The Guardian reports:
The use of solar energy is growing worldwide, but the number of solar companies that made it to this year’s Global Cleantech 100 has shrunk by 50%.
The list is made up of 100 private companies that are set to shape the cleantech market in the next 5-10 years. The 2013 list contains six solar companies, compared with 12 in 2012.
The decrease mirrors the decline in private equity investments in solar companies in recent years. Solar accounted for nearly 40% of all cleantech investments in 2008 before plummeting to 10% during the first half of 2013, according to the Cleantech Group. Many venture capital investors have said publicly that they are staying away from investing in solar manufacturing technologies and, in particular, new materials and processes to make solar cells.
Without crony capitalism solar can’t survive. Think Solyndra.
75% down? that means 25% to go!
A good rule of thumb for investing: if it’s in the news, it’s too late.
If the news is reporting that investments are declining and the industry is in a slump, that’s a solid indication that all the smart money was gone a while ago. Almost as if they knew something we don’t 😉
Look back through the history of government involvement in the solar industry compared to investment in the industry, and then look up the phrase “pump and dump”. Tell me if you can spot the difference.
Have the big government grants and loans you can default on dried up? That surely would hurt solar “investment.”