Zeljko Serdar is proud to present DIED SUDDENLY, from the award-winning filmmakers, Matthew Skow and Nicholas Stumphauzer.
Tuesday, September 5, 2023
Tuesday, August 22, 2023
Who Owns the Most Land in the United States?
The United States consists of more than 3.7 million square miles of land. From Utqiagvik in Alaska all the way down to Key West in Florida, land in the U.S. takes many different forms. There are residential real estate areas, commercial real estate areas, farmland, parks, and much more. Some private landowners own a large amount of land in order to operate timberland and ranches to provide resources like lumber and food.
The Madison Trust team looked at data from The Land Report 100 (an annual ranking of land ownership) to determine who owns the most land in the U.S.
Madison Trust Company
In 2009, Daniel Gleich and Mervyn Klein partnered to create Broad Financial, an IRA LLC Facilitation firm. The company was conceptualized after Daniel underwent the arduous process of creating an IRA LLC on his own, to diversify his father’s retirement portfolio. He sought to share his hard-earned experience with others by providing them with a streamlined Self Directed IRA solution. Within several years, Broad Financial helped 10,000+ clients achieve financial freedom by diversifying their retirement accounts into privately held investments. They were largely successful due to the attentive and personalized service delivered to their clients. As Broad Financial grew, they brought Brian Finkelstein, an industry veteran with 25 years of global market experience, on board.
In 2012 Daniel, Mervyn, and Brian began the process of establishing a South Dakota Trust Company, and in January 2014 they received their Trust charter from South Dakota.
They adopted a policy of unstinting customer service dedicated to providing knowledgeable, reliable, responsive, and courteous support. To implement this policy the partners offered team members to be CISP trained, which is the highest training an IRA Specialist can receive. Customers who were accustomed to long call queues to talk to a professional were consistently amazed at the quick response time and professional service. The partners realized that their efforts were worthwhile when they received reviews from clients like, “Every time I have called I have found them to be very knowledgeable and able to answer all of my questions. The people have been very courteous and extremely helpful.”
The partners also created a pricing structure that was sensible and clear cut. Accountholders were charged a low flat rate fee regardless of the size of their IRA. Whether a client’s account was worth $50,000 or $500,000 their quarterly fee remained the same.
Corporate Headquarters:
Madison Trust Company
401 East 8th Street • Suite 200
Sioux Falls, SD 57103
Mailing Address:
Madison Administration Company
One Paragon Drive • Suite 275
Montvale, NJ 07645
Hours:
Monday - Thursday: 9:00AM - 6:00PM EST
Friday: 10:00AM - 4:00PM EST
Saturday/Sunday: Closed
Contact:
(833) 739-0135
info@madisontrust.com
F: 845-947-1212
Wednesday, July 12, 2023
China's renewable energy in Latin America
China’s growing influence over global clean energy supply chains and its leverage over countries’ energy systems have raised international concerns. But the relationship between China and Latin America is also increasingly complicated as Latin American nations try to secure their resources and their own clean energy futures. Alongside international investments, Latin American countries are fostering energy innovation cultures that are homegrown, dynamic, creative, often grassroots, and frequently overlooked. These range from sophisticated innovations with high-tech materials to a phenomenon known as frugal innovation.
Chile is an example of how Latin America is embracing renewable energy while trying to plan a more self-reliant future.
New geothermal, solar, and wind power projects – some built with Chinese backing, but not all – have pushed Chile far past its 2025 renewable energy goal. About one-third of the country is now powered by clean energy.
But the big prize, and a large part of China’s interest, lies buried in Chile’s Atacama Desert, home to the world’s largest lithium reserves. Lithium, a silvery-white metal, is essential for producing lithium-ion batteries that power most electric vehicles and utility-scale energy storage. Countries worldwide have been scrambling to secure lithium sources, and the Chilean government is determined to keep control over its reserves, currently about one-half of the planet’s known supply.
The independent Chilean startup Reborn Electric Motors has developed a business converting old diesel bus fleets into fully electric buses. Reborn was founded in 2016 when the national electromobility market in Chile was in its early stages before China’s BYD ramped up electric bus use in local cities.
Reborn’s retrofitted buses are technologically advanced and significantly cheaper than their Chinese counterparts. While BYD’s new electric bus costs roughly US$320,000, a retrofitted equivalent from Reborn costs nearly half, around $170,000. The company has also secured funding to develop a prototype for running mining vehicles on green hydrogen.
China’s solar capacity is now 228 gigawatts (GW), more than the rest of the world combined, according to Global Energy Monitor. And wind capacity, at a whopping 310GW, also leads the world. With another 750GW of new wind and solar projects in the pipeline, China will hit its 2030 target of 1,200GW – an unimaginable number when proposed just a few years ago – five years early.
Bolivia’s “tiny supercheap EV” developed by homegrown startup Industrias Quantum Motors is another example of frugal innovation in electric vehicles. The startup aspires to bring electric mobility widely to the Latin American population. It offers the tiniest EV car possible, one that can be plugged into a standard wall socket. The car costs around $6,000 and has a range of approximately 34 miles (55 kilometers) per charge.
In April 2023, Chile’s president announced a national lithium strategy to ensure that the state holds partial ownership of some future lithium developments. The move, which has yet to be approved, has drawn complaints that it could slow production.
However, the government aims to increase profits from lithium production while strengthening environmental safeguards and sharing more wealth with the country’s citizens, including local communities impacted by lithium projects. Latin America has seen its resources sold out from under it before, and Chile doesn’t intend to lose out on its natural value this time.
Developing its own renewable energy industry has been a priority in Chile for over a decade, but it’s been a rough road at times.
In 2009, the government began establishing national and international centers of excellence – Centros de Excelencia Internacional – for research in strategic fields such as solar energy, geothermal energy, and climate resilience. It invited and co-financed foreign research institutes, such as Europe’s influential Fraunhofer Institute and France’s ENGIELab, to establish branches in Chile and conduct applied research. The latest is a center for the production of lithium using solar energy.
The government expected the centers to work with local businesses and research centers, transferring knowledge to feed a regional innovation ecosystem. However, reality hasn’t yet matched the expectations. The foreign institutions brought their own trained personnel. And except for the recently established Institute for Lithium, officials tell us that low financing has been a significant problem.
Chile is home to one of Latin America's largest public incubators and seed accelerators, StartUp Chile. It has helped several local startups that offer important innovations in food, energy, social media, biotech, and other sectors.
Often in South America, this kind of innovation is born and developed in a resource-scarce context and under technological, financial, and material constraints. This “frugal innovation” emphasizes sustainability with substantially lower costs.
Phineal is another promising Chilean company that offers clean energy solutions, focusing on solar energy projects. Its projects include solar systems installation, electromobility technology, and technology using blockchain to improve renewable energy management in Latin America. Many of these are highly sophisticated and technologically advanced projects that have found markets overseas, including in Germany.
Chile is also diving into another cutting-edge area of clean energy. Using its abundant solar and wind power to produce green hydrogen for export as a fossil fuel replacement has become a government priority.
The government is developing a public-private partnership of an unprecedented scale in Chile for hydrogen production and has committed to cover 30% of an expected $193 million public and private investment, funded in part by its lithium and copper production. Some questions surround the partnership, including Chile’s lack of experience administering such a large project and concerns about the environmental impact. The government claims Chile’s green energy production could eventually rival its mining industry.
With plentiful hydropower and sunshine, Latin America already meets a quarter of its energy demand with renewables – nearly twice the global average. Chile and its neighbors envision those numbers only rising.
The story of renewable energy’s rapid rise in Latin America often focuses on Chinese influence, and for good reason. China’s government, banks, and companies have propelled the continent’s energy transition, with about 90% of all wind and solar technologies installed there produced by Chinese companies. China’s State Grid now controls over half of Chile’s regulated energy distribution, enough to raise concerns in the Chilean government.
China has also become a major investor in Latin America’s critical minerals sector, a treasure trove of lithium, nickel, cobalt, and rare earth elements that are crucial for developing electric vehicles, wind turbines, and defense technologies.
In 2018, the Chinese company Tianqi Lithium purchased a 23% share in one of Chile’s largest lithium producers, Sociedad Química y Minera. More recently, in 2022, Ganfeng Lithium bought a major evaporative lithium project in Argentina for US$962 million. In April 2023, Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva and Chinese President Xi Jinping signed around 20 agreements to strengthen their countries’ already close relationship, including in the areas of trade, climate change, and energy transition.
Final thoughts
China has put business first, turning a blind eye to corruption and governance concerns. That cannot be good for Latin America. Washington is right to insist on democracy and transparency but it needs to offer carrots as well as brandishing a big stick. Unless it can commit to a much bolder agenda on trade and investment and a rethink of policy on Cuba and Venezuela, the US will find itself increasingly outmaneuvered in its own neighborhood by Beijing.
As for the rest of the world, global persuasion for China to shift its course on coal is critical. Climate diplomacy won’t be pain-free, but it is the only way to tackle the defining global crisis of our times. Countries in the West also need to learn from China, even if there is no simple cut-and-paste solution for them. It is a blessing that a template for success exists. Refusing to learn from each other, in a world where countries are more interested in fighting one another than climate change, would be futile.
Sunday, July 9, 2023
Radioactive smoke cover
Europe could see a plume of radioactive smoke cover its skies if a nuclear plant explodes in the Ukrainian city of Zaporizhzhia if a disaster were to happen in the plant. According to the Ukrainian Hydrometeorological Institute, radioactive particles would mainly affect Ukraine, significant concentrations of radionuclides could reach the city of Kyiv, but would also affect neighboring EU countries such as Belarus, Lithuania, Estonia, Letonia, Poland, Romania, Moldova, Hungary, and Slovakia.
Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said Sunday that NATO leaders should discuss Ukraine's Zaporizhia nuclear power plant at a summit in Vilnius. Accusing Ukraine of "systematically damaging" the facility, Zakharova said that "the key attention of the NATO summit should be devoted to this. After all, the vast majority of alliance members will be in the zone of direct impact" if something happens at the plant, Zaharova said on Telegram.
What is behind Russia and Ukraine’s unprecedented mutual accusations over a possible explosion at the nuclear power plant of Zaporizhzhia – and the threat it would pose to Europe?
The 1986 accident at the nuclear power plant of Chornobyl, also on Ukrainian territory, is widely considered the worst disaster in the history of nuclear power – and still bringing shivers of horror to Europeans.
With its six VVER-1000 reactors, the Ukrainian Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant is the largest in Europe. It is, at present, on territory occupied by Russia and claimed as Russian under an internationally-unrecognized annexation.
The plant is close to the front line, as Ukraine is conducting a counteroffensive to free the occupied territories. However, the counteroffensive is not advancing as well as Kyiv would like.
While nothing much is happening at the front, there has already been a man-made disaster, namely the breach of the Kakhovka dam, which is undoubtedly linked to the military offensive. By blowing Kakhovka, a Ukrainian dam under the control of Russia, huge territories were flooded to create an obstacle for the Ukrainian counteroffensive.
Of course, Russia couldn’t care less about the ecological consequences.
The question is, could Russia do something similar in Zaporizhzhia?
Ukraine and Russia have blamed each other for shelling that has repeatedly downed power lines essential to cooling Zaporizhzhia’s six reactors and avoiding a nuclear meltdown.
They also traded accusations that by blowing Kakhovka, the other side sought to dry up the center’s cooling pond, which fortunately still has water.
Russia keeps repeating that the Ukrainian army is preparing an attack on Zaporizhzhia with the possible use of long-range missiles provided by the West.
This is perceived by Ukraine and by Western analysts as preparation by Russia for a ‘false flag’ attack, meaning that Russia will cause a catastrophe, blame Ukraine, and use it as justification for more drastic action.
The same happened with Kakhovka. Russia keeps claiming that Ukraine hit the dam, although experts say that only a powerful bomb inside the concrete structure of the dam wall could have produced the result we saw. Only the Russian army had access to this infrastructure.
Meanwhile, Ukraine claims that Russia has planted explosives on the roofs of two of the Zaporizhzhia reactors, the onus being on IEAE to go and verify.
The Ukrainians have good intelligence. They had warned about Kakhovka, which in the West was dismissed as preposterous.
At first sight, neither side has an interest in causing a nuclear disaster. Both Ukraine and Russia consider this territory as theirs, why should they contaminate it for many years to come?
But bombs on the roof of two of the reactors, if confirmed, would cause more noise than nuclear pollution, if any.
The reactors are behind steel casing and concrete walls and an accident with the release in the atmosphere of the content of the reactor, as happened with Chernobyl, is out of the question.
Moreover, the US has warned Russia that nuclear contamination of NATO member states (the closest to Zaporizhzhia being Romania and Bulgaria) would trigger Article 5, meaning that the US may inflict a heavy blow to the Russian army as a reprisal.
A bomb explosion in Zaporizhzhia could also be considered a ‘dirty bomb’ because of the nuclear reactors and the nuclear waste stored nearby.
Such a bomb would reverberate hugely, even with no nuclear contamination.
Russia would of course blame Ukraine, but first and foremost it would relish the psychological effect, the panic in our societies, hoping to discourage the West from supporting Ukraine militarily and achieving a ceasefire on the Kremlin’s terms.
The best our societies could do is not to panic if Zaporizhzhia makes big headlines. But we are humans, radioactivity is scary and our feelings will always dominate the discourse – perhaps exactly the result Russia wants.
My note: The simulations described in this post do not reflect a current or predicted situation in Ukraine. To stay updated on the current situation at nuclear power plants in Ukraine and across the world, visit the website of the International Atomic Energy Agency at https://www.iaea.org/. Thanks, Z.S.
Thursday, June 29, 2023
Ontological Shock
I’ve been closely following the news rollercoaster, and it became clear to me that much of what I knew and understood as reality was, in fact, a charade. Free speech was a myth. Freedom of movement was no longer a fundamental right when it came down to it - governments swiftly and without a second thought imposed unprecedented restrictions on the movement of travel under the guise of “safety”.
If you put your head above the parapet to object or to merely raise concerns (hey, we’re not sure the so-called “vaccine” is a vaccine; maybe your clinical trials were a wee bit skewed; let’s proceed with caution), they shot at you. Metaphorically, so far, thank goodness. But shoot they did. Gaslighting, hit pieces, character assassination, psyops, fifth-generation warfare, lies compounding lies, propaganda twisting so much of our reality that friends and relationships were destroyed because those of us in this fight (and fight it is, make no mistake) didn’t agree with the government and “science” as embodied by Fauci. So effective was this propaganda campaign that family and friends couldn’t comprehend why we saw the world differently. We were labeled, exiled, and attacked. It continues. This is reality.
So when a Twitter post came up in my feed about UFOs a few weeks ago, I wondered “What if the reality that I’ve believed up till now about UFOs is made up of the same type of myths, lies, propaganda, and spin I’ve seen at work with COVID?”. Are government three letter agencies acting in our best interests or theirs? Is the bureaucratic machine made up of life-long technocrats in government institutions, including the military and intelligence agencies, working in a transparent, accountable, and legal manner, or do they have their agenda and we’re to remain oblivious to their actions? The stigma and ridicule leveled at anyone talking about UFOs is too similar to what I’ve seen in the last few years with Covid. Something doesn’t add up.
Lo’ and behold, ask and ye shall receive. In less than 3 weeks, several significant events have occurred that made me sit up and throw out any prior opinions I had, and re-evaluate everything I’ve ever thought about UFOs.
I must admit that any favorable mention of the flying saucers by a scientist amounts to extreme heresy and places the one making the statement in danger of ex-communication by the scientific theocracy. Nevertheless, in recent years I have investigated the story of the unidentified flying object (UFO), and I am no longer able to dismiss the idea lightly.
Ontological Shock is definitely what happens to you when your entire worldview is turned on its head. The term “ontological shock” has been thrown around on recent podcasts and in articles on UFOs, now called UAPs (unidentified anomalous phenomena, supposedly to remove the stigma). My concern is that people are not going to be able to process what they are hearing. It’s just too much, and they need time to adjust.
Tuesday, June 27, 2023
Renewables in the U.S. 2023.
With a goal to reduce the world’s reliance on fossil fuels, which account for more than 75% of global greenhouse gas emissions and almost 90% of all carbon dioxide emissions, many renewable energy companies in the U.S. are leading the charge.
Different Types of Renewable Energy
Renewable energy, also known as sustainable energy or clean energy, is derived from natural sources that are replenished at a higher rate than they are consumed. It can be used for electricity generation, space and water heating and cooling, and transportation.
Some of the most popular types of renewables include:
Biomass Energy: Energy generated or produced by living or once-living organisms, such as woods, crops, seaweed, and animal wastes.
Hydropower: Sometimes called water power, hydropower generates power using the natural flow of moving water.
Geothermal Energy: Geothermal energy is the heat produced in the Earth’s core. It can be harnessed for use as electricity or heat.
Wind Energy: Wind power converts the kinetic energy of air in motion, usually via wind turbines, into electricity.
Solar Energy: Solar energy converts sunlight into electricity using solar panels.
As many companies aim for carbon neutrality to combat climate change, they are quickly accelerating their transition to sustainable energy. This comes with a variety of benefits, including cost savings, the creation of millions of jobs, and a reduction in emissions of greenhouse gases.
Top Renewable Energy Companies in the U.S.
1. NextEra Energy, Inc.
NextEra Energy, owner of Florida Power & Light Company, is a leading clean energy company headquartered in Juno Beach, Florida. It is the world’s largest renewable energy generator from the wind and sun and a leader in battery storage.
Notably, the company promises “a real plan for real zero,” which means it is committed to completely eliminating carbon emissions from its operations by 2045.
It was ranked by Fortune as a top 20 company in the world for innovation, has between $50 billion and $55 billion in new infrastructure investments planned through 2022, and has reduced dependency on foreign oil by 98% since 2001.
2. Green Mountain Energy
The longest-serving renewable energy retailer, Green Mountain Energy, is headquartered in Houston, Texas. Its motto, “Choose wisely. It’s a small planet,” describes its mission since 1997.
To date, Green Mountain Energy has helped customers avoid more than 106 billion pounds of CO2, which is equivalent to planting more than 11 million trees.
In 2002, the company created the Green Mountain Energy Sun Club, which utilizes nonprofit partnerships and grants to promote renewable energy projects.
3. TPI Composites
Founded back in 1968 in Scottsdale, Arizona, TPI Composites has provided composite wind blades since 2001 and is now the U.S.’s largest independent manufacturer of this component.
In 2021, the company accounted for around 32% of all onshore wind blades sold on a megawatt (MW)-basis globally, excluding China, reaching more than $1.7 billion in net sales and producing more than 9,700 wind blades.
The cost of wind energy has dropped by 72% since 2009, which is due in part to the use of significantly longer wind blades. Since 2007, TPI Composites’ wind blades have grown from 46 to 80 meters. It is expected that all onshore wind blades will be between 80 and 100 meters by the end of this decade.
4. Renewable Energy Group, Inc.
Renewable Energy Group is an international biodiesel production company headquartered in Ames, Iowa, that converts renewable resources into high-quality fuels.
Its EnDura Fuels™ line includes:
InfinD™: a clean-burning, biodiesel solution
PuriD™: an ultra biodiesel
UltraCleanBlenD™: a renewable diesel and biodiesel
VelociD™: a renewable diesel that serves as a replacement for petroleum diesel
BeyonD™: a sustainable aviation fuel
The company also offers additional renewable products, byproducts, and blends such as glycerin, methyl esters, and gasoline that support the production and supply chain needs of its clients.
5. Clearway Energy
Headquartered in San Francisco, California, Clearwater Energy operates solar and wind projects in 26 states and employs more than 700 people across San Francisco, California; Scottsdale, Arizona; Houston, Texas; Princeton, New Jersey; and Carlsbad, California.
With more than 5.7 GW of wind, solar, and energy storage projects currently in operation, Clearwater Energy’s customers are offsetting the equivalent of 10.5 million metric tons of CO2 per year.
The company’s future plans are also extensive, with a further 30 GW of projects in the pipeline. This includes more than 5.5 GW of utility-scale solar and 5 GW of wind projects.
6. First Solar Inc.
Founded in 1999, First Solar is a leading solar technology company and producer of solar modules headquartered in Tempe, Arizona. It is one of the top ten largest solar manufacturers in the world and the only one to be headquartered in the United States rather than China.
The company’s advanced thin film photovoltaic (PV) modules feature a layer of Cadmium Telluride (CadTel) semiconductor, which is derived from byproducts of copper and zinc mining. This means its solar modules are cheaper to produce, highly scalable, and more efficient than traditional c-Si modules. Further, First Solar’s modules use less water, energy, and semiconductor material, which means they result in a 2.5 times lower carbon footprint.
First Solar is committed to powering 100% of its global manufacturing operations with renewables by 2028 and achieving Net Zero by 2050.
7. PlanEt
PlanET, which stands for Planning and Application of Energy Technology, is an affiliate of PlanET Biogas Group, which specializes in the design, construction, and service of advanced biogas plants.
Since it was founded in Germany in 1998, the company has saved almost 39 million metric tons of CO2 and today boasts 600+ biogas plants around the world, with outputs ranging from 40 kilowatts (kW) to several MW. Today, it has offices in France, Canada, and the United States.
8. Tesla
Tesla might be best known for its electric vehicles (EVs), but it also boasts an impressive suite of integrated renewable solutions including home and grid-scale battery energy storage, solar panels, and solar roof tiles.
The company offers a fully integrated solar and energy storage system. Solar Roof is composed of both glass solar tiles and steel roofing tiles while Powerwall, Tesla’s home battery, pairs with the solar system to store energy. This enables customers to use it on-demand — be it at night or during an outage. To date, Tesla has installed around 4.0 GW of solar across approximately 480,000 roofs, generating more than 25.0 terawatt hours (TWhs) of clean energy.
Clean energy production and consumption are steadily on the rise. In 2021, production increased by 5.39%, accounting for 12.2% of all U.S. energy consumption and 20.1% of electricity generation.
Wind energy is the prime clean energy source, accounting for 27.05% of total U.S. output. This is followed by biomass (21.41%), biofuels (19.15%), hydropower (18.54%), solar energy (12.19%), and geothermal energy (1.67%).
On a global scale, approximately 29% of electricity currently comes from renewable sources, but the United Nations predicts clean energy could provide as much as 65% of the world’s total electricity supply by 2030.
Monday, June 12, 2023
Singapore Renewable Energy
Singapore has identified the clean energy industry as a strategic growth area and has implemented a comprehensive blueprint to develop this industry.
Within the clean technology (cleantech) sector, Singapore has secured several key investments in high-value manufacturing, engineering, biofuels, research and development (R&D), and regional headquarters activities.
Total investment in renewable energy in Singapore from 2020 reached around US$1.3 billion (S$1.75 billion). More than 55 percent of green investments in Southeast Asian countries made in 2022 were by foreign investors, both within and outside the region.
Singapore’s biggest hurdle in its energy transition is the mismatch of its renewable energy demand and supply, a recent report revealed.
According to the "Southeast Asia’s Green Economy 2023 Report: Cracking the code" report by Bain & Company, Temasek, GenZero, and Amazon Web Services (AWS), the Lion City “demonstrates the strongest need to import clean energy to achieve its 2030 goal and Net Zero in the longer term” amongst countries in the region.
Based on the report, the city-state’s total RE resources are 0.4 GW; of which, 0.3 GW comes from Photovoltaic (PV) Energy and 0.1 comes from onshore wind.
The total RE resources of Singapore are insufficient to meet its electricity demand by 2050 at 18 GW.
“Singapore doesn't have sufficient renewable energy potential to meet 100% of the nation’s electricity demand,” the report stated.
Whilst lacking in the RE aspect, Singapore has been leading in the transport front, from electric vehicle adoption to decarbonizing its maritime and aviation sectors.
Data from the report showed that EVs account for 12% of new car sales in Singapore. The highest percentage in ASEAN-6, tied with Vietnam.
Singapore has also gained momentum in decarbonizing its maritime sector by establishing the world’s longest Green and Digital Corridor with the Port of Rotterdam.
The corridor is expected to “bring together a coalition of shippers, fuel suppliers, and other companies to work on potential alternative fuel solutions and optimize maritime efficiency, safety, and transparent flow of goods through a digital trade lane.”
In aviation, Singapore has also piloted blended sustainable aviation fuels (SAFs) on flights departing from Changi Airport and sold SAF credits as part of the pilot. The Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore, Singapore Airlines, and GenZero took part in the pilot.
To ensure efficient RE transition and EV adoption, the report recommended several actions for ASEAN countries.
Amongst its recommendations was to double down on power master plans to provide clarity on the transition path, which Singapore has done through its issuance of the Green Plan 2030.
The report also recommended ASEAN countries accelerate EV charging station infrastructure development, citing Singapore’s regulation that mandates EV charging points at all new buildings with car parks.
Sustainability has become a vital foundation for many businesses and organizations, including listed companies, small and medium enterprises, social enterprises, and public agencies. More recently and critically, there has been intensive attention on the Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) pillars of sustainability and the implications of climate change. Stakeholders in all spheres require leaders to be responsible to the community and society and contribute to sustainable development.
Efficiency
The term “solar panel efficiency” refers to how well a solar panel captures sunlight and converts it into useful electricity. In the same conditions, a high-efficiency solar panel will produce more electricity than a lower-efficiency panel of the same size. For this reason, a higher efficiency rating is generally preferable.
The efficiency of your REC solar panels will vary depending on the specific model that you choose for your system. Solar panels in REC’s product line have an efficiency rating of 19.1% to 22.3%.
Performance (temperature coefficient)
The temperature coefficient is an indicator of how well your solar panel performs in less-than-ideal conditions. Solar panels, like other electronic equipment, perform better when they are kept cool (ideally around 25° C/77° F). The temperature coefficient tells you how much your panel’s performance will change during hot sunny summer days.
For every degree above 25° C (77° F), your solar panel’s electricity production will decrease by its temperature coefficient. For example, REC’s Alpha Pure-R panels have a temperature coefficient of -0.26%/°C (among the best performing alongside Panasonic and AXITEC). This means that if the panel’s temperature increases by one degree from 25° C (77° F) to 26° C (79° F), its electricity production will decrease by 0.26%. If its temperature increases all the way to 35° C (95° F), electricity production will reduce by 2.6%.
Your solar panels will likely see more than a few hot and sunny days over the course of each year, so ideally, they will have the lowest temperature coefficient possible. REC solar panels have temperature coefficients ranging from -0.34 to -0.26.
Warranties
Whether you’re buying a TV, a car, or solar panels, the manufacturer should stand behind their product with a strong warranty. A solar panel’s materials warranty (sometimes referred to as the product or equipment warranty) is a guarantee from the manufacturer that they will replace your panel if it fails as a result of manufacturing defects or environmental issues.
Under their ProTrust warranty, REC offers a 25-year product warranty on any panels installed by a REC Certified Solar Professional installer, comparable to other leading solar panel companies like Panasonic, SunPower, and Q CELLS. But, if you choose to go with a solar installer that isn’t REC-certified, you’ll only get a 20-year product warranty. They also provide a 25-year power warranty, which guarantees that their panels will still produce at least 86% to 92% of their original output by the end of the warranty term, depending on the product series.
Advantages & disadvantages of REC solar panels
As with any product that is such a significant investment, REC solar panels have advantages and disadvantages to keep in mind before deciding to make a purchase. Whether your primary motivation for switching to solar is sustainable living or decreasing your reliance on the electric grid by pairing your solar system with energy storage, it’s important to weigh your options.
Pros of REC solar panels
Efficiency: REC solar panels are some of the most efficient panels on the market, and the company was an industry leader in pioneering half-cut solar cell technology which has increased solar panel energy production across the board.
Performance: REC offers some of the top-performing panels on the market with two of their panel series having a temperature coefficient of -0.26%/°C.
Power warranty: three of REC’s four solar panel series include a power warranty with an annual degradation of no more than 0.25% and a guaranteed power output of at least 92% at year 25. This is higher than many panels currently on the market.
Cons of REC solar panels
Product Warranty: REC’s full 25-year product warranty is only available to people who had their panels installed by REC Certified Solar Professional installers; panels installed by any other installer are only eligible for a 20-year product warranty. The product warranty also doesn’t cover inverters, unlike some other industry-leading warranties.
Product diversity: REC only manufactures solar panels. Unlike brands like SunPower, Panasonic, or Q CELLS, It doesn’t offer other products like batteries, inverters, or other technology, limiting its revenue diversification.
The temperature coefficient is an indicator of how well your solar panels perform in less-than-ideal conditions. Solar panels, like other electronic equipment, perform better when kept cool (ideally around 25°C/77°F). The temperature coefficient tells you how much your panel’s performance will change during hot, sunny summer days.
For every degree above 25°C (77°F), your solar panel’s electricity production will decrease by its temperature coefficient. The temperature coefficient of all of the SunPower M Series and X Series panels is 0.29%/°C. This means that if the panel’s temperature increases by one degree from 25°C (77°F), its electricity production will decrease by 0.29%; if its temperature rises to 35°C (95°F), electricity production will reduce by 2.9%
Your solar panels will likely see more than a few hot and sunny days each year, so ideally, they will have the lowest temperature coefficient possible. SunPower’s solar panels have lower temperature coefficients as far as the industry goes at -0.29 for all their series (except the U Series, which is unknown). For comparison, the most popular brand of solar panels on EnergySage, Q CELLS, offers panels with a temperature coefficient of -0.34, while Panasonic panels all have a temperature coefficient of -0.26.
Warranties
Whether you’re buying a TV, a car, or solar panels, the brand should stand behind their product with a strong warranty. A solar panel’s materials warranty (sometimes referred to as the product or equipment warranty) is a guarantee from the company that they will replace your panel if it fails due to manufacturing defects or environmental issues.
SunPower offers a 25-year warranty, guaranteeing that their panels will still produce at least 92% of their original output by the end of the warranty term. This warranty applies even if the panels are not registered and they offer a 40-year warranty for panels that are registered within six months of installation and installed by a SunPower-certified installer. This 40-year warranty offering is the best warranty term in the industry, showing SunPower’s commitment to its panels’ durability and guaranteeing that SunPower solar modules will still be generating 88.25% of their minimum peak power output at year 40.
As with most warranties, SunPower’s warranty covers degradation of the panel quality but not any corrosion from elements like salt water. You can see the degradation warranty coverage of all of SunPower’s panels in the table below.
Advantages & disadvantages of SunPower solar panels
As with any product that is such a significant investment, SunPower panels have advantages and disadvantages to keep in mind before deciding to make a purchase. Whether your primary motivation for switching to solar is sustainability or lowering your electric bills, it’s important to weigh your options.
Pros of SunPower solar panels
Superior product warranty: SunPower solar panels come with one of the most extended and comprehensive warranties available at 25 years, in addition to the 40-year, 88.25% warranty available if you register your panels.
Excellent efficiency: SunPower solar panels are the most efficient solar panels currently available on the EnergySage Marketplace.
Battery system compatibility: in addition to solar panels, SunPower offers the SunVault Storage system, allowing you to install a completely integrated system under one company.
Cons of SunPower solar panels
Cost: SunPower solar panels are some of the most expensive panels on the market, making some of the less expensive (if somewhat lower quality) options more enticing for those concerned about costs.
Manufacturing: though this isn’t a direct disadvantage, SunPower no longer manufactures their own panels. It’s still unclear exactly what companies are manufacturing their U Series and very little information is available about these panels.
Efficiency
The term “solar panel efficiency” refers to how well a solar panel captures sunlight and converts it into useful electricity. In the same conditions, a high-efficiency solar panel will produce more electricity than a lower-efficiency panel of the same size. For this reason, a higher efficiency rating is generally preferable.
The efficiency of Q CELLS solar panels varies depending on the specific model that you choose for your system. Across the full Q CELLS product line, you can get solar panels with anywhere from 17.4% to 21.4% efficiency. Overall, most Q CELLS panels fall into the middle-of-the-road efficiency range for solar, but any panels that have 18% efficiency or higher can be considered “high efficiency.” The Q CELLS BLK lines all have efficiency ratings between 19.5% and 20.9%, putting them in that high-efficiency category.
Performance (temperature coefficient)
For this portion of EnergySage’s Q CELLS reviews, we use the temperature coefficient to evaluate solar panel performance. The temperature coefficient is an indicator of how well your solar panel can handle less-than-ideal conditions. Solar panels, like other electronic equipment, perform better when they’re kept cool (ideally around 25°C/77°F). The temperature coefficient tells you how much your panel’s performance will change during hot sunny summer days.
For every degree above 25°C (77°F), your solar panel’s electricity production will decrease by its temperature coefficient. For example, all panels in the Q CELLS BLK series have a temperature coefficient of 0.34%/°C. This means that if the panel’s temperature increases by one degree from 25°C (77°F) to 26°C (79°F), its electricity production will decrease by 0.34%. If its temperature increases to 35°C (95°F), electricity production will reduce by 3.4%.
Your solar panels will likely see more than a few hot and sunny days over the year, so ideally, they will have the lowest temperature coefficient possible. Q CELLS BLK panel series offers panels with a temperature coefficient rating of -0.34. For comparison, popular brands like SunPower and LA Solar Group have temperature coefficients of -0.29 and -0.37.
Warranties
Whether you’re buying a TV, a car, or solar panels, the manufacturer should stand behind their product with a strong warranty A solar panel’s materials warranty (sometimes referred to as the equipment or product warranty) is a guarantee from the manufacturer that they will replace your panel if it fails as a result of manufacturing defects or environmental issues.
Q CELLS offers a 25-year warranty on all of their panels, attesting to their confidence in the quality and durability of the panels that they produce. This warranty covers both the materials, as mentioned above, and the panel’s power output. The power warranty (often referred to as a performance warranty) guarantees that your Q CELLS panels will still produce at least 86% of their original output by the end of the warranty period (year 25).
As with most warranties, Q CELLS’ warranty covers degradation of the panel quality from normal wear and tear as a result of being installed on a roof but does not cover any damage caused by things like extreme weather events or maintenance by workers without the proper certifications. The annual degradation of Q CELLs solar panels cannot exceed 0.5%.
Advantages & disadvantages of Q CELLS solar panels
As with any product that is such a significant investment, Q CELLS panels have advantages and disadvantages to keep in mind before deciding to make a purchase. Whether your primary motivation for switching to solar is sustainable living or decreasing your reliance on the electric grid by pairing your solar system with energy storage, it’s important to weigh your options.
Pros of Q CELLS solar panels
Aesthetics: Q CELLS’ panels all come in a sleek black finish, meaning they’ll likely blend in with your roof nicely.
Great value for the price: while Q CELLS panels are not at the top of industry lists for efficiency or performance, they are a solid choice if you are looking for a quality panel at an affordable price point – there’s a reason they are the most quoted brand on the EnergySage Marketplace!
Cons of Q CELLS solar panels
Efficiency: if efficiency is your main concern when installing solar, other panel brands on the market have a higher efficiency rating than Q CELLS, but they will likely come at a higher price.
Performance: similar to efficiency, Q CELLS panels do not rank at the top of the list for performance when looking at the solar market as a whole. If this is your primary concern, the solar company installing your panels will point you in a different direction.
Climate change, fossil fuel depletion, and rapid urbanization are driving countries to deploy cleaner and more sustainable energy solutions. While climate change poses significant global challenges, it also provides strong incentives for entrepreneurship, research, and development (R&D), and creative problem-solving to help cities and communities anticipate, prepare for, and adapt to its impact. Singapore is a very open economy and is dependent on the global supply chain for food and energy.
As one of the most globalized economies and a trading nation with no natural resources, heavily dependent on the global supply chain for food and energy. Economic activity and emissions are also highly sensitive to the volatility of regional and global developments and escalating climate impacts. These challenges mean that Singapore’s climate strategies have to respond to international developments that may affect its economy, water, food, and energy, including preparing Singapore to be more climate resilient.
There are many opportunities for Singapore to develop as a green growth hub that provides green solutions to the world.
Zeljko Serdar, CCRES
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