Mexicos energy law reform
Mexico: The output of Mexican oil and gas facilities is in decline, new crude oil deposits cannot be explored because of outdated technology, and electricity prices for the industry are 25 40% higher than in the United States, the countrys key trading partner. With this backdrop, a reform of the energy sector was inevitable, according to Sebastian Brenner and Mariangela Zerpa Dreyer of Rödl & Partner, an integrated firm for audit, legal, management and tax consulting.
Waiting it out
Polysilicon: Though PV demand for 2014 is expected to be higher than last year, the industry expects that the main driver for investment in polysilicon production tools and innovation will be increased demand for high-efficiency solar cells in 2015.
Utilizing full planning potential
PVplanet: PVplanet, the PV Plant Engineering Toolbox, realizes a new, software-based planning concept for large-scale ground-mounted photovoltaic power plants, developed by Siemens AG in cooperation with the Fraunhofer Institute for Industrial Mathematics. Layout planners not associated with Siemens AG can also profit from this software as Siemens offers a technical consulting service and applies this planning tool to optimize the economic efficiency of their customers plant layouts, write Siemens Martin Bischoff and Marcus König.
Triple-digit gain for 2013
Ardour Solar Index: China confirms leadership in total installation volume while Germany falls to the number 4 spot.
The land of the PV
US: Following a record-breaking end to 2013, the solar PV market in the United States is gearing up for further growth in 2014 driven by what appears to be an insatiable appetite for solar power across nearly all sectors, states and regions.
The energy world of tomorrow
Self-consumption: Scientists are currently carrying out research into the use of efficient storage systems on the North Sea island of Pellworm as part of a project entitled Smart Region Pellworm. A report by Frank Beermann, Managing Director of Gildemeister energy solutions.
Solar tracker controls boost performance
Solar trackers: Robust PV control systems have become critical for managing multiple inverters, for meeting the demands of the grid operator, and for eking out increments to performance.
PV EXPO Tokyo 2014 preview
PV EXPO 2014: In what promises to be the largest-scale show since its launch in 2008, this years PV EXPO & PV System EXPO in Tokyo will place key focus on Japanese business prospects and the countrys relationship with international markets.
Polysilicon profits as demand returns
Polysilicon: Jade Jones, Solar Analyst at GTM Research, looks ahead to what the year 2014 may bring for the polysilicon industry, in terms of both pricing and the sectors wider outlook.
