Monarch Power Looks To Buy Arizona Suntech Plant For Lotus Mobile Solar Flower Production

April 26th, 2013 by Zachary Shahan

Lotus Mobile Max (2.4 kW)

Monarch Power is an interesting company that wasn’t on my map until today. It has produced some very interesting solar flowers, or “Lotus Mobile” units. As you can see via the images on this page, the solar panels in this units fold out like petals on a flower, and then they can fold up again for easy transport/relocation. I’m not sure how security works with these, but I assume something is built in or recommended to make sure they stay in place when that is desired.

The attractive design of these units is certainly a plus — people already pay a good deal for art; why not combine that with utility and green electricity?

How much do people buy products (sometimes for quite a premium) simply because it’s cool? Why not a solar flower?

Lotus Mobile (1.1 kW)

Monarch Power is already based in Scottsdale, Arizona, so an expansion to Goodyear, Arizona wouldn’t be a big move. I imagine Suntech is forced to unload its factory there for a rather low price, given its recent bankruptcy, paving the way for a logical buy by fast-growing Monarch Power and its Lotus Mobile products.

A press release from Monarch Power states: “Professor Joseph Hui, CEO of Monarch Power, announced that the U.S. firm has offered to purchase and save a Goodyear, Arizona solar manufacturing plant that China-based Suntech says it will close, laying off 43 workers. Professor Hui visited the plant and met with Goodyear Mayor Georgia Lord, determining that it’s a good fit to manufacture Monarch Power’s Lotus Mobile ‘flower power’ solar units, achieving brisk sales after launching only 3 weeks ago.”

Ah, it only launched 3 weeks ago — that might explain why I hadn’t heard of the company before.

Lotus Mobile unit in a Tesla Roadster.

Monarch Power thinks it may be able to save the 43 jobs Suntech is about to cut, if the deal goes through.

“The rush of early buyers for Lotus Mobile 1.1 KW and Lotus Mobile Max 2.4 KW solar units for home and business has reaffirmed our belief that ‘solar’ and ‘mobile’ go well together,” said Professor Hui. “If our offer to purchase the plant is accepted and buyers keep ordering Lotus Mobile, we hope to shift manufacturing to Goodyear and save these jobs. My vision is to make people happy – and this gives everyone the opportunity to help out and save American jobs.”

In addition to selling its products, Monarch Power has actually started an IndieGogo campaign to try to get a Lotus Mobile placed in African Maasai or Native American communities.

The Lotus Mobile Max costs $7999, while the Lotus Mobile costs $3999. I’m not sure how that would compare to a conventional solar power system in your area, but it depends on a lot of factors. Surely, the Lotus Mobile units cost much more per watt than a conventional system, since they include tracking and other mechanical components. Tracking, of course, extends the operational day of the solar panels, but ,y understanding is that it generally doesn’t do so enough to create a better $/kWh outcome than conventional solar panels. The biggest benefits of the system, though, are its mobility and artistic qualities.

The Lotus Mobile products were just launched at an event on March 27^th that included Arizona Governor Janice K. Brewer. Additionally, Congresswoman Kyrsten Sinema has “cited Monarch on the floor of the U.S. House as a spotlighted example of a fast-growing cleantech company that will benefit from her new Security in Energy and Manufacturing Act,” Lotus Mobile notes. “If the bill is passed, Monarch could obtain a 30% tax credit on purchase of the Goodyear plant.” Here’s a video of her visit to Monarch:

Lotus Mobile unit in action.

Getting back to the IndieGogo campaign, which is the most actionable item for most of you at the moment, Professor Hui states: “We’re asking people to support efforts to save American jobs and to donate to place Lotus Mobile solar units on tribal lands. From U.S. homes and businesses, to African Maasai villages and Native American homes – we’re pleased to make Lotus Mobile available worldwide – and to offer people the chance to save both energy and jobs.”

And from the IndieGogo page itself: “My passion is to help people all over the world to live a comfortable and sustainable lifestyle using my inventions.”

Aside from the Lotus Mobile products, Professor Hui has others in the works — for example, the Monarch Solar Electric Van (Monarch SEV). He envisions the electric van being used not just for people and shopping transport, but also for food vending and other commercial purposes.

“It can run entirely on solar energy, using an innovative design to maximize the use of the vehicle surface to collect sunlight,” the Monarch SEV website states. “Similar to the Monarch butterfly, the roof and sides of the car can open and track the sun. We are inspired by the Monarch butterfly, for its lightness, beauty, distance endurance, and efficiency.”

Clearly, not going to be practical for a common household, but it could potentially serve a useful niche market.

But focusing on one technology for the moment, what do you think of the Lotus Mobile products? Promising future? Or just destined for a very niche market… or even a short life on the market? Personally, I think the artistic appeal of them could help them to take off, but it’s a hard call, and that will of course have to be balanced with their cost per kWh of electricity.

By the way, yes, that is Professor Hui’s Tesla Roadster above, which he says he drives every day. His wife drives a Nissan Leaf. Here’s Professor Hui talking about these two vehicles, and electric vehicles, in general:

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Tags: Lotus Mobile, Monarch Power, solar flower, solar power flower

About the Author

Zachary Shahan spends most of his time here on CleanTechnica as the director/chief editor. Otherwise, he's probably enthusiastically fulfilling his duties as the director/editor of Solar Love, EV Obsession, Planetsave, or Bikocity. Zach is recognized globally as a solar energy, electric car, and wind energy expert. If you would like him to speak at a related conference or event, connect with him via social media. You can connect with Zach on any popular social networking site you like. Links to all of his main social media profiles are on ZacharyShahan.com.

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picoallen

I’ve just returned from a 2500km round trip from Melbourne to beyond Bourke in north west New South Wales on an ecological research trip with Bush Heritage Australia. As we drove along I pondered having a solar powered van that could be slept in and also act as a mini office/lab.

But it would need to be far more practice than the silly little van pictured here. Make the roof flat be a flat panel. Then have two equal sized panels that sit on top of it, which can be rolled out to the sides to act as as roofs on which canvas or fly mesh could be hung. Ideally once rolled out the side panels would drop down to be flush with the centre panel.

Imaging being able to drive as far as you batteries will take you, then pulling up to camp and recharge. It would be a fabulous was to travel around Australia, the US of wherever your fancy takes you.

In Australia there are companies that hire camper vans to tourists doing their round the country holidays. They would be a great market to start with.
http://www.facebook.com/jhildenminton James Hilden-Minton

I’m sorry but the Lotus Mobile design looks ridicuous. It reminds me of the old footage of early attempts to build flying machines. Put a motor on this umbrella contraption and this thing could fly too!
http://www.facebook.com/rhodomel.meads Rhodomel Meads

I love the concept of the unfolding panels of a “solar” van than the umbrella type. When the Van is unfolded, it also helps cool the insides of the van to ambient temperature which is better to reduce cooling load once you want to go and you are running to AC. Now this one is truly mobile, and the panel support is built into the van.

I still don’t get how the umbrella type can be cost effective. Yeah, I admit it is cool, but cost effective, no way! For one, the contraption is complicated to manufacture. Then you would need to have a sturdy base, which would be heavier than the whole umbrella panels, and should be anchored very well to the ground. You would to transport and set up the base too. I know how bad it is to lug around a beach umbrella when you wanted a sturdier base to protect against the wind. It is really more trouble than it is worth when it comes to producing energy per unit investment.
- Bob_Wallace
  
  Agreed. This sort of stuff is designed by people who are math deficient.
  
  They’re the sort of people you see complaining on the web how no one understands their brilliant idea and is willing to fund it.
- dynamo.joe
  
  You know that umbrella isn’t actually in the car, right? It’s just a stand alone system, which COULD be used to charge a car. I’m not sure why the pictures here seem to be suggesting that it is part of the car.
  
  Also, $4k for a 1.1kW system doesn’t seem particularly out of line with the prices I’ve seen for roof mount systems.
  - http://www.facebook.com/rhodomel.meads Rhodomel Meads
    
    With prices of panels at about $0.50 per watt, this one is too much. Assuming that a 1.1kW system get on the average a peak radiation at 5 hrs/day, this would produce about 2,000 kWH/year. At price of electricity of $0.12/kWH, the $4K investment gives you a return of $240/year minus depreciation.
    - Bob_Wallace
      
      There’s nothing sleazy about a low risk 6% return on investment ($240/$4,000). Especially when you figure return (savings) per year will increase with rising utility prices.
      
      But if you install fixed panels at Germany’s $2/watt price you get a 11% first year return. Low risk. Increasing returns as the years go by.
      
      Then if you add in the decades of free electricity….
    - dynamo.joe
      
      It has a 2 axis tracking system, why would it only have 5 hrs/day? I would think about 8 or 9 minimum (in the highly populated temperate regions). Maybe about 11 or so averaged over the year. That puts it up to $500/year or a payback of 8 yrs (neglecting financing costs, probable rising electric rates, etc.).
      
      That isn’t a drop everything and do it now rate of return, but it’s a “this is the right financial decision” rate of return.
      
      Also, it is billed as mobile. That means the decision is no longer tied to the house. I think lots of people say to themselves; the payback is too long, what if we decide to move before the 8 years (or 15 by your numbers)? What if I can’t get the money back selling the house in a weak market? Well, what if it doesn’t matter because you can just take it to your new house?
      - http://zacharyshahan.com/ Zachary Shahan
        
        Good points. Really, there are benefits here that are being overlooked. It may always be for a very niche market, but still, it could serve people who are hesitant to go solar the normal way.
        
        And, like I repeated a few ties above and globi noted, there’s an artstic appeal here that could be worth a lot to some people (though, perhaps not the engineering types that frequent our comments section :D).
  - http://zacharyshahan.com/ Zachary Shahan
    
    Right. I didn’t think it looked like that, but yes, the car is simply transporting the unit.
- globi
  
  I agree that there are cheaper ways to produce PV-electricity.
  
  However, people buy $100k cars because they look cool, so why shouldn’t they just buy an electricity producing Parasol for $4k?
  
  Since this umbrella can fold should a storm arrive, it may not have to be built that sturdy.