Bows to the string
Inverter design: It is taken as a given that developers of large-scale solar applications are increasingly at ease with using string inverters for their projects. But what has facilitated this evolution in the string inverter component, and what tangible benefits do string at scale actually offer?
A new era for US solar
PV landscape: It is a new era for the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA), and the United States. Fresh on the heels of the election of climate denier Donald Trump, who disparages solar and wants to bring back the coal industry, SEIA has appointed Abigail Ross Hopper as its president and CEO, to fill the power vacuum left by the departure of long-time CEO Rhone Resch. A few weeks after the appointment was made official pv magazine caught up with Hopper, to test the waters regarding her priorities at SEIA and her thoughts about the U.S. solar industry and policy under the new presidential administration.
What comes after PERC?
Upgrade cycles: Having conducted extensive along the PV value chain, and numerous interviews with equipment suppliers and PV manufacturers, Götz Fishbeck, CEO at Smart Solar Consulting, shares his conclusions regarding the future investment in novel cell technologies, and the outlook for additions of cell capacities.
“Increasing interest in HJT”
Heterojunction equipment supply: In December 2016, Germany’s Von Ardenne and China’s Ideal Energy announced a strategic partnership through which the two production equipment suppliers hope to advance their HJT-enabling technolgoies. With Von Ardenne bringing 40 years of sputtering experience to the young Shanghai-based PECVD supplier, the two companies see a mutual benefit in bringing their complementary technologies together. Kristin Lüdemann, VP crystalline PV spoke to pv magazine about the cooperation and the future of HJT.
Climate for technology
Module performance: Over the years researchers at TUEV Rheinland have tested and evaluated thousands of PV modules. Some of the individual tests performed only take a few seconds, while others (e.g. climate chamber related tests) take days or weeks to perform, but all are executed under well-controlled laboratory conditions.
Last chance for energy companies
Smart homes: Time is running out for energy companies in the connected home market, as tech giants including Amazon and Apple move to secure the lion’s share of this newly developing market. Delta Energy & Environment’s Arthur Jouannic explains.
Aussies hot for storage
Distributed storage, Australia: A warm market for batteries is rapidly heating up. The Australian storage market is set to triple in size, on the distributed front alone. For utilities it could be a blessing or a curse.
“The Australian market will be the global number one”
Distributed battery storage: Things are moving quickly Down Under. German battery supplier Senec has joined the list of companies looking to make inroads to the rapidly growing Australian battery storage market and the action is on the residential front. Senec launched its product in Perth, Western Australia, in January. pv magazine was on the spot and spoke to Senec Australia Managing Director Ian Parkinson and head of international development Sven Albersmeier-Braun.
A wild ride into the mainstream
Message from the editor.
Funding future production
Underpricing issues: Expect manufacturer revenues for 2017 to have little relationship to current prices, as manufacturers continue selling tomorrow’s production today. Moreover, the ability of manufacturers to raise prices in the near, medium and long term has been permanently eroded. For most manufacturers current prices do not reflect costs and as margin expectations – that is, the gross margin necessary to run a thriving business – are little understood by analysts, observers, academics, researchers and even industry participants there is little possibility that the dire consequences of continued underpricing will be addressed.
