Magazine Archive 04-2015

Trackers: The sun may be sizzling in Western Chinese provinces like Xinjiang, Quinghai, Sichuan, and Yunnan, where intense insolation hits chart-topping rates of over 2,000 kWh/m² . But China solar tracker adoption there may lag behind the performance of the EU and US solar markets, where trackers came to dominate utility installations in around five years.

PV’s price pressures: Battling the clout of conventional energy and unreasonable price expectations from both government and consumer, margins in the PV industry have been too tight for too long. But with quality an intrinsic value that should never waver, the industry must find new ways to fund innovation and protect its reputation.

US solar equipment: After years metaphorically treading water in a sea of overcapacity, some U.S. PV production equipment suppliers have now begun swimming upstream, but can they find the right stroke in order to reach the financial sanctity of dry land?

China: Although China missed its installation goal for distributed generation of solar power last year by a long shot, a similar goal has been set for this year. Will China be able to achieve its goal in 2015?

CEO interview: While the global PV market has been through dramatic pricing and demand peaks and troughs over the last five years, there are signs that the high conversion efficiency market segment is benefiting from stable demand and returning relatively steady margins. Lee Zhen Guo, CEO of the Chinese monocrystalline ingot and wafer producer Longi Silicon Materials Corp., spoke exclusively to pv magazine in Tokyo to share the company’s dramatic predictions for cost reductions in mono wafer supply.

CEO interview: Trina Solar, a leading vertically integrated PV manufacturer and developer of downstream businesses, strives to be one of the key global drivers of smart energy. Gao Jifan, Trina’s Founder, Chairman and CEO, spoke with pv magazine about the company’s growth strategy.

China: Although China missed its installation goal for distributed generation of solar power last year by a long shot, a similar goal has been set for this year. Will China be able to achieve its goal in 2015?

NYSE Bloomberg Solar Energy Index: Financing support and sunny 2015 outlooks help lift the index. Hanergy continues its upward trend despite lack of news flow.

CEO Interview: U.S. microinverter specialist Enphase foresees a future where solar is driven less by technology and more by demand for an energy proposition that works for the consumer. Company CEO Paul Nahi tells pv magazine how microinverters will assume a leading role in this transition.

Thin film manufacturing: In a module market where profit margins are slim, developing PV power plants and selling kilowatt hours has been a successful next step for suppliers. Manufacturing equipment suppliers are increasingly framing their sales proposition in terms of kWh delivery, and Manz for one believes it presents a compelling offering.