3 Stocks in the Spotlight with Their Technical: Solar3D (SLTD)

http://www.investorwired.com/3-stocks-in-the-spotlight-with-their-technical-solar3d-sltd-motorola-solutions-msi-tesoro-corporation-tso/1727423
Solar3D Inc (NASDAQ:SLTD), a supplier of solar power solutions, declared financial results for the year ended December 31, 2014. Revenue of $20.2 million in 2014, driven by the achievement of SUNworks. Cash and cash equivalents were over $0.4 million on December 31, 2014 versus $10,422 a year earlier. For the year ended December 31, 2014, the Company reported operating income of $311,072, as compared to an operating loss of $1.1 million for the same period of 2013. The Company reported a net loss of $24.9 million or ($2.15) per diluted share for the year 2014, compared to a net loss of $3.8 million, or ($0.59) per diluted share for 2013.

Shares of SLTD plunged -10.98% to end last trade at $ 4.46.



Technical Indicators:

The current support level is placed at $3.93 and the stock is finding resistance at $5.27.
20% Barchart technical buy signal
Trend Spotter hold signal
Moving average direction is bullish as trades above its 20, 50, 200 day SMA
Dropped -3.04% so far this year but gained87% in the past month and is up 4.45% for the week
Relative Strength Index (RSI) stands at 54.03.

Stocks in a bear Hug - Solar3D (SLTD)
Solar3D Inc (NASDAQ:SLTD) reported financial outcome for the year finished December 31, 2014.
http://www.techsonian.com/stocks-in-a-bear-hug-kite-pharma-kite-solar3d-sltd-clean-energy-fuels-clne-jabil-circuit-jbl/12450998/
Income of $20.2 million in 2014, driven by the attainment of SUNworks.
Cash and cash equivalents were over $0.4 million on December 31, 2014 as compared to $10,422 a year earlier.
For the year finished December 31, 2014, the Company reported operating income of $311,072, as contrast to an operating loss of $1.1 million for the same period of 2013.


Solar3D Inc (NASDAQ:SLTD) was moving downward during the previous trading session. The company traded with the decline of -10.98% and closed at $4.46, after total volume of 1.21 million shares, as compared to average volume of 534,365.00 shares. During last trade its minimum price was $4.34 and it gained its highest price of $5.01.It’s while its beta value stands at 2.47 times.

Investors Are Watching: Verizon Communications Inc. (NYSE:VZ), Solar3D, Inc. (NASDAQ:SLTD)
http://www.stocktranscript.com/investors-are-watching-verizon-communications-inc-nysevz-solar3d-inc-nasdaqsltd-costamare-inc-nysecmre-jazz-pharmaceuticals-plc-nasdaqjazz-corcept-therapeutics-incorporated-nasda/3710/

Solar3D, Inc. (NASDAQ:SLTD) shares moved down -10.98% in last trading session and ended the day at $4.46. SLTD Gross Margin is 27.30% and its return on assets is -504.30%. Solar3D, Inc. (NASDAQ:SLTD) quarterly performance is -3.04%. On 31st March, Solar3D Inc. (NASDAQ:SLTD) reported $20.2 million in revenues for the twelve months ended December 31, 2014, SUNworks subsidiary, installed over 300 systems in 2014, totaling 10 MW of capacity, a 100% increase over the approximately 150 systems installations in 2013.

Small-Cap Stocks To Look Out For – , Solar3D (NASDAQ:SLTD)
BY LESLIE SETTLES • APRIL 4, 2015

http://www.wsobserver.com/small-cap-stocks-to-look-out-for-perseon-nasdaqprsn-cytosorbents-nasdaqctso-seachange-international-nasdaqseac-solar3d-nasdaqsltd/729093/
Solar3D Inc (NASDAQ:SLTD) retreated -10.98% to complete last trading session at $4.46. The company, on March 31, 2015, announced financial results for the year ended December 31, 2014. Financial highlights included: Revenue of $20.2 million in 2014, driven by the acquisition of SUNworks; Cash and cash equivalents were over $0.4 million on December 31, 2014 versus $10,422 a year earlier; For the year ended December 31, 2014, the Company reported operating income of $311,072, as compared to an operating loss of $1.1 million for the same period of 2013; The Company reported a net loss of $24.9 million or ($2.15) per diluted share for the year 2014, compared to a net loss of $3.8 million, or ($0.59) per diluted share for 2013; The entire net loss for the full year 2014 is the result of non-cash accounting expenses including changes in the fair value of derivative liabilities, non-cash interest expense on convertible notes and losses on settlement of debt.

0.19054054054 per KWH for my power bill.
Total ripoff!

Nice article. It would be nice to get a national article.......

Solar power is unstoppable
BY FROMA HARROP : MARCH 25, 2015
http://www.mysanantonio.com/opinion/commentary/article/Solar-power-is-unstoppable-6158991.php

Photo By BRUCE CHAPMAN /Associated Press Technology for generating solar power is getting less expensive, and the use of solar panels to generate electricity will continue to grow. Utilities must accept a new paradigm
On the average sunny day, Germany’s huge energy grid gets 40 percent of its power from the sun. Guess what happened one recent morning when the sun went into eclipse. Nothing.

Or close to nothing. When the moon hid the sun for a few hours, the backup natural gas and coal plants switched on. The price of electricity rose briefly. That was it. Solar again showed itself to be a reliable energy source under a tough challenge.

Back in the United States, meanwhile, electric companies and various fossil fuel interests are fighting the American public’s growing passion for rooftop solar panels. They’re also doing battle with state laws requiring utilities to get a certain percentage of their power from renewable sources.

Oil, gas and coal lobbyists, fed by Koch brother checks, are backing a campaign by utilities to slap fees on solar panels. Their target is net metering — the system whereby homes and businesses with solar panels sell their excess electricity back to the grid.
In Arizona, the big utility Salt River Project is adding a $50-a-month surcharge for customers with rooftop solar panels. SRP argues, as do other utilities, that solar customers rely on the grid for backup power when the sun doesn’t shine and should pay for it.

Studies out of Missouri, New York, Texas, Nevada and Vermont counter that the alleged subsidies to those with solar panels are being offset. After all, solar consumers reduce the amount of power the utilities must provide — especially on hot sunny days, when demand is high. And a price can be put on greenhouse gases that were not emitted.

Big voices in the conservative movement are leading the charge for solar panel taxes. They also liken states’ green energy mandates to Obamacare. The conservative masses, however, don’t seem to be taking the bait. You don’t even have to ask about the liberals.

A power source that is domestic, is pollution-free and costs nothing (once the panels are paid off) — all courtesy of Mr. Sun — would seem to be in our national interests. Also, how interesting that SRP, in super-sunny Arizona, reportedly gets less than 2 percent of its power from solar and wind sources combined.

Huge numbers of Americans have been installing solar panels, thanks to better and cheaper technology. Businesses that stand to lose from this fact have set off clashes in nearly half the states — from Maine to California and Washington to South Carolina.

The utilities weren’t getting much traction in the legislatures — even in such Republican states as Indiana and Utah. So they turned to the public utilities commissions, where they can get a more private hearing.

Pro-solar conservatives hold that taxing solar panels stifles competition. A group called T.U.S.K. (Tell Utilities Solar won’t be Killed) is led by a former congressman named Barry Goldwater Jr. (the son).

Of a plan in Indiana to tax solar panels, one woman wrote, “Indiana’s utilities are interested in keeping us reliant on traditional fuel sources that hurt our national security and weaken our economy.” She would be Roberta Combs, president of the Christian Coalition of America.

So Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell can huff and puff about a “war on coal,” but to little avail. By the way, the domestic solar industry now employs more workers than does coal mining.

The utilities’ distress is understandable, but they can’t win this war. The means of generating energy are undergoing profound change worldwide. The utilities must change their business model or, if they can’t, concede the inevitable. You can’t stop the march of solar power any more than you can stop the sun from rising.

fharrop@gmail.com

The Solar Price Revolution
http://www.project-syndicate.org/commentary/solar-power-economic-growth-by-klaus-topfer-2015-04#VSj3GX6slYgZKCFv.99
POTSDAM – A silent revolution is under way. In November, Dubai announced the construction of a solar energy park that will produce electricity for less than $0.06 per kilowatt-hour – undercutting the cost of the alternative investment option, a gas or coal-fired power plant.
The plant – which is expected to be operational in 2017 – is yet another harbinger of a future in which renewable energy crowds out conventional fossil fuels. Indeed, hardly a week seems to pass without news of a major deal to construct a solar power plant. In February alone, there were announcements of new solar power projects in Nigeria (1,000 megawatts), Australia (2,000 MW), and India (10,000 MW).

There can be no doubting that these developments are good for the fight against climate change. But the major consideration driving them is profit, not the environment, as increased efficiency in energy distribution and, where necessary, storage, reduces the cost of producing renewable energy.
As efforts to improve the management of electricity from fluctuating sources yield further advances, the cost of solar power will continue to fall. Within ten years, it will be produced in many regions around the globe for 4-6 cents per kilowatt-hour, according to a recent study by the Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems (commissioned by the think tank Agora Energiewende). By 2050, production costs will fall to 2-4 cents per kilowatt-hour.
As Patrick Graichen, Agora’s executive director, points out, most forecasts of the world’s future energy supply fail to take into account solar power’s looming victory over its fossil-fuel competitors. Updating them would paint a realistic picture of the costs and impact of our energy production and consumption on the world’s climate, reveal the importance of renewable energy to economic development, and enable better planning of energy infrastructure.
We should not underestimate the tremendous potential the sun and wind have for building global wealth and fighting poverty. As solar power becomes increasingly cost-effective, countries located within the planet’s sun belt could develop entirely new business models as cheap, clean energy enables them to process their raw materials locally, adding value – and profit – prior to export.
Unlike large-scale conventional power plants, solar installations can be built in months; in addition to being cost-effective, they provide a quick means of responding to growing global demand. And, because solar plants can generally be operated independently of complex interregional electricity grids, they provide less developed countries a way to electrify their economies without building expensive new infrastructure.
Solar power plants thus could play the same role for energy that mobile phones did for telecommunications: rapidly reaching large, underserved communities in sparsely populated regions, without the need to invest in the cables and accompanying infrastructure that once would have been necessary. In Africa, 66% of the population has gained access to electronic communications since 2000. There is no reason why solar power could not do likewise for access to electricity.
The time to invest in large-scale solar energy production is now. For starters, construction costs for solar power plants are finally low enough to produce electricity at a competitive, stable price for more than 25 years. The price of oil may have plunged for now, but it will rise again. Solar power plants provide insurance against fossil fuels’ inherent price volatility.
Even more important, the cost of capital currently is very low in many countries. This is a decisive factor for the economic viability of solar power plants, because they need very little maintenance but require relatively high upfront investment. The Fraunhofer study shows that differences in capital expenditure are as important for costs per kilowatt-hour as differences in sunlight. Solar power is currently cheaper in cloudy Germany than in sunny regions where the cost of borrowing is higher.
The amount of sunlight that shines on a country is impossible to change. But the cost of capital is something over which a country can maintain a certain amount of control. By creating a stable legal framework, providing credit guarantees in the context of international agreements, and involving central banks in large-scale investments, governments can help to make solar power more accessible.
Factors like these explain why international climate policies increasingly focus not only on solar power, but on other forms of renewable energy as well. Technological breakthroughs have boosted these energy sources’ competitiveness relative to fossil fuels. As a result, instruments that make their adoption more affordable are becoming some of the most important weapons we have in the fight against climate change.

Read more at http://www.project-syndicate.org/commentary/solar-power-economic-growth-by-klaus-topfer-2015-04#VSj3GX6slYgZKCFv.99

White House releases clean energy fact sheet ahead of President Obama’s speech in Utah
POSTED 4:00 AM, APRIL 3, 2015, BY FOX 13 NEWS, UPDATED AT 04:01AM, APRIL 3, 2015
The following is a press release from the White House regarding remarks expected from President Barack Obama to be delivered at Hill Air Force Base Friday morning.
FACT SHEET: Administration Announces Actions To Drive Growth In Solar Energy And Train Workers For Clean-Energy Jobs
The President is committed to addressing climate change and creating jobs by spurring the deployment of clean sources of energy. Since President Obama took office, solar electricity generation has increased 20 fold, doubling last year alone – just as the cost of solar has continued to fall as a result of investments in research and manufacturing innovation. The solar industry is adding jobs 10 times faster than the rest of the economy, creating a source of good paying American employment. To continue progress, the Administration is announcing actions to drive growth in the solar industry while also supporting our veterans.

Today’s announcements build on the strong progress made under President Obama to curb the emissions that are driving climate change and lead on the international stage. They will help set the U.S. on a path to achieve our target to cut net greenhouse gas emissions 26-28% below 2005 levels by 2025, which we submitted to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) earlier this week.

To continue to reduce carbon pollution and create good paying American jobs, the President is announcing the following actions at Hill Air Force Base today:

Training 75,000 Solar Workers: The Department of Energy (DOE) is announcing a goal to train 75,000 people to enter the solar workforce by 2020, some of whom will be veterans. This is an increase from the previous goal of training 50,000 solar workers by 2020 announced in May 2014. The new goal builds on the tremendous progress of DOE’s SunShot Initiative’s Solar Instructor Training Network, which includes 400 partnering community colleges across the country and has trained more than 1,000 certified solar instructors and nearly 30,000 students nationwide in the last five years.
Launching a Solar Ready Vets Program: DOE, in partnership with the Department of Defense (DOD), is launching a Solar Ready Vets program at 10 military bases across the country, including at Hill Air Force Base in Utah, which has already taken leadership by installing solar panels onsite. The program also includes participation from Camp Pendleton in California, Fort Carson in Colorado, and Naval Station Norfolk in Virginia, all which announced pilot initiatives earlier this year and are serving as a model for the Solar Ready Vets program.
The Solar Ready Vets program will train transitioning military service personnel to enter the solar workforce by joining with SunShot’s Solar Instructor Training Network and leveraging the DOD’s Skillbridge transition authority authorized by Congress in 2012. Consistent with the Vice-President’s job-driven training agenda, the program is based on the specific needs of high-growth solar employers, is tailored to build on the technician skills that veterans have acquired through their service, and incorporates work-based learning strategies. Service members will learn how to size and install solar panels, connect electricity to the grid, and interpret and comply with local building codes. This accelerated training will prepare them for careers in the solar industry as installers, sales representatives, system inspectors, and other solar-related occupations.

Utilizing the GI Bill for Solar Workforce Training: The Department of Veterans Affairs is committing to working with DOE and State Approving Agencies to achieve approval for GI Bill funding for DOE’s Solar Ready Vets initiative. Over time, this approval will enable more veterans across the country to use their GI Bill benefits to participate in this job-driven training program through local community colleges, where they will quickly learn the skills needed for good-paying jobs in the solar industry. Adding Solar Ready Vets will expand the existing network of programs providing service members and veterans opportunities to gain skills to enter the solar workforce through their GI Bill.
Educating Veterans and Service Members about Opportunities to Gain Solar Workforce Training: The Department of Labor (DOL), will work with DOD to ensure that transitioning service members are made aware of solar workforce training programs available to them in their last months of military service. In addition, to better serve unemployed veterans, DOL will partner with state workforce agencies and American Job Centers to better inform unemployed veterans about the opportunity to participate in available solar trainings. The Department of Labor in partnership with the Departments of Energy, Defense, and Veterans Affairs, is committed to facilitating a range of job and career opportunities for our transitioning service members and veterans.
Today’s Announcements Build On Progress To Deploy Solar Energy

Last year, the U.S. installed as much solar every three weeks as we did in all of 2008. In 2013 alone, the price of commercial and residential solar declined by more than 12 percent. This is driving more and more Americans to install solar panels at their homes and businesses, and is supporting tens of thousands of solar jobs across the country. With President Obama’s leadership, the Administration has already taken a number of actions to promote investment in and to deploy solar energy across the country. Examples of this progress in the last year alone include:

This week, the U.S. Army broke ground on a large-scale, 15 megawatt solar project at Fort Detrick in Maryland, enough to power nearly 2,500 homes for a year. This follows the recent unveiling of an 18 MW solar array at Fort Huachuca in Arizona, and the announcement of three 30 MW solar arrays planned for installations in Georgia. With these projects and more, DOD – the largest energy user in the Federal Government — is making significant progress toward its target of deploying 3 gigawatts of renewable energy on its installations by 2025. The Department plans to continue aggressively deploying renewable energy projects throughout this year: the Navy is aiming to contract 500 MW of renewable energy projects during 2015, the Air Force has more than 160 MW under development, and the Army plans to double its current capacity by deploying at least 75 MW of renewable electricity.
In March 2015, the President doubled down on his commitment to lead by example across the Federal Government to reduce the greenhouse gas emissions that drive climate change and invest in renewable energy, directing agencies to reduce their GHG emissions by 40 percent by 2025 and increase the share of renewable energy consumption to 30 percent. Since the President took office, Federal agencies have cut their emissions by 17 percent – the equivalent of taking 1.8 million cars off the road for one year — and tripled the share of electricity coming from renewable sources.
In February 2015, the White House and U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) hosted a roundtable with leaders from the finance and philanthropic communities to discuss opportunities to enhance solar financing for affordable housing.
In January 2015, HUD Secretary Castro, and Governor Brown of California announced a number of actions to expand financing for energy efficiency and solar energy in multifamily housing, including a California Multifamily Property-Assessed Clean Energy (PACE) Pilot and DOE funding to empower communities to deploy solar, which sets us on a track to reach the President’s goal of installing 100 megawatts of renewable energy across federally subsidized housing by 2020.
Last year, the Administration announced more than 350 private and public sector commitments to deploy more than 885 megawatts of solar—enough to power more than 130,000 homes—and cut energy waste in more than 1.4 billion square feet of buildings throughout the nation. The President’s executive actions included investing $68 million in renewable energy and energy efficiency projects in rural areas, supporting funding for clean energy and energy efficiency for affordable housing, strengthening building codes, and harnessing national service and volunteerism to tackle climate change.
The Department of the Interior (DOI) is making progress towards achieving the Climate Action Plan goal of permitting enough renewable energy projects on public lands by 2020 to power more than 6 million homes. Since President Obama took office, DOI has permitted 52 utility-scale renewable energy projects – including 29 solar projects – with a total capacity of over 14,000 megawatts. If built as planned, these projects would provide more than 21,000 jobs and power more than 4 million homes.
In October 2014, the White House launched the Climate Action Champion competition, to identify and recognize local climate leaders and to provide targeted Federal support to help those communities further raise their ambitions. Following a competitive process led by the DOE, in December 2014, 16 Climate Action Champions, covering over 158 communities across the U.S., were selected by DOE due to their outstanding leadership in climate action, their initiation of constructive and replicable programs that often jointly address the challenges of climate mitigation and adaptation, their collaboration with their own communities, and their awareness that a changing climate requires decisive action, including Boston, MA; Dubuque, IA; Knoxville, TN, Minneapolis, MN, Montpelier, VT; Oberlin, OH; Portland, OR; Salt Lake City, UT; San Francisco, CA; Seattle, WA; Mid-America Regional Council; Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments; Sonoma County, CA; Southeast Florida Regional Climate Change Compact; Blue Lake Rancheria Tribe (CA); Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians (MI).
Salt Lake City, one of the Climate Action Champions, is spearheading solar development in Utah, including a 1 megawatt solar farm and a state-of-the art net-zero public safety building. The combined impact of these projects will reduce CO2 emissions Salt Lake City’s from municipal operations by three million pounds per year. To further decrease emissions, Salt Lake City just announced it will join the President’s Better Building Challenge today, committing to improve the energy efficiency of 1.6 million square feet of public and private buildings across the city over the next decade.

Obama expected to announce solar energy inititaive, tout Salt Lake City
By Dennis Romboy, Deseret News
http://www.deseretnews.com/article/865625639/Obama-expected-to-announce-solar-energy-inititaive-tout-Salt-Lake-City.html?pg=all
Published: Friday, April 3 2015 4:09 a.m. MDT
Updated: 6 minutes ago

President Barack Obama arrives Thursday, April 2, 2015, on Air Force One at Hill Air Force Base in Ogden Utah. Obama is expected to announce Friday an initiative to train 75,000 people to work in the solar energy industry, including military veterans.
Scott G Winterton,
HILL AIR FORCE BASE — President Barack Obama is expected to announce today an initiative to train 75,000 people to work in the solar energy industry, including military veterans.

The goal is part of the administration's effort to drive growth in the solar industry while also supporting veterans.

Obama, who arrived in Utah on Thursday night, is scheduled to talk about his energy plans at Hill Air Force Base this morning before flying back to Washington.

The White House has recognized Salt Lake City as a "Climate Action Champion," resulting from a competition to identify local climate leaders and provide federal support to help communities' energy conservation efforts.

Salt Lake City Mayor Ralph Becker is spearheading solar development in the city, including a 1 megawatt solar farm and the new state-of-the-art, net-zero public safety building. The two projects are estimated to reduce CO2 emissions by 3 million pounds per year.

The city also will join the president’s Better Building Challenge, committing to improve the energy efficiency of 1.6 million square feet of public and private buildings over the next decade.

According to Obama's initiative, the Department of Energy would train 75,000 people to enter the solar workforce by 2020, some of whom would be veterans. DOE and the Defense Department are teaming up to launch Solar Ready Vets programs at 10 military bases across the country including Hill, which has already installed solar panels on the base.

The initiatives are designed to continue to reduce carbon pollution and create good paying jobs, according to the Obama administration.

The administration will also seek approval to use the GI bill for solar workforce training, which would allow veterans to participate in a job-driven program through local community colleges to gain skills to work in the solar industry.

In addition, the Department of Labor would work with Defense Department to ensure that transitioning service members are made aware of the training program in the last months of their military service.

The plans are designed to build on Obama's efforts to curb pollution. They would help reach the administration's target to cut net greenhouse gas emissions 26 percent to 28 percent below 2005 levels by 2025, a goal that was submitted to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change earlier this week.

Email: romboy@deseretnews.com

Twitter: dennisromboy

Are These Three Long Term Investment Opportunities? First Industrial Realty Trust, Inc. (FR), Solar3D Inc (SLTD) and Everyware Global Inc (EVRY)
BY ULTIMATESTOCKALERTS · APRIL 3, 2015 · NO COMMENTS
3 hours ago
BUSINESS · TAGGED: EVERYWARE GLOBAL INC (NASDAQ:EVRY), EVERYWARE GLOBAL INC., FIRST INDUSTRIAL REALTY TRUST, FIRST INDUSTRIAL REALTY TRUST INC. (NYSE:FR), NASDAQ:EVRY, NASDAQ:SLTD, NYSE:FR, SOLAR3D INC, SOLAR3D INC (NASDAQ:SLTD)

Solar3D Inc (NASDAQ:SLTD) fell back sharply yesterday with the stock losing 9.90% or $0.49 to finish its trading at $4.46 with 1.21 million shares changing hands compared to its three month average trading volume of 0.267 million. Despite the loss, the stock is situated 261.62% above its 52 week low of $1.23. With the company now in a bullish MACD crossover and solar becoming more popular, it is likely that the stock will continue to rise in the near term making it a good hold and medium to long term buy. Solar3D Inc lost an additional 0.22% or $0.01 to move to a value of $4.45.
http://www.ultimatestockalerts.com/stock-analysis/?symb=sltd

3 Reasons Solar and Wind Energy Will Take Over Our Power Grid Much Sooner Than You Think
http://nymag.com/next/2015/04/2050-most-energy-will-come-from-renewables.html
By Sarah Laskow

The future is bright. Photo: Simon Owler/Copyright (c) 2008 by Simon Owler. All rights reserved.
Getting power from the wind and the sun no longer seems like a hippie fantasy: Elon Musk is betting that solar power will be so profitable it will help fund space travel, and big tech companies like Apple and Google are buying in, too. Today most homes and businesses are still powered by fossil fuels, but in just a few decades — maybe even as little as 15 years — most energy could be coming from renewable sources.

An enormous new survey of industry experts shows how fast things are moving. Recently, DNV GL, an international energy consulting company, asked 1,600 people who actually work in the field — at equipment manufacturers, power producers, utilities, policy-making agencies, energy retailers, regulators, and equity investment firms — about the future of renewables. One of the main questions: How quickly will renewables be generating 70 percent of the energy in the markets you work with?

Almost half of the survey respondents said they could see that happening by 2030. And almost all of them — about 80 percent — thought renewables would dominate by 2050.

Here's why they're optimistic about renewable energy:

Politicians are supporting it. "It is mainly a political question. It is clear that a renewables-based electricity system is technically and commercially possible, perhaps by the middle of this century, but only if backed up by political support," one German respondent told DNV GL. It's not a given, but, increasingly, politicians — even American conservatives — are onboard with the idea that the future of energy includes wind and solar power.

Energy storage is getting better. Two thirds of the DNV GL survey respondents chose energy storage as one of the top three technologies needed for renewables to work. (The other two: smarter grids and more money to build them.) And storage technologies are improving: This week, for example, Tesla is expected to announce that it's releasing a "home battery" that could help store power generated by rooftop solar panels. This is key to convincing people that renewable energy can be relied on — and making sure that's true.

Investment in renewable power is growing. Bloomberg New Energy Finance reported this week that in 2014 $270 billion was invested in renewable energy, about one fifth more than the year before. The largest portion of that money was going to projects in developing markets — Brazil, Indonesia, Chile, Mexico, Kenya, and China, where investments totaled $83.3 billion.

In other words, power, technology, and money are all aligning behind the same idea — that in the next few decades the way we power the world will change, dramatically. The only real question is how fast.

Off the grid and loving it: Retirees rely on renewable energy for Wolf Creek-area dream home

Modest, compact and unplugged is just what the Kevin and Sharon Moore envisioned for their retirement. Nestled in the mountains outside Wolf Creek and living off the grid, the couple has achieved just that.

A massive solar panel at the home of Keven and Sharon Moore in Wolf Creek
2 hours ago • MARGA LINCOLN Independent Record
Up a winding road and miles back into the rolling hill country outside Wolf Creek, one just might discover the dream home of Kevin and Sharon Moore.

Modest, compact and unplugged -- it’s just what the Moores envisioned for their retirement.

They’re delighted to watch the elk and deer that graze on their 52 acres and the blue birds flitting by.

And they’re particularly loving being off the grid.

Working with Jackson Isbell of Solar Montana in Helena, they installed a solar energy and propane generator system for all their electrical and heat needs.

They get their electricity from nine 250-watt solar panels and their heat from a propane stove heater.

“If we run out of power, this is a propane generator,” said Kevin, pointing to a metal rectangular box tucked behind their home. “It will automatically kick in.”

And should the propane tank somehow hit empty in a blizzard, they have a second backup -- a gasoline generator.

So far, they filled the tank in August and again around late January.

“Any time you have solar, you need to have a backup system,” Kevin said. “But it’s surprising the amount of sun you can get this far north.”

Kevin checks on the bank of 16 6-volt batteries storing their solar energy. They can store up to 3 1/2 days of electric power, should there be several days of cloud cover or heavy snow.
In their garage, a bank of 16 6-volt batteries stores the solar energy. They can store up to 3 1/2 days of electric power, should there be several days of cloud cover or heavy snow. Above the batteries is a white metal box, the solar inverter, which converts the direct current (DC) from the batteries into alternating current (AC) that feeds into their electrical network.

When it’s cloudy, they conserve energy by not running the vacuum cleaner or the washing machine.

“We’ve become sun worshippers,” joked Kevin.

They’re not the only ones. A number of their neighbors are also off the grid.

A few folks, however, hooked up to the power line that runs underground along their road.

“We had the option,” said Sharon, “but we like the sustainable, renewable energy idea.”

In fact, it was part of their dream home vision from the get-go.

“I was always intrigued by the solar power idea -- the power of the sun,” Kevin said.

Knowing they wanted to install solar panels, they took five years to shop for just the right land in Montana with lots of southern exposure.

They made energy-conserving choices. Their home uses one gas stove in the living room to heat the house, rather than a forced air system. And there’s no air conditioning.

They also purchased energy efficient appliances.

Before they had their house built, they gave off-the-grid living a trial run. They stayed in a trailer on the property for vacations and used small solar panels to run their electricity. Satisfied, they were ready to take the next step.

Their thoughtfulness and investment are paying off.

Sharon and Kevin are photographed in front of their main solar panel. 'We’ve become sun worshippers,' jokes Kevin.
Everything -- including the propane generator -- cost $19,000,” Kevin said of the solar energy system. “It probably would have cost $30,000 to run power into the property.”

There were also state and federal tax incentives, said Sharon.

It was a $1,000 per household state tax credit, said Kevin, and a 30 percent federal tax credit for the total system cost.

In case others are thinking of installing a solar system, the federal tax credit is set to expire in 2016, he said.

Kevin estimates they are saving $150 to $200 per month on utilities, based on their previous typical bills in Utah.

According to Kevin, he’s not particularly mechanical. But he has been able to do the energy monitoring and make any minor adjustments needed. Four times a year, he will adjust the solar panels to maximize the amount of solar energy they capture.

If there’s a problem, Isbell is only a phone call away to give advice or come fix it.

Since they moved in last June, it’s been problem-free.

Kevin knows in five to seven years, the 16 batteries will have to be replaced at an approximate cost of $350 each.

He advises making sure to buy reliable equipment and to check into the installer’s references.

“We wanted to live in Montana. It was a dream,” said Kevin of what brought them here. “Sharon grew up a military brat. I spent 24 years in the Air Force.”

After living in numerous places in the United States and four years in Holland, they were ready to put down roots after retirement.

For years, whenever they had vacations, they headed to the mountains.

Now the mountains are within view from their doorstep.
It’s peaceful,” said Sharon, who is a retired school teacher.

Kevin’s already built a few raised beds for gardening and plans to start on a root cellar -- an old-fashioned and energy efficient way to store the harvest for fall and winter.

Someday, they plan to build a larger house on a nearby hill, but for now they’re quite content in their 820-square-foot living space with attached garage.

And they’re happy with their decision.

“We just love it. We haven’t had anything that made us think we made the wrong decision,” said Sharon.

“A lot has happened in the past decade,” said Solar Montana owner Isbell. He likens the rising popularity of solar energy to the computer revolution.

“I’m seeing an increase in demands for estimates and installations,” he said. “The price has decreased dramatically -- as much as 60 percent the last five years.

“Solar panels are much more efficient. ... And the quality is a lot more standardized. They now come with a 25-year warranty. When I look for a panel, I look for a company with a good reputation.” Inverters have also come a long way.

“In Montana it’s pretty tough to be totally off-grid,” he said. “You’re always designing for the worst month.” With that in mind, he designs in a backup propane system for those living out of town and off the grid.

He doesn’t recommend solar for everyone.

Location, utility costs and willingness to adapt one’s lifestyle are all factors.

If you’re considering the investment, Isbell suggests doing your homework. And he advises working with an installer that has certification from the North American Board of Certified Energy Practitioners.

“We have a contract we write,” he said, “to give peace of mind for us and the customers. What’s very important is we never say it will cost more than what we say in the contract.”

Reporter Marga Lincoln can be reached at 447-4083 marga.lincoln@helenair.com

BROKERAGE
Tesla’s home batteries could fuel ‘off the grid’ real estate boom
Carmaker said to be months away from mass-producing home batteries
http://www.inman.com/2015/03/31/teslas-home-batteries-could-fuel-off-the-grid-property-boom/
Rooftop solar panels can be a great way for homeowners to cut their electricity bills, particularly where rebates that reduce cost of the initial investment are available.

But because you can’t depend on the sun to come out every day — and you can be certain it will go down every night — solar-powered homes still have to be connected to “the grid.”

That could change when Tesla Motors Inc. starts making the same lithium-ion battery technology that powers its super-sleek cars available to homeowners.

Tesla already offers battery storage to a few customers of SolarCity Corp. (Tesla CEO Elon Musk is SolarCity’s chairman and biggest shareholder) and will be ready to start mass-producing them in the next six months, Bloomberg reports.

Making Tesla’s batteries available to homeowners could have a “disruptive” effect by spurring more homeowners to go “off-grid,” Morgan Stanley analysts have said.

Musk has been working Twitter hard this week to build anticipation for a formal announcement. A “major new Tesla product line — not a car — will be unveiled,” on April 30, he promised Monday.

Today Musk noted that SolarCity “just hit a new daily energy record” of five gigawatt-hours — roughly enough to supply 165,000 homes – and that it “almost feels like something is needed to complete the picture. …”

musk_dropping_hints

The takeaway for real estate brokers and agents? Undeveloped land that would once have been cost-prohibitive to build on because of the expense of bringing utilities on-site could suddenly be more attractive — assuming permits are obtainable, and that perc test comes back with a passing grade.
-----------
Elon Musk @elonmusk · 12h 12 hours ago
With all that solar power being generated, it almost feels like something is needed to complete the picture ...

Solar3D, Inc. (SLTD) After Hours Trading
SLTD $5.38 +0.38 +7.6%
Read more: http://www.nasdaq.com/symbol/sltd/after-hours#ixzz3W11aSEEr
After Hours Volume: After Hours High: After Hours Low:
79,072 $ 5.41 $ 4.85
http://www.nasdaq.com/symbol/sltd/after-hours
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Boom, who bought? Up a dime!

How Energy Storage Could Upend the Electricity Business
Solar power is starting to shake up the energy market as we know it, yet rooftop solar panels can only disrupt the utility industry so much. However, new developments brewing in solar could bring major changes.


Currently, the utility grid takes the extra electricity produced by rooftop solar systems during the day and provides enough electricity for solar homes to keep the lights on at night, a structure known as "net metering." This works when a relatively small number of homes have solar panels but becomes more difficult as more homes go solar. As we pass a million solar homes in the U.S., a milestone we'll likely hit later this year, the grid will be stretched, particularly in sunny parts of the country like California and Arizona.

But energy storage could ease the growing strain solar energy puts on the grid and make it possible for people to cut ties with the grid altogether. Energy storage could be the catalyst to make electric utilities adapt to innovations taking place in the energy space and change the way millions of people get their energy.

How Energy Storage Works

In effect, energy storage simply shifts when the utility sees demand from a solar customer. In a typical solar household, the home will actually send electricity to the grid during the day when the sun is out (blue area below) and draw electricity the rest of the day, particularly right after the end of the workday, when demand is highest (green area below).

What energy storage can do is take some of that electricity that's created during the day, store it, and discharge it at night, all within your home. This smooths out the demand the grid sees (approximated by the dotted line in the image above).

This is important because it means solar homes won't create the same stress on the grid as they once did, reducing a major complaint utilities have about rooftop solar. Energy storage also gives consumers choice in when and how they use electricity, which could be a selling point for consumers looking to reduce carbon emissions.

How Traditional Utilities Are Fighting Back Against Solar

Solar power usage, however, means less revenue for the utility companies. So in response, utilities have developed a strategy to fight its adoption. Instead of only charging customers for the energy they use, utilities across the country are proposing a fixed charge for every customer to connect to the grid and then a lower rate for each kWh of electricity used.

On the surface, the concept makes some sense: Each customer should have to pay something to get access to the grid, and they should pay more if they use more energy. But it's a regressive way to charge customers, meaning the rich will in effect pay less for each kWh used.

Imagine two homes: one a small home that uses 500 kWh of electricity each month, the other a much larger home that uses 5,000 kWh of electricity each month. Then let's say that each customer is charged $20 to access the grid and $0.10 per kWh of electricity they use. The small home would have a total bill of $70 per month and the larger home would have a bill of $520. Despite using 10 times as much electricity, the larger home's bill is only 7.4 times that of the smaller home.

The intended side effect, however, is that it also quashes the economics of solar. If you could offset all of your electricity with a rooftop solar system but still got charged $20 to be connected to the grid, it would make less sense to go solar than if you were only charged for the net energy you use. But therein lies the problem that could upend utilities as we know them.

Where Energy Storage Could Go in the Future

Energy storage as a product is growing, but it's still in an early phase of its existence. Right now, companies like SolarCity (SCTY) and SunPower (SPWR) that offer energy storage aren't proposing taking homes off the grid entirely with energy storage -- but that's the logical next step. If you had a large enough energy storage system, it's perfectly reasonable to think you could generate enough electricity to power your home with solar panels, and the energy storage system would make sure the house ran reliably.

Long-term, this is exactly what utilities don't want to happen. They don't want leaving the grid entirely to be an option for consumers who go solar. The problem will be creating the right rate and incentive structure to give customers freedom to get energy from where they want -- while still making a profit -- without alienating solar customers altogether.

Utilities that get it wrong could face major hardship. Hawaii has become the first battleground to watch. Electricity costs there are over three times the national average, making going solar a no-brainer. But the state's main energy utility, Hawaiian Electric Industries, has been dragging its feet in connecting solar systems to the grid because it says it can't handle the surge in electricity during the day followed by a big rise in demand at night.

Regulators are saying that's rubbish and demanding that Hawaii's utilities figure out a way to make rooftop solar work. If they can't, it could be the first place in the U.S. where it's economical to say goodbye to the grid and build a big enough energy storage system to supply your own energy 24/7.

That could be the future of energy, and if enough consumers go off-grid, it would topple utilities in the U.S. Innovation is coming to the energy business, and even utilities are going to have to keep up to survive.

Solar makes its mark on unsuspecting global energy markets
http://reneweconomy.com.au/2015/solar-makes-its-mark-on-unsuspecting-global-energy-markets-17181
By Giles Parkinson
Here is an interesting fact: Solar PV is already upturning the business models of utilities around the world, yet right now it contributes just 1 per cent of global electricity demand. Imagine what its impact will be when it grows another tenfold in the coming decade.

In 2014, according to the International Energy Agency Photovoltaic Power System Programme (IEA PVPS) new document Snapshot of Global PV Markets 2014, a total of 38.7GW of global PV capacity was added in 2014, just above 2013, as a steep decline in Europe was offset by sharp gains in Asia.

This took total capacity to 177GW, a tenfold increase since 2008. This total is expected to grow by nearly one-third in 2015.

In the coming decades, solar PV is forecast to make an even greater impact. Last year, the IEA updated its forecast to suggest that solar PV’s share of global electricity will reach 16 per cent by 2050, with around 4,600GW of installed PV capacity. Even so, the IEA is still regarded as highly conservative on solar’s potential.

According to the latest data, already 19 countries around the world, including Australia, source more than 1 per cent of their electricity needs from solar PV.

In the first established markets in Europe, the totals reach more than 7 per cent in countries like Germany, Greece and Italy. Another nine countries, including Australia and Japan, source more than 2 per cent of their electricity needs from solar PV.

Australia ranks in the top 10 markets for solar PV – both in installations in 2014, and for cumulative totals. What distinguishes Australia is that its market is almost totally rooftop solar – on households and businesses – while other major markets are more focused on large-scale solar.

China, Japan and the US dominate the market now, while Germany still leads on total capacity – although it could be overtaken by China in 2015, which has set a target of 17GW of new solar PV for the year.

This next graph seeks to illustrate the changing focus of global solar PV markets – Europe to Asia and the Americas. Asia accounted for nearly two-thirds of installations in 2014 and is expected to dominate again in 2015.

But a series of new markets are also emerging. The UK, France and Netherlands are still growing in Europe, even though the PV market in some countries has almost completely shut down.

The US market continues to grow, and reached 6.2GW in 2014. Canada and, to a lesser extent, Mexico are also progressing, and Chile has installed close to 400MW, becoming de facto the first PV country in South America. Brazil and Peru are following in its footsteps.

High short. Means good news will make us explode!
Bammmmmm!
------------------------
Craaaaaaaaamer wants us at 300M cap before he mentions us fully.....

Tesla pushes investors for a gigafactory in Japan
For more Solar Backup?
Tesla Motors' lithium-ion cell gigafactory in Reno, Nev. could be the first of many, and the automaker was in Japan last week courting suppliers for a possible gigafactory in that
By Stephen Edelstein, GreenCarReports MARCH 30, 2015

Almost as soon as it announced plans to build its lithium-ion cell "Gigafactory,"Tesla Motors began to hint that it could be the first of many.

After beginning construction at its first site near Reno, Nevada, the company is now showing interest in an additional gigafactory--this one located outside North America.

A senior Tesla executive was in Japan last week courting suppliers for a possible gigafactory, Bloomberg reports.

Recommended: Think you're a car buff? Take the quiz.
Japan ranks behind only North America as a source of parts for Tesla.
But the country's battery-supply industry needs to take greater risks, Tesla director of battery technology Kurt Kelty said at an event in Osaka Friday.

"We take risks," Kelty said, "but it seems not the case in Japan."

He claimed Japanese companies are sometimes too cautious in product development, which can clash with the aggressive timetables set by Tesla.

Once, when Tesla asked for a production increase from a Japanese supplier, the supplier countered that Tesla should slow down its plans for expansion, Kelty said.

He did not name the company.

Tesla currently has partnerships with multiple Japanese companies, including Panasonic and Denso.

It's open to further relationships with small and medium-sized suppliers, Kelty said.

Panasonic is presently Tesla's battery-cell supplier, as well as a shareholder in the carmaker.

That company will also oversee lithium-ion cell manufacturing at the Nevada Gigafactory, according to a joint agreement announced last year by Panasonic and Tesla.

Kelty worked at Panasonic for over 14 years before joining Tesla in March 2006.

He is the lead negotiator on the Tesla-Panasonic collaboration to build the gigafactory, according to his LinkedIn profile.

Tesla expects the initial Nevada plant to produce 35 gigawatt-hours of cells and 50 GWh of battery packs each year by 2020.

Much of the capacity will be dedicated to the 200-mile Tesla Model 3.

Tesla has said it plans to put that car into production in 2018, with a base price of $35,000.

The new home battery backup on the way?

Elon Musk
Verified account
?@elonmusk
Major new Tesla product line -- not a car -- will be unveiled at our Hawthorne Design Studio on Thurs 8pm, April 30

Major new Tesla product line -- not a car -- will be unveiled at our Hawthorne Design Studio on Thurs 8pm, April 30

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) March 30, 2015

Thanks to Schris on the CABN board....
New light bulbs using Graphene:

http://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-32100071
http://investorshub.advfn.com/boards/read_msg.aspx?message_id=112195812

I like the ideas of this company. But there is no "sector" until product starts getting made and used....
Anxiously hoping and waiting!

Nice Week! for this POS
https://www.google.com/finance?chdnp=1&chdd=1&chds=1&chdv=1&chvs=maximized&chdeh=0&chfdeh=0&chdet=1427515021756&chddm=1955&chls=IntervalBasedLine&q=NASDAQ:SLTD&ntsp=1&ei=5iIWVZH6G8iTiQLXsIDQBw

Beijing aims to turn smoggy sky blue to get Winter Games

http://www.wantchinatimes.com/newsphoto/2015-03-25/450/C308N0012H_2015????_N71_copy1.JPG
Smog in Beijing, March 8. (Photo/CNS)
With several candidate cities dropping out of the race for 2022 Winter Olympics bids, it seems Beijing's odds of winning have increased substantially, save one crucial detail–the city's notorious smog.

A team from the International Olympic Committee has arrived in Beijing to evaluate the city's ability to host the games. One thing they are certain to find is no shortage of enthusiasm for sport–even in a place where winter sports are confined to skating and skiing–with an estimated 300 million Chinese people participating in winter sports.

Winter sports facilities and infrastructure are another area where the city is easily covered. With China's successful hosting of the Beijing Olympic Games in 2008, Shanghai Expo in 2010 and Beijing Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in 2014 as well a high speed rail linking Beijing to joint host city Zhangjiakou–the facilities to host the games are already in place.

But what about the poor air quality?

Unlike the summer games in 2008, hosting a winter sporting event will coincide with Beijing's worst air period. In winter, millions of tons of coal are burned to fuel collective heating and pollution-clearing winter winds from the north are turned back by the city's mountains, adding to the difficulty of guaranteeing blue skies.

Scientists have said it will take Beijing decades to turn smoggy skies blue. A recent environmental protection plan from the Beijing government put the deadline for blue skies at 2030.

Qin Dahe, former head of China Meteorological Administration, said fighting air pollution all depends on China's ability to transform its energy and industrial structure, in addition to public efforts.

"I can't tell how many years it will take, but I think 30 years would be too long and 3-5 years is too unrealistic," Qin said.

So is seven years enough?

Lyu Xinhua, spokesman for this year's national committee of Chinese Political Consultative Conference, a political advisory body, said hosting the winter games may help Beijing achieve the 2030 goal in advance.

So far, Beijing has effectively guaranteed good air quality during critical periods. During the APEC summit, the demonstrated ability to ensure blue skies led to the coining of the phrase "APEC Blue."

But "APEC Blue" was created with unconventional methods at a special time, said Li Ting at Institute of Atmospheric Physics of Chinese Academy of Sciences. "Those measures are very costly and can not be enforced permanently."

During the APEC summit, Beijing and several neighboring provinces suspended thousands of factories and construction sites, ordered half of the cars off the streets and granted a six-day vacation to more than two million of its residents.

It is yet to be seen whether Beijing still needs to take unconventional measures if the city wins the bidding race, but winning can help the city tackle air pollution, said Wang Hui, deputy secretary general of the Beijing Winter Olympic Games Bid Committee at a press briefing on Saturday.

Wang said Beijing will spend more than 40 billion yuan (US$6 billion) and enterprises will contribute 760 billion yuan (US$122.4 billion) to fight smog. "We are enforcing the sternest measures," said Wang.

Wang also said fighting air pollution will help residents of the city breathe clean air rather than just welcome the Olympics. "Bidding for the Olympics will help us tackle air pollution, while fighting air pollution can also help the bidding process."

No matter what, Beijing has demonstrated its desire to welcome the games. Last week, two thermal coal-burning plants were shut down, paving the way for use of clean and low-emission energy. Of the four major coal-fired power plants in Beijing, three have been closed and the last is scheduled to be shut down next year.

Beijing's neighboring Hebei province is also gearing up to relinquish economic returns from heavily polluting industries such as steel-making, cement, electricity and glass-making. The Hebei provincial environmental protection department estimates economic growth was cut by 1.75 percentage points due to pollution fighting measures.

Some experts believe a two-city bid will help the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region better coordinate their efforts to fight pollution.

"If the region takes the opportunity of the games and steps up their industrial restructuring process, especially in Hebei, then Winter Olympics Blue is still possible," said Li Ting.

The Article:
http://microcapresearch.com/solar3d/
Solar3D (SLTD): A High Growth Solar Stock Trading at a Significant Discount to Peers
Posted on March 27, 2015 by Gary Anderson
As alerted earlier this week, we believe shares in Solar3D (STLD) are significantly undervalued and that a minimum 100% gain in 6-12 month period is realistic and perhaps conservative based on an expected doubling of revenue for 2015, strength of management, peer group price-to-sales comparisons, and other factors discussed below.

Overview

Solar3D focuses on the design, installation, and management of solar power systems for commercial, agricultural, and residential customers. Through its wholly owned subsidiaries, Solar3D is one of the fastest growing solar systems providers in California, delivering 2.5 kilowatt to multi-megawatt commercial systems. Solar3D’s technology division is developing a patent-pending 3-dimensional solar cell technology to maximize the conversion of sunlight into electricity. The Solar3D Cell collects sunlight from a wide angle and lets light bounce around in 3-dimensional microstructures on the solar cell surface. Solar3D is based in Santa Barbara, California.

Fully diluted shares: 17.7 million (includes recently completed capital raise of $12.5 million at $4.15/share).

Market cap: ~ $63 million

Insider ownership: ~ 24% with insider buying at $4.15/share in last 3 month period with no insider selling (source: Nasdaq.com)

We believe institutional ownership will dramatically increase in the weeks/months ahead due to March NASDAQ uplisting.

March 2015 Investor Presentation

Industry Growth

The solar industry has a tremendous growth opportunity in front of it. Solar3D’s management believes the solar industry will be the fastest growing industry over the next 20 years as distributed solar has penetrated less than 1% of its addressable market in the residential and commercial sectors. Solar3D management, the Department of Energy and many Wall Street analysts agree the key to increasing solar’s penetration rate and growth within the sector is the cost of installations. The key metric to watch is $ per watt. Consensus believes when the cost of installation per watt reaches $1 solar penetration rates will increase to 17%.

Current installation costs at the two largest solar installation companies, SolarCity and Vivint Solar were $2.85 and $2.96, respectively. In 2014, Vivint’s installation costs declined at a rate of 8.6% per quarter.

If the rate of decline at Vivint continues, the company will reach installation costs of $1 per watt by the end of 2017.

Solar3D’s installation costs compare very favorably with SolarCity and Vivint, with the average cost of installation at $1.90 per watt during the first 9 months of 2014.

Recent Public Offering

Solar3D recently completed a public offering of 3,000,000 shares at $4.15 per unit. Each unit contains one share of common stock and one warrant to purchase an additional share at $4.15 by March 9, 2020. The gross proceeds before the exercise of any warrants are $12.5 million. The money raised will allow Solar3D to continue its strategy of consolidating the highly fragmented California and Nevada markets, which represent 60% of the US installations market.

Acquisition History and Industry Consolidation

Solar3D has a history of acquisitions proving the company can consolidate the fragmented California and Nevada Solar markets and made two acquisitions in the past 15 months.

Solar3D completed the acquisition of SunWorks, (web site) serving the northern California market, in January of 2014. During 2014, SUNworks installed over 300 systems, totaling 10 MW of capacity, a 100% increase over the approximately 150 systems installations in 2013. Sixty percent of SUNworks 2014 revenue was sales to the commercial market, including the agricultural market, and approximately 40% of its revenue was sales to the residential market.

SUNworks has gained brand popularity throughout California due to its commitment to excellent customer service and the ability to provide flexible cost savings to large commercial organizations. Recently, SUNworks was contracted to perform commercial solar design and installation programs for two large-scale California-based companies, Innovative Produce, Inc. and Heidrick & Heidrick Properties, L.P.

On March 2, 2015, Solar3D completed the acquisition of MD Energy (web site). MD Energy focuses its operations on the commercial market for Southern California. Similar to SUNworks, MD Energy designs, arranges financing, monitors and maintains solar systems, but outsources the physical construction of the systems. In 2014, MD Energy installed 14 systems totaling 3.35MW of capacity.

MD Energy already has a strong brand within Southern California with the company recently landing a $2.4 million contract from Rancho Mirage Public Library.
Smart Acquisitions

Solar3D acquired both companies at very inexpensive prices. Solar3D paid approximately $2.8 million for SunWorks.

In 2013, SunWorks generated revenues of $8.5 million and earnings of $685,968 representing revenue growth of 108% over 2012 and earnings growth of 234%. Solar3D acquired SunWorks for 0.33 time revenues and 4.07 times earnings both of which are ridiculously cheap for a company with SunWorks’ growth and financial position with no debt.

Solar3D paid approximately $3.5 million for MD Energy.

In the 9 months ending September 2014, MD Energy generated revenues of $4.4 million and operating profit of $447,124. On an annualized basis, Solar3D paid 0.6 times sales and 5.83 times Earnings for MD Energy. Again, Solar3D was able to add significant value to shareholders by buying MD Energy at an extremely attractive price. An acquirer paying 0.6 times sales for a profitable business with no debt, which grew its revenues by 1255% in the preceding nine months, is unheard of.

These two acquisition illustrate management’s ability to acquire complimentary assets, integrate those assets and be disciplined enough to pay a very low price for the assets.

Despite the inexpensive prices, these two companies fit Solar3D’s ethos of a strong focus on customer service…a key differentiating factor within the industry which allows companies focused on customer service to demand a premium for their work. The focus on customer service has resulted with both companies having a strong brand which is crucial for the solar installation industry, as the quality of the product is not known until the product is used. This is a particularly important characteristic as the customer is making a 25-30 year commitment. If the company installing the panels does not have a reputation for high quality customer service and a good product, the customer will go to a competitor and pay more for the assurance of a quality job.

Going forward the typical target for Solar3D is a solar installation company with revenues between 10-30 million and is profitable. Any target will initially be located in California or Nevada with a focus on Residential and/or Commercial sector and strong customer service orientation.





Strong, World-Class Management Experienced in M&A

James Nelson, President and CEO began his career 30 years ago at Bain and Company, the premier business strategy consulting firm in the world, where he managed teams of consultants on four continents solving CEO-level programs for global companies. Prior to joining Solar3D, he spent 20 years working in the private equity industry as both a capital partner and operating CEO to portfolio companies. Mr. Nelson was a General Partner at Peterson Partners from 2007 to 2009, and at Millennial Capital Partners from 1991-2010. In addition to his responsibilities in acquisition and divestiture, Mr. Nelson worked as an executive in a number of portfolio companies. He served as CEO of Euro-Tek Store Fixture, LLC, Chairman of the Board of American Retail Interiors, Chairman of the Board and CEO of Panelview Inc. and Chairman of the Board of Critical Power Exchange, as well as serving on numerous boards of companies. The companies led by Mr. Nelson have created exceptional returns for investors – sometimes over 20 times the original investment.

Prior to his years in private equity, Mr. Nelson served as Vice President of Marketing at Banana Republic/The Gap, where he managed company-wide marketing, as well as the initial international expansion of Banana Republic. He was also General Manager for the highly profitable catalog division. He also served as Vice President of Marketing and Corporate Development at Saga Corporation, a multi-billion dollar food service company.

Mr. Nelson received his Masters of Business Administration degree from Brigham Young University, where he graduated Summa Cum Laude and was named the Outstanding MBA Graduate. Mr. Nelson’s expansive experience in global companies, worldview strategic thinking, and hands-on entrepreneurial and operating execution is ideally suited to help exploit Solar3D’s breakthrough solar cell technology in a multi-trillion dollar global market opportunity.

Tracey Welch, Chief Financial Officer was recently hired by Solar3D. Welch joins Solar3D after holding CFO and Treasurer roles at several large private and publicly held companies, including multi-billion dollar energy companies KN Energy and Smith International, and food giant, Schwan’s. Welch’s responsibilities while leading publicly traded companies include, among others, financing acquisitions, developing financial departments, post acquisition integration, safety and risk management, and ultimately driving revenue and profit optimization. During his career, Welch has overseen the successful raise of billions in capital through private and public debt offerings.

Welch is an ideal fit for Solar3D due in large part to his extensive energy industry experience, and his reputation for successfully evaluating, financing, and integrating acquisitions. During his career, Welch has completed 36 transactions ranging in size from $10 million to $500 million, and has been largely responsible for the financial assimilation and integration of those companies into the parent organization.

Valuation

Despite the company’s growth rate, ability to acquire companies cheaply, its profitability and its strong competitive position due to its low customer acquisition costs, low installation costs and commitment to customer service; Solar3D valuation is still significantly below peers.

Solar3D is trading on a trailing twelve month (ttm) price to sales of 3.8 times compared to SolarCity on 19.5 times and Vivint Solar on 52.2 times. This is despite Solar3D expectations for profitability in 2015 while SolarCity and Vivint is expected to remain reporting losses for some time. If we are conservative and say Solar3D should trade at a 20% discount to SolarCity, there is 400% upside based on the ttm sales.
Solar3D’s potential upside is even more drastic when you take into account the expectation for the company to more than double revenues in 2015 reaching $40-45 million. Using the bottom end of the guidance range ($40 million) and the same price to sales multiple of 16 times, Solar3D’s market cap should be roughly $600 million, representing 750% upside from current prices.
These valuation scenarios do not take into account Solar3D’s revolutionary solar panel technology. Solar3D has a 3D solar panel that is 90% more efficient than current 2D solar panels as it captures significantly more sunlight and allows for more electron reabsorption. The technology is still in development but could add significant upside to the stock.





The Bottom Line

Solar3D is a rapidly growing solar installation company with a very strong competitive position due to its low installation costs, superior customer service, and ability to consolidate a fragmented market. All these factors and significant undervaluation relative to peers points to tremendous potential for shareholders. Shares have begun to appreciate since our alert four days ago, despite a volatile overall market. We believe patient investors who buy now or add on pullbacks will be well rewarded over the next 6-12 months.

Microcapresearch.com Gary Anderson


Disclosure: The publishers of MicrocapResearch.com are long shares of SLTD purchased in the open market.
Receipt of $20,000 from a third party for our coverage above.

Electric car battery costs already cheaper than 2020 predictions: Study
t’s widely assumed that electric cars will never emerge into the mass market if buying them requires paying a significant premium over comparable internal-combustion models.

While owners may save money on fuel and maintenance over the long term, a higher initial purchase price remains intimidating, and takes time to amortize. And by far the most expensive component of a plug-in electric car is its battery pack.

But there’s good news: The price of lithium-ion cells for those packs is dropping. Fast.

A new study claims electric-car batteries are already cheaper than previous estimates for 2020, reported The Carbon Brief.

In 2013, the International Energy Agency (IEA) estimated that it would take until 2020 for cell costs to sink to $300 per kilowatt-hour. Yet researchers suggest that the electric-car industry may already have reached that goal.

Research estimates put the drop in industry-wide costs at $1,000 per kWh between 2007 and 2014, reducing costs to as low as $140 per kWh. The study also claims that certain “market-leading firms” such as Nissan and Tesla have also smashed the IEA’s $300-per-kWh barrier.

The study is based on 85 cost estimates from peer-reviewed academic publications, as well as reports from analysts, the media, and from the battery and car manufacturers themselves.

The authors noted that this constitutes an incomplete body of data. Companies rarely disclose their true costs of manufacturing to the public, they wrote.

Echoing other analyses, they also said battery costs will have to fall further for electric cars to gain mass appeal.

For the U.S., they estimated, costs must drop to less than $150 per kWh for electric cars to move “beyond niche applications.”

A figure of $100 per kWh is often cited as the threshold at which electric cars can become price-competitive with internal-combustion models.

The quest to cut costs has led to enormous research into alternatives to today’s lithium-ion chemistries.

Volkswagen, for example, is reportedly mulling investing in the development of solid-state batteries for future electric cars.

Those developments are “still distant,” the study’s authors said. They believe economies of scale are more likely to bring costs down.


Tesla Motors is currently testing that theory with its Nevada “Gigafactory.” When it opens in 2017, the factory is intended to produce cells on a sufficiently large scale to realize a $35,000 base price for the Model 3 sedan.

Even with the current momentum, a dramatic drop in prices likely won’t happen overnight.

Lithium-ion cell prices currently average $496 per kWh, according to a different battery-cost estimate published in The Washington Post. It claims that the figure represents a 60 percent drop since 2010.

At that rate, cell prices will reach $175 per kWh in five years, which would put parity with internal combustion some distance away.

In the long run, carmakers must produce cars at a profit and sell enough of them to realize economies of scale.

Nissan has said that it expects to break even on the first-generation Leaf, when all is said and done. The Leaf is by far the highest-volume electric car in the world, with total sales that will cross 200,000 this year.

That suggests that the next Leaf, which is expected to offer some models with ranges of 120 to 150 miles — and perhaps more — will be both more appealing to buyers and profitable for its maker.

And cheaper batteries, as always, will make that happen.