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Going Green Update: $1 Per Watt Threshold   Broken

Category: Captain's Quarters          Date: 03/04/09

I stand corrected!

In my previous post, Going Green, Green Required!, I mentioned that it was not yet cost effective enough to invest in solar power equipment. Well it looks like they're getting closer!

First Solar, Inc. of Arizona, the world's largest manufacturer of "thin-film" photovoltaic cells, has announced that it finally broke the $1 per watt threshold. The highly sought after milestone means solar panels can now be produced for less than $1 per watt of output. That makes Solar Power even with Coal-burning Electricity in cost-effectiveness and, therefore, a viable alternative.

And it's an American Company that did it, so they get a big "thumbs up" for that.

Unfortunately, they still get a big fat "thumbs down" in my book due to the fact that two of their three manufacturing plants are in Germany and Malaysia. How about let's bring it home First Solar, so Americans can benefit not only from your technologically advanced solar panels but the jobs you would create in doing so?

Now, Germany is not so bad, particularly since we showed 'em how the cow ate the cabbage - twice. But Malaysia? What a third-world, POS, full of crazy-ass Muslims kind of place that is! I bet you can't even go over there to inspect your own plant without taking Blackwater along for the ride.

You keep up the good work though, hear?

Clay