Speed is of the essence
MyReserve system: Unveiled last year, Solarwatts MyReserve storage system has been met with a strong reception, piquing Smart Solar Consulting founder Götz Fischbecks interest in the process, and prompting a visit to the firms Solarwatt Innovation subsidiary to discover more about the system.
SolarEdges automated manufacturing solution
Inverter automation: Power electronics maker SolarEdge has deployed a new automated line to produce its power optimizers, and says that this will be the future of manufacturing for both power optimizers and inverters.
Solar stocks buck growth trend
Geggenheim Solar Index: Energy storage companies and polysilicon producers represent the strong performers, as U.S. solar bellwethers face structural challenges.
Revisiting the history books
Chinas solar story: Charting the birth of the Chinese PV industry is a transparent task, yet misinformation regarding the states role in supporting the sector persists. Australian expertise, U.S. investment, German foresight and Chinese boldness were all more pivotal in giving Chinas PV manufacturing base a headstart, argues UNSWs Martin Green.
Putting the squeeze on solar
Poland RES act: The amended Renewable Energy Sources (RES) Act will introduce an auction mechanism into Polands clean power landscape, but the proposed terms are not favorable to solar PV nor wind, writes Piotr Mrowiec, associate partner at Rödl & Partner.
Identifying good partners means screening the market
Interview: Chris Voet, Chief Sales Officer at LTi ReEnergy, discusses the companys German heart local content approach, which aids entry of its central inverter technology into strong and emerging markets such as Brazil, India, China, and Turkey, as well as other regions with local content requirements and high import taxes.
Optimizing your O&M
Smart data analytics: The urge to optimize PV plant performance is a natural one, and something every good EPC worth their salt should be thinking of from day one. And while post-installation monitoring and analysis tools vary, there are a wealth of platforms and techniques on the market to assist plant owners, writes Stefan Mau, a senior engineer with DNV GL.
It’s finally starting to happen
Italian storage: Italy met 7.8% of its electricity needs in 2015 with solar, and to date the country has installed a cumulative PV capacity of around 19 GW. Yet, despite this astonishing outcome, the rate of Italys new PV installations has declined dramatically with the majority of solar being added through Italys net metering scheme. Can energy storage and net metering boost the Italian PV market?
Innovation loves a challenge
PV industry supply transition: The hurdles facing the solar industry are not always technical. In recent years markets have waxed and waned on the whims of government policy and mandates, and the current climate is just as restless, with manufacturing hubs increasingly fluid and footloose.
