Magazine Archive 2015

PV’s price pressures: Battling the clout of conventional energy and unreasonable price expectations from both government and consumer, margins in the PV industry have been too tight for too long. But with quality an intrinsic value that should never waver, the industry must find new ways to fund innovation and protect its reputation.

CEO interview: While the global PV market has been through dramatic pricing and demand peaks and troughs over the last five years, there are signs that the high conversion efficiency market segment is benefiting from stable demand and returning relatively steady margins. Lee Zhen Guo, CEO of the Chinese monocrystalline ingot and wafer producer Longi Silicon Materials Corp., spoke exclusively to pv magazine in Tokyo to share the company’s dramatic predictions for cost reductions in mono wafer supply.

NYSE Bloomberg Solar Energy Index: Financing support and sunny 2015 outlooks help lift the index. Hanergy continues its upward trend despite lack of news flow.

NYSE Bloomberg Solar Energy Index: Financing support and sunny 2015 outlooks help lift the index. Hanergy continues its upward trend despite lack of news flow.

USA: Only two states in the south of the US adopted renewable energy mandates that require their utilities to purchase electricity from renewable energy. Just a few years ago Southern utilities were openly opposed to solar energy in their service area. Now a wave of change is crashing through the region.

USA: Only two states in the south of the US adopted renewable energy mandates that require their utilities to purchase electricity from renewable energy. Just a few years ago Southern utilities were openly opposed to solar energy in their service area. Now a wave of change is crashing through the region.

Solar production in Latin America: Latin American nations are developing their solar potential in various ways. While countries like Argentina are creating solar energy industries before there is an established market for them to serve, others like Chile are opting to raise installation volume without worrying about creating an industry. Meanwhile, the likes of Brazil are trying to achieve both outcomes by setting local content requirements.

Large-scale storage: Demand for large-scale, stationary storage is being driven by a combination of greater solar penetration and technical improvements within the industry. But which battery technology is most adept at meeting the storage needs of utilities and commercial-scale players?

Large-scale storage: Demand for large-scale, stationary storage is being driven by a combination of greater solar penetration and technical improvements within the industry. But which battery technology is most adept at meeting the storage needs of utilities and commercial-scale players?