When it comes to the cutting edge of solar innovation, Building Integrated Photovoltatics (BIPV) tends to lead the way. Alex Savidis, Applications Manager of Solar Capture Technologies explores the latest technologies – and crucially, materials – being used. You could be forgiven for thinking that all solar panels have to be flat, rectangular, and made… Read more »
Even in challenging market conditions, Germany’s Solare Datensysteme GmbH (SDS) has maintained its leading role as a provider of PV monitoring and energy management solutions. Guy Thouin, Managing Partner from SDS, lets us in on the company’s business strategy and explains what exciting new devices we might see in the near future. PES: Welcome to… Read more »
Solayer reduces deposition costs in TF PV production with its redesigned magnetron SOL.MAG and improved film quality with extended homogeneous coating width. PES investigates… The tough economic situation within the thin-film PV industry, but in general within the photovoltaic panel production sector, is constantly pushing manufacturers to reduce costs while trying to improve the quality… Read more »
Using battery energy storage systems in local PV installations and testing the performance of the connected solar inverters. A discussion, courtesy of Spitzenberger & Spies GmbH & Co. KG. The longstanding problem when using photovoltaic energy harvesting is the night, when no energy production is available. Yet, several ways are currently being discussed to supply… Read more »
While regular readers will be well acquainted with Upsolar products and services, the thinking behind the company’s expansion strategy has always remained behind closed doors – until now. We speak exclusively to Roy Li, Managing Director of Asia Pacific, and Ioannis Markatatos, General Director of Turkey and Greece, to find out more about the organisation’s… Read more »
An often overlooked aspect of the PV sector, module theft is becoming increasingly common – particularly in rural or remote areas. We spoke to Oliver Strecke, Managing Director of monitoring company Viamon, to discover what can be done to counter the problem. PES: Welcome to PES magazine. Would you like to take this opportunity to… Read more »
VON ARDENNE develops and manufactures advanced vacuum coating equipment for the deposition of ultra-thin functional layers on materials such as glass, metal strip, wafers and polymer films. In this article, we take an exclusive look at the company and its latest product, XEA|nova – set to be introduced at this year’s Intersolar Europe. The German… Read more »
A resources solution that has been successfully deployed on a number of closed sites in Germany, solar farms located on waste sites could offer the ultimate win/win for renewable energy generation.Words: Adrian Lea, Technical Director, Wardell Armstrong With soaring energy prices, challenging emissions targets and the demand for greater security of supply, any imaginative and… Read more »
We unveiled this feature and in our last issue, and it’s taken our readers by storm. Are YOU up to speed when it comes to the wonderful world of solar? We prescribe regular doses of PES and the occasional look at Twitter for diverse nuggets of information like these… The White House @WhiteHouseFACT: Solar power… Read more »
Words: Ian Rose, Professional Services Director at PassivSystemsThe way we monitor solar PV panels is the difference between an investment fully realised and an investment exposed to unnecessary risk, argues Ian in this essential column… The solar market has endured a rollercoaster ride as government incentive levels have fluctuated, driving large peaks and troughs in… Read more »
Glass innovations come into focus at a testing time for the industry. PES investigates… Although the costs for solar power have come down considerably lately, photovoltaics are still unable to compete with conventional energy sources. The “last mile” to competitiveness will therefore prove difficult for the sector: cell and module production have already been rationalised… Read more »
The German Energiewende (energy transition) – once an international model – threatens to disintegrate. Now is the time to develop a common European energy strategy, experts say. PES reports. “Germany would be well-advised to start looking beyond the edge of its nose on energy policy”, warned Bert Rürup, former “economic wise man” and director of… Read more »
In a speech at this year’s Energy Storage Conference and Exhibition, Prof. Dr. Eicke R. Weber, Director of the Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems, stated that: “The energy storage market is in the same situation today as photovoltaics was ten years ago; only development in the area of storage must proceed significantly faster.” Why?… Read more »
In this exclusive technical feature, Klaus M. Schulte of PV-Engineering GmbH outlines how monitoring and measuring can make a vital difference to the effectiveness of a PV system – and how conventional methods may not provide the best feedback. Photovoltaic systems generally do not contain serviceable elements, which is one of the main advances of… Read more »
In a first for PES, we have gathered together an exclusive panel of experts from some of the world’s foremost solar associations. They offer unparalleled insight and analysis and dissect the issues that are uppermost in the minds of the industry’s thought leaders. Enjoy. PES: Welcome to the magazine. Can you tell us a little… Read more »
If there has been one solar success story of the past 12 months, it’s been America, which has steadily become a PV powerhouse. We present an exclusive breakdown of all the salient facts and stats, courtesy of the very latest SEIA/GTM Research U.S. Solar Market Insight report. The U.S. solar industry has much to celebrate… Read more »
As Solar Market Strategic Manager for Sensata Technologies, John Kluza has witnessed business evolution not just within his company, but in the wider solar arena. Here, he talks to PES about how Sensata is geared to meet that evolution and to capitalise on it. PES: Welcome to PES. Would you like to introduce your company… Read more »
The 40 AREVA M5000 turbines for the German Trianel wind farm Borkum have been installed successfully by Trianel in the German North Sea. Located 52 kilometers off the German coast, this wind farm has a 200 MW capacity and covers an area of 56 km2. “This key milestone demonstrates AREVA’s expertise in the offshore wind… Read more »
Royal DSM, the global Life Sciences and Materials Sciences company, today announced that it joins the Solliance CIGS Research program. It has entered into a 3-year agreement to participate in this alliance that focuses on developing new solutions for solar modules. DSM is already developing proprietary innovative materials for the solar industry to increase module… Read more »
• Comprehensive programme covers entire scope of innovations in Photovoltaic technologies, applications, markets and policies • Programme benefits from extensive experiences in PV system operations in Europe • EU PVSEC 2014 confirms its global relevance Munich, 02 June 2014 – With 1,500 presentations from 71 countries, the 29th European Photovoltaic Solar Energy Conference and Exhibition… Read more »
The online trading platform WINDSOURCING.COM displayed a five-fold increase in the range of wind energy technology and services it has on offer for the second quarter of 2014: from 2,300 to more than 12,000 wind energy products currently available. This makes it the largest sales portal for wind energy products globally. “We are particularly pleased… Read more »
German Solar Industry Association and Intersolar Europe publish a comprehensive guide for international PV business models for investors and policy makers / Special fair price offered at Intersolar Europe 2014 Berlin/Munich, June 5, 2014 – Due to continuing decreases in solar electricity production costs, as well as increasing deregulation for energy producers and rising electricity… Read more »
Regular contributors to PES, Gantner Instruments Environment Solutions GmbH have had a very busy 12 months. Phenomenal growth in the UK has been at the heart of this success, but there are strategic plans in place to capitalise in the long term. We talk to Jörg Scholz. PES: Welcome back to PES. How has the… Read more »
A subsidiary of the family-owned AUMA-Group, with headquarters in Müllheim, Germany, GFC (GFC AntriebsSysteme GmbH) is a world leader when it comes to drive solutions. We spoke to Peter Heise about the company’s illustrious past, its exciting present and its very promising future. PES: Welcome to PES. Would you like to introduce your company and… Read more »
Although a relative newcomer to the PV market, Hirschmann Renewable Energy is one of the industry’s shining lights. And with expansion into new markets and product rollouts planned for the near future, it looks set to consolidate its early successes. We catch up with the company’s Günter Arens… PES: Welcome back to PES. How has… Read more »
With events spanning four continents, Intersolar is the world’s leading exhibition for the solar industry and its partners. The show’s objective is to increase the share of solar power in the energy supply, and by providing first-rate services, it endeavours to bring businesses, technologies and people from the most important markets around the globe together…. Read more »
While there’s no doubt that module prices have declined in recent years, business is booming for innovative suppliers elsewhere in the PV marketplace. We spoke to Michael Jurchen, founder and CEO of the hugely successful (and highly resourceful) Jurchen Technology GmbH. PES: Welcome to PES. Would you like to introduce your company and explain a… Read more »
Solar power has won. Or at least – if its current trajectory continues – it will begin usurping oil as the energy source of choice within a few short years. But will the current trajectory continue? And surely oil isn’t going to go down without a fight, is it? PES investigates. Solar power has won… Read more »
We’re once again joined by the CEO of MBJ Solutions, Dr. Michael Fuß. A long-serving industry expert working at the heart of innovation both at home in Germany and further afield, he tells us how MBJ Solutions is performing and offers us his take on the sector. PES: Welcome back to PES. How has business… Read more »
A new idea for how to compensate quickly and flexibly for fluctuations in the low-voltage network has emerged from Germany and Switzerland. Two years ago, German magazine bild der wissenschaft named the energy thriller Blackout – Morgen ist es zu spät (Blackout – Tomorrow Is Too Late) the most exciting science book of the year…. Read more »
Australia to pilot new power plan One of the largest solar companies in the world has chosen Australia as the proving ground for a new model of power production that promises to give householders more control – and cut bills.‘What do you do when the sun doesn’t shine?’ It’s been one of the criticisms levelled… Read more »
Munich, Germany and Hod Hasharon, Israel, June 3, 2014 – SolarEdge Technologies, a global leader in power optimizers, PV inverters, and module-level monitoring services, is unveiling an expanded product portfolio. On display for the first time during Intersolar Europe in Munich, SolarEdge will showcase its smart energy management solution which reduces electricity costs by maximizing… Read more »
– Sunny Health Co., Ltd, JFE Engineering Corporation and Hanwha Q CELLS Japan team up to build solar power plant on abandoned golf course – “Sunny Fukushima” central power plant to be equipped with 105,000 Q.PRO-G3 solar modules – Leading example for the energy turnaround in Japan [Tokyo, Japan, Thalheim, Germany, 3 June 2014] –… Read more »
DEK Solar is pleased to announce a fantastic start to the recent International Photovoltaic Power Generation Conference and Exhibition (SNEC) in Shanghai, China. On the first day of the show, leading solar manufacturer Nice Sun PV Co., Ltd. purchased several DEK Solar Apollo metallization platforms to integrate into its existing DEK Solar PV 1200 lines…. Read more »
Cincinnati, OH, USA and Cologne, Germany, June 3rd, 2014 – RBI Solar today announced that it has signed an agreement to acquire Renusol GmbH, one of the PV industry’s leading solar mounting specialists for residential and commercial projects in Europe and in the US. Renusol is 100% owned by Centrosolar Group AG. The acquisition includes… Read more »
As costs fall, the importance of solar power to senior executives is rising. Is there a downside to the continued ascent of our industry? The shifting sands of the global economy might suggest so… The economics of solar power are improving. It is a far more cost-competitive power source today than it was in the… Read more »