TradeWind – the European project funded under the EU’s Intelligent Energy-Europe programme – has recently published an essential 100-page paper on the state of the European wind power industry. In this exclusive extract from the comprehensive, hard-hitting report, PES picks out all the important and salient issues facing us all as we move into an… Read more »
pes presents half a dozen lessons, which if heeded in future offshore projects, together with the other parts of the offshore wind ecosystem, we can make for smoother, quicker, and cheaper installations and ultimately, better windfarms for the production of clean energy. {pagebreak} Over the years we have all heard much about the potential of… Read more »
The Times of London has just published its first green global rich list, with many tycoons and executives from the wind industry making the top 100, including the USA’s Warren Buffett who tops the poll at number one, being worth a cool Euro 37bn. Here, PES presents your handy guide to the top 10 movers… Read more »
During the past decade it has become extremely important to optimise all aspects of product design. Competition is tougher than ever and steel costs have skyrocketed. For economic reasons each component must be utilised to its maximum capacity. Bolted joints became the centre of attention after recent findings that they are often used to as… Read more »
Considerable wind resources place many countries across the region in an enviable position. Yet capitalising on those resources can prove problematic, due to local planning restrictions. This case study from the UK highlights the problems faced and offers a number of solutions that will resonate with wind energy suppliers throughout Europe. {pagebreak} The UK has… Read more »
Air Products has more than 35 years’ experience of supplying essential gases and chemicals to the semiconductor industry. PES spoke to Jeff Handelman. General Manager, Photovoltaics about the company’s success story and about its commitment to the environment. Welcome to PES magazine. Can you first explain a little about the background of your company and… Read more »
A globally-renowned company with headquarters in Belgium, Bekaert group is a market leader in drawn steel wire products and applications, and a technological leader in its two core competences: advanced metal transformation and advanced materials and coatings. The group is also very active in the PV sector, and has become the world’s biggest supplier of… Read more »
The Carl Zeiss brand is well known in a variety of global consumer sectors, and yet it is also one of the PV industry’s leading lights. Here, Jürgen Gobel tells PES about the company, its future goals and its broad spectrum of applications within the sector.Can you tell us a little bit about the history… Read more »
A vertically-integrated manufacturer of ingots, wafers, cells, solar modules and custom-designed solar power applications, Canadian Solar delivers solar power products of uncompromising quality to customers worldwide. We talk to President Gregory E. Spanoudakis about the firm’s meteoric rise and its plans for future expansion. {pagebreak} PES: Welcome to PES. Can you explain a little about… Read more »
The Grenzebach group is a global PV player with production facilities in Germany, the USA and China. Its staff of 1500 designs, manufactures and delivers fabrication lines and components for the production and processing of flat glass and thin film photovoltaic modules. The company is also a specialist in equipment for display glass production. Here,… Read more »
A leading manufacturer of high-performance solar cells, JA Solar Holdings Co., Ltd. is one of the industry’s leading lights. The company sells its products to solar manufacturers worldwide, who assemble and integrate solar cells into modules and systems that convert sunlight into electricity for residential, commercial, and utility-scale power generation. PES spoke to Ming Yang,… Read more »
Luvata is a world-leader in metal fabrication, component manufacturing and related engineering and design services. The now-global company prides itself on its ability to partner its customers – through its Partnerships Beyond Metals philosophy – to help them increase their competitiveness. PES spoke to Justin Roux, Senior Vice-President of Communications, about the company and its… Read more »
ABB is a market leader in power and automation technologies, enabling utility and industry customers to improve their performance while lowering environmental impact. The ABB group of companies operates in around 100 countries and employs about 120,000 people. {pagebreak} ABB robots for solar cell and solar module production ABB uses all the latest technology to… Read more »
Flanked by wind and solar thermal energy, photovoltaic is the source to give developing regions access to clean energy. In order to compete with traditional and new energy sources, the photovoltaic industry follows one goal – cost reduction. To address this need, the Meyer Burger Technology Group has come up with a whole range of… Read more »
Black Forest-based Robert Bürkle GmbH succeeded in making a breakthrough in solar module production with its Ypsator, the world’s first and largest multi-opening laminator. Here Managing Director, Ralf Spindler, tells us about the company and its ambitious plans for the future. {pagebreak} With the Ypsator, Robert Bürkle GmbH succeeded in making a breakthrough in solar… Read more »
There are very few industries that have grown as quickly as the photovoltaic industry over the last 10 years. Its image as a fancy technology is long gone and it is now on the way to becoming one of the 21st century’s sources of energy. Lapp Group’s Michael Collet explains… {pagebreak} The industry has not… Read more »
Alternative energy resources continue to be high in demand, and the photovoltaic industry is still leading the field. In order to ensure availability and short lead times, Swiss based PV connector specialist Multi-Contact largely increased their global manufacturing capacities and invested in state-of-the-art production facilities. {pagebreak} In 1996, Multi-Contact pioneered with the introduction of the… Read more »
Prediktor is a Manufacturing Execution Systems (MES) company with its HQ in Norway and subsidiaries in Singapore, Germany and China. Prediktor is partnering with the PV industry to optimise manufacturing processes and reduce the cost of solar power. The Prediktor Solar Manufacturing Execution System helps realise a plant’s full potential, based on in-depth solar industry… Read more »
In a country which often generates adverse publicity as a result of its fluctuating economy and ever-changing political system, one area of consistently good news lies with its renewables industry, which is seen as one of the most up-and-coming in the world. In fact, according to the European Photovoltaic Industry Association. {pagebreak} investments in photovoltaics… Read more »
In recent years, the interest for renewable energy has grown dramatically, not only from the research and academic world and from the policy makers, but also from the industry, that has reckoned renewable energy as a new growth market. As a result, the PV industry has grown with more that 30% yearly over the last… Read more »
Last year, PES met Bryan Ekus of the newly-formed International Photovoltaic Equipment Association, a major trade group aiming to meet the needs of PV manufacturers and suppliers. We caught up with the busy Managing Director 12 months later to see how things have progressed and whether establishing a trade association where none existed previously was… Read more »
Has the PV industry finally come of age? The statistics certainly look good, even if the economic downturn has – temporarily, perhaps – slightly dented the industry’s image as one which seemed to offer unlimited growthAnd, credit crunch aside, there is still much to celebrate, particularly in Europe. {pagebreak} The continent accounted for no less… Read more »
SEMI is the global industry association serving the manufacturing supply chains for the microelectronic, display and photovoltaic industries, and member companies are the engine of the future, enabling smarter, faster and more economical products that improve our lives. Here, Steve Buehler, Sr. Director, Communications, puts forward a future vision for the industry that is built… Read more »
As a critical part of the photovoltaic manufacturing process, metallization is applicable to both crystalline silicon and thin-film technologies. As such, it’s not only important that manufacturers get it right, but also, that they do so while driving down cost-per-watt and increasing cell efficiency. Then and only then will we arrive at that coveted milestone… Read more »
The combination of the Nokia Smart Home team know-how and the Comsel team knowledge of energy grid and metering create an unique and strong basis to start developing new generation energy solutions HELSINKI 10 September 2009 – There corporation will focus on energy saving and efficiency. The energy saving solutions of the company are based… Read more »
San Diego – August 2009 – KIC, the leader of thermal process development and control products, and winner of multiple industry awards, announces the SunKIC version 1.1.0, a thermal profiler that is specifically designed for the unique needs and challenges of the PV industry. {pagebreak} The SunKIC benefits from several hardware and software innovations that… Read more »
The team at Rehm Thermal Systems are preparing to showcase the company’s best-in-class capabilities for solar cell metallization at the 24th European Photovoltaic Solar Energy Conference & Exhibition. Being held from September 21st – 25th in Hamburg, Germany, EUPVSEC 2009 will introduce visitors to the thermal specialist’s recently updated line of fast-firing systems and drying… Read more »
The world’s leading producer of safety equipment for service technicians in wind turbine towers, the Danish company Avanti Wind Systems, is opening a sales office and centres for installation, service, maintenance and training in Brisbane on the east coast of Australia. John Chinn, 43, has been hired as general manager of Avanti Australia. He has… Read more »
This is the first in a series of projects in the United States in which the company will participate, with approximately 30 MW expected to be installed between 2009-2010 · The project, in which MECASOLAR is involved, aims to reduce energy costs for pumping water in Reclamation District 108 located in Yola in the state… Read more »
AMARILLO, Tex. – Sage Oil Vac’s Gear Oil Exchange System for wind turbines now features a flush system that improves fluid changes on gearboxes hundreds of feet above the ground. Gearbox flushes are becoming more common to remove sludge and varnish when performing oil changes. {pagebreak} Featuring a 120 gallon (454 liter) tank with a… Read more »
Dr. Schenk launches brand new product at their booth B6/6 during the 24th EU PVSEC in Hamburg (21-24. September, 2009) The I-V Curve Tracer from the SolarMeasure family enables correlation of optical inspection and efficiency tests (I-V curve) {pagebreak} Currently, Dr. Schenk GmbH is the only “total-solution provider” of metrology systems for PV thin-film modules… Read more »
Following the success of its recent guide to social media, Protean Marketing has released the latest in its series of free ‘Practical Guide’ downloads. The next in the series tackles the subject of e-marketing, highlighting its status as a powerful CRM and prospecting tool. Aimed at the electronics industry, the new guide is already being… Read more »
£1.75m business support for next generation of UK clean tech pioneers 4th September 2009 – The Carbon Trust is expanding its business Incubation scheme in response to a growing need for critical business support to spawn the next generation of commercial clean tech innovators in the UK. {pagebreak} Oxford-based, early-stage business growth consultancies Conduit Partners… Read more »
PES is proud to announce the publication of its latest issue, which focuses on the offshore wind business, and features all the latest news and developments from across the world of wind power. The issue incorporates comment from all industry’s essential decision-makers as well as going behind the scenes of Europe’s growing offshore wind industry…. Read more »
Products Ideal for Residential/Commercial PV Applications Ronkonkoma- September 2, 2009. Island Technology announces the launch of its wholly-owned subsidiary, Direct Grid Technologies, LLC. The new company will manufacture leading-edge solar micro-inverters for residential and commercial photovoltaic (PV) applications. {pagebreak} Island Technology is a leading manufacturer of electric utility products and services. Direct Grid is a… Read more »
MAN Solar Millennium GmbH, a joint venture of MAN Ferrostaal AG and Solar Millennium AG, is developing into an autonomous technology engineering service provider in the solar thermal power sector. Solar Millennium will incorporate its subsidiary Flagsol GmbH, with around 60 employees and comprehensive know-how, in the joint venture. {pagebreak} The company transfer will result… Read more »