Magazine Archive 2011

Iran: Despite being the OPEC’s third largest oil exporter, the Islamic Republic of Iran, as it is officially known, has been getting active with solar technology. Homegrown companies are pushing for more PV power in the national grid and the general mood in the domestic sector is dampened by the fact that other countries are hesitant to invest in renewables in Iran. Quality of foreign components also come into question.

Module Manufacturing: The next photovoltaic hype will be driven by the right photovoltaic module making strategy. Get the best out of your photovoltaic module.

Inverter service: Competition on the inverter market is becoming keener. Service is becoming increasingly important when it comes to acquiring and ensuring customer loyalty. Smaller manufacturers have now finally recognized that they too need to play catch-up.

Improving productivity: The photovoltaic (PV) industry is expected to grow exponentially over the next five years, with market experts anticipating the global market will more than double in size by 2014. Saint-Gobain Solar’s Market Manager for Renewable Energy, Geoffrey King writes about automating production lines, reducing material waste, and decreasing equipment downtime as three ways module manufacturers can increase throughput, as well as their bottom line.

Ardour Solar Index: 2Q11 results were weak due to extreme pricing pressure. Now pricing begins to stabilize, but margin expectations must be reset.

BIPV: Efforts by countries such as Italy and France to support solar PV systems designed for installation by construction and roofing specialists are paving the way for a new generation of PV systems.

Dominican Republic: Up to now, solar power has had little history in the Caribbean region. Now, Isofotón is taking a big first step by developing a 50-megawatt plant in the Dominican Republic. The Kirchner Solar Group is also planning a large-scale project on the island. Since the economy of the Dominican Republic is growing rapidly, with 7.8 percent growth last year, more and more international businesses are seeking to open up trade in the country.

Solar parks: On one hand, renewable energy is much needed and solar holds massive promise. On the other hand, land is needed to construct projects large enough to be able to produce the electricity needed to meet demand. But when solar parks creep into areas of nature conservation, there is a conflict. Is a solar park in a protected nature zone a contradiction of green beliefs?

Croatia: The sun-drenched land of Croatia has an attractive solar feed-in tariff. Until now, however, only a very few photovoltaic systems have been installed. How are local conditions in Croatia a year prior to the country’s projected entry into the European Union? What opportunities does the market offer, and what of the risks? Answers from the Croatian business consulting firm Borovac-Knabe & Partners.

Lead times: The window to install systems this year is becoming increasingly narrow. Inventories have moved from distributors and installers to manufacturers.