Phoenix rising – 03-2013
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Excerpt from the magazine
Risk management in the PV supply chain
Manufacturer audits: Recently pv magazine joined the service provider SolarBuyer, LLC as it audited two PV module manufacturers in China. Both factories are located in the Yangtze River delta near Shanghai and the experience showcased the risks buyers face when purchasing modules without a thorough check of the product and the manufacturing processes.
Feb 28, 2013
Let the molecules do the work
Artificial photosynthesis: A team from the Energy Frontier Research Center (EFRC, University of North Carolina) and the Research Triangle Solar Fuels Institute (RTSFI) in North Carolina, United States, is investigating a revolutionary way to generate fuel from sunlight using dye-sensitized photoelectrosynthesis cells (DSPEC). A report by the researchers.
Feb 28, 2013
Like raw eggs
Module transport: Modules have to be transported not only safely, but also economically. A lot of transport damage is not easily discernible and only becomes noticeable where there is waning performance. pv magazine focuses on the factors that can reduce module quality when it comes to their transport and how they can best be prevented without an unnecessary increase in costs.
Feb 28, 2013
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Some live longer
Comparison of life spans: How long a battery lasts when used for a certain photovoltaic application depends on the circumstances. The manufacturers specifications are derived under favorable laboratory conditions. Thus in practice such values may often vary. Ulrich Ehmes explains how such information can be evaluated.
Feb 28, 2013
Solid as a rock
On-roof mounting systems: Extreme wind speeds seem to be on the rise. The consequences for the design of solar mounting systems are explained by Sandy Schnitzer, Director Engineering at Mounting Systems, one of the largest manufacturers of solar mounting racks, founded in 1993 and based in Rangsdorf near Berlin.
Feb 28, 2013
Seoul shows the way forward
Dear readers, Although the PV industry is currently exposed to severe headwinds, particularly in Germany and Europe, there are renewed signs of hope and new beginnings. While the Spanish module manufacturer Isofotón is struggling with a high debt burden and, according to Spanish daily papers, has already instituted pre-insolvency proceedings, Phoenix Solar has also pulled […]
Feb 28, 2013
Like raw eggs
Module transport: Modules have to be transported not only safely, but also economically. A lot of transport damage is not easily discernible and only becomes noticeable where there is waning performance. pv magazine focuses on the factors that can reduce module quality when it comes to their transport and how they can best be prevented without an unnecessary increase in costs.
Feb 28, 2013
The battle over the EEG
Germany: At the end of January, Peter Altmaier, the German Federal Minister for the Environment, had announced a proposal to introduce a so-called electricity price protection measure. This would be a catastrophe for the development of renewable energies. However, the chances of success for his proposal are quite limited.
Feb 28, 2013
Energized seniors
Product lifetime: In Germany, the success story of photovoltaics all started with the 1,000 Roofs program in the early 1990s. How are these solar power systems doing today, after 20 years in operation? A study commissioned by the Energy Agency of the federal state of Saxony looked into this and came up with astonishing results.
Feb 28, 2013
Breaking out of darkness
Myanmar: The country has opened up to the rest of the world after being walled in for a long time. Myanmar is rich in natural resources and as the economy starts to grow energy needs will multiply too. Neighbors Thailand, India and China have turned to renewables like PV. Will Myanmar follow suit?
Feb 28, 2013
In pursuit of the super PERC cell
PERC cells: Imec reports on recent innovations in some of the key steps for fabricating PERC-type solar cells: a new metallization scheme, a promising ALD-Al2O3-based passivation layer and the integration of very thin cells into a module. In all these improvements, imec goes beyond current Si PV boundaries by using industrial manufacturable processes.
Feb 28, 2013
Self-consumption by the back door
Spain: Lower module prices and high levels of insolation mean photovoltaics is attractive in Spain even without government support. As a result, more and more companies are installing their own solar power systems to reduce electricity bills although the government in Madrid has yet to pass any clear legislation regulating self-consumption.
Feb 28, 2013
Koreas cautious comeback
South Korea: As an advanced economy and electronics manufacturing giant, Korea would seem well situated to push the PV industry forwards. With limited domestic energy resources, PV could also be a major priority for its government and people. This possibility has long presented itself, however progress has been slow and false starts common.
Feb 28, 2013
Great savings potential
Self-consumption: Solar power plants are still attractive for farmers. This is demonstrated by the example of a farming operation in which scientists have evaluated the consumption of self-produced electricity and electricity purchased from the grid, taking into account the possibility of load shifting. The studys authors, Josef Neiber and Werner Schmid, explain.
Feb 28, 2013
Comparisons just got complicated
c-Si vs thin film: The evolving PV market is making it likely that c-Si and thin film technologies can coexist in the future. This is the argument proposed by NPD Solarbuzzs Finlay Colville. The article reviews some of the standard metrics historically used to compare c-Si and thin-film technologies, but also provides new parameters that are becoming more important to track.
Feb 28, 2013
Silver lining for cost savings
Replacing silver: Silver is a metal with a volatile price; it can bring big gains or cause huge tumbles. With the International Monetary Fund predicting a 3.6% global expansion in 2013, from 3.3% in 2012, silver remains a sought-after commodity worldwide and in PV. Of late possible substitutes like copper, nickel and tin, among others, have been seeing success.
Feb 28, 2013
Reliable technology for remote locations
Off-grid solar PV: In recent months, a number of companies have embarked upon off-grid solar PV projects in remote rural locations in Mozambique, Liberia, Sierra Leone, Tibet and the Philippines, among others. This article reports on how two companies, Sunlabob and Yingli, overcame the technological, organizational and logistical challenges faced in completing their off-grid installations.
Feb 28, 2013
