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Excerpt from the magazine
Mapping the way forward
6th PV Fab Managers Forum: The latest SEMI PV Roadmap, which attempts to throw some light on the way forward for both industry suppliers and stakeholders, was presented in Berlin in March. This year the Roadmap effort had more participation from non-European fabs and a focus on several cost-reduction strategies.
May 06, 2012
Outback applications
Australia: A lot has been made about PVs ability to cause utilities and grid administrators headaches. However, in the wide open spaces of Australia, these same utilities are starting to look to PV as being a valuable ally in meeting some of the challenges that they face in supplying power to remote and rural locations. pv magazine heads off the beaten track to see how PV is increasingly being put to work amongst the red dirt of the Australian outback.
May 06, 2012
New hooks for Britains roofs
Mounting systems: Solar PV mounting equipment designed specifically for U.K. roofs enables installers to mount panels more efficiently thus reducing installation time and several companies are pitching in with their solutions. pv magazine discusses the developments with mounting system providers and designers to find out the progress being made and moves towards a national standard under the Microgeneration Certification Scheme.
May 06, 2012
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Controlling edge sharpness using Rz
Screen printing: Continuously finer lines and spaces in printed electronics cause higher requirements on resolution and edge sharpness of the screen printed line work. Lines with improved edge sharpness allow increasing the line and space density of electrical circuits. Additionally, fingers with improved edge sharpness will increase the yield of PV-cells. Wim Zoomer, member of the Academy of Screen Printing Technology, elaborates how this is done.
May 06, 2012
Buy now, pay later
Solar leasing: The success of solar leases in the U.S., a kind of residential solar power purchase agreement, continues to impress and a range of non-conventional financial products and initiatives are delivering significant funding for PV. The securitization of PV installations is now appearing as the next development along these lines. pv magazine investigates whether this innovation represents a good deal or will end up giving PV a bad name?
May 06, 2012
Standardize and deliver
Utility-scale PV: The third annual PV Power Plants EU conference, held in Vienna on March 29 and 30, heard from a range of speakers with a wealth of diverse knowledge. pv magazine attended the sessions and spoke to the attendees to get a snapshot of some of the major themes. One was a call for standardization of power plant components, and in particular modules, to drive down cost and the increasingly important LCOE.
May 06, 2012
Consume it yourself
Self-consumption: At a time when government subsidy programs like FITs are declining or disappearing at a startling pace, the self-consumption of PV can become an important new selling point for installations. But are there unintended legal or economic impediments to generating your own PV power, and consuming it yourself?
May 06, 2012
Advancing Li-ion
Lithium-ion batteries: Whether for off-grid applications or for self-consumption micro-grid systems, lithium battery storage technologies have steadily expanded their application scope and efficiency. REAPsystems together with the University of Southampton conducted research on a new version that can potentially increase efficiency and reduce cost.
May 06, 2012
Eindhoven leads thin film R&D
R&D: Thin film PV technologies have developed independently of each other but by encompassing the different disciplines of CIGS, thin film silicon and organic photovoltaics, the Solliance initiative is paving the way for PV technology that will outperform todays technology and reduce production costs.
May 06, 2012
Energy storage supports island grids
Energy storage solutions: A growing number of islands, especially in the Mediterranean, Caribbean, Southern Pacific and Indian Ocean regions, are planning for renewable energy sources to provide over 30 percent of their energy mix. Safts Michael Lippert highlights the solutions available.
May 06, 2012
Global feed-in tariff overview
Feed-in tariffs: The drastic cuts to the incentives in Germany have been passed into law, with the cuts to rooftop and BIPV having already taken effect and the cuts to ground-mounted installations looming. Japan is also enacting changes to its incentive scheme and Ontario recently conducted a two year review of its scheme.
May 06, 2012
Simmering slowly
IGEE: South Koreas biggest solar event took place in March. However, while the countys heavyweights were out in force, it was evident the industry is at a crossroads. Upcoming elections hold some promise, if the right party gains power. But with capacity expansions on hold and a small domestic installation market, it is in danger of being pushed under by other Asian regions.
May 06, 2012
Sweeping innuendo, but limited tariffs
Sino-U.S. trade case: After months of soap-box oration from the Oval Office on down and a snarky rift in the American solar industry that nearly rose to soap-opera standards on March 20, the U.S. Commerce Department handed down its preliminary decision in the countervailing duty (CVD) case against Chinese manufacturers of crystalline silicon photovoltaic cells.
May 06, 2012
Global opportunities
Trackers: Manufacturers are keeping up a remarkable pace in reducing the costs of single- and dual-axis tracking systems to compete with fixed systems. This trend among both new and established suppliers is expected to meet demand in emerging PV markets, resulting in a positive prognosis for solar tracker sales in the coming three years. Just where the markets are and how costs are being cut are explored within.
May 06, 2012
Poised for (PV) takeoff
China: This oriental land is poised to become the biggest PV market, according to many. In March, three key solar events took place in Shanghai. While Chinas promising prospects were discussed regarding future development, it is clear the country still has a long way to go before it can fully realize its potential. The most critical issues are policy and grid development.
May 06, 2012
Safety first
Electrical standards for PV systems, part 3: In the USA and several other countries, PV systems must comply with the National Electrical Code. In the concluding part of this survey of NEC mandates for solar PV installations, we look at more Code requirements in jurisdictions that have enacted the 2011 National Electrical Code.
May 06, 2012
Solar with fossil fuels: partner or competitor?
Hybrid utilities: Fossil fuels are usually considered a competitor to solar technologies, not a partner. But utilities in the U.S. are installing concentrated solar power technologies at their existing coal and natural gas power plants. The trend can bring either added competition or opportunity for the PV market.
May 06, 2012
Made in China
China: Massive production overcapacities continue to buffet the Chinese PV industry. At Solarcon China 2012 in Shanghai on March 22nd, Ewout Vandamme, Business Development Manager for sawing wire supplier NV Bekaert SA, mentioned a staggering 37 percent production utilization among Chinese wafer manufacturers in the last quarter of 2011.
May 06, 2012
Poised for (PV) takeoff
China: This oriental land is poised to become the biggest PV market, according to many. In March, three key solar events took place in Shanghai. While Chinas promising prospects were discussed regarding future development, it is clear the country still has a long way to go before it can fully realize its potential. The most critical issues are policy and grid development.
May 06, 2012
Global feed-in tariff overview
Feed-in tariffs: The drastic cuts to the incentives in Germany have been passed into law, with the cuts to rooftop and BIPV having already taken effect and the cuts to ground-mounted installations looming. Japan is also enacting changes to its incentive scheme and Ontario recently conducted a two year review of its scheme.
May 06, 2012
Logistically speaking
Logistics: From raw polysilicon to power generators: it takes a tremendous amount of effort to produce a high-quality PV module. Thus, it is rather embarrassing when it reaches the end customer cracked, scratched, broken or with the invisible enemy, micro-cracks due to bad logistics.
May 06, 2012
Simmering slowly
IGEE: South Koreas biggest solar event took place in March. However, while the countys heavyweights were out in force, it was evident the industry is at a crossroads. Upcoming elections hold some promise, if the right party gains power. But with capacity expansions on hold and a small domestic installation market, it is in danger of being pushed under by other Asian regions.
May 06, 2012
The next challenge for solar?
Storage conference: Just how important is energy storage today in light of a future that includes a large proportion of solar and wind power in the energy mix? The answer was discussed in some depth at the first International Summit for Storage of Renewable Energies in March. pv magazine was on hand to report on the technologies, the research required, the business cases today and in the future, along with the challenges ahead.
May 06, 2012
Silicon nitride in focus
Ingot manufacturing: Silicon nitride for many years has been almost entirely associated with the ceramics industry. The traditional applications of silicon nitride have tended to be in automotive parts, cutting tools and bearings, where there is a need for high durability. Lisergy Consultings Colin Marson elaborates on its new use in solar.
May 06, 2012
Big plans
Greece: There is a lot of activity at present in the Greek PV market, as became clear at the Ecotec trade fair in Athens. 2012 is set to become the most successful year in the history of Greek photovoltaics. Energy Minister Giorgos Papakonstantinou has great things in mind with the Helios Project.
May 06, 2012
Even shooting stars can fall
Dear readers, In the summer of 2007 a new pioneering spirit prevailed in a new industrial area in Frankfurt (Oder), near the German-Polish border. There were sounds of popping champagne corks and red carpets were rolled out for politicians from Washington and Berlin. Television cameras focused on the first module factory in Germany by First […]
May 06, 2012
