Posted on Tue, May 15, 2012
This week marks an important one for Helios and the solar manufacturing industry. On Thursday, March 17, the US Dept. of Commerce will announce its preliminary determination on the CASM's antidumping petition. As one of the seven founding members in the Coalition for American Solar Manufacturers--and one of three who has publicly declared support-- Helios has a keen interest in the outcome. More importantly, however, are the stakes American PV manufacturing has for the economy.
Helios recently participated in a market survey illustrating the substantial impact PV manufacturing has on the economy. And last week this impact became further substantiated as "more than 200 US solar industry participants employing some 17,000 workers" joined CASM and Helios Solar Works in our efforts. Our facility manufactures high-quality modules and employs 29 workers and professionals. As illustrated in these studies this is only a fraction of the scale of Helios' jobs contributions. Our factory's effect multiplies when supplemented by the jobs we create for our vendors, customers, and other downstream professionals involved in selling, financing, and installing solar projects across the US.
We are pleased CASM has expanded its base of support and with the Commerce Department's efforts to investigate and leverage the market inefficiencies created by subsidized Chinese PV manufacturers. However the DoC rules and regardless of its decision Thursday, Helios looks forward to strong sales by maintaining its high standards of quality at increasingly lower price points. As always thank you for your support.
Posted on Thu, Mar 08, 2012
Today we announced our participation as a founding member of the Coalition for Solar Manufacturing (CASM). Our reasoning for waiting until this point for announcing is simple: our focus is solar manufacturing, not trade litigation. However, we have decided that it is vitally important to take a public position now so that we can speak freely with our customers, our suppliers, elected officials and the general public so that they can better understand the importance of this case to both Helios and the US solar manufacturing industry as a whole. Please visit the CASM website to learn more about the case and why it is so important not only to US solar manufacturing but to the US solar industry as well.
Follow this link to our press release about this topic.
For details about CASM, go to www.americansolarmanufacturing.org; email media questions tomedia@americansolarmanufacturing.org; other questions or comments may be emailed to contact@americansolarmanufacturing.org.
Posted on Mon, Mar 05, 2012
The Green Energy Summit is happening this week (7th-9th) in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Follow this link to learn more about the Summit. Helios is on the Pre-show Valley Tour for the second year in a row. Also, Mark Wilkerson, our VP of Sales and Business Development, will be a guest panel speaker on the 7th. The plenary session will covertopics related to PV:
SOLAR ENERGY FORUM/Solar Energy Opportunities: Transitioning to a Mature Solar Market
March 7th, 3:30p.m. – 5:00p.m.
The Summit is a great event with loads of fantastic topics, notch speakers and great exhibitors!
Posted on Fri, Mar 02, 2012
Well, we've had a big week here at Helios...
We started the week settling into a full production schedule for our newest module - the 410 watt 9T6! This 2 MW order is headed to a military base in California and we couldn't be more proud - American made solar for the American military - now that is national security.
This afternoon we got a visit from Wisconsin Congresswoman Tammy Baldwin and her staff. It was great to meet her and share views on energy, manufacturing and international trade.
And winter seems to be coming, finally. Have a great weekend everyone.