Magazine Archive 2016

New battery chemistries: A new battery technology, the so-called saltwater battery made by Aquion energy, is poised to take the market for stationary storage systems by storm. Sales are already impressive, and demand continues to rise. Nevertheless, pushing lithium-ion batteries out of the market with this technology will be no easy task.

PV manufacturing: As part of our focus on quality and reliability issues, pv magazine brings you an interview with DuPont research fellow Bill Gambogi and Director of Corporate Marketing Bob Olsen, who discuss the work DuPont is doing with materials and quality testing for the lifetime of solar projects.

U.S. markets: The second half of 2016 is not looking as good as it once did in the U.S. utility-scale market, with the extension of the U.S. federal ITC removing the pressure for off-takers to sign power contracts.

Redox-flow technology: With a new variant of the redox-flow battery, a German company from Jena wants to cut today’s power storage prices in half over the next three years. What will make this possible are so-called redox polymers, which are not only economical but also offer environmental benefits.

Rooftop applications: Great idea, huge potential market, tough nut to crack. Solar shingles have been spoken of and introduced to the PV market at various times over the past five years. But none have flown. pv magazine ’s Charles W. Thurston re-examines that market to see whether solar shingles can finally shine.

Battery Storage: A lot of ink has been spilled in recent months about Australia’s emergence as an early global testing ground for PV applications with battery storage. The excitement seemed to reach fever pitch this summer, when SolarCity CTO Peter Rive identified the country as a key future market in which batteries could affordably be deployed alongside rooftop PV systems.

Cell and module testing: While there are different technological routes to high efficiency, many of them pose challenges to testing equipment providers. pv magazine assembled experts from five flash and test equipment providers to get a sense of the technology and business trends facing the segment.

What happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas. Of course, until it doesn’t. At the 12th Solar Power International trade show, held last month in the extravagant desert city, the trade show floor buzzed with announcements spanning much of the solar supply chain. From the rise of single-axis tracking to a host of 1,500 V components […]

Renewable Energy India Expo: The 10th Renewable Energy India Expo presented a snapshot of the world’s most enigmatic solar market approaching a crossroads. Halls packed with people and largely Chinese firms suggest all is well for India in 2016, but analysts and experts taking a longer view warned of potential problems further down the line.