Comments on: Photovoltaic panels manufactured at Federal Penitentiary http://www.sun-volt.com/blog/2009/11/18/photovoltaic-panels-manufactured-at-federal-penitentiary/ earth, the final frontier Wed, 10 Mar 2010 17:42:23 -0500 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.1 hourly 1 By: Paul http://www.sun-volt.com/blog/2009/11/18/photovoltaic-panels-manufactured-at-federal-penitentiary/comment-page-1/#comment-124 Paul Sun, 22 Nov 2009 01:29:52 +0000 http://www.sun-volt.com/blog/?p=474#comment-124 Eric, Every story has two sides. I agree with you that federal facilities are great potential customers for commercial domestically made PV panels. However, the tax payer foots the bill on that cost no matter who makes the panels, certainly you would agree that the inmate manufactured panels would be less expensive for the tax payers. Also, it would seem that the inmate made panels may not be enough to cover the demand from federal installations, so they would procure from the private sector. I hear you about privately run institutions and conflicts of interest. As you said, no issue has clear cut lines. Anyway, it is always nice to hear from somebody knowledgeable. Eric,

Every story has two sides. I agree with you that federal facilities are great potential customers for commercial domestically made PV panels. However, the tax payer foots the bill on that cost no matter who makes the panels, certainly you would agree that the inmate manufactured panels would be less expensive for the tax payers. Also, it would seem that the inmate made panels may not be enough to cover the demand from federal installations, so they would procure from the private sector.

I hear you about privately run institutions and conflicts of interest. As you said, no issue has clear cut lines.

Anyway, it is always nice to hear from somebody knowledgeable.

]]> By: Eric http://www.sun-volt.com/blog/2009/11/18/photovoltaic-panels-manufactured-at-federal-penitentiary/comment-page-1/#comment-123 Eric Sat, 21 Nov 2009 22:47:10 +0000 http://www.sun-volt.com/blog/?p=474#comment-123 I have seen an RFP form the DOJ for cell procurement for one of these inmate projects. I look at differently. Federal facilities are a huge market for domestic panel manufacturers. Each branch of the govt now has mandatory amounts of energy they must produce by certain deadlines. Before this scheme, the feds would have to procure "made in america" panels to have installed on their facilities. Manufacturing plants here in the states supply those modules=good business for the plants. NOW, if the feds use "prisoner" labor, the business does not benefit the market as much. Also, a lot of the institutions are PRIVATELY run. Huge conflict of interest and anti-trust issues when a PRIVATE business can compete in the market using prisoner labor. But...no issue has clear cut lines. Overall, fossil fuel emissions will be lowered, and more PV brought online faster and cheaper. Thx for the great blog. Eric I have seen an RFP form the DOJ for cell procurement for one of these inmate projects. I look at differently. Federal facilities are a huge market for domestic panel manufacturers. Each branch of the govt now has mandatory amounts of energy they must produce by certain deadlines. Before this scheme, the feds would have to procure “made in america” panels to have installed on their facilities. Manufacturing plants here in the states supply those modules=good business for the plants. NOW, if the feds use “prisoner” labor, the business does not benefit the market as much.

Also, a lot of the institutions are PRIVATELY run. Huge conflict of interest and anti-trust issues when a PRIVATE business can compete in the market using prisoner labor.

But…no issue has clear cut lines. Overall, fossil fuel emissions will be lowered, and more PV brought online faster and cheaper.

Thx for the great blog.

Eric

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