Magazine Archive 10-2016

U.S. markets: The second half of 2016 is not looking as good as it once did in the U.S. utility-scale market, with the extension of the U.S. federal ITC removing the pressure for off-takers to sign power contracts.

Redox-flow technology: With a new variant of the redox-flow battery, a German company from Jena wants to cut today’s power storage prices in half over the next three years. What will make this possible are so-called redox polymers, which are not only economical but also offer environmental benefits.

Interview: pv magazine caught up with Guy Beaucarne, whose team at Dow Corning has developed an electrically conductive adhesive especially for use in the PV Industry. The adhesive could lead to the creation of thinner cells, and significantly reduce the manufacturing cost of solar modules.

Rooftop applications: Great idea, huge potential market, tough nut to crack. Solar shingles have been spoken of and introduced to the PV market at various times over the past five years. But none have flown. pv magazine ’s Charles W. Thurston re-examines that market to see whether solar shingles can finally shine.

Battery Storage: A lot of ink has been spilled in recent months about Australia’s emergence as an early global testing ground for PV applications with battery storage. The excitement seemed to reach fever pitch this summer, when SolarCity CTO Peter Rive identified the country as a key future market in which batteries could affordably be deployed alongside rooftop PV systems.

Takeaways from SPI: At SPI last month, the 4th Annual ROTH Solar and Storage Symposium met with the solar supply chain. Here are five takeaways from that event.

Cell and module testing: While there are different technological routes to high efficiency, many of them pose challenges to testing equipment providers. pv magazine assembled experts from five flash and test equipment providers to get a sense of the technology and business trends facing the segment.

Taiwan Industry: With prices for solar PV cells and modules plumbing new depths in the face of slowing demand and oversupply in global markets, Taiwan’s solar industry is in dire need of relief. Could Taiwan’s own domestic installations market provide a lifeline? In an industry facing chronic overcapacity issues and strong price pressure, 2016 is proving to be a particularly arduous year for Taiwan’s solar manufacturers. Sales are down and losses are mounting.

What happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas. Of course, until it doesn’t. At the 12th Solar Power International trade show, held last month in the extravagant desert city, the trade show floor buzzed with announcements spanning much of the solar supply chain. From the rise of single-axis tracking to a host of 1,500 V components […]