Photovoltaic news and pv jobs

In a move that could herald things to come, the World Trade Organization (WTO) released its final ruling in the dispute concerning Ontario, Canada’s local content requirements (LCRs) for its internal FIT program, writes Michael Barker, senior analyst NPD Solarbuzz.

With every passing day, the relevance of the European trade case against Chinese imports can be seen to diminish. What seemed a great idea when European PV demand was the major driver in global PV demand is now at risk of backfiring on the European PV industry and leaving it in a much harder position to regain its footing compared to emerging PV growth outside Europe, writes NPD Solarbuzz's Finlay Colville.

Michael Barker, senior analyst NPD Solarbuzz tells pv magazine why Western countries will remain within an oversupplied market, even after the trade case disputes have been solved.

The Middle East and North Africa (MENA) has shown little solar growth over the past few years; predictions are, the region will still only account for between 1 and 3% of global solar demand in the next 3. So why do so many believe MENA is the next big solar market? Where is all the fuss coming from, asks Yassir Gamil, managing director of Solarpraxis MENA. He also states his reasons for why anti-dumping trade cases are bad news for the industry.

Finlay Colville, Vice-President, NPD Solarbuzz tells pv magazine about anti-dumping duties and European PV manufacturers.

Advanced meter infrastructure (AMI) technologies are a cornerstone and one of the most visible elements of the smart grid, writes Frost & Sullivan’s Neha Vikash. Overall, the AMI market is expected to grow at a CAGR of 26.9% and revenues are forecast to reach $3.7 billion in 2016. Despite this, Vikash argues that the transition towards smart grids and meters is not progressing as fast as necessary.

Michael Barker, NPD solarbuzz senior analyst, tells pv magazine about how much future demand could be afftected by trade barriers and investigations.