Magazine Archive 2015

Off-grid solutions: Along the ShuGang highway from HuangDao to JiaoNan, 122 remote monitoring systems powered by Phocos PL series charge controllers send video data to three control centers that supervise and evaluate the traffic. Susanne Kircher of Phocos visited the traffic control center of Shandong Hi-Speed Group Co. Ltd. in HuangDao and spoke with the department manager and staff about their experiences with the system.

Feed-in tariffs: Across four continents, FITs are falling as photovoltaic systems become ever cheaper.

Feed-in tariffs: Across four continents, FITs are falling as photovoltaic systems become ever cheaper.

Trackers: The sun may be sizzling in Western Chinese provinces like Xinjiang, Quinghai, Sichuan, and Yunnan, where intense insolation hits chart-topping rates of over 2,000 kWh/m² . But China solar tracker adoption there may lag behind the performance of the EU and US solar markets, where trackers came to dominate utility installations in around five years.

Trackers: The sun may be sizzling in Western Chinese provinces like Xinjiang, Quinghai, Sichuan, and Yunnan, where intense insolation hits chart-topping rates of over 2,000 kWh/m² . But China solar tracker adoption there may lag behind the performance of the EU and US solar markets, where trackers came to dominate utility installations in around five years.

China: Although China missed its installation goal for distributed generation of solar power last year by a long shot, a similar goal has been set for this year. Will China be able to achieve its goal in 2015?

China: Although China missed its installation goal for distributed generation of solar power last year by a long shot, a similar goal has been set for this year. Will China be able to achieve its goal in 2015?

Thin film manufacturing: In a module market where profit margins are slim, developing PV power plants and selling kilowatt hours has been a successful next step for suppliers. Manufacturing equipment suppliers are increasingly framing their sales proposition in terms of kWh delivery, and Manz for one believes it presents a compelling offering.

Thin film manufacturing: In a module market where profit margins are slim, developing PV power plants and selling kilowatt hours has been a successful next step for suppliers. Manufacturing equipment suppliers are increasingly framing their sales proposition in terms of kWh delivery, and Manz for one believes it presents a compelling offering.

Ecobuild review: Not strictly a solar show, the Ecobuild Exhibition at London’s ExCel was nevertheless a fine opportunity for the PV industry to gather its thoughts, speak to consumers and test the waters of a U.K. market facing a great deal of uncertainty in 2015 and beyond.