Market shifts
NYSE Bloomberg Solar Energy Index: Pressured by Asian market uncertainty and expected price declines.
Low margins and high risks
Solar EPCs in the US: North American engineering, procurement and construction companies are competing for fewer large projects. Increased specialization, efficiency improvements, and accelerating mergers and acquisitions are among the strategies used by companies to survive in the market.
Loan or lease?
Solar finance: Third party-owned solar has been the dominant business model in the U.S. residential PV market for the last two years. However, there are signs that its popularity may be at its peak, as the introduction of new loan products threatens to revive the dominance of direct ownership.
Phenomenal growth
Interview: Minh Le, the director of the Solar Energy Technologies Office within the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) of the US Department of Energy (DOE), spoke with pv magazine at the SPI trade show about the SunShot Initiative. EEREs SunShot Initiative was announced in February 2011 to make solar competitive with traditional energy sources by the end of the decade.
Let the good times roll
SPI 2014: Millions of visitors flock to Las Vegas each year to try their luck and take in the extravagant attractions. pv magazine was drawn to the city, along with over 15,000 solar professionals, for the 2014 Solar Power International on October 21 23. And given the rare sight of a growing solar trade show and halls buzzing with new products, projects and business opportunities, the cards are falling in favor of the U.S. solar market.
Investing in the US market, despite tariffs
Interview: Despite the burden of anti-dumping duties on Chinese and Taiwanese produced solar modules, these companies were out in force at the Solar Power International trade show in October. Linhui Sui, Senior Vice President of ET Solar, spoke with pv magazine about the promising market and the challenges being imposed by tariffs.
Into 2015: how is PV shaping up?
Review, preview: The past 12 months have seen the global solar PV industry regain a healthy measure of confidence following the tumultuous times of 2012 13. As 2014 draws to a close, pv magazine looks back at the key themes from the year, and ahead to what might be in store in 2015.
Inside ABBs Power-One acquisition
Interview: While it is moving out of the EPC business, ABB certainly appears to be remaining committed to solar PV. Paolo Casini, the vice president marketing solar inverters of ABBs Power Conversion business unit spoke with pv magazine about the integration and the bringing together of the two strong solar brands.
India crosses the 3 GW mark
India market update: Solar installations in India in 2014 are forecast only around 800 MW because of delays due to elections and the anti-dumping case. But the sector picked up momentum again and 2015 installations are forecast to double year-over-year. A report on the Indian solar PV market, federal and state policies by Raj Prabhu, CEO and co-founder of the clean energy research and consulting firm Mercom Capital.
Global FIT overview
Feed-in tariffs: Denmark just laid out the boldest goals for renewable energy ever announced. Austria, China, Switzerland, and the UK all revealed impending degressions. And Slovenia degressed slightly as usual.
