GE goes into solar

[chinaman711]

GE To Make Strategic Investment in Emerging Solar Technology Company
Wednesday September 19, 11:00 am ET


ATLANTA--(BUSINESS WIRE)--GE Energy (NYSE: GE - News) today announced that it has reached an agreement to acquire a minority equity interest in PrimeStar Solar, Inc., an emerging solar thin-film technology and manufacturing company.

PrimeStar Solar, headquartered in Golden, Colo., was formed in June 2006 to develop and commercialize thin-film photovoltaic modules. The company has 31 employees, including a core management team with more than 100 years of thin-film equipment and process experience.

"Solar energy will play an important role in the future of the global energy market and is an integral part of our renewables portfolio," said Victor Abate, vice president of renewables, GE Energy. "Our goal, through this investment, is to place GE's solar business in a strategic position in the thin-film solar industry, adding to GE's diverse range of energy generation technologies."

"PrimeStar Solar is excited to work with GE to accelerate our plans for large-scale commercialization of low-cost, high efficiency solar technology," said Brian Murphy, chief executive officer of PrimeStar.

In March 2007, GE's solar business was selected for the U.S. Department of Energy's Solar America Initiative, a cost-shared, three-year cooperative agreement to drive down the cost of electricity to make solar energy competitive with other power generation technologies.

Solar power is also among the renewable energy technologies that play a key role in ecomagination, GE's corporate-wide initiative to address challenges such as the need for cleaner, more efficient sources of energy, reduced emissions and abundant sources of clean water. Under ecomagination, which was launched in May of 2005, GE will invest $1.5 billion annually in research in cleaner technologies by 2010, up from $700 million in 2004.

[microhedge]

I guess this answers the DayStar question?!

[Thierry Martin]

1886

[madcowdisease]

GE has been a big player i alternative energies for some time now. They also the biggest firm involved in water desalination which will likely be a big market 50 years from now. The problem with GE specifically is that it's such a large conglomerate it takes an awful lot of buzz to move the stock. The obvious play would be picking who they pick off. Only if we were prescient, right?

Perhaps XSNX is the next to get plucked?

[chinaman711]

It better be DSTI, thats where i put my asti $$$'s

[microhedge]

It better be DSTI, thats where i put my asti $$$'s

My thoughts exactly...

I'm hopin' and prayin' cause I bit big into DSTI

[AJLightning]

My thoughts exactly...

I'm hopin' and prayin' cause I bit big into DSTI


I'm with both of you...DSTIZ for me

[chinaman711]

Solar Power Expo on Tuesday
By Kelly Puente, Staff writer
Article Launched: 09/24/2007 12:00:00 AM PDT


LONG BEACH - Looking for ways to go green this year? You might try replacing your old roof with solar shingles.

A popular new trend, solar roof shingles look remarkably similar to an average roof and are more aesthetically appealing than traditional solar panels, said Julia Judd, executive director of the Solar Electric Power Association.

Those looking for more information on solar options and sustainable energy can attend the Solar Power 2007 Conference and Expo this week at the Long Beach Convention Center.

Tuesday night is open to the public with a free expo and seminars. Attendees can see the latest technology, talk to more than 200 companies in the industry and learn how solar energy works.

The rest of the conference, which starts tonight and lasts through Thursday, is closed to the public.

Since the event began four years ago in San Francisco, the number of attendees has jumped from 1,000 to more than 10,000 expected at this year's conference in Long Beach, said Judd, who is co-chair of the event. Solar Power 2008 will take place in San Diego.

The number of attendees this year represents the growing demand on the solar power market, she said.

The demand for


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solar power equipment in the United States almost doubled from 2004 to 2005, said Fred Mayes of the U.S. Government's Energy Information Administration.
Mayes, who's working on the latest statistics for 2007, said the numbers will most likely be "off the charts."

But in the larger picture, he said, solar power is still a sliver of the country's energy consumption, accounting for about 7 percent of total usage.

Although solar power is considered a niche in the energy market, Judd said rising costs and a growing concern for the environment are driving more people to use alternative sources.

"Each year the conference just gets bigger," she said.

Although a moderate solar power system can set the average homeowner back more than $15,000, Judd said, many states such as California offer rebates and incentives - not to mention cutting your utility bill in half.

Jackson Shaw installed $30,000 worth of solar panels on the roof of his North Long Beach home. His electric bill each month is $1.50.

"I couldn't be happier," he said.

Solar-powered homes are also seeing a higher resale value in California, Judd added. "You're not just saving on the electric bill, you're potentially increasing the value of your home."

The Solar Power 2007 Conference starts tonight and lasts through Thursday. The free expo will be open to the public on Tuesday from 5:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. No registration is necessary.

[microhedge]

HOpe we see a bottom here quickly... pulled out at 5.20

[microhedge]

Sittin tight at the 5 range, I'm back in looking for more8O

[chinaman711]

DSTI slowly workings its way back to the greem. Its has been a nice little trade when it dips under 5. If they come out with GE news this 1 may run just like ASTI did imo. Watch for news and i will be adding if there is any news with GE. This could be a 3 bagger imo if there is a deal with dsti and ge. good luck

[Bman409]

Sittin tight at the 5 range, I'm back in looking for more8O

I got some around $5.00 today.. .

[Bman409]

DSTI slowly workings its way back to the greem. Its has been a nice little trade when it dips under 5. If they come out with GE news this 1 may run just like ASTI did imo. Watch for news and i will be adding if there is any news with GE. This could be a 3 bagger imo if there is a deal with dsti and ge. good luck

Why do you think there might be a deal with GE, in a nutshell?

[Gzapper]

I got some around $5.00 today.. .

thats what she said

[microhedge]

... AND Bought some more at 5.11, progress looks good. I've been pretty lucky with my I/O on this one... watchin and prayin for the GE news

[chinaman711]

Back in june GE announced they were working with DSTI but not much details. DSTI is keeping this very quiet. I have sent emails to investor relations and they have not answered. DSTI just went green and imo this is going to be huge just like asti was. If they do come out with news on their deal with GE i will be adding to dstiz just in case the is a huge run like asti had. Good luck

[chinaman711]

Here is the news from june on the deal with ge and dsti and i have a feeling this deal could be HUGE for DSTI---GE to use DayStar solar cells for $46.7M federal program
Wednesday June 27, 3:12 pm ET


General Electric Co. will use DayStar Technologies Inc.'s solar cells as part of a $46.7 million program it has with the U.S. Department of Energy's Solar America Initiative.
GE was recently awarded the $46.7 million as part of a three-year program to develop low-cost photovoltaic technology.

GE Global Research Center spokesman Todd Alhart said DayStar was identified as one of the potential vendors for the project.

DayStar said the solar cells would be made in Halfmoon.

[microhedge]

Back in june GE announced they were working with DSTI but not much details. DSTI is keeping this very quiet. I have sent emails to investor relations and they have not answered. DSTI just went green and imo this is going to be huge just like asti was. If they do come out with news on their deal with GE i will be adding to dstiz just in case the is a huge run like asti had. Good luck


In my experience, no answer is a good one. When I get the continued semi-pos feedback it tends to go nowhere... when they're as quiet as the grave post big news, they're getting ready to edge up and put their ducks in a row.

Of course, on the other side of that, I've had a couple go quiet as the grave and that's exactly where they ended up8O... But I don't believe that is DSTI, obviously.

[Bman409]

Back in june GE announced they were working with DSTI but not much details. DSTI is keeping this very quiet. I have sent emails to investor relations and they have not answered. DSTI just went green and imo this is going to be huge just like asti was. If they do come out with news on their deal with GE i will be adding to dstiz just in case the is a huge run like asti had. Good luck

Thanks! I'll check that out


kinda looks like its forming a bull flag here

[microhedge]

Oh baby oh... rise like the sun, its a beautiful day... 5.25

[AJLightning]

why isn't DSTIZ moving with DSTI?
it's just sitting at .91 :?

[chinaman711]

UBS has been bidding up the warrants all morning, watch dsti if it gets thru 5.40. If it gets thru 5.40 without any news look for a test of resistance at 5.96 imo. If we get news with ge look for alot more. Good luck as dsti hits 5.26

[microhedge]

Some profit taking from this mornings 4.90 arena? Showing some resistance at 5.25, I think it will push through at least for the afternoon

[optiuser7]

even am wondering the same , why dstiz is not moving . I have got a ton in DSTIZ and very few in DSTI

wish i had gotten asti and astiz earlier......

[microhedge]

What an interesting morning!!!

[chinaman711]

Right now dsti is a better play as the strike price on dstiz is $10 so we will need a huge run in dsti to get dstiz going. If we get news of a deal with ge that will get dstiz going until then dsti is the better play imo. With UBS trying to load up on dstiz tells me dsti is getting ready for a run. Might take a few weeks or could happen anytime on news. Good luck

[microhedge]

closed down on a harsh day.

Let's see what tomorrow brings, I'm averaged in at 5.02

[chinaman711]

The Biggest Economic Opportunity of This Century
By Jack Uldrich September 24, 2007
2
Recommendations
Venture capitalists are people, just like you and me. They put their pants on one leg at a time, and they're prone to making investing mistakes just like the rest of us. That said, it's hard to deny that some VCs are clearly better than others. John Doerr is one of Silicon Valley's more successful and higher-profile VCs, with big wins including early investments in Symantec, Amazon.com, and more recently, Google.

This success, I believe, gives his words some weight. So when he says, as he did in November, that global warming is real and that "cleantech" is "the biggest economic opportunity of this century," my ears -- and yours -- should perk up.

The future for cleantech
It's not that the idea of cleantech as a big investment opportunity is new. The Motley Fool, myself, and others have been writing about it for some time. Instead, it was Doerr's explanation of how cleantech can help address global warming that I found so interesting. He laid out four steps for solving global warming that, when viewed in aggregate, can provide investors with a useful framework for thinking about how to invest in cleantech.

First, Doerr said the U.S. government should adopt a mandatory goal of reducing greenhouse gas 25% by 2010. This is an ambitious goal, and even with Democrats now in control of both houses of Congress, I don't think it's likely. Nevertheless, I do believe some controls are coming, and investors can profit by understanding which companies are getting ahead of the curve and positioning themselves to benefit from government mandates. For instance, I have written before about Duke Energy's willingness to embrace mandates and explained how this progressive position -- when backed with strategic investments in cleaner coal-burning technologies and large-scale carbon sequestration and alternative fuel energy projects -- could position it ahead of its peers if and when government mandates on carbon emissions are imposed. More recently, IBM announced its Big Green Innovations initiative as a way to take advantage of this emerging market. Another way to play this opportunity is to consider investments in those companies manufacturing "negawatts" -- which attempt to decreasing energy use by better managing the demand side of the equation -- such as EnerNoc, Comverge, Itron, and Echelon.

Second, Doerr called for the adoption of renewable sources such as solar and wind power. This is hardly a bold call, but investors should give serious consideration to investments such as Motley Fool Rule Breakers recommendation Suntech Power (NYSE: STP). The company's big plans to buy $5 billion worth of solar wafers from MEMC Electronic Materials over the next 10 years is just one indication that it expects to be a leader in the growing solar cell market. Another company with growing solar resources worth considering is General Electric (NYSE: GE), which earlier this week announced it was acquiring a minority equity position in PrimeStar, a new manufacturer of thin-film solar cells.

To this end, the emerging field of thin-film photovoltaics is growing up fast, and now counts a number of promising companies among its ranks, including First Solar (Nasdaq: FSLR), Ascent Solar Technologies (Nasdaq: ASTI), Energy Conversion Devices (Nasdaq: ENER) (through its subsidiary United Solar Ovonics), and Suntech Power.

[microhedge]

You had me reall excited there for a second chinaman, I thought DSTI was going to be called out... but good article anyway

[microhedge]

Bailed at 4.90, watchin for the bottom...

[chinaman711]

SOEN a chinese solar play, look for 1.35 imo and alot more l/t. DSTI ready to get thru 5 soon.

[microhedge]

looked at SOEN a couple of times but did nothing, thanks for the heads up

Jumped back into DSTI at 4.74...

[Jordan]

DSTI heading back to 5.40

[AJLightning]

DSTI heading back to 5.40



c'mon DSTIZ :lol: