Energy Conversion Devices ECD files for chapter 11 (parent of Unisolar)

jkhawaii
jkhawaii Solar Expert Posts: 30 ✭
in Solar Product Reviews & Opinions #1
http://www.uni-solar.com/chapter-11-restructuring/ Another link.... http://www.woodtv.com/dpp/news/local/montcalm_county/unisolar-parent-file-for-bankruptcy
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  • niel
    niel Solar Expert Posts: 10,300 ✭✭✭✭
    #2
    Re: Energy Conversion Devices ECD files for chapter 11 (parent of Unisolar)

    this does not come as a shock to me as that one was bound to happen. back during the previous presidential period they were going to go under and were propped up with federal monies when mr bush went to visit them. since then much has happened with solar pricing and the market all with a far lessening place for these inefficient pvs. i'm just wondering why other thin film outfits are still able to stay afloat, but i won't be surprised if we hear of more bankruptcies.
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  • icarus
    icarus Solar Expert Posts: 5,436 ✭✭✭✭
    #3
    Re: Energy Conversion Devices ECD files for chapter 11 (parent of Unisolar)

    My grandmother was a friend of Stand Ovinchinsky, our however you spell his name. I inherited from her, 10 shares of stock from the original charter issue. I bought perhaps ten more when I realize what they did. I have sort of forgotten about them all these years. I guess they are now fire starter!

    Tony
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  • niel
    niel Solar Expert Posts: 10,300 ✭✭✭✭
    #4
    Re: Energy Conversion Devices ECD files for chapter 11 (parent of Unisolar)

    tony,
    sorry to hear it caught you off guard. i would not throw the shares away as i believe they intend to sell the business and you never know as it may be worth something again some time down the road. of course you are hearing that from somebody who knows little of the stock market.
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  • icarus
    icarus Solar Expert Posts: 5,436 ✭✭✭✭
    #5
    Re: Energy Conversion Devices ECD files for chapter 11 (parent of Unisolar)

    In the grand scheme, 20 shares lost is not going to send me to the poor house. I can do that all by my self. Stan O was a brilliant engineer, but really had no real business savvy. The value of his patents and ideas was not very well leveraged, never have been as the licensing has not brought them as much money as they could have,, IMHO.

    Tony
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  • n3qik
    n3qik Solar Expert Posts: 741 ✭✭
    #6
    Re: Energy Conversion Devices ECD files for chapter 11 (parent of Unisolar)

    Guess the 15 panels I have are not worth much now :cry:
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  • peakbagger
    peakbagger Solar Expert Posts: 341 ✭✭✭
    #7
    Re: Energy Conversion Devices ECD files for chapter 11 (parent of Unisolar)

    Unfortunately wall street and the press got a hold of the concept. Whenever I see a 60 minutes segment on new technology and how its going to change the world I kiss that company good by. Those segment usually show up right about the time when the VC investors are ready to cash out and dump them on an unsuspecting public.

    At least you have some paper stocks for souvenirs. I have a few from worthless Distributed Energy (fuel cell and wind mill stock certificates) At least I can hang them up on the wall and frame them, but these days many companiens dont issue paper certificates so when they go bust, they disapear.
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  • Windsun
    Windsun Solar Expert Posts: 1,164 ✭✭
    #8
    Re: Energy Conversion Devices ECD files for chapter 11 (parent of Unisolar)

    You did not lose much with your ECD shares - even before they went chapter 11 they were only worth about $2 each (now worth 17 cents at best). ECD was a victim of many things, but mostly poor management. When they bought out UniSolar they took on way too much debt for just one of many reasons. I don't think that ECD was ever really profitable during it's entire history. http://www.referenceforbusiness.com/history2/31/Energy-Conversion-Devices-Inc.html
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  • icarus
    icarus Solar Expert Posts: 5,436 ✭✭✭✭
    #9
    Re: Energy Conversion Devices ECD files for chapter 11 (parent of Unisolar)

    My ECD shares have never been worth much,, that's sort of why I have forgotten about them for 30 years.

    Tony
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  • jkhawaii
    jkhawaii Solar Expert Posts: 30 ✭
    #10
    Re: Energy Conversion Devices ECD files for chapter 11 (parent of Unisolar)

    I hope some one buys Unisolar and keeps the product line going they have some neat stuff. they should bring back their framed modules, I was looking to get a Unisolar framed modules that I remember seeing years ago only to find they were long discontinued.
    How do your unisolar 64s work for you, Niel? I see you have 2 of them.
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  • niel
    niel Solar Expert Posts: 10,300 ✭✭✭✭
    #11
    Re: Energy Conversion Devices ECD files for chapter 11 (parent of Unisolar)

    they seem to work ok for me. they don't output quite like they used to, but there are other factors influencing that. they do take up allot of room for what you get from them, but the advantage is no glass to break.
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  • peakbagger
    peakbagger Solar Expert Posts: 341 ✭✭✭
    #12
    Re: Energy Conversion Devices ECD files for chapter 11 (parent of Unisolar)

    Konarka still makes flexible solar cells. I think they are refocusing to Building Integrated PV, (tinted windows that generate power)
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  • rollandelliott
    rollandelliott Solar Expert Posts: 834 ✭✭
    #13
    Re: Energy Conversion Devices ECD files for chapter 11 (parent of Unisolar)

    http://www.hgpauction.com/?auctionid=187&utm_source=et_email_list&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=uni

    incase you want to get in on the auction happening in a few days.
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  • monoloco
    monoloco Solar Expert Posts: 103 ✭✭
    #14
    Re: Energy Conversion Devices ECD files for chapter 11 (parent of Unisolar)
    icarus wrote: »
    My grandmother was a friend of Stand Ovinchinsky, our however you spell his name. I inherited from her, 10 shares of stock from the original charter issue. I bought perhaps ten more when I realize what they did. I have sort of forgotten about them all these years. I guess they are now fire starter!

    Tony
    I'll trade you my 100 shares of Evergreen stock for them. LOL
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  • jkhawaii
    jkhawaii Solar Expert Posts: 30 ✭
    #15
    Re: Energy Conversion Devices ECD files for chapter 11 (parent of Unisolar)

    I just bought a PVL-68 (not the ePVL) it was manufactured June 2012? Guess they still manufacture the old PVL's along with the new ePVL's. Supposedly, Unisolar is still manufacturing laminates even in bankruptcy. First time seeing one in person it is sure is big! I did get some of that adhesive on the front of the laminate and it took me a while to figure out how the hell to get it off! double stick tape seemed to work well to remove any traces of the backing adhesive that got on the top of the laminate.
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  • niel
    niel Solar Expert Posts: 10,300 ✭✭✭✭
    #16
    Re: Energy Conversion Devices ECD files for chapter 11 (parent of Unisolar)
    jkhawaii wrote: »
    I just bought a PVL-68 (not the ePVL) it was manufactured June 2012? Guess they still manufacture the old PVL's along with the new ePVL's. Supposedly, Unisolar is still manufacturing laminates even in bankruptcy. First time seeing one in person it is sure is big! I did get some of that adhesive on the front of the laminate and it took me a while to figure out how the hell to get it off! double stick tape seemed to work well to remove any traces of the backing adhesive that got on the top of the laminate.

    wow, now that's a neat trick.:confused::p
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  • jkhawaii
    jkhawaii Solar Expert Posts: 30 ✭
    #17
    Re: Energy Conversion Devices ECD files for chapter 11 (parent of Unisolar)
    niel wrote: »
    wow, now that's a neat trick.:confused::p
    do you know of a better way? I tried rubbing it off with a towel, towel with alcohol, rubbing just seemed to smear the adhesive around.
    I just tested out the pvl 68 today and got a peak of 84w (I understand that they will loose 15% or so after a few months?) the Kyocera 130 usually got up to the high 90's, some times low hundres of watts. think I'll pick up one more 68 and bend a flat sheet of galvalum roofing to stick them on.
    I also read that a few new models of PVL's are coming out with higher efficiency due to a reflective backing, guess instead of the backing absorbing the light it reflects it back thru the thin films. that is of corse if some one buy's Uni-Solar from ECD.
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  • niel
    niel Solar Expert Posts: 10,300 ✭✭✭✭
    #18
    Re: Energy Conversion Devices ECD files for chapter 11 (parent of Unisolar)

    i can't say for sure how you can get that off. maybe rubbing alcohol or a citrus type cleaner. do this at your own risk as i normally would've suggested asking the manufacturer, but that isn't feasible.

    what i was referring to was the fact you stated it was manufactured in the future.:roll: june is several months away.;)
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  • jkhawaii
    jkhawaii Solar Expert Posts: 30 ✭
    #19
    Re: Energy Conversion Devices ECD files for chapter 11 (parent of Unisolar)

    oh, did I say june? I meant January.. thats the month 1 is right? haha
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