PV Powered "In the News"
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PV Powered: Clean Energy Manufacturing in Bend, Oregon
By Bob Chamberlain, CEO of PV Powered, Inc. Bend, Oregon - September 30, 2005 Lately, the US solar electric market has seen a surge of activity and attention. There are three influences contributing to this rise in profile. First, there is the long standing commitment to clean up the environment by reducing the amount of greenhouse gases that are emitted into the atmosphere. Secondly is the need to secure the country's energy independence by reducing, if not eliminating, our dependence on imported oil from unstable and unfriendly sources. And the third influence is the continued high cost of carbon based fuels while the total cost of ownership of PV systems is falling -- allowing the cost differential penalty to be significantly reduced, and in some cases virtually eliminated. The global market is growing in excess of 35% annually with Germany and Japan leading the way. Efforts by the US Government and various state governments to promote solar installations are beginning to take root. These involve a variety of tax incentives, feed-in-tariffs, and other subsidies that lower the installed cost to the home or business owner. Unfortunately, the growth of the solar market could be even further accelerated, if the industry were not facing a profound shortage of solar grade silicon feedstock, which in turn limits the availability of photovoltaic (PV) panels. PV panels produce direct current (DC) that must be converted to alternating current (AC) for it to be useful in grid-connected environments where the PV system is designed to reduce the demand for utility provided electricity. The power electronics device that converts DC into AC is called an Inverter and that is what PV Powered, Inc. designs, manufactures and markets from our headquarters in the Old Mill District of Bend, Oregon. PV Powered, Inc. sells its inverters primarily to solar distributors who in turn sell both PV panels and inverters to regional solar installers who work with home or commercial owners to quote, secure permitting and install solar systems. Is Central Oregon ideal for installing solar electric systems? It is a close to perfect location in that we get many days of sunlight and enjoy cooler than average ambient temperatures, so the silicon based PV panels can operate optimally and produce more power. Issues to consider are south facing surfaces that are free of shade so the PV panels have unrestricted access to the sun's rays. The size of the PV system measured in Watts is a function of the number of PV panels, their power rating, the size and efficiency of the inverter and how well the panels are aligned to the arc of the sun. Oregon has committed to expand its renewable energy portfolio so that 25% of the state's energy needs by 2025 are provided by renewable energy sources like solar, wind and biomass. This is a huge step towards improving the quality of the atmosphere, reducing our dependence upon imported oil and providing cost effective distributed electricity that abates the peak load on the electric power grid when it is most needed -- that is when the sun is shining and it is in the middle of the afternoon and everyone wants their air conditioners at full blast. So we encourage all residents of Oregon to seriously consider installing solar panels on their roof and making Oregon the leading alternative energy state in the union. About PV Powered Founded in 2003 and based in Bend, Oregon, the privately funded company designs, manufactures and markets the solar industry's most efficient photovoltaic solar inverter solutions. With thousands of its products in use nationwide, PV Powered brings together one of the most experienced design teams in solar power electronics. # # # Media Contact: Bob Patterson MKTX, Inc. Ph: 503-646-6589 |