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 […]
Conference findings
Stock price index: A vibrant ROTH conference saw brisk interest in the solar inverter investment space, while storage backers are in it for the long game.
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.
Cell la vie
Solar cell supply: Independent analyst Corrine Lin examines the fluctuations in crystalline silicon cell markets over the past two years, and shares her predictions for what’s to come in 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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
