The quality issue – 04-2018
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Excerpt from the magazine
The cells of the future
Li-ion storage: battery manufacturers have a major task ahead of them, they have to meet runaway global demand, improve the performance, safety and longevity of storage devices, and of course bring down price. Instead of hoping for a big breakthrough, they are pursuing an approach involving many small steps.
Jun 18, 2018
A burning issue
Cables and connectors: The quality and performance of solar balance of system components in the U.S. market is generally quite high, but there are still low quality, knock-off, or outright counterfeit products available at discounts large enough to attract some shortsighted installers or other buyers in the market.
Jun 18, 2018
The new rising stars
Module technology trends: In the past decade, continued technology advances and cost improvements made solar one of the most dynamic industries of our time, as it continues to make a significant and growing contribution to the global supply of electricity. Technological innovation is taking place in a context of extreme price competition among solar manufacturers, which explains the focus on cost control.
Jun 18, 2018
From cost to tech-driven advances
Quality across the PV chain: With around 100 GW installed in 2017 (according to PV Market Alliance’s preliminary numbers), the global PV industry has once again beaten even the most optimistic of forecasts. However, this rosy picture hides some specific developments that highlight how the road to maturity could be long and at times chaotic, and why support for the industry must continue, both in Europe and beyond, writes Gaëtan Masson, director of the Becquerel Institute.
Jun 18, 2018
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Large it up Down Under
Australian large-scale solar: From just a handful of large-scale solar PV projects a few years ago, Australia is becoming one of the world’s fastest-growing markets. With a substantial project pipeline, the country is in the box seat to experience a banner year in 2018, with the 2020 Renewable Energy Target now in hand and a new policy taking shape for the period beyond.
Jun 14, 2018
Time’s up for resource abuse
Women in solar: In the U.S. and Europe this past year, the pivotal #MeToo movement has shone a light on instances of often systemic sexual abuse and harassment, particularly in the corridors of the powerful. Kristen Nicole, Founder and Executive Director of Women in Solar Energy (WISE) draws parallels between the attitudes that have facilitated such a climate, and our relationship to the Earth’s finite resources – with solar at the intersection.
Apr 06, 2018
Bridging the testing gap
Module testing: Pinpointing when a module has been damaged on its journey from factory gate to installation in a PV power plant can be tricky. When disputes arise they can be almost impossible to resolve and result in costly legal battles. OdinSpire is a new joint venture company located in Rotterdam, which aims to bring laboratory-quality testing into the warehouse, plugging two important service gaps.
Apr 06, 2018
Ensuring market spread
Interview: Heraeus Photovoltaics President Andreas Liebheit sat down with pv magazine at the recent PV Expo in Japan to share his thoughts on global solar markets, the natural fluctuations of innovation cycles, new PV technologies, and the challenges of always staying on trend and at the forefront of development.
Apr 06, 2018
Mitigating and minimizing risk
Materials: Investor confidence is key to solar’s success today and into the future. So argues DuPont, which has been a key driver of the discussion of quality when it comes to materials, components, and installation. DuPont’s Stephan Padlewski believes that while discussions of quality have improved, new technologies like bifacial encapsulation require closer inspection.
Apr 06, 2018
Higher power, broader portfolios
Inverter trend update: The slow burn of solar inverter innovation appears never to come to the boil, but this steady and stable road map is enabling leading firms to maintain a broad portfolio while incrementally improving their products. pv magazine rounds up some of the latest trends in the inverter space.
Apr 06, 2018
International Solar Alliance: India’s vision, the globe’s goal
International Solar Alliance: The International Solar Alliance was initiated during the COP21 Paris Agreement in December 2015 and came fully into force late last year. The Alliance, forged from an India-France axis, sees the former take a decisive and defining role on the global scale, and could expedite the adoption of much-needed PV power across the world’s Sun Belt regions.
Apr 06, 2018
Floating on optimism
Market development: The past year has been an exciting period for proponents of floating solar. A range of new projects and pilots have been announced across the globe over the past 12 to 14 months, with IHS Markit’s Solar Deal Tracker now listing floating PV installations in 24 countries throughout the world, all in varying stages of development.
Apr 06, 2018
Tokyo shift
PV Expo Japan show roundup: The Japanese solar market has been in a state of flux for a couple of years, but manages to consistently deliver strong installation figures, high standards, and a heartening amount of innovation. Will it be more of the same in 2018? pv magazine headed to the PV Expo show in Tokyo to find out.
Apr 06, 2018
Sunshine for Fukushima
Solar in Japan: As Kapan continues to wean itself off nuclear power, solar PV has assumed a vital role in aiding the transition to renewable energy. In Fukushima, a series of solar plants have already been installed, but one new addition to the region – a module fab – poses an altogether different set of challenges and opportunities, as pv magazine’s Managing Editor Ian Clover discovers.
Apr 06, 2018
Quality to a T
At the risk of blowing our own trumpet, pv magazine’s Quality Roundtables have been extremely well-attended, well-received events over the past couple of years. Wherever they are hosted – be it in the bowels of Intersolar Europe, the cool and shade of a Las Vegas hotel at Solar Power International, or the Asian locations of India or […]
Apr 06, 2018
