May 16 - McClatchy-Tribune Regional News - Mark Sommer The Buffalo News, N.Y.


Vendors at Solar 2009 -- some from as far away as China and Germany -- spoke optimistically Friday about the potential of green energy in the United States.

That optimism was embodied in the 'Welcome to the New York Energy Revolution' banner over the New York State Energy, Research and Development Authority booth, as hundreds of dealers, manufacturers and company representatives discussed building longterm business relationships.

Even so, some still wondered about the pace of growth for the green energy movement, and when more of the products would begin to be manufactured in the U. S.

The six-day conference, which concludes today, runs from 10 a. m. to 5 p. m. with presentations, workshops, tours and demonstrations organized by the WNY Sustainable Energy Association. Admission is $5. For a schedule of events, go to www.4.bfn.org/wnysea . 'I see big potential [in the U. S.],' said Zhang Tang, president of Dasol Solar Energy Science and Technology, who flew to Buffalo for the conference from Anji, China. 'That is why we spend energy, time and money to come here.'

'The opportunity we have here is to bring our German know-how into the U. S. market,' said Sinan Cengil of the German company Meibes Inc. 'The U. S. needs the knowledge and engineering from the Europeans to go further.'

Meibes produces solar stations for residential and commercial buildings. Cengil was one of three Germans the company sent to the Buffalo conference.

Robert Marquis, president and owner of Quebec-based Microlog Technologies, which sells solar distribution panels for small residential installations, characterized the show as 'fairly good' overall, finding those in attendance 'quite receptive' to his product.

The show was Marquis' first, unlike many of the 140 vendors exhibiting on the second floor of the Buffalo Niagara Convention Center who were veterans of the solar circuit. Cengil said the Buffalo event was the eighth he's attended.

It was the 10th for Julia Zhu, Dasol Solar's vice general manager.

'The longterm outlook has big potential. That's why we are involved in more and more exhibitions in the United States,' Zhu said.

Lee Reineke, chairman of the Ohio-based Ashland Advanced Materials, which opened in the former SGL Carbon factory in Niagara Falls earlier this year, predicted a full-fledged green movement in the U. S. is still 'four or five years away.'

Nonetheless, he thinks it's inevitable.

'I think it's the only way to go. I don't think we're going to go nuclear, so it has to be green,' Reineke said.

He said he was bothered by the large number of products fabricated outside the United States.

'What good does it really do if everything is being manufactured overseas, and just brought over here to sell? There are a few plants here, but most everything is being done in China or over in Europe,' Reineke said.

That concern was shared by Bob Mueller, East Coast sales manager for Rheem Manufacturing, which makes solar water heaters.

'That tank over there is probably the only one on the whole floor manufactured in the United States,' he said, pointing to a display model. 'It's made in Minnesota, and the pump pack is made in Maine,' Mueller said.

'I don't have a problem when things are made overseas; I have a problem when 98 percent of it is coming from there. We know how to do this, for crying out loud.'

Mueller said he was optimistic more volume will lead to more manufacturing in the U. S.

msommer@buffnews.com