Lean machines – 09-2011
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Reduced performance
Initial degradation:When monocrystalline cells are exposed to light for the first time, their efficiency decreases by up to five percent within the first few hours of operation. In some cases, customers unknowingly pay for higher efficiencies, but get less. A European standard stipulates that this should actually not happen.
Aug 31, 2011
Needle in a haystack
Open sites: Last year, subsidy for solar installations on agricultural sites in Germany ended, and many project leaders had to put on ice plans which had already been developed. Others, however, secured suitable conversion sites for themselves ahead of time. However, building is often a cumbersome process.
Aug 30, 2011
China introduces FIT
China: The announcement on August 1 that China would put in place a feed-in tariff (FIT) scheme made the PV industry sit up and take notice. But what impacts will the FIT decision have on the worldwide PV market and which firms stand to gain the most? pv magazine speaks to market analysts and industry insiders to find out.
Aug 30, 2011
The Persian sun
Iran: Despite being the OPECs third largest oil exporter, the Islamic Republic of Iran, as it is officially known, has been getting active with solar technology. Homegrown companies are pushing for more PV power in the national grid and the general mood in the domestic sector is dampened by the fact that other countries are hesitant to invest in renewables in Iran. Quality of foreign components also come into question.
Aug 30, 2011
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All bets are off
Global market forecast: The first half of 2011 has been less than stellar for photovoltaics. However, there are indicators that demand will be stronger in the second half of the year. All bets are off though, writes Raj Prabhu, Managing Partner at Mercom Capital Group, if the European debt crisis cannot be contained, or if the U.S. falls back into recession.
Aug 30, 2011
A sunny autumn?
Dear readers, Should we hope for a golden “Indian summer”? In Germany sunshine was definitely a commodity in short supply this summer. And the development of the photovoltaics market was not so rosy either this year. A global financial crisis, reductions in subsidies, sluggish demand, collapses on the stock markets as well as sharply lower […]
Aug 30, 2011
Small but beautiful
Belgium: Now its official. As of July 1, the government in Flanders made severe cuts in the subsidies for photovoltaic installations with outputs of more than one megawatt. Nevertheless, market participants continue to regard the small but impressive PV market in Belgium as attractive.
Aug 30, 2011
Global ambitions
Taiwan: Export industries in the island economy have progressed since the 1960s from petrochemicals to semiconductors, then to electronics and now energy and PV. At least that is how the logical progression was set out in the 2008 SEMI Taiwan PV Industry Overview. But in a competitive PV market where rapidly falling prices have jolted the industry, Taiwanese players face a challenge in providing a genuine point of difference to their rivals over the Taiwan Strait and beyond.
Aug 30, 2011
Successful maverick
Solyndra: Their tube-shaped rooftop PV modules look very different from what the market is accustomed to. Besides efficiency gains, there are a multitude of benefits to their unique cylindrical design. After spending one billion dollars worth of venture capital in four years, Solyndra targets profitability by early 2012.
Aug 30, 2011
A question of survival
Thin film industry ranking: The surrounding market is difficult enough on its own, but the falling price of crystalline modules is putting many thin film producers under additional pressure. Due to the efficiency level of some of the technology used, they should actually be selling their products at more favorable prices. With this, however, countless companies are overburdened and, as such, face questions about their very reason for existence.
Aug 30, 2011
Smart energy
Interview: ProxEnergy is a young company that has been established by a man who has had years of experience in the solar industry. Knowing that current grids are not designed for bi-directional transport of electricity and information, the founder of the company felt it was important to think about energy transition. Frans van den Heuvel talks to pv magazine about his new setup and what he aims to achieve with the company slogan ‘Produce it-Control it’.
Aug 30, 2011
See you in Hamburg
EU PVSEC: The 26th EU PVSEC will kick off the trade fair season in Hamburg after the summer break at the beginning of September. Around 40,000 visitors and over 950 exhibitors are expected. At the show plant builders will be showing off many of their latest developments for more efficient production and at the convention the particular focus this year is on improved crystalline cell technologies.
Aug 30, 2011
Evolution marches on
Higher efficiencies: For a long time, new crystalline cell technologies were mainly a topic for scientists in research laboratories. Recently, however, equipment manufacturers have started to focus on these technologies and module manufacturers are implementing them. Soon the next generation of cells and modules will be available for sale.
Aug 30, 2011
Portable, shapeable, durable
Polymer modules: Polymers can not only be used for encapsulating solar modules. Such materials can also be used to substitute classic aluminum frames or module front glasses. Manufactures expect flexible application possibilities and a lower module weight from this.
Aug 30, 2011
New lamination concepts
Lamination: The lamination process is often the bottleneck in a PV module production line. Hence, it is time to think about new processes. Ronald F.M. Lange, founder of consulting firm 9-om, describes new concepts for the encapsulation of standard photovoltaic modules.
Aug 30, 2011
Optimum weight loss
Drying solar pastes: Drying solar pastes after printing is one of the essential process steps which determines quality in the production of crystalline silicon solar cells. Good drying results are distinguished by excellent adhesion of paste to wafer. In addition to the material characteristics of the paste, drying process parameters, including temperature and time, are important. Various solar pastes were examined comparatively with regard to their drying characteristics during the course of a research project, discussed below by Hans Bell and Florian Vogg of Rehm Thermal Systems, Blaubeuren, Germany.
Aug 30, 2011
Off-grid maximum power point tracking
Stand-alone electricity supply: Today, its no longer necessary to use off-grid modules when installing autonomous systems on mountain cabins or in isolated regions of Africa. Thanks to maximum power point tracking (MPPT) charge controllers, more economical standard modules can also be used.
Aug 30, 2011
A thin film frontier
Japan: Previously having only a relatively minor slice of the thin film PV market, Solar Frontier has not been making too many waves. But from their coastal city Miyazaki in southern Japan, the company is raising new facilities with the potential to make a major splash.
Aug 30, 2011
Out of the shadows
Interview: Companies as well as the global solar sector as a whole have started to look east with the impressive growth of China and India. Not wanting to be in the shadows of the giants any longer, other Southeast Asian nations are flexing their PV muscles. Thailand, for one, has been increasing its solar activity and now looks ready to establish its place on the global solar map as an attractive and important PV market. pv magazine spoke with one of the leading solar companies, with Solar Power Companys President Wandee Khunchornyakong, on photovoltaic powers situation in Thailand.
Aug 30, 2011
Femtosecond pulses
Lasers in crystalline silicon cell production: Laser technology has been widely used by manufacturers of thin film solar cells. This was not the case in the manufacture of crystalline silicon cells. Efficiency gains must significantly outweigh the investment costs incurred in order for the technology to be considered. But its also about a cleaner and safer production environment.
Aug 30, 2011
Educating customers and learning from them
Backsheets: Michele Vannini from Coveme focuses on PV backsheet manufacturing and uses the company as a case study to examine testing methods, advances in materials, and the relationship between backsheet manufacturers and their customers. Moreover, he highlights the importance of educating customers about specific testing methods and the shortcomings of each, with a focus on maintaining and improving standards and avoiding cutting corners.
Aug 30, 2011
Solar PV competing in the energy sector
EPIA: PV price reductions over the last 20 years have been impressive and PV generation costs have the potential to decline by around 50 percent by 2020. A new EPIA analysis pointing to PVs increasing competitiveness shows that solar PV is not only desirable, but realistic and competitive. EPIA President Igmar Wilhelm elaborates.
Aug 30, 2011
Carbon dioxide to solar home systems
Carbon finance: Solar home systems have come within the reach of a great number of rural households without access to grid electricity. Can the carbon credit scheme based on the Clean Development Mechanism of the Kyoto Protocol help finance PV in the developing world? An analysis by Simon Rolland of the Alliance for Rural Electrification.
Aug 30, 2011
Three tips
Improving productivity: The photovoltaic (PV) industry is expected to grow exponentially over the next five years, with market experts anticipating the global market will more than double in size by 2014. Saint-Gobain Solars Market Manager for Renewable Energy, Geoffrey King writes about automating production lines, reducing material waste, and decreasing equipment downtime as three ways module manufacturers can increase throughput, as well as their bottom line.
Aug 30, 2011
Ammonium hydroxide attacks panels
Module test: Aggressive ammonium hydroxide develops in livestock barns, which may lead to corrosion on solar panels. Various institutions in Germany, among them the German Agricultural Society DLG and TÜV Rheinland, have reacted and now offer an ammonia test for panels. TÜV Rheinland recently commissioned an accessible test chamber and now awards an official quality seal, but DLG has doubts about the practicability of the test.
Aug 30, 2011
