The sun Down Under – 11-2012
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Excerpt from the magazine
Control is better
Cell testing: Solar cells are vulnerable to defects, such as microcracks, at every step of the manufacturing process. Some module manufacturers have therefore started carefully screening the goods coming from their suppliers. Manufacturers are taking a close look at what comes in the door and keeping cell suppliers on their toes.
Oct 31, 2012
Shakeout and hopes
Dear readers, The list is getting longer: SunPower idles manufacturing lines in the Philippines, Solar Frontier stops new plant, Satcon files for Chapter 11 bankruptcy, SMA announces over 1,000 job cuts. And the Chinese industry has also been affected. According to Maxim Research they are US$18 billion in debt to state banks, with some of […]
Oct 31, 2012
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Bad finances put tie-up plans on ice
PV Taiwan: Taiwans international photovoltaics expo showcased not only Taiwans solar industry but the potential synergies between the worlds top two solar manufacturers, China and Taiwan. But is Taiwans solar industry ready to get together with its biggest rival? pv magazine spoke with industry leaders at PV Taiwan.
Oct 31, 2012
Intense struggle for market shares
Industry ranking: New markets are opening up for inverter manufacturers. But this also changes the balance of power among competitors. Newcomers are putting pressure on the business of established manufacturers. Market researchers and analysts assess developments among inverter manufacturers and provide an outlook.
Oct 31, 2012
A case of light and shade
27th EU PVSEC: Its often a lawyers advice to a client, expect nothing, and you can only be pleasantly surprised. And in some ways, the EU PVSEC trade show in Frankfurt delivered more or less along these lines; low expectations resulted in some surprisingly positive results for a number of participants. However, after seeing a fall in exhibitor numbers by almost one third, others were left questioning the need for a second big European show.
Oct 31, 2012
Doubling down on quality
PV+Test: Four more modules made by Chinese manufacturers have undergone the Solarpraxis/TUV Rheinland module test. The manufacturer JS Solar has proven that China is capable of producing high quality modules. The other two manufacturers, however, underscore the fact that this is not always the case.
Oct 31, 2012
Global FIT overview
Feed-in tariffs: The Bulgarian industrys woes continue as the government makes more cuts, this time introducing sweeping retroactive measures. Austria has shunned larger plants, Brussels and Wallonia in Belgium are awarding less green certificates, and Cyprus, Lithuania and Switzerland have all cut their financial support for PV.
Oct 31, 2012
Technology that blends in
Building-integrated PV: The technology trends at Solar Decathlon Europe, which took place in Madrid in September, included hybrid PV thermal technology, good-looking thin film facades and touchscreen energy management. However, Solar Decathlon is an architectural competition, and photovoltaic technology is not the focus. Its about integration of PV into the building.
Oct 31, 2012
Faith and financing
Chile: In October, pv magazine attended the inauguration of Chiles biggest PV plant. At 1.4 MW, the project may seem trivial compared to the large-scale plants in operation across the globe. However, for Chile it represents the start of what will hopefully become a burgeoning solar industry. That is, if the faith and financing hurdles can be overcome.
Oct 31, 2012
Applications & Installations | Product News | Production Technology Production Technology/SINGULUS TECHNOLOGIES AG Polish/Etch can be retrofitted The Linea II Single Side Polish Etch (SSE-PE) from Singulus is part of a production line upgrade developed by the company. This is a new production solution for rear side passivated silicon solar cells. In order to upgrade […]
Oct 31, 2012
At a southern crossroads
Australia: Blessed with abundant solar resources and a strong Australian dollar, there has been a major shift towards PV. In short, never has been solar been so affordable Down Under. But as PV becomes a major player in the countrys energy landscape, the political backlash against PV has begun.
Oct 31, 2012
Extending the limits
Silver pastes: A committee of the industry association Semiconductor Equipment and Materials International (SEMI) is looking at how to reduce the amount of silver used in photovoltaic cells. Stephan Raithel of the SEMI PV Group as well as Weiming Zhang and David P. McMullen of Heraeus Precious Metals report on the goals, the approaches, and the achievements.
Oct 31, 2012
