Magazine Archive 2015

An alternative to silver paste: Copper plating is widely used both in the semiconductor industry and for bifacial and multi-junction PV cell designs. However, despite technical and cost advantages it has not been widely used for front-side metallization of standard crystalline silicon cells. Will copper plating replace silver paste for front-side metallization and, if so, when?

An alternative to silver paste: Copper plating is widely used both in the semiconductor industry and for bifacial and multi-junction PV cell designs. However, despite technical and cost advantages it has not been widely used for front-side metallization of standard crystalline silicon cells. Will copper plating replace silver paste for front-side metallization and, if so, when?

Emerging markets 2016: Ash Sharma, Senior Research Director for IHS PV Research, runs the rule over the potential solar stars of 2016, and concludes that the thirst for new markets may not be as pronounced in years past.

Emerging markets 2016: Ash Sharma, Senior Research Director for IHS PV Research, runs the rule over the potential solar stars of 2016, and concludes that the thirst for new markets may not be as pronounced in years past.

Reforming the Energy Vision: New York has embarked on a bold process to fundamentally change the way the distribution grid operates, including the role of utilities. But the final details are far from certain.

NYSE Bloomberg Solar Energy Index: Strong China volume growth and upward guidance from some U.S. heavyweights drive index bounce back.

NYSE Bloomberg Solar Energy Index: Strong China volume growth and upward guidance from some U.S. heavyweights drive index bounce back.

Japan FIT revisions: The feed-in tariff (FIT) introduced in Japan in July 2012 was pivotal in growing the country’s solar footprint as the country pivoted away from nuclear and towards solar. Now that the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) has begun revising the program, Izumi Kaizuka of RTS Corporation explains how these proposed changes are shaping up.

Japan FIT revisions: The feed-in tariff (FIT) introduced in Japan in July 2012 was pivotal in growing the country’s solar footprint as the country pivoted away from nuclear and towards solar. Now that the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) has begun revising the program, Izumi Kaizuka of RTS Corporation explains how these proposed changes are shaping up.

PERC LID: Monocrystalline solar cells have always sported higher cell efficiencies, yet higher production costs and specific loss mechanisms limited the broader adoption of this production technology. As the industry moves to PERC structures and new cure technologies are being adopted, the relative appeal of monocrystalline cells is rising once again.