Magazine Archive 08-2014

Balance of system costs: BOS costs are being systematically reduced, as was demonstrated at Intersolar North America, mainly by eliminating metal, weight and volume, by streamlining and integrating physical connectivity, and by designing housings for universal component acceptance.

Trade cases: How can PV module manufacturers and EPCs deal with the challenges the ongoing trade disputes have created in many regions? Andy Klump, CEO and Founder of solar energy consulting firm Clean Energy Associates (CEA), analyzes the global trade disputes.

Off-grid India: In India, solar off-grid systems are a backup against daily power cuts, offering clean energy 24 hours a day. The Indian solar off-grid market is growing fast, providing an affordable and reliable fail-safe against the daily power cuts that regularly bedevil cities, towns, and villages. And in rural regions, where there is often no grid access whatsoever, solar solutions are proving invaluable.

Trade war: The U.S. has imposed heavy preliminary antidumping duties on imports of solar cells and modules from China and Taiwan, which add to already substantial anti-subsidy tariffs imposed in early June. It is unclear what the full impacts of these duties will be, but changes are already being reported in the U.S. market.

Spain: The country’s ministerial cabinet recently approved a law that aims to implement previous PV guidelines. The law, PV advocates argue, brings legal uncertainty, scares investors and punishes existing installations. Arguably, Spain’s latest policy mandate changes the country’s renewable energy landscape entirely, bringing it to a fundamentally new level. The country’s ministerial cabinet recently approved a law that aims to implement previous PV guidelines. The law, PV advocates argue, brings legal uncertainty, scares investors and punishes existing installations. Arguably, Spain’s latest policy mandate changes the country’s renewable energy landscape entirely, bringing it to a fundamentally new level.

Spain: Spain: The country’s ministerial cabinet recently approved a law that aims to implement previous PV guidelines. The law, PV advocates argue, brings legal uncertainty, scares investors and punishes existing installations. Arguably, Spain’s latest policy mandate changes the country’s renewable energy landscape entirely, bringing it to a fundamentally new level. The country’s ministerial cabinet recently approved a law that aims to implement previous PV guidelines. The law, PV advocates argue, brings legal uncertainty, scares investors and punishes existing installations. Arguably, Spain’s latest policy mandate changes the country’s renewable energy landscape entirely, bringing it to a fundamentally new level.

Yieldcos: This summer has seen solar project developers join independent power producers in forming yieldco vehicles to hold solar and other renewable energy plants, large and small. By doing so, these companies are securing lower-cost capital as part of an ongoing reduction of costs in the solar industry.

Brazil: Despite boasting solar radiation in the range of 2,154 kWh/m² in the northeast to 1,898 kWh/m² in the south, Brazil has yet to seriously integrate PV energy generation into its power matrix due to volatile energy prices, risk averse local financing and an embryonic international banking market. However, opportunities to develop PV projects exist, writes Rosa Tarragó of Sowitec.

Australia: In the first half of 2014, Australia installed around 320 MW of solar PV and the Australian Solar Council expects the figure at year’s end to reach around 700 MW. High electricity prices and ample sunshine make conditions perfect for PV, so this should be a given, but there are forces at work against PV Down Under, and they are taking aim at a range of policies and institutions.