Finance

GTM Research’s Andrew Krulewitz details the factors that contributed to price declines in each U.S. photovoltaic market segments in Q4 2012.

Only the lowest cost and most commercially viable PV technologies will end up surviving through the brutal PV shakeout phase of 2012, writes Finlay Colville, vice president of NPD Solarbuzz.

Indications are that renewable energy investments will fall in 2012 for the first time in 8 years. However, the news is not all bad, says Ernst & Young, with continuing capacity additions and “booming” emerging market activity. In particular, the South African and MENA regions are displaying strong growth.

Falling prices and consolidation will remain in 2013, predicts IHS. Despite this, photovoltaic installations are expected to grow, the demand-supply balance is likely to be restored and China is set to become the biggest global solar market. Overall, the research company has laid out 10 predictions for the coming year.

2012 has been a rough and tumble year for the solar industry in general, having been consumed by anti-dumping and protectionist measures as countries across the world tried to rescue their own manufacturers in the face of massive oversupply and ever-falling prices. However, the year could have been far worse.

Recent Q3 results from Trina Solar (NYSE:TSL) at first glance added to discontent about the state of the industry. However, there is a lot more to see in that quarter. Moreover, a second glance shows there is reason to be positive and hopeful, on more than just one level.

In a new study, AFASE has laid out the consequences it expects anti-dumping and anti-subsidy duties on Chinese photovoltaic manufacturers in Europe will have. Expected European-wide is a fall in demand, job losses and price increases.

October’s earning reports were a pleasant surprise for Taiwan’s solar industry, which rebounded 7.5% month on month (MM) on the back of robust gains by wafer makers and certain cell makers.

The release of JinkoSolar’s Q3 figures is the story of the Chinese giant shipping ever higher volumes whilst significantly reducing the horrific losses posted in the previous quarter, backing up CEO Kangping Chen’s assertion that a focus on cost reduction and new markets is paying dividends.

Community-owned solar power is on the rise in the U.S. Kent James, chief strategy officer of Martifer Solar USA has implemented a series of projects with the Colorado-based Clean Energy Collective. In the following interview, he speaks to pv magazine about the benefits and barriers of the model, and discusses why the real traction for rapid solar garden development lies in its broad appeal for utilities.