Mexicos market advances segment by segment
Mexico: PV manufacturers are acknowledging the advantages of Mexico as a manufacturing location. However will a domestic PV market follow suit? pv magazine heads south of the border to find out.
New arrivals transforming the market
PV inverter market: Inverter shipments reached an almost unbelievable 26 GW in 2011, according to preliminary results from IMS Researchs Quarterly PV Inverter Tracker which collects sales and shipment data from 45 major manufacturers. IMS Researchs Ash Sharma looks at what 2012 has in store and which new arrivals are worth keeping an eye on in the near future.
A solar-panel glass ceiling?
Women in PV: Its often said about the PV industry that its one where business is done differently. In terms of its people this could be more of a case of what it isnt, rather than what it is. PV in fact can be seen as pushing against the following energy industry stereotype: that its people are largely white and most definitely male. But does this mean that PV is an industry where women are automatically a part of the workforce? pv magazine investigates.
New installations
India market update: The last quarter of 2011, according to India Solar Compass, saw an additional 93 megawatts of PV installations in India. Bridge to Indias Mohit Anand provides an update on the status of installations there.
Among the best
PV+Test: IBC Solar has now subjected its products to the challenges of the testing program of TÜV Rheinland and Solarpraxis. The 240 watt monocrystalline module performed very well in the TÜV chambers.
Out of the shadows
Concentrated photovoltaics: CPV is not a new technology, but it is beginning to have its place in the sun as a bankable form of solar power generation. In the MENA region and places with higher direct irradiation it is growing and companies are beginning to fill the CPV supply niche. But are there sufficient advantages for CPV to emerge, out of the shadows?
Caught in the crosshairs
Global market overview: 2011 was a year of extremes for the PV industry: record installations; a dramatic fall in module prices; and a plethora of companies closing their doors. According to Mercom Capital Groups Raj Prabhu, 2012 will remain challenging, with the industry having been firmly caught in the cross hairs of Europes economic crisis. Continued oversupply and less installed capacity are also to be expected.
Out of the shadows
Concentrated photovoltaics: CPV is not a new technology, but it is beginning to have its place in the sun as a bankable form of solar power generation. In the MENA region and places with higher direct irradiation it is growing and companies are beginning to fill the CPV supply niche. But are there sufficient advantages for CPV to emerge, out of the shadows?
End of the free-fall
Module prices: A strong fourth quarter in 2011 and unusually high demand in early 2012 have put an end to the free-fall in module prices, for now.
Out of the shadows
Concentrated photovoltaics: CPV is not a new technology, but it is beginning to have its place in the sun as a bankable form of solar power generation. In the MENA region and places with higher direct irradiation it is growing and companies are beginning to fill the CPV supply niche. But are there sufficient advantages for CPV to emerge, out of the shadows?
