Markets & Policy

With the increase in installed photovoltaic capacity, the cost effectiveness of coal-fired power plants is decreasing. The outlook for coal, with the further development of emissions trading, will become even worse.

Following its insolvency annoncement at the start of the month, Q.Cells SE has resumed production of its photovoltaic cells and modules. The search for an investor is also underway – a “number” of parties have reportedly expressed interest in the company.

The Nikkei business daily has reported that a feed in tariff (FIT) of 42 yen (US$0.51) per kilowatt-hour (/kWh) is likely to be recommended by the panel established to advise the Japanese government on the matter. The rate is double the retail rate of electricity – close to what the solar industry itself recommended.

MEMC Electronic Materials, Inc. has today issued a statement denying that its CEO is stepping down.

Solar is a small, but strong part of LG’s business states Yun Ju Hwan of LG Electronics, during a visit to the company’s cell and module factory in South Korea. While capacity ramp ups are on hold, the group is planning to launch a solar storage solution and thin film panels in 2013, and manufacture its own polysilicon.

In a week when major restructuring at the world’s largest thin film producer, First Solar, has been the focus, the industry has gathered to discuss prospects for the technology and market in the future.

Solar is the fastest growing electricity source for U.S. utilities, says the Solar Electric Power Association (SEPA). While positive, the trend raises questions as to how the country’s distribution grid will manage this growth. Pacific Gas & Electric (PG&E), meanwhile, was identified as the most “solar-active” utility.

Ambitious expansion plans are afoot for renewable energy and photovoltaics in the Canadian province of Ontario, Oleg Popovsky, business development manager of SunEdison tells pv magazine. He also calls for a reduction of red tape with regards to feed-in tariff (FIT) implementation.

Reports of the imminent demise of the solar industry have been highly exaggerated, according to research released this week by New York City-based McKinsey & Company, Inc. While it states that the “rules of the game are changing” and that there will be “significant challenges”, it firmly believes there are still substantial rewards to be reaped.

Bosch has officially acquired Conergy’s photovoltaic inverter subsidiary, voltwerk electronics GmbH, following approval from the German anti-trust authorities. The purchase price was not disclosed.