Sweeping aside obstacles to terawatt-scale
pv magazine: The Terawatt initiative has set some ambitious goals, how much more will PV’s growth trajectory have to change in order to meet these goals? Jean-Pascal Pham-Ba: What we have done is go back to what was agreed to in Paris [at COP 21]. For the moment, the only scenario made is the one of […]
Low tenders, high expectations
With the International Finance Corporation’s (IFC’s) Scaling Solar auctions in Zambia drawing bids as low as $0.0602/kWh last summer, from First Solar and France’s Neoen SAS – on top of expectations that Algeria may soon start tendering 4 GW of capacity – some proponents of PV are salivating at the prospect of ever-lower prices. However, a […]
Mini grids, mega opportunities
Author: Dustin Zubke Global electrification has reached 85.3%, according to the Global Tracking Framework published at the Sustainable Energy for All forum last month. The report warned that the growth rate of electricity access from 2012 – 2014 was not sufficient to meet the 2030 goal of 100% global electrification. The IEA estimates that by […]
Copper plating innovation
2017 Technology Highlights award winner: U.S.-based MacDermid Ehthone’s Global Applications Manager Photovoltaics Bruce Lee sets out the Helios PoSi process and its market potential.
Making DW multi a reality
2017 Technology Highlights award winner: Christian Buchner, VP Business Unit Photovoltaics for Schmid Group, speaks to pv magazine after picking up the 2017 Technology Highlights award.
Making Meyer Burger profitable again
PV equipment markets: Meyer Burger has enjoyed a strong start to 2017, coming off the back of a major restructuring. However, the significant challenges in returning to profitability are not lost on CEO Hans Brändle. He spoke with pv magazine at Meyer Burger’s Technology & Production Center in Germany, in his first solar industry interview since stepping into the role at the beginning of 2017.
Adding the smarts: Smart Renewable Energy @ Intersolar Europe
Smart Renewable Energy will be a key topic at Intersolar Europe, delivering a series of sessions, workshops, and presentations that discuss how smart technology is shaping the world of renewable energy. The conference will cover a cross-section of topics that are shaping the new energy world. pv magazine presents a selection of the innovative solar solutions and products set to be introduced during the show.
What lies beneath
MLPE analysis: The growth of the module-level power electronics industry has tended to bring more questions than answers, chiefly concerning the cost-performance ratio when compared to traditional string inverter solutions. And with all three types of solutions – DC optimizer, string inverter, and microinverter – each claiming to push the envelope on cost, safety and power output, is there a simple answer to the simple question: Which is best?
Who’s on track?
The challenges for single-axis tracker suppliers operating globally are broadening, because the completion of a deal requires more local support presence, a wider logistics chain, and a host of new partners. The leading tracker supplier globally, according to IHS Markit data, Nextracker sees “most of the large plant opportunity – and competition – in India […]
Increasing complexity calls for vision
How can an expected 80 GW be a disappointment? The answer lies in solar’s stellar rise in years past. Leading forecasts for the global solar market are all pointing to 2017 representing 12 months of marginal growth. A good result when considered against some of the doomsday predictions made earlier in the year or in the latter […]
