Global PV markets

With plenty of sun and not much liquidity, Greece has been forced to be creative as to how to get its economy going and create jobs. One plan to do so has become clear at the European photovoltaic conference in Hamburg today, in the form of “Project Helios”.

High-tech engineering firm Manz believes it has achieved world-record aperture efficiency in one its Copper-Indium-Gallium-(di)Selenide (CIGS) thin-film modules, produced using commercial-scale production techniques. The 600x1200mm module achieved efficiency of 15.1 percent and has an output of 100 watts.

New solar technology like concentrated solar power (CSP) and the opening of new markets are tipped to become a strong growth engine for solar moving forward, according to a new report looking at how the industry will develop before 2016.

MS Solar Solutions Corp. (MSSS) and Main Street Power Company Inc. today launched the “Solar for All” residential photovoltaic program, which will provide systems for low-income householders in California.

The International Energy Agency (IEA) has been reported by Bloomberg as saying that the majority of the world’s power will be produced by solar by 2060. What’s more, photovoltaic and solar-thermal plants may meet half of all energy needs by this date.

The International Herald Tribune (IHT) in Greece has reported that a “mammoth” 10 gigawatt (GW) solar plant is being planned for Greece. The project would be driven by investment from Germany.

Vertically integrated photovoltaic manufacturer LDK Solar has announced its second quarter (Q2) financial results that included a USD $47.9 million operating loss, representing -9.6 percent operating margin. However, with recently improving order patterns and stabilizing prices the company expects a resumption of growth in the second half of 2011.

While details of the scheme are pending, photovoltaics looks set to receive a major boost in Japan with a renewable energy bill passing through the upper house of parliament today. Analysts Jefferies predict solar to be the big winner under the scheme and said that the law, “will become an eventual feed-in tariff (FIT).”

In another sign of a tough photovoltaic market, Chinese cell and module manufacturer Hanwha Solar Co. has posted a small loss for the second quarter (Q2) of 2011. Reduced gross profits and increased operating expenses were blamed for the RMB32.3 million (USD$5 million) loss.

Industry analysts IMS Research has released its quarterly PV Inverter Supply and Demand report, which shows that, while shipment volumes have increased markedly over the year, falling prices have resulted in decreased revenues for inverter suppliers.