelse som ikke forstår engelsk
Ledelse som ikke er flinke til å lede ansatter
Stort sett mange er enige at ledelsen sliter med retning.
Osv…

Dette er virkelig grusomme sannheter fra innsiden av REC Silicon om ledelsen og selskapet. Derfor bør alle aksjonærer som tilsaman eier dette selskapet vise misnøye om dette og kreve bytting av ledelse og ansette noen som kan lede selskapet i riktig retning.
Ikke rart at kursen har gått rett i bunn, det sitter folk der ute som får med seg slikt.

The Global Silicon Anode Material market is anticipated to rise at a considerable rate during the forecast period, between 2024 and 2032. In 2023, the market is growing at a steady rate and with the rising adoption of strategies by key players, the market is expected to rise over the projected horizon.

Silicon has been recognized as a one of the most promising anode materials to replace currently used graphite in the anodes of Li-ion batteries due to its high gravimetric theoretical lithium storage capacity. Fast charging is feasible due to the high porosity inherent to silicon anode solutions, while costs can be reduced because of silicon materials’ high capacity, which results in lower material requirements. Silicon anodes are also considered safer because they help reduce the risk of lithium plating and dendrite formation, even though cycle and calendar life may need to be further demonstrated.

The global Silicon Anode Material market was valued at US$ 401 million in 2023 and is anticipated to reach US$ 3533.4 million by 2030, witnessing a CAGR of 41.9% during the forecast period 2024-2030.
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/silicon-anode-material-market-size-growing-c9j0e?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_ios&utm_campaign=share_via

Flere og flere som satset på Silisium.
Og alle disse må ha råvaren fra USA ettervert. Det kommer snart til å bli konkurranse om hvem som får REC sine råvarer først. Og hvem betaler best.

This positions SILO Silicon as a highly competitive alternative to conventional graphite anodes commonly used in LFP batteries, which currently cost $53 per kWh. The cost reduction achieved with SILO Silicon is due to advanced material science and optimised manufacturing processes. According to the company, Paraclete’s Silo currently offers an energy density of over 520 Wh/kg, “significantly exceeding the capabilities of traditional graphite anodes.”

Paraclete launched its silicon anode material in the US just last month, lauding the material’s significantly improved energy density and performance. It was also announced that the product would be released in the final quarter of this year. The material has already been further improved, which is impressive considering that it hasn’t even hit the market yet.

“The recent decline in LFP battery prices underscores the industry’s commitment to affordability and sustainability,” said Jeff Norris, CEO of Paraclete Energy. “Our SILO Silicon anode technology serves as a strong proxy for cost-effective and high-performance energy storage, indicating not only significant cost reductions but also setting a new benchmark for the rapid adoption of electric vehicles and
renewable energy solutions.”
https://www.electrive.com/2024/08/19/paraclete-announces-battery-density-breakthrough/