Magazine Archive 2010

Module assembly: Generally, module manufacturers offer a 25-year performance guarantee with certificates and quality labels. But certificates and quality labels do not tell us much about the long-term stability of modules. In reality, tests under harsh conditions discover drastic differences in endurance. The modules are to be tested with the greatest care.

BIPV: A growing number of PV manufacturers are offering modules designed to blend into roofs and building facades in North America. Competition will be particularly fierce for the precious real estate on the residential rooftops.

Glass meets solar: With the successful closure of two trade fairs pertaining to two mega-industries – glass and solar – the outcome between the two is potentially harmonious. Both industries have only to gain from one another’s strengths, should they choose to see it that way.

CEO interview: In 2008, Global Solar Energy became one of the first companies to reach volume production of CIGS cells. pv magazine spoke with CEO Jeff Britt, the company’s former Chief Technology Officer, to find out about Global Solar’s changing strategy in response to the evolving solar landscape, its efforts to increase its bankability and his view on the building-integrated PV (BIPV) market.

PV Quality Briefing 2010: In its first conference in the United Kingdom, Solarpraxis focused on the key issue of quality. Even in the fledgling British market, plenty of positive noises were to be heard.

Emerging markets: The international PV industry is primarily focused on businesses in the industrialized countries. According to a new study by A.T. Kearney, the emerging and developing nations along the earth’s sunbelt, with their rapidly growing economies, offer the greatest solar growth potential. However, the industry is still shying away from jumping into the new world.

Solar Power International: The development of photovoltaics in the U.S. is still being drip-fed by politics – a fact that became very obvious at this year’s Solar Power International in Los Angeles.

Back contact cells: The first solar cells with contacts located on their back side were made in the mid-1970s. Although they offer many advantages, only a few models have been able to really conquer the market up to now. Now, cooperation between Solland Solar and Schott Solar is supposed to change that.

Social responsibility: The solar industry has to get used to stronger public headwinds when it comes to socially acceptable production standards. What is known as Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) will play a more important role for photovoltaics companies going forward. But the question remains – does CSR pay?

Ground-mounted installations: Time is money, so connecting up megawatt parks to the grid has to become faster. Smart ways to secure modules help accelerate the process. GPS-controlled ramming robots and giant modules are further aids to speed up future ground-mounted installations.