[September 2010 Issue]
BUSINESS IN BRIEF
MARKET UPDATE
Germany Sets PV Feed-in Tariff Rates, Fuels Boom
Bright Start to 2010 for PV Module Market
Powered by China, Clean Energy Investment Holds Steady in Q2 2010
COVER STORY
The New PV Pipeline
Competition in the solar market is fundamentally changing the shape of the industry. As prices of PV modules and other equipment decline and competition puts downward pressure on energy prices and margins,
PV product manufacturers and solar project developers are looking at vertical integration to help ensure success in the ever-evolving solar market.
- BY JESSE TIPPETT, ALBERT FONG
GLOBAL LEADERS IN PV
M+W Group, The First Mover in the Design and Construction of PV Fabs
For nearly ten years, M+W Group has been one of the market leaders in design and construction of new and upgraded photovoltaic fabs. Its broad spectrum of solutions extends to the manufacturing of thin-film and silicon-based solar cells and modules. J rgen Wild, CEO of M+W Group, talks about the company’s growth story, strengths and commitment to developing cost-efficient approaches for designing and building a PV manufacturing site.
- BY JEANNY LIM
POLICY & LEGISLATION
India: New Policy in Waiting
New solar policy is to be announced anytime now from Government of INDIA, Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE), under Jawaharlal Nehru National Solar Mission (JNNSM).
- BY NILESH PATEL
GLOBAL MARKET REPORT
Europe Solar PV Markets and Strategies: 2010-2025
Europe solar Photovoltaic (PV) development continues to drive the global PV industry and shows little evidence of slowing down going forward. Initiated by strong regulatory support, the industry is transitioning into a new phase with the scaling entrance of well-financed industrial power players, utilities, Independent Power Producers (IPPs), and investors.
- BY CASSIDY DELINE
Korea’s PV Market: Who Leads the Market?
What’s going on in some of the most influential companies in the Korean Photovoltaic(PV) industry? InterPV presents an updated look at the key Korean PV players in the fields ranging from PV cell and module to polysilicon, ingot and wafer.
CELL & MODULE
CPV Footprint: Highest Output to Land Ratio for Large-scale Solar Installations
While the concept and technology ofCPV systems can be traced backmore than 40 years, recent advancements in design engineering and feasibilityare enabling CPV to become commercially available.
- BY STEPHANIE ROSENTHAL
Solarfun: WERNER NIEHAUS
Solarfun has recently appointed Werner Niehaus as its new VP of global marketing. In this interview, Niehaus reveals new directions he will pursue as head of Solarfun’s global marketing and talks about what we can expect from Solarfun.
- BY JEANNY LIM
PRODUCTION & INSPECTION
Emerging Trends in Laser Technology for PV
In order to reduce production costs per Wp, intensive efforts have been made to increase efficiency in fully-automated fabrication lines with high throughput. Independent of the solar cell concept, lasers have always played a role in the development of new production processes and improved solar cell concepts.
- BY RICHARD HENDEL
POWER SYSTEM
Quality Criteria for an Inverter
Inverters are commonly rated according to their efficiency. But efficiency alone does not provide a significant conclusion on the devices value. What are the characteristics of a good inverter?
- BY MARTIN FRICK
PV Inverter, Difficulties and Opportunities
In this article, difficulties and opportunities in PV inverter industry will be discussed.
- BY DEGANG YI
CASE STUDIES
Canadian Photovoltaic Market: Gold Rush under the Maple Leaf
The Canadian province of Ontario is currently warming up the market for renewable energies with new initiatives and an attractive feed-in tariff structure. In particular, the microFIT (micro feed-in tariff) program is creating an actual gold rush atmosphere for farmers, smaller investors and the photovoltaic industry as a whole.
- BY HERBERT GRAB
DESIGN & INSTALLATION
Wireless for PV
As the utility-scale PV market grows, there is new focus on reducing solar plant capital expenditure (capex) infrastructure costs and keeping overall operational expenses (opex) to a minimum. Implementing a secure wireless network within the PV plant can help to increase operational efficiency while lowering opex expenses.
- BY GLENN BOOTH
Best Practices for Solar Installation and Trends inDecentralized Electricity Generation
Solar design and installation is a complex but worthwhile process. This article looks at the process in terms of design and installation considerations from selecting solar inverters to metering the power.
- BY ENRIQUE DE LA CRUZ
Solar Mounting System: Small Part, but Big Investment
Ludwig Schletter, CEO of Schletter, a German manufacturer of solar mounting systems, shares his view on why solar mounting systems are important in making solar installations a success and reveals some tips on what to consider when choosing a solar mounting system.
- BY JEANNY LIM
PV & LIFE
Leading by Example: Green It Like You Mean It
For decades, the idea of saving the environment and contributing to a healthier world seemed like a great idea, but it was either too big a task for one individual to handle or a seemingly time consuming activity that would cut into money-making time. However, there are many ways to kick-start your green initiative at work and operate your business in an eco-friendly and sustainable way.
- BY MICHELLE LABROSSE, ERICA EDMOND
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