Suppliers of solar panels can’t keep up with demand for cheaper energy

Solar energy has become so hot that suppliers of the main component in solar panels can’t keep up with demand. Homeowners, businesses and organizations such as Ojai’s Camp Ramah in California, are covering their roofs with silicon solar panels, while Shell Solar is selling its silicon-based solar business, including a Camarillo plant, to seek alternatives.

Alternatives also are getting a closer look. Instead of silicon-based solar cells, Shell is focusing on a different kind of solar technology called Copper Indium di-Selenide, or CIS. Kohn calls the shortage a “temporary planning glitch” that will be remedied. He predicts demand will continue to increase, possibly reaching from 25 percent to 35 percent of all electricity used globally by the middle of this century.

tmcnet