Magazine Archive 2015

U.S. utility scale: Given the rapid increase in installed capacity and corresponding price declines, the U.S. solar industry is undergoing a rapid transformation. GTM Research’s Shayle Kann argues that this is true of the utility-scale segment along with DG, with Renewable Portfolio Standards no longer constraining big PV’s growth.

Global electricity: As we move from an era in which “generation is king” to “grid is king,” competitive advantage can be gained through PV becoming a better grid citizen, writes Felicity Jones, senior consultant at DNV GL Energy.

It is the season for records. With spring having sprung in the northern hemisphere, the past few weeks have repeatedly shattered records for solar electricity being fed into Germany’s grid. With its 38.5 GW of installed capacity, each time a high-pressure weather system moves into place over central Europe, Germany’s electricity network is on the […]

300 MW Cestas: Europe’s largest PV power plant is taking shape. The 300 MW Cestas is different in a number of ways and some of the biggest names in solar have come together to make the project a reality. But one family-owned provider is keeping the project grounded.

Interview: The solar DC cabling market is set to enjoy steady year-on-year growth of around 9% between now and 2019. IHS analyst Cormac Gilligan discusses the trends shaping the market, revealing that the price of copper and the development of 1,500 volt cabling will define the industry over the coming years.

Module prices: Prices rise in March but not due to higher minimum price levels – the weak euro is to blame.

Ranking cell manufacturers: While the “expansion mania” of 2010 and 2011 has not returned in earnest, cell producers are adding capacity. Trade barriers are having a major impact on the market and putting pressure on merchant cell producers, particularly from Taiwan.

Jinkosolar: Long regarded as one of the leaders when it comes to production costs, JinkoSolar has continued to expand its production capacity, right across the crystalline silicon production chain. IHS ranks it as the fifth-largest module manufacturer, and the company is also investing heavily in the booming Chinese downstream market. pv magazine spoke to company chairman Xiande Li at the SNEC trade show in Shanghai to discuss the company’s performance and future objectives.

Interview: One year ago pv magazine spoke to Shunfeng International Clean Energy Limited CEO Eric Luo, after he took the helm at the former Wuxi Suntech Power.Catching up again with the fast-moving company at the SNEC trade show, pv magazine finds a force that hopes to be the clean utility of the future.