OT- Taikun, what a coincidence, I spent all Saturday researching Solar Energy. Now that I have your attention, there is a company I have come across in the field that looks very promising. Would appreciate your feedback.
As you know The Solar Energy Market has been growing at around 40% a year for the past several years, it is now an $11 billion dollar industry. These rapid advances have not come without growing pains however. PV Solar Energy panels are made of Silicon (also used in our computers) which is made of sand. Well, Silicon has gone from $25 to $200 in the past few years and the solar panel manufacturing companies have been searching for a more cost effective way to build PV panels.
A newer technology being used today is called Silicon Thin Film technology. Basically, they place a thin coat of Silicon on both sides of the panel, using 90% less Silicon. However, thin films are typically much less efficient than silicon, with 7% to 10% efficiency compared to silicon’s average 15% efficiency; The size of the panels also need to be doubled.
renewableenergystocks.com
Then I came across this little startup company in Ontario Canada named ARISE Technologies (TSXV:APV). Essentially the company, using research done at the University of Toronto, has increased efficiency in the Thin Film panels while reducing their size.
"CANADA’S LARGEST SOLAR RESEARCH PARK LAUNCHED:
University of Toronto, ARISE Technologies and Portland's Energy Center partner to make Toronto a leader in solar power research:"
tinyurl.com
"ARISE Achieves Key Silicon and PV Cell Technology Milestones:"
tinyurl.com
The company has also set up an online store to sell portable solar systems:
solarsense.com
Recently Arise purchased land in Germany, the largest Solar Market in the world which also provides huge tax breaks to Solar Power manufacturers, and selected DHV B.V. a very reputable engineering consulting firm in Netherlands to build the facility. The plant should be ready by the end of 2007. Target annual production capacity of the potential facility will be 80 megawatts.
What impressed me most about this company after reading their NRs back for two years is that management has delivered on everything they set out to do and on time.
"Ian MacLellan - President and CEO - Ian has 28 years experience in sales, engineering, venture capital, acquisitions, running two public companies and is a leading solar energy expert."
arisetech.com
The contract to build the facility in Germany has brought life to Arise's stock, going from .30 in early December 2006 to 1.00 today, and I believe this may just be the beginning. With only 31 Mil shares out and the potential money to be made after the facility in Germany is built, this stock can easily be a multi-bagger IMHO.
stockcharts.com
Most other Solar Panel manufacturing Companies I found were private and very profitable from articles I read, here are charts of some I found that are public. Solar energy is certainly hot!
stockcharts.com
stockcharts.com
Future trends, for solar companies, is to integrate solar technology in our everyday homes to conserve energy. Two companies I found are: SmartCool Systems and privately held HelioVolt Corporation which has almost every national home builder CEO (such as CEO of Pulte Homes) on their Board of Directors.
stockcharts.com
Comments Welcome.
Cameron
Disclosure: I have no position in any of these companies.
|
