Magazine Archive 11-2013

Building integrated photovoltaics: Despite universally positive forecasts, the reality for BIPV has been one of low market share, insipid growth and perceived expense. But with new environmental directives on the horizon and a handful of innovative technologies improving efficiency and lowering costs, is BIPV poised to enter the mainstream?

Latin American market: With energy demand typically growing at an annual rate of 4 to 6%, Latin American countries require hundreds of new megawatts of power capacity to be installed each year. Carlos Albero and Ragna Schmidt-Haupt from global renewable energy consultancy GL Garrad Hassan examine the bright opportunity for PV there, exploring how developers are navigating different policy and market conditions across the region.

Tierra Atacama Hotel & Spa: Located in Chile’s stunning Atacama desert, the Tierra Atacama Hotel & Spa is part-powered by an off-grid solar system installed by Germany’s Kraftwerk RPS. pv magazine caught up with Kraftwerk’s Managing Director, Dr. Karsten Schulte, to discover more about this groundbreaking venture.

Readers’ Service: The engineering department of Solarpraxis AG answers reader questions regarding rooftop and ground-mounted solar PV installations.

Venture Capital review: Raj Prabhu, cofounder and CEO of Mercom Capital Group, assesses solar funding so far in 2013, noting that improved market conditions pushed solar project funding and M&A activity to record levels.

System prices: Average system prices fell across all segments: residential, non-residential, and utility. Cory Honeyman and Mike Munsell from GTM Research elaborate on the downward trend in PV system prices.

Silicon industry: Polysilicon prices are stabilizing, but manufacturers are still not turning a profit. That could gradually change as more and more companies collapse under the industry’s deadly competition. But for U.S. companies slapped with high Chinese antidumping tariffs, the crisis is likely to continue.

Brazil: Photovoltaics’ inclusion in energy tenders has given the country’s solar sector new impetus. Although the market is still small, firms are jostling for position as they await a solar-specific call for bids.

PV investment guide Mexico: David Pérez Navarro of Eclareon, and Horacio M. De Uriarte and Lorenza Langarica O’Hea of Mijares Angoitia Cortes Y Fuentes outline Mexico’s burgeoning PV potential.

Solar software: Recent advances in inspection and quality control systems, allied to improved software for wafer production, could have a profoundly positive impact on the way wafer manufacturers approach the often delicate production process.