Magazine Archive 2011

Portugal: Despite its status as “Project of National Interest” and approved public funding totaling 128 million euros, businessman Alexandre Alves’s PV factory project, RPP Solar, is battling financing and payment problems.

Solar cooperatives: Local renewable energy cooperatives in the United States have begun to yield a substantial amount of solar power, thanks to the combined efforts of neighborhood organizations, solar marketers, solar installers and developers, and federal support for market-building.

Angola: PV prospects in Angola appeared grim until last year, due to a lack of infrastructure capable of storing captured solar. However, this outlook is set to change, thanks to an increase in available technology and the rising presence of foreign companies.

The Philippines: The first solar summit, an active solar alliance, solar power plants, active PV companies and a German alliance. These look like the ingredients towards the Philippines’ successful photovoltaic journey. Or are there pitfalls along the way? pv magazine explores the introduction of solar power in the country on a large scale, and the fine print that comes along with it.

Dear readers, Is the big tanker USA finally moving toward a change in energy policy and a sustainable economic system? Thus far no change in policy can be seen a good two and a half years after Barack Obama assumed office, a good year after the largest oil disaster in the history of the United […]

Inverters: Refusol is introducing an inverter with an input voltage of up to 1,500 volts. Photovoltaics experts welcome the concept in principle. But they also see a problem for which there is no quick solution.

Module prices: In every region the decline in prices for modules continued both in June and the first half of July. The focus of market growth is shifting away from Europe.

India: Twenty-one Indian exhibitors were at the Intersolar in Munich, pleased with the new contacts they could make there. The Indian PV sector wants to intensify its relations with European companies to accomplish the nation’s goal of setting up 20 gigawatts of solar power capacity by 2022.

Organic photovoltaics: For some, the potential of organic PV will never live up to the hype surrounding it. For industry insiders, the technology’s learning curve over the last couple of years gives good reason to expect that the tipping point is coming soon. An overview of this innovative business segment.