BUSINESS IN BRIEF
MARKET UPDATE
Blossoming PV Tester Market
Pulsed PV cell and module testers market registers growth despite recession.
VIEWPOINT
Solar in Harmony
How will the standard harmonization efforts and product testing and certification processes be streamlined to help address the needs of solar market?
- BY EVELYN BUTLER
COVER STORY
Organic Solar Cells: On the Path to Commercialization
Although progress is steady, organic solar cells are not (yet) ready for large-scale electricity production. Nevertheless, they are emerging in several niche applications. In this article, progress in organic solar cells is reported.
- BY MIEKE VAN BAVEL, TOM AERNOUTS
GLOBAL LEADERS IN PV
Conergy AG: Great Zeal for Solar Energy
Conergy AG CEO Dieter Ammer speaks about the company’s successful business and activities and its plan for the future.
- BY AMANDA KIM
POLICY & LEGISLATION
Australia: Opportunity Lives Here
FINANCIAL & INVESTMENT
PV Investment: Is There an Opportunity?
There is a massive switch to renewables for power generation. Total additional investment in the power sector reaches US$3.6 trillion. Solar PV needs to provide about 30 GW per year and solar CSP about 20 GW per year between 2005 and 2050. This represents massive expansion of the PV sector.
- BY JYOTI PRASAD PAINULY
EXPO REVIEW
EXPO Solar 2010
EXPO Solar 2010 provided a preview of what’s to come in 2010 for the global PV market.
- BY JEANNY LIM
BIPV NEW TREND
How to Make BIPV Commonplace?
Combining solar technology with conventional building surfaces is one ideal way that has been around a while to make renewable energy more common and cost effective.
- BY MICHAEL GUMM
CELL & MODULE
PV Module Recycling: Is Sustainable Cycle Becoming Reality?
The members of PV CYCLE have shown their commitment to protecting the environment and are putting into practice their promises after two years of hard work the initial efforts of PV CYCLE have started to pay off.
- BY JAN CLYNCKE
GLOBAL MARKET REPORT
PV, the Touchstone Solar Technology in the U.S.A.
The authors distill AltaTerra Researchs experience in solar market development and entry in the U.S. to two key observations: 2010 will be a year of high growth again and, among solar technologies, PV is the “touchstone” solar technology now and for at least the next several years.
- BY JON GUICE, PH.D. WITH LARRY SHERWOOD, ANNEKE HOHL AND ERIC PAUL
Patent Strategy: Do You Have One?
At the moment, the maturity of thin-film technology is lagging behind that of crystalline silicon. By analyzing patents and patent applications that can be associated with thin-film technology, this article provides an insight into the issues and challenges at stake and positions the different players involved in thin-film technology.
- BY FIST IP OVERVIEW TEAM
COMPONENT & MATERIAL
Curing on Command
Junction boxes must continue to operate reliably and safely throughout the lifetime of a PV module. Therefore, many module manufacturers pot their boxes with silicone. An innovation makes potting faster and easier than ever.
- BY CHRISTIAN OCHS
Kevin Drumm
Vice President of Business Development at Dynamic Engineering, Inc. sees continued
growth in new polysilicon production techniques which can reduce the cost of polysilicon by US$10 per kg.
- BY JEANNY LIM
Single Axis Integrated Tracking System with a Reflective Rack
A single axis integrated tracking system increases overall energy production. This approach also streamlines the value chain from raw materials to system design, manufacturing, shipping, installation,
operations, maintenance and end-of-life recyclability. And it offers scalability from the manufacturing capacity and field installation perspectives.
- BY BOB MACDONALD
CANADA: Level Playing Field
Erik Desrosiers, Director of Business Development at Opsun Panels, Inc., shares his thoughts on the companys technological developments and Ontario’s feed-in tariff.
- BY SARAH JEONG
DESIGN & INSTALLATION
Prabissh Thomas
Managing Director of PTL SOLARTM believes that we should not link oil prices to the future development of alternative energy sources for four reasons.
- BY JEANNY LIM
PRODUCTION & INSPECTION
Optimized Lamination Process: Meeting the Need for Improved Efficiency
Technical and commercial details of so-called three-chamber lamination process to produce
high-quality PV glass-backsheet modules are presented.
- BY UWE MICHEL, ALESSIO MAIOCCHI AND RONALD F.M. LANGE
Tom Gutierrez
GT Solar’s President and Chief Executive Officer shares his thoughts on the renewable energy industry.
- BY JEANNY LIM
POWER SYSTEM
Challenges in the Development of Utility-scale Solar Power Plants
The solar energy industry has matured to the point where utilities are employing multi-megawatt photovoltaic projects to contribute renewable power to the utility grid.
The ability to control and deliver solar energy to a commercial power grid over a broad spectrum of environments is critical to the success of this endeavor.
- BY STEVEN G. HUMMEL, MESA SCHARF, J. MICHAEL FIFE
Roberto De Ambrogio
Head of Business Development at Enel Green Power believes even in the current economic crisis, fundamentals of renewables remain solid and growth will be robust.
- BY JEANNY LIM
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