Issue 05 / 2012

05 / 2012

Store for more
How storage and smart grids add value to PV.

From the Editor

Even shooting stars can fall

Markets & Trends

Global feed-in tariff overview

Page: 16

Chinese tiers draw together on price

Page: 18

Checked decline

Page: 20

Elusive profitability

Page: 22

Global market ebb and flow

Page: 24

Poised for (PV) takeoff

Page: 26

Sweeping innuendo, but limited tariffs

Page: 30

Outback applications

By:  Jonathan Gifford

Australia: A lot has been made about PV’s ability to cause utilities and grid administrators headaches. However, in the wide open spaces of Australia, these same utilities are starting to look to PV as being a valuable ally in...

Page: 34

Simmering slowly

Page: 38

Variety by unity

Page: 42

Green school at the tip of Manhattan

Page: 46

A new opportunity awaits

Page: 48

Big plans

Page: 50

Standardize and deliver

Page: 54

Second wind

Page: 58

Industry & Suppliers

Mapping the way forward

Page: 60

“Made in China”

Page: 64

Eindhoven leads thin film R&D

Page: 70

“It’s a real blood bath”

Page: 74

Silicon nitride in focus

Page: 80

Logistically speaking

By:  Shamsiah Ali-Oettinger

Logistics: From raw polysilicon to power generators: it takes a tremendous amount of effort to produce a high-quality PV module. Thus, it is rather embarrassing when it reaches the end customer cracked, scratched, broken or with...

Page: 82

Applications & Installations

Global opportunities

Page: 88

New hooks for Britain’s roofs

Page: 96

Storage & smart grids

The next challenge for solar?

Page: 102

Power up

Page: 108

Advancing Li-ion

By:  Habib Ali/ Shamsiah Ali-Oettinger

Lithium-ion batteries: Whether for off-grid applications or for self-consumption micro-grid systems, lithium battery storage technologies have steadily expanded their application scope and efficiency. REAPsystems together with...

Page: 112

Energy storage supports island grids

Page: 116

Night shifts possible

Page: 120

Solar with fossil fuels: partner or competitor?

By:  Jennifer Kho

Hybrid utilities: Fossil fuels are usually considered a competitor to solar technologies, not a partner. But utilities in the U.S. are installing concentrated solar power technologies at their existing coal and natural gas power...

Page: 124

Consume it yourself

Page: 130

Research & Development

The substitution game

Page: 134

Controlling edge sharpness using Rz

Page: 140

Financial & Legal Affairs

Buy now, pay later

By:  Jonathan Gifford

Solar leasing: The success of solar leases in the U.S., a kind of residential solar power purchase agreement, continues to impress and a range of non-conventional financial products and initiatives are delivering significant...

Page: 146

Safety first

Page: 152