Magazine Archive 2015

Flashing and Electroluminescence (EL) testing: When a solar park is underperforming it is often the case that modules need to be tested for park remediation and for repairs to be carried out. But mobile flashing and EL testing is becoming more common as a preventative and quality assurance step.

Backsheets: Backsheet architecture has evolved. With the many materials, it has also become necessary to conduct the right tests to know if they can survive in the field.

FBR Poly: Fluidized bed reactor (FBR) technology has been hailed as a means to produce polysilicon for solar at lower costs and with a small fraction of the electricity used by the dominant Siemens process. However, long delays at two new projects and technical challenges are slowing the progress of this promising technology. Will FBR eventually deliver?

Highlights from Intersolar North America 2015: The recent Intersolar North America show presented an ideal opportunity to take the temperature of the solar world’s balance of system (BOS) players. The sector is playing a larger role in overall cost reduction of PV, and the innovation on show at the exhibition offered an encouraging glimpse into a lower cost, more reliable solar future.

Solar and utilities: With intelligent power electronics being coupled with PV and potential storage, a new energy paradigm is emerging. But what will the future look like for utilities, grids and consumers, both large and small? pv magazine sat down to lunch with some of the Enphase leadership team to discuss these issues and found out that a brave new energy world is emerging, but what shape it will take is yet to be clear.

Large-scale PV: Superlatives tend to accompany coverage of the 300 MW Cestas project in France. But as it nears completion, the speed of install for a project this size is also turning heads. Paul-François Croisille, the COO of project developer Neoen, spoke to pv magazine in the fourth installment in the series on Europe’s largest PV project.

PERC production equipment: It’s a surprise to no-one that PERC market share is growing and growing fast. However, with rapid adoption comes challenges, which includes equipment suppliers keeping up with a spike in demand and the resolution of technical challenges such as LID. Centrotherm senior vice president PV sales and technology Josef Haase sets out the German equipment supplier’s technical solutions for PERC.

Global PV markets: Exponential growth and unbeatable cost projects are phrases that are sometimes used when describing the global PV market. But those having spent years inside the PV market know that there are many forces always at play within PV. SPV Market Research’s Paula Mints has based a career on charting those forces and shares with pv magazine some insights into the latest SPV Market Research product and market five-year forecast.