Magazine Archive

Project development: As competition increases and both solar panel prices and government incentives fall, more and more manufacturers are entering project development to shore up sales and gain more transparency in their demand. Companies are getting involved in various aspects of the process, including financing, permitting, construction and maintenance, in residential, commercial and utility markets.

Venture Capital China: Even as more established Chinese PV firms continue their dominance of the global PV market, smaller local peers see their rise as a reason to chase private foreign investors, such as those who have made US-listed Yingli the global powerhouse it is today.

Dear readers, The year is still young, but on the global PV trade exhibition calendar, one event now follows on the heels of the other – three large solar events in Asia that are seen as an important indicator of current market sentiment offer a showcase for the industry in the weeks to come: EXPO […]

Public Procurement China: The Golden Sun Scheme has been good for China’s solar image. Despite no promises of getting rich quick by bidding for the projects, there are companies that are willing to slash prices to win government-backed projects in China. Will the Golden Sun be worth the low prices it is paying?

Portugal: Compared with other renewable energy sources, PV is still being treated in a very haphazard way in Europe’s sunniest country.

Ardour Solar Index: The proposed mid-year feed-in tariff cut in Germany is likely to pull forward projects from 2H11.

Spain: The Spanish government has imposed new restrictions on installed solar power systems. Remunerated solar electricity is to be limited retroactively. Whereas the government wants to save a lot of money, the PV branch fears a wage of bankruptcy among ten thousands of small investors who will be then unable to pay back their loans.

Green photovoltaics: Experts discussed what to do with discarded modules at a Munich conference on recycling. Participants took away the good news that recycling modules is worthwhile at least in ecological terms, but how to pay for it is still undecided.

VDMA Technology Roadmapping: The Photovoltaic Equipment platform of the German Engineering Federation VDMA has introduced a technology roadmap to identify innovative manufacturing solutions for the PV industry. Florian Wessendorf, Project Manager Photovoltaics Equipment at VDMA, reports on discussions in the working groups.

Supply chain: Oversupply and the dwindling market demand are influencing procurement decisions. High prices in Italy may possibly affect the global market.