Magazine Archive 2013

Readers’ Service: The engineering department of Solarpraxis AG answers reader questions regarding rooftop and ground-mounted solar PV installations.

System prices: Average system prices fell across all segments: residential, non-residential, and utility. Cory Honeyman and Mike Munsell from GTM Research elaborate on the downward trend in PV system prices.

Brazil: Photovoltaics’ inclusion in energy tenders has given the country’s solar sector new impetus. Although the market is still small, firms are jostling for position as they await a solar-specific call for bids.

Solar software: Recent advances in inspection and quality control systems, allied to improved software for wafer production, could have a profoundly positive impact on the way wafer manufacturers approach the often delicate production process.

Feed-in tariffs: The UK Labour party is considering following in Spain’s footsteps with a price freeze on energy. Germany’s energy debate, like with many other nations, is hampered by misinformation from lobby groups. And as the Netherlands finally closes its FIT, Delhi in India considers kick starting its own.

SPI: The atmosphere at this year’s Solar Power International (SPI) in Chicago was remarkably sunny. The US solar market is growing sustainably, although it is still dominated by utility-scale installations. The main driving forces are declining costs, backed by tax credits. A new trend is the increasing involvement of US utilities in the solar PV industry.

Metallization pastes: Innovative metallization pastes help to lower silver cost, while novel cell technologies and new printing techniques enable the optimization of cost and performance, explains Carsten Mohr of the Photovoltaics Business Unit of Heraeus, a precious metals and technology group based in Germany.

Module prices: The stagnating European market and inventory clearance sales have sent prices plummeting at the end of the year.

India: Jasmeet Khurana, head of the Market Intelligence team at Bridge to India, outlines how India’s National Solar Mission has slowly overcome its roadblocks and begun making a real impact on the nation’s solar landscape.

Ardour Solar Index: The index rally rolls on ahead of a strong 3Q13 reporting period. Solar Power International supports the healthy outlook.