A sustainable growth? – 07-2013
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Low expectations but a positive mood
Dear readers, Hardly anyone will have traveled to Munich for this year’s Intersolar Europe with great expectations. After all, the situation in the industry is not exactly positive at the moment. However, the event was better than expected. Although the number of visitors and exhibitors declined sharply on the previous year, most exhibitors reported informed […]
Jul 09, 2013
Turning Japanese
Japan: Boom and bust cycles are all too familiar to the PV industry. However the current boom in Japan has not only arrived at a crucial time for many players in PV, it also looks like it might provide a longer-term sustainable market. But thats not to say there arent challenges. Foreign players have to take into account country-specific nuances and the strong focus on quality in the Japanese market.
Jul 09, 2013
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Low expectations exceeded
Intersolar Europe 2013: A decreased number of exhibitors and attendees were behind the glum expressions of Intersolar Munich organizers Solar Promotion at the opening of the event. The shadow of the Sino-EU trade dispute loomed large. However this decline didnt mean that good business wasnt done, with many reporting new opportunities and the large number of new products on display.
Jul 09, 2013
Pump up the performance
PV project output: Drakers Clarity DC tool monitors and analyzes solar PV performance on the DC side of the inverter. Drakers CEO, Charles Chach Curtis, gives an overview of the product that won the company the Bloomberg New Energy Pioneers Awards in April this year.
Jul 09, 2013
How dead zones can be reduced
Thin film PV: So-called dead zones that could not be avoided up to now in the conventional process of thin film production account for considerable efficiency losses in the PV module. Engineers at 3D-Micromac have developed a new technology, the one-stop patterning (OSP) procedure, to solve the problem. Wilhelm Stein, founder and CEO of Stein Engineering & Consulting, explains the technology.
Jul 09, 2013
Degradation the danger within
Large scale applications: Degradation of modules is a well known phenomenon. However if module output degrades at a rate far faster than anticipated, it can lead to unanticipated costs down the road. A new study from Solarpraxis Engineering has brought to light how degradation in some module technologies can hold unseen dangers for investors and plant owners.
Jul 09, 2013
Land of sun and gold
Peru: Thanks to optimal solar conditions and the countrys solid budgetary situation, the photovoltaics industry in Peru is on the verge of a golden age. However, the contribution of solar electricity to the power requirement of the most economically advanced Andean country is still modest. Apart from long-term tender invitations, projects with mining companies may provide momentum in the very near future.
Jul 09, 2013
Business under uncertain conditions
EU trade case: As of June 6, provisional EU antidumping tariffs of 11.8 % have been imposed on Chinese PV crystalline imports. They will increase by up to 67.9% if no agreement has been reached by August 6. Industry insiders expect a compromise based on minimum import prices at the beginning of August, or by the beginning of December at the latest. The annoncement on additional provisional anti-subsidy tariffs for Chinese PV cyrstalline imports is also scheduled for August 6.
Jul 09, 2013
Global FIT overview
Feed-in tariffs: After the Lithuanian governments huge feed-in tariff reductions, solar developers are striking back in court. Australian states net metering schemes are falling like dominoes and the ACTs just went down. Germany and the U.K. steadily progress as planned with minor reductions.
Jul 09, 2013
Top ten manufacturers are all producing in Asia
Industry ranking: The ten largest manufacturers of crystalline solar modules are all either Chinese companies or they manufacture in Asia. Contract manufacturing, which presumably will additionally benefit from the announced EU trade penalty duties, has also increased. Those large Chinese module manufacturers who became less reliant on the European market are now enjoying competitive advantages.
Jul 09, 2013
An interesting market
Turkey: With its booming economy and growing energy demand, Turkey is one of the most promising new PV markets, but financing and bureaucracy hurdles remain. Almost 9 GW of projects have applied for the first licensing round for large-scale installations, but commercial rooftop installations of up to 1 MW offer the best opportunities.
Jul 09, 2013
Goodbye silver
Raw materials: After the price of silver exploded two years ago, the PV industry substantially reduced its use of this precious metal. In the current year the industry could experience a twofold benefit when it comes to costs as the price quoted for this precious metal has gone into a slump since the spring of this year. Nevertheless, the industry plans to replace silver with copper over the long term.
Jul 09, 2013
Storage and solars missing links
Energy storage solutions: Most industry stakeholders see solar and energy storage as an inevitable marriage, but the path to deployment is still unclear. Investors who intelligently scout the markets and technologies can gain a competitive advantage, says Matt Feinstein of Lux Research.
Jul 09, 2013
Sustainable investment
Integrated solar busines: Burkhard Wehefritz, Director Sales Development Department at Schmid Silicon Technology (SST), explains how Schmids integrated business model Polysilicon to Power can quickly make solar power production profitable, especially in the Middle East, North Africa and Southeast Asia.
Jul 09, 2013
Light and shade in the U.S. market
Intersolar North America: One the major events in the North American PV calendar will take place this month (July 8-11). PV appears to be enjoying steady growth in the U.S. however there are some doubts as to whether new projects will come online in the utility-scale space and if the residential sector will be negatively affected by attempts to wind back net metering.
Jul 09, 2013
The learning curve
PV roadmaps: For years, PV technologists have clung on to learning curves and roadmaps for the PV industry in an attempt to show synergy with the semiconductor industry. But the PV industry has to be viewed in isolation, with the end market ultimately dictating technology demands and adoption rates for new solutions, says Finlay Colville, Vice President of NPD Solarbuzz.
Jul 09, 2013
