New to forum. Questions

System

Hello!

I live in sunny southern Ontario. Yes, the palm trees were gently flowing as I sipped marguaritas by the pool today.

Nice forum btw. I lurk here often. I don't know of any 'solar forums' that have traffic like this one...at least I haven't found any.

Here is my question. Is there, or has there been any attempt to band together to buy/get on list to buy 'thin film' panels or infiltrate a distributor of one of them (lol)?

I ask this only because I have been beating down the doors at First Solar, then Nanosolar, trying to get them to sell..or at least put me on the wait list for delivery. Even though I am willing to committ to 100kW initial order, I get less than nowhere.

First Solar says they only sell direct to large 'energy companies/plants' and I get the feeling from Nanosolar they would just as soon spit on someone my size as to give any answers at all. I just started to attempt to contact Ava Solar...but I expect the same response.

BB.

Re: New to forum. Questions

This board is hosted/owned by a RE retailer "Northen Arizona Wind & Sun"... So, trying to band together for a group buy would probably be pushing our host's kindness a bit...

Perhaps if you wanted to accept email/private messages from anyone else that would be interested, you could negotiate off of the board.

I, personally, am not sure that Nano Solar is real (at least at this time)... Assuming that over the next year or two they get into gear and continue to grow and will have distribution channels that will be able to supply the retail and larger scale small installations. It would be probably be good idea to set the first couple years out on a new process/company until you are sure their product will last the 20-25 years that we have come to expect from our current glass mounted silicon panels.

There are more than a few well known manufacturers that have had tried new technologies or messed up their current processes that have required deep pockets to fix problems that have been seen after several years in the field.

-Bill

nigtomdaw

Re: New to forum. Questions

Ditto NAWS is the host I suggest u go elsewhere for your bidding $1 a watt panels arriving soon ,,,,,,Im on the list for 200kw and I didnt get the cortesy of a reply.......PS Daddy is very rich......he promised to sell his Atlantic WaverSurfer at 106 ft to his mate for the deal.......I told him dont worry it was pie in the Sky he said so was the sale of the boat !

nigtomdaw

Re: New to forum. Questions

Arnt Dads basta.ds

System2

Re: New to forum. Questions

Oops. I apologize. I didn't realize that. I clicked the icon at the top originally and it didn't redirect me to a retail site.

I thought it was just a community forum.

I am certainly not trying to step on anyone's toes here. I would certainly be willing to throw my $ behind a retailer to help them get distributor rights. That is kinda the same thing? I dunno.

As I said before I have had no luck at all. So conventional panelling may still be my own option. I will go check out our providers site now, lol.

I look forward to continuing to post here about...other things, hehe. Provided I am still welcome, lol.

BB.

Re: New to forum. Questions

The direct link to Wind & Sun's store is:

http://store.solar-electric.com/

-Bill

Telco

Re: New to forum. Questions

Something you might do is contact the board owners and perhaps see about setting up a group purchase at a discount. The performance truck board I also post to allows coordination of such things from time to time, both with the board owners and outside vendors who sell products not sold by the board owners. I get the feeling that you aren't necessarily trying to make an end run around anyone so much as trying to get the panels period. This way the board owners get to make money, and everyone who participates gets to save too. Not to mention that, being a solar panel distributor already, NAWS would be in a better position to get these panels you want from the manufacturers than a man-on-the-street.

lukey

Re: New to forum. Questions

Telco,

What you suggested will not work, period. First Solar will not accept any new clients, it does not matter if you are a large distributor like NAWS or not. I do know for a fact that a larger distributor in California requested 5MW and they were turned down in the blink of an eye.

100kW may seem like a big thing, but it is really peanuts as far as First Solar goes.

Just my two cents.

Al

Telco

Re: New to forum. Questions

Neat.

"First Solar sells its PV module products to project developers, system integrators, and operators of renewable energy projects under long term supply contracts for commercial, grid-connected solar power plant applications. First Solar does not currently sell its PV module products for residential, small commercial (less than 30 kilowatts), architectural building integrated (BIPV), or off-grid applications. If you have a commercial solar project application in Europe or North America, please contact the following companies that are authorized to design, install, and sell PV systems using the FS Series PV module product line."

Group buys may not work with First Solar, but would with other manufacturers.

System2

Re: New to forum. Questions

Lukey is very correct,

From my 'attempts' to purchase this technology, I can certainly verify First Solar and Nanosolar have zero to little interest. I got a no and a 'we'll keep you in mind for maybe getting on a waiting list/distributor list (as we are undecided at the moment) at some time in the undisclosed future'

The only company that really might actually sell direct/thru a retailer is Avasolar, a company which I just learned is still 12-15 odd months away from production, then factor in another 2-3 years to get through their wait list.

I'm a little leary bumping this thread, but I am only posting this 'ditty' because I don't think 'bad news' on this topic interfers with the host's business.

For myself, I just want to get started, so I am probably going to go conventional if I can get all the ducks in a row, then add new 'thin-film' infrastructure down the road...