Launching pv magazine’s new sustainability initiative: UP – 05-2019
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48 hours in… Munich
So you’re visiting a city that’s not your own for 48 hours, have a daytime agenda with important meetings, and your accommodation is set. Now come the questions of what to see, what to eat, and where to go for a drink and some fun. For Munich, Germany, I’m your local … except I’m from Toronto, Canada! Though I have been living in Munich for over 12 years now. Sorry mom.
May 13, 2019
On the Road – with pv magazine
Where we’ve been: Solarex 2019 Image: Jonathan Gifford A shifting international airport and contested municipal elections just added to the uncertainty greeting attendees to the 2019 Solarex in Istanbul in April. But the prevailing mood was hope set against a backdrop of a declining market. But there is little doubt that with the right regulations […]
May 13, 2019
New structure for bankable PPAs in Ukraine
One of the core documents needed for implementation of a solar power plant project in Ukraine, as elsewhere, is the power purchase agreement. Max Lebedev, a Partner at GoLaw, sets out how a new policy framework will ensure that the produced electricity will be purchased – making PV power plant projects bankable.
May 13, 2019
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V2G: The journey to commercialization
Vehicle-to-grid (V2G) is the technology that enables bidirectional charging – where an electric vehicle (EV) can both charge from and discharge into the grid. With V2G, EVs can play the same role as static batteries in managing local loads and participating in energy market value streams. Alexander Lewis-Jones, head of electric vehicles research at Delta-ee looks at the opportunities this technology provides, and remaining challenges to wider adoption.
May 13, 2019
“Central inverters still offer the best LCOE”
While discussions over central and string inverters are still commonplace, Enrique de la Cruz, Solar & Storage Sales Director for Gamesa Electric, says that on an LCOE basis, the outcome is clear. He notes the company’s new PV3750 central inverter builds on its reputation for high-powered, practical, grid-friendly, and reliable power electronics for large-scale solar.
May 13, 2019
Hacking PV production, an der Havel
The regional train line from Berlin Hauptbahnhof to Brandenburg an der Havel is a far cry from the crowded CalTrain linking San Francisco with Silicon Valley. But as pv magazine discovered as it hopped on board last month, perovskite PV development is reviving hopes for solar manufacturing in the region – hacker style.
May 13, 2019
Lower temperature, higher performance
A combination of a heat sink effect, with radiation and passive convection dissipation, results in cooler modules, and higher power output. This is the technique applied by Coolback, which is introducing a new backsheet/frame concept to the market for the first time this month. Coolback Company CEO Simon Meijer sets out the technology, effects, and strategy to market.
May 13, 2019
Pioneering PV in Saudi Arabia
Nabih Cherradi is Chief Technology Officer of Desert Technologies (DT), a Saudi Arabian solar PV developer, EPC, O&M supplier, and module manufacturer. This is quite a comprehensive portfolio and Cherradi seems most proud of the PV manufacturing facility he has set up in Jeddah in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA). The Kingdom finally seems poised to deliver on its exceptional PV promise. Importantly, this applies not only to large-scale installations, but also to rooftop systems and PV manufacturing.
May 13, 2019
The next steps forward
Discourse surrounding Europe’s solar industry has intensified in the last year, with several leading voices asking the European Union to implement policy to drive a revival the bloc’s PV manufacturing sector. pv magazine explores the requirements for such a development.
May 13, 2019
Award window 1: Intersolar Europe
The first round of pv magazine’s revamped award schedule in 2019 has closed. As expected the first award window, which is timed to coincide with the Intersolar Europe edition, is heavy on BOS components, power electronics, and modules – representing the strength of Europe’s downstream segment.
May 13, 2019
Saline solutions
By 2030, according to the United Nations nearly half of the world’s population will be living in water-stressed areas if no preventive actions are taken. Water reuse technologies and measures to reduce water usage can only serve as temporary relief for the upcoming water crisis. Jiajun Cen, CTO at Desolenator, lays out the case for solar powered desalination as a solution.
May 13, 2019
Europe’s future lies in C&I
Advocates of solar’s strength in distributed generation applications have long pointed to the commercial & industrial (C&I) market as holding massive potential for growth. It appears that future is arriving, says solar analyst with Bloomberg NEF Cecilia L’Ecluse.
May 13, 2019
Rating, risk mitigation, and yield improvements
There are various technical reasons why a PV power plant can underperform or completely fail. In such cases, the investors are first in line to suffer financially from underperforming assets. In some cases, writes Thomas Sauer, head of renewable energy consultancy Exxergy, technical performance deteriorations are so severe that even the debt funders are negatively affected, to the extent that significant parts of loan and interest payments can no longer be serviced.
May 13, 2019
Sky’s the limit
Operational assets are aging, with many having not more than five years left to operate within the original setup of 20 years. A wide variety of options are emerging for repowering, and some younger projects are underperforming so badly that they require a strategic rethink long before the original life ends. Everoze’s Ragna Schmidt-Haupt looks at just how realistic extended lifetime assumptions are, and what justifications are needed to underpin a repowering or retrofit business case.
May 13, 2019
Utility cards reshuffled
The game of energy poker, once predictable to the card counters of old, sees a number of new jokers added to the pack. Former trump cards of incumbent utilities, like coal and nuclear, are becoming less valuable. It would be foolish, however, to mistake legacy as weakness, as with every reshuffling, long-standing players are left with surprises up their sleeves – and much at stake.
May 13, 2019
Plenty to go around
At the end of May 2018, events in Spanish politics took a turn without precedent since the country embraced democracy: a motion of censure against the conservative PP (Partido Popular) by an all-but unified opposition received 180 votes in favour, 169 votes against, and 1 abstention. Pedro Sánchez, leader of the socialist PSOE (Partido Socialista Obrero Español), took up the post of Prime Minister that Mariano Rajoy had held for the previous six years. For the PV sector, the change could not have come too soon.
May 13, 2019
“Certainty normally is preferable, unless that certainty is terminal”
In the daily shifting sands of Britain’s Brexit imbroglio, trying to predict an outcome is like placing chips on the roulette table. At the time of going to press, numerous scenarios were still feasible: a no-deal Brexit, Common Market membership, Common Market 2.0, Norway-plus, super-Canada, Theresa May’s repeatedly-rejected deal, a second referendum, more extensions, a flextension, or calling the whole thing off.
May 13, 2019
Preparing for take-off
A boom in self-consumption and gigawatt-auctions for solar parks are drawing developers to France’s historically underwhelming photovoltaics market. Europe’s dozy giant has long punched beneath its weight, but pro-renewable reforms are helping the country cut red tape and unlock its vast solar potential.
May 13, 2019
Four cases, one roundtable
The participants of last year’s pv magazine Quality Roundtable at Intersolar Europe said that they really appreciated the examples we used as a basis for our quality case studies. Many have sent us their own experiences. These cases, where something went wrong, will be presented this year at the Quality Roundtable in Munich.
May 13, 2019
Utility-scale plants will drive the market until 2021
Special tenders adopted by the government will stimulate PV expansion in Germany for the next few years. The German market could push 4 GW again in 2019. Experts see a bright future ahead, with subsidy-free solar beginning to raise its head and a healthy market for large rooftop installations.
May 13, 2019
“We have not yet seen the real age of solar”
As its founding permanent Director General, Adnan Z. Amin has shaped the International Renewable Energy Agency like no other. As he stands aside after a transformational eight years both for the agency and for the renewable energy sector, he reflects on his time at the helm and sends a powerful message to the solar sector.
May 13, 2019
Sustainability and an ‘electrification offensive’
Volkswagen’s spokesperson for environment and sustainability Günther Scherelis, and life cycle assessment specialist, Marko Gernuks talk to pv magazine about the car manufacturer’s electric vehicle plans and new sustainability agenda. In the past, the company tried to achieve such sustainability by advocating diesel. This ended, as we all know, in Germany’s emissions scandal, dieselgate, in 2015. Now VW needs a new direction.
May 13, 2019
The sustainable pioneers
In the coming weeks, months, and years, pv magazine will be digging deeper and expanding our sustainability horizons, defining – with your help – the most effective courses of action. What follows is an overview of current sustainability initiatives in the solar and, to a lesser extent, storage industries.
May 13, 2019
Reinventing solar
As one of the founders of Germany’s Green Party, as well as the cofounder of Greenpeace’s chemistry division, and the visionary behind the cradle to cradle (C2C) concept, Michael Braungart is a true pioneer. In a conversation with pv magazine, he lays out his vision for the future of solar – an industry he says is one of the keys to our future. It includes innovative module designs and new business models.
May 13, 2019
Unstoppable power
This year, pv magazine is setting a new editorial agenda. Via our program, UP, we will be diving deep into the topic of what it means to be truly sustainable, looking at what is already being done, and discussing areas for improvement. Over the coming weeks, months, and years, we will share our findings across our various digital platforms, in our print magazines, and via our roundtable events and webinars. Are you UP for it?
May 13, 2019
pv magazine @ The smarter E Europe
It remains Europe’s biggest solar and energy storage event, and with a resurgent market, The smarter E in 2019 is shaping to be no different. Accordingly, pv magazine is rolling out a full program of events and launches, and of course is inviting you to party with us.
May 13, 2019
100 GW: PV in its teens
With almost 100 GW commissioned in 2018 (the same level as in 2017), the PV market was stable at a global level, writes Becquerel Institute’s Gaëtan Masson. This hides different market developments, as for example the decline of the Chinese PV market from 53 to 45 GW, and growth in other markets. The global market, exempting China, grew from 41 GW in 2016 to 46 GW in 2017, a rather big jump as it reached close to 55 GW in 2018.
May 13, 2019
Get out and vote!
As the European elections approach, it will be vital to have MEPs that are committed to solar and help ensure that the lowest cost and most flexible clean energy technology is the leading contributor to the EU’s 2050 climate strategy, writes Walburga Hemetsberger, CEO of SolarPower Europe.
May 13, 2019
Europe makes its comeback
Europe saw the largest upswing of new PV installations over the past year, in particular after the minimum import price on modules ended. Installations grew by 23% in 2018, reaching 12 GW. IHS Markit forecasts the region to surpass 19 GW in 2019. The reason for this revived growth, writes Research & Analysis Manager Josefin Berg, is a combination of the increased cost competitiveness of PV, more initiatives outside of subsidy schemes, and new policy initiatives to meet 2020 and 2030 targets.
May 13, 2019
Bifacial module demand continues to grow
Module technologies such as bifacial, half-cut, multi-busbar (MBB), and shingled are maturing after two years of improvement. Comparing module technologies, we see that half cut has a high degree of maturity in production equipment, high yield rates, and output climbing since the beginning of 2018. From late 2018 to 2019, most companies have expanded or upgraded their portfolios by pairing half-cut technology with MBB technology.
May 13, 2019
Fridays forever
Since the last reduction in the German feed-in tariff for medium-sized PV systems at the beginning of April, not much has changed in terms of module prices. This is down to unchanged demand in the country – at least in the first days of April. What is more, any local lags in the market are outweighed by steadily rising demand throughout Europe.
May 13, 2019
We’re back!
The life of an expat is often a case of being neither one thing, nor the other. For me personally, I’m left being perceived Aussie through-and-through when home in Berlin, and oh-so-German when back spending time with family and friends in Perth, Australia. It brings with it certain benefits and in terms of work, 2019 […]
May 13, 2019
