Solar Industry on a Roller Coaster Polysilicon spot prices have dipped below $40 per kg. Yesterday, summarizing insights gained from last week’s Solar Power International (SPI) conference, Mercom Capital Group forecast a “Poly Price Collapse”. Crisis? Or not? While poly production may not yet be in crisis, red ink in downstream PV module production has become a critical industry issue. Last week, Mehdi Hosseini of Susquehanna...

UMG Purification. Photo Courtesy of Calisolar. Polysilicon prices are on the rise again in the solar PV industry, and metallurgically purified polysilicon (UMG) is back in the news. This time, however, UMG is generating interest for strategic market access rather than supply diversification. Download PDF (right-click, save-as) PHOTON Magazine: UMG U-Turn Originally Published in PHOTON International, November 2010. Provided with...

Cleantech is not a singular industry. There are many industries that have Cleantech opportunities. The maturity of the specific Cleantech target industry, its Phase, can have a powerful influence on Cleantech business success.        While Phase issues do exist in other industries, Phase challenges in Cleantech targets are considerably more pronounced. Target industry Phase should be considered in market selection, business...

Two weeks ago, Fred Wilson of Union Square Ventures proposed that There are Two Venture Capital Industries – one that funds Software and one that funds Cleantech and Biotech. Fred’s observations have already provoked a number of interesting responses from Rob Day, Erick Schonfeld, Paul Kedrosky, Jeff Busgang, Duncan Davidson and CB Insights among others.  This divergence is underscored by trends on venture capital deal size...

Just sat through another buzzword-filled business plan presentation. The strategy involved developing a revolutionary new technology while cloaked in stealth mode (“what are you hiding from whom?”) then suddenly emerging from their new orbit to disrupt everything. Riker to Picard, “Captain, scanners are detecting signs of Disruptor fire!” Holy Star Trek, Batman, you can’t trust a Romulan! Coming soon: T-Shirts that exclaim “I...