Magazine Archive 01-2011

Power-One: The California inverter maker has risen in prominence as it overtakes competitors to become the second ranked inverter supplier worldwide.

India: India is considered one of the most promising solar markets in the world. However, there are quite a few hurdles to straddle before reaching the finish line set by the government’s ambitious expansion plans for photovoltaics. One issue is combining lower costs and quality assurance, a problem on full display at the Intersolar India in Mumbai.

Thin film raw materials: It’s a must-have for the burgeoning CIS solar industry—a reliable supply of raw materials such as indium and gallium. But it’s not clear how to meet the growing demand.

Supply chain: More products are available across the solar PV supply chain with market growth declining. This major change in the market was clearly reflected by the participant responses to the Renewable Analytics November PV Survey.

Silver: The math is simple – no silver, no photovoltaics. This precious metal is not just a hot commodity in industry; it is also popular among many investors. That doesn’t make it scarce, but it does make it expensive.

Flat roof installation: Lighter, faster, cheaper – a growing number of companies are developing installation systems for flat roofs that remain stable with little deadweight and do without roof penetration. Now, the focus is on speeding up installation and reducing material costs. Plastics offer interesting benefits in this respect.

The story of solar electricity: The seventeenth part of our series with chapters from John Perlin’s book From Space to Earth focuses on the development of thin films, and, in particular, on amorphous silicon and cadmium telluride.

Roof-integrated systems: On slanted roofs, solar panels can replace conventional roof tiles and shingles. Manufacturers of insulation systems and module makers both offer systems for the roof-integration of photovoltaics. A number of new systems simultaneously perform multiple building functions.

France: With new installations totaling 500 to 550 megawatts, 2010 was the most successful year in the history of the still young French solar market. Now, however, the French Government is putting further growth on hold. During a three-month suspension of installations, it will revise the regulations for incentives. An annual cap of 500 megawatts and new incentives for systems building integrated or not are under debate.

econet china: From green building to promoting efficiency and sustainability in the Chinese photovoltaic industry. A new initiative spearheaded by German industry and the German Chamber of Commerce in China seeks to market German photovoltaic technology and know-how to the Chinese photovoltaic industry.