Changing face of PV – 12-2014
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Loan or lease?
Solar finance: Third party-owned solar has been the dominant business model in the U.S. residential PV market for the last two years. However, there are signs that its popularity may be at its peak, as the introduction of new loan products threatens to revive the dominance of direct ownership.
Dec 02, 2014
A little Brit of PV
U.K. solar: The U.K. is currently Europes largest solar PV market and is expected to become the fourth biggest in the world by the end of the year. Alongside a domestic policy shift, European policy changes concerning renewable power subsidies and continuing PV price falls are compelling British solar stakeholders to question the future of the PV sector.
Dec 02, 2014
Fitting out the next generation of thin film
Thin film equipment supply: Supplying around 8% of the global market, thin film remains a small but not inconsequential part of the PV landscape. For some tool suppliers, thin film producers have played an important role in the growth of their business. And as a new year dawns, a new cycle of thin film production tool investment appears set to rise.
Dec 02, 2014
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Phenomenal growth
Interview: Minh Le, the director of the Solar Energy Technologies Office within the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) of the US Department of Energy (DOE), spoke with pv magazine at the SPI trade show about the SunShot Initiative. EEREs SunShot Initiative was announced in February 2011 to make solar competitive with traditional energy sources by the end of the decade.
Dec 02, 2014
Still optimistic
Taiwan: The preliminary antidumping tariffs on solar exports to the United States were met with some degree of indignation by Taiwans solar industry. But the solar manufacturers presenting their products at PV Taiwan 2014 were confident that the countrys superior quality in PV cell making will eventually carry them through this rough patch.
Dec 02, 2014
Loan or lease?
Solar finance: Third party-owned solar has been the dominant business model in the U.S. residential PV market for the last two years. However, there are signs that its popularity may be at its peak, as the introduction of new loan products threatens to revive the dominance of direct ownership.
Dec 02, 2014
Investing in the US market, despite tariffs
Interview: Despite the burden of anti-dumping duties on Chinese and Taiwanese produced solar modules, these companies were out in force at the Solar Power International trade show in October. Linhui Sui, Senior Vice President of ET Solar, spoke with pv magazine about the promising market and the challenges being imposed by tariffs.
Dec 02, 2014
Let the good times roll
SPI 2014: Millions of visitors flock to Las Vegas each year to try their luck and take in the extravagant attractions. pv magazine was drawn to the city, along with over 15,000 solar professionals, for the 2014 Solar Power International on October 21 23. And given the rare sight of a growing solar trade show and halls buzzing with new products, projects and business opportunities, the cards are falling in favor of the U.S. solar market.
Dec 02, 2014
What the customer wants
Inverter after-sales service: Providing good customer care used to simply be a case of maintaining a 24-hour phone line and a local spare parts warehouse. But as inverter suppliers have globalized, how are after-sales service standards being maintained around the world, and what are the challenges associated with such growth?
Dec 02, 2014
Inside ABBs Power-One acquisition
Interview: While it is moving out of the EPC business, ABB certainly appears to be remaining committed to solar PV. Paolo Casini, the vice president marketing solar inverters of ABBs Power Conversion business unit spoke with pv magazine about the integration and the bringing together of the two strong solar brands.
Dec 02, 2014
Low margins and high risks
Solar EPCs in the US: North American engineering, procurement and construction companies are competing for fewer large projects. Increased specialization, efficiency improvements, and accelerating mergers and acquisitions are among the strategies used by companies to survive in the market.
Dec 02, 2014
Into 2015: how is PV shaping up?
Review, preview: The past 12 months have seen the global solar PV industry regain a healthy measure of confidence following the tumultuous times of 2012 13. As 2014 draws to a close, pv magazine looks back at the key themes from the year, and ahead to what might be in store in 2015.
Dec 02, 2014
India crosses the 3 GW mark
India market update: Solar installations in India in 2014 are forecast only around 800 MW because of delays due to elections and the anti-dumping case. But the sector picked up momentum again and 2015 installations are forecast to double year-over-year. A report on the Indian solar PV market, federal and state policies by Raj Prabhu, CEO and co-founder of the clean energy research and consulting firm Mercom Capital.
Dec 02, 2014
Off-grid vies with Indian ultra-mega solar goals
Solar lighting in India: With many people living in remote areas, there is a lot of potential for solar lighting in India where companies like Tata Power Solar have been supplying this market for more than a decade. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is keen to fulfill his electoral promises to electrify India. But there are also concerns that a wider distribution of LED lights could cause problems for wildlife and spread insect-borne diseases. .
Dec 02, 2014
PV keeps on growing
It was never meant to be easy. Convincing the world that PV is a mainstream and affordable electricity source has proven to be a tricky business, and over the last three years many of us in PV have had friends and colleagues exit the industry and seen companies fall by the wayside. However, when looking […]
Dec 02, 2014
