Magazine Archive 2012

Off-grid metering: With PV’s competitiveness with diesel generation a reality in certain parts of the developing world, delivering off-grid solutions is a business opportunity that can have a transformative effect. pv magazine can exclusively reveal a new pay-as-you-go business model that is emerging as an effective way of delivering off-grid PV power and facilitating the maintenance of installations.

This year, German financial hub Frankfurt am Main will play host to the 27 EU PVSEC from September 24 to 28. pv magazine takes a peek at what is to come and also presents the new products that will be showcased under the EU PVSEC product news special.

Italy: By mid-July, the limit had been reached – the energy agency Gestore dei Servizi Energetici’s official counter for the subsidy budget for photovoltaic installations had exceeded the €6 billion mark. Thus, the new Conto Energia V subsidy legislation will automatically enter into force at the end of August, bringing with it major cuts in the feed-in tariff for solar electricity.

Automation: In an industry that is now very much focused on higher returns at the lowest cost of production, PV producers are under pressure to increase cell efficiencies, reduce materials consumption, and increase yield and throughput – fuelling innovation in automation tools and technologies.

Centrotherm: Centrotherm had filed for insolvency protection proceedings under its own administration on July 10, 2012. pv magazine spoke with Tobias Hoefer, the expert for reorganization on the board of centrotherm photovoltaics AG and responsible for the insolvency protection proceedings, and also spoke with Chief Technology Officer Peter Fath.

Energy storage: Energy storage economics and electricity prices are inherently linked to each other. The decision to invest in energy storage will be partially driven by the idea to save on electricity bills or to assure power quality. Florian Schubert from Renewable Analytics explains the dynamics behind energy storage.

Chinese factory gate prices: In Europe, the time has come for US$0.60/Wp Chinese crystalline silicon modules.

Solar and storage: Solar power manufacturers and storage solutions producers are joining forces. Pike Research’s research analyst in the Smart Energy practice, Brittany Gibson, explains how this helps and the direction of these collaborations.

Solar financing: Dustin Kahler, Vice President of renewables finance at Wells Fargo predicts that the U.S. solar finance market will scale with the sophistication of data. Speaking to a small audience at the recent Intersolar North America, he suggested that lower cost more widely-available funding for solar projects is being fostered today by a growing use of bankability exercises in the industry.

India: The trade war slowly makes its way into India. Indian manufacturers have lodged a complaint against the Chinese on charges of dumping modules at unacceptable prices as well. Madhavan Nampoothiri of RESolve Energy Consultants elaborates.