A French twist
Italy: This years Solarexpo trade exhibition in Verona, Italy, turned out to be an exchange of good news. The renewal of the Conto Energia the law governing feed-in tariffs for solar electricity in Italy will not be long in coming and will focus on two new aspects. Furthermore, the respective tariffs will remain attractive.
At the upper limit
Ranking: Which manufacturers are leading the pack? Who will make it to the top ten? pv magazine asked market researchers and analysts. In this edition: an analysis of the biggest crystalline module manufacturers and their strategies.
Breaking the glass cartel
Triple Green, part 6: The days of float glass are numbered. The expenditure involved in its production drives up the price of modules and consumes too much energy. Inexpensive rolled glass, specially developed for solar modules, promises substantial savings in terms of energy, weight and material.
Defect buster
Process-control tools: The rise of thin film manufacturing is fueling a growing demand for metrology and in-line process-control tools. But what tools are necessary and whether the investments will pay off is a matter of debate.
Effects of the euro slide
Ardour solar index: The solar sector is under heavy pressure in the wake of European turbulence.
Electricity in a snakeskin jacket
Building integration: Photovoltaics on stadium roofs is becoming a more familiar sight. If you want to see a megawatt-capacity photovoltaic array though, thats a genuine structural component of a newly built stadium and supplies all of its electricity, the first port of call is Taiwan.
Fit for the Roof
Thin film market overview: In the following table, over forty manufacturers list the technical data of more than 250 modules. Manufacturers have focused their attention on large-scale projects in recent years. In the meantime, several of them have discovered the small roof as a lucrative market.
Full power ahead
India: The Indian governments National Solar Mission is stimulating the local photovoltaics business on all levels. Additional manufacturing lines are being constructed and several large scale projects for solar power generation have taken off. A report from India.
Growth continues unhampered
Intersolar Europe: The leading international PV trade show continues to grow. From June 9-11, more than 1,800 exhibitors, half of them from outside Germany, are expected in Munich. The biggest trend for all product groups this year is lower costs.
Kick-off for solar energy
South Africa: The Republic of South Africa promises excellent remuneration for large solar power arrays, but connection to the grid is subject to negotiation. Neither grid operators nor producers are required to buy the electricity. Because they prevent problems caused by power outages, off-grid systems still play the most important role in the country, but the South African PV market could really start picking up next year.
