Time to shine
South Africa: Despite abundant sunlight and a desperate need for new forms of energy, the South African renewable energy market, and in particular photovoltaics, has not taken off. However, there are new plans in place, which may just kick-start the industry and provide much needed solar support.
Tracking goes large
Trackers: Large-scale power plants present a growing opportunity for tracking. Its a global trend, driven not only by government incentives and subsidies, but economic realities too. The worlds leading tracker vendors are addressing this market opportunity as it unfolds.
Tracking shadows
Cloud surveillance: A criticism commonly leveled at renewable energy producers is that the electricity they supply is variable and intermittent. However, the ability to make accurate short-term output forecasts can help to overcome this perception and ensure stability of supply. Satellites are used to make longer-term weather and, in particular, cloud forecasts for PV plants, but within short timeframes satellites lack the resolution to do so accurately. A new project bringing together researchers, a plant owner/operator, grid operator and state and national government agencies hopes to overcome this hurdle, and track and predict the shadows cast by cloudy skies.
Venture capital seeks solar selectively
Venture capital: More than 1.5 billion U.S. dollars in venture capital flowed into the solar sector this year so far, but what the top line figure does not show is how very selective investors have become when it comes to young solar PV companies.
Waiting for what?
Dear readers, Fifty years ago the Irish writer Samuel Beckett created an ingenious parable about long, senseless and futile waiting in Waiting for Godot. Parallels can be seen in the current market situation for photovoltaic technologies. Never before has photovoltaic technology been so inexpensive, but the majority of buyers are still waiting, is how one […]
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Applications & Installations | Product News | Production Technology Production Technology/DuPont Microcircuit Materials Low temperature processing Production Technology/Dow Chemical Company Growing material solutions Dow Chemical Company introduces the diamond wire ingot squaring coolant that improves wafer manufacturing efficiency: the ENLIGHT DC-8300 Coolant. This is the latest innovation from Dow that can help improve performance and/or […]
Good for the environment
Indian solar market update: Mercom Capital Group provides an overview of the Indian solar market, including the funding status of current PV projects, accumulated capacity, and the countrys proposed pipeline.
Achieving economies of scale
India: India has clearly caught the attention of the global PV industry, not only as an emerging market that promises to be at the vanguard for the next ten years in terms of growth, but also as an emerging manufacturing hub for the PV industry. Indias National Solar Mission (NSM) aims to install 20 gigawatts (GW) by 2022 in the country, although skeptics inside and outside the country are of the opinion that this target is a little too ambitious.
Bad and good news
Dear readers, Is mass extinction about to begin? A number of news items over the past few days and weeks are unsettling. Schott Solar has discontinued wafer production in Jena, Germany, and has shortened the work week for 350 staff members up to December. Phoenix Solar has seen its revenue and earnings outlook for this […]
Collapsing
Ardour Solar Index: Oversupply drives down pricing, and Solyndra questions continue to muddy the waters.
