New entrants in India
India: As the Intersolar India draws closer, programs in Rajasthan and Karnataka have expanded the solar market. Mohit Anand from Bridge to India reports.
Under pressure
UK: The governments latest proposal to cut PV FITs is taking the heat out of the PV market. It has also left the supply chain reeling in terms of completing orders and raised questions of PVs competitiveness in the face of a 50 percent tariff cut.
Tomorrows technology or yesterdays news?
CIGS: Many agree that CIGS has plenty of potential to deliver cost savings, flexible applications and high efficiencies, but does it have the right attributes to see major production volumes and PV market share? pv magazine gets the inside information from the major players and up-and-comers, to find what direction CIGS will take next.
Thin film to the outside world
Contacting thin film modules: Ribbons and junction boxes are necessary features for bringing the generated current from a thin film module to everyday usage. Depending on the thin film module technology used and the junction box strategy, there are different ways for developing these contacts.
The materials game
Interview: Indium Corporation is one of the leading materials suppliers to the PV industry, especially in the thin film sector with their rotary targets. How have the past few months been for the company with the changing political environment?
Spot market for PV panels: Increase in demand
Module prices: Although the demand for solar modules has increased, the decline in prices in every segment has continued as well. Only products from several top Chinese manufacturers have become more expensive in recent weeks.
Solar trade storm brews in Dallas
SPI: With mixed results, Solar Power International (SPI) came to a close in Dallas. Although with a total of 1,200 exhibitors a new record was reached, only 21,000 visitors attended, a decline on the previous year.
Sino-U.S. PV trade dispute moves forward
U.S.: The trade dispute launched at the behest of the Coalition of American Solar Panel Manufacturers against Chinese silicon PV manufacturers has rolled on with a hearing by the International Trade Commission (ITC).
Risk minimization with photovoltaics
Interview: How do banks assess reliable PV investments? An interview with Dirk Kühnel, photovoltaics expert at DKB Deutsche Kreditbank AG.
PVs big thaw
Russia: Known for its oil, cold and its might, Russia does not seem a natural fit for PV expansion. However, as a potential shift in politics might take place and aging fossil-fuel generation infrastructure increases electricity costs, PVs frozen frontier may be thawing out and coming to life.
