Magazine Archive 06-2010

PV SNEC: With approximately 1,200 exhibitors, the Fourth International Photovoltaic Power Generation Conference & Exhibition (SNEC PV 2010) set a new record for Asian solar tradeshows. In addition to Chinese and Asian manufacturers of photovoltaics, international equipment suppliers were the main groups presenting themselves in Shanghai.

Module prices: Growing demand is now making itself felt on the spot market. In April and May, module prices from all regions showed a sustained increase for the first time since fall 2008.

Interview: HSBC Alternative Energy Analyst, Shishir Kumar Singh talks to pv magazine about his take on how the Asian silicon module manufacturers are performing in the international marketplace.

Lightweight crystalline modules: Most modules are equipped with thick front glass in order to withstand mechanical loads. Solon presents a module with thinner glass and less weight, one suitable for numerous industrial roofs. The new module is fastened to the roof by adhesives instead of bolts.

Italy: This year’s Solarexpo trade exhibition in Verona, Italy, turned out to be an exchange of good news. The renewal of the Conto Energia – the law governing feed-in tariffs for solar electricity in Italy – will not be long in coming and will focus on two new aspects. Furthermore, the respective tariffs will remain attractive.

Industry opinion: Although the U.S. PV industry has not boomed as predicted, it definitely has enormous growth potential, as Rhone Resch, President of the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) recapitulates.

Ranking: Which manufacturers are leading the pack? Who will make it to the top ten? pv magazine asked market researchers and analysts. In this edition: an analysis of the biggest crystalline module manufacturers and their strategies.

Triple Green, part 6: The days of float glass are numbered. The expenditure involved in its production drives up the price of modules and consumes too much energy. Inexpensive rolled glass, specially developed for solar modules, promises substantial savings in terms of energy, weight and material.

Dear readers, No mid-size firms that construct solar arrays or wind farms can sign insurance policies, set aside provisions for dismantling, etc. without a permit. Of course, there are no major risks, yet those ones that do are certainly well covered. In contrast, oil firms like BP are liable for ridiculously low sums when giant […]