The chase for higher efficiencies means that companies are developing and improving technologies all the time. Dr.-Ing. Stefan Rinck, CEO at SINGULUS TECHNOLOGIES, dropped in to PES to tell us about their new developments in CIGS and the new heterojunction cell technology (HJT). PES: Welcome to PES Solar/PV magazine. Would you like to begin by… Read more »
The reduction in the Feed-in-Tariff has created numerous challenges for the solar PV industry and managing operational costs has been fundamental to the continued success of many businesses. In pursuing their efforts to address operational costs, owners of large domestic solar PV portfolios, such as social housing landlords, local authorities and investors face many challenges… Read more »
Working at the world’s first take-back and WEEE compliance scheme for photovoltaic modules, PV CYCLE staffs are often confronted with the question of why pay for something that has not yet occurred. While about 9 million tonnes of photovoltaic – or PV – modules had been installed in Europe by the end of 2015, only… Read more »
The solar cell technology PERC enables PV cell manufacturers to decrease costs and increase efficiency. PES gets an insight on the state-of-the-art and next generation PERx technology from Mirko Meyer, Product Manager Meyer Burger, Germany, AG. The success story of photovoltaics has always been a technology story which is still being written. Numerous PV technology… Read more »
What happen in 2016 and what can we expect in 2017 2016 was a record breaking year for solar in the Middle East. With record low tariffs on Dubai Electricity and Water Authority’s (DEWA) 800 MW Phase III project and Abu Dhabi Water and Electricity Authority’s (ADWEA) Sweihan project, we could call it a successful… Read more »
Dieter Manz, founder and CEO of Manz AG talks to PES about the German high-tech engineering firm’s unwavering commitment to the CIGS thin-film solar technology and how it is about to pay off. PES: Would you like to begin by explaining a little about the background of your organization and how you currently serve the… Read more »
PES asked Gregor Reddemann, CEO at M10 Industries AG, about Kubus, innovation, sharing know-how and the future and discovered many more interesting things about this progressive company. PES: Welcome back to PES Solar. For our new reader would you like to introduce your company and explain a little about how you serve the solar industry?… Read more »
As photovoltaics emerge as the leading generation source of the future, with installations topping wind for the first time in 2016, the underlying production machine has reached maturity. While relatively recently, in the early 2010’s, uncertainty remained around the prospects of competing photovoltaic technologies. Thin-film companies championed CIGS and CdTe as the materials of choice… Read more »
In general mounting components play a minor role across the PV sector as a whole. Most of the focus is on PV modules, electricity and annual yield. Compared to the key role of these components, this is somehow astonishing. Additionally, there are daring improvements, for flat-roofs for example, where there has been far reaching development… Read more »
Here we present a different take on our usual PES Ask the Experts. Patricia Darez, a director at 350renewables, interviews Marc Korevaar, a physicist at Kipp & Zonnen, to find out what makes the new RaZON+ stand out from its competitors. Patricia Darez: Congratulations on the new product, I haven’t had a chance yet to… Read more »
Celebrating its 10–year anniversary, Intersolar North America will once again be the first major solar event of the year. It takes place July 11-13 at the Moscone Center in San Francisco, and is co-located with ees North America and SEMICON West. These combined events bring together professionals from the solar, energy storage and semiconductor industries… Read more »
PES brings you previews to the Intersolar shows, kicking off with the Intersolar Europe and followed closely by Intersolar US. These shows reflect the expansion of solar energy across the globe and bring you the latest technology, innovation and a chance to meet the regular players in the market and new ones. Prepare to be… Read more »
The ongoing trend to push high-efficiency PV cell devices to higher efficiency levels is more and more accompanied by the adaption of semiconductor device fabrication standards. One of the reasons is the rising sensitivity of p-i-n PV cell structures of thin film layer stacks to the impact of impurities, which may be increasingly harmful with… Read more »
Driven by the accuracy requirements of the solar renewable energy industry, solar radiation measurement reaches the next level. Sensor technology is improving, user access to calibration is getting easier, practices for instrument maintenance and measurement uncertainty evaluation are now being standardised. Hukseflux Thermal Sensors, a technology leader in this field, is actively involved. The weakest… Read more »
As the world transitions to a low carbon electricity system, one of the key challenges is responsiveness. Traditional forms of power generation provide a reliable base load that can be dialled up and down as needed. In contrast, renewable energy generation is intermittent and cannot be increased as efficiently in response to peaks in demand;… Read more »
Moritz Meixner, the general manager at h.a.l.m. elektronik gmbh, came back to PES to catch us up on the developments in their high quality range of testers. He is also enthusiastic about the need for R&D and training – both for staff and the customer. PES: Welcome back to PES Solar/PV magazine. Thanks for talking… Read more »
Experienced in back-contact module manufacturing since 2007, Eurotron is taking module manufacturing to the next level. “Back contact is no longer a concept. It is a proven technology and our clients are currently in mass production,” says Bram Verschoor, Commercial Director at Eurotron. PES caught up with Bram and Jan Bakker, Technical Director at Eurotron,… Read more »
Market development of PV storage solutions in Germany There was hardly any awareness of storage systems in the German market until the introduction of a federal subsidy program for the usage of home storage systems in 2013. In the beginning the new technology was met with scepticism from various market players; however, the federal subsidy… Read more »
In a drive for even lower costs and higher efficiency, the photovoltaic industry is hugely dominated by the standard rectangular panels of 60 or 72 cells optimised for installation in large fields and flat roofs, in dry and accessible environments. This has proven a good model for utility-scale electricity production but people want more. This… Read more »
PES met up with Rogier Reinders, Global Marketing Director at The Dow Chemical Company, to learn about the positive effect the ownership of Dow Corning’s silicones business will have on the PV industry and the customers of both entities. PES: Welcome back to PES Solar/PV China magazine. Thanks for talking with us. It’s been a… Read more »
PES takes a look at the latest way one company is offering a way to save time, money and be ecologically responsible, by using a new extrusion method. BREYER’s extrusion system “CellProtect” allows the production of low shrinkage EVA encapsulation film at high production speed – on top – no energy consuming annealing and no… Read more »
All power storage systems allow you to store energy for later use as needed, regardless of when the power was generated. However, differences in functionality and technology have considerable impacts on the actual use and economic efficiency of such systems. PES brings you the latest up to date information to help you make your choice…. Read more »
New multi-megawatt solar installations are growing rapidly, which is great news for the environment and the economy. With that growth comes falling prices, both for power purchase agreements (PPAs) and solar gear including PV modules, inverters and other equipment. But what about the people reading this article who got into large scale solar earlier in… Read more »
Harald Hohlen, Senior Wind Measurement Specialist at ROMO Wind, caught up with PES to talk to us about the improvements in the iSpin technology and the Performance Transparency Project, which will provide data to the whole of the wind industry. PES: Welcome back to PES Wind magazine. Thanks for talking with us. For the benefit… Read more »
Proper and effective operation and maintenance (O&M) management of wind energy is crucial to the energy yield of the wind farm. Lowering the cost of O&M is becoming more of a challenge and at the same time, a necessity for the modern and competitive wind energy market. Daniel Perkowski, CEO at Wind Audit sp. z… Read more »
Synergies are better than my way or your way. It is an efficient combination and results in our way. The last years in the offshore wind industry, which is similar to oil and gas, have shown that each project and/or location has its own, individual logistic concept and needs an exclusively chartered vessel or even… Read more »
Six years ago, ZF Wind Power took the challenge to set the benchmark in the industry pioneering wind gearboxes to power the new giants of the sea. The project started with an early cooperation between the customer and ZF with one main focus: reliability. Dr. Dirk Strasser, Manager Wind Gearbox Design at ZF Wind Power,… Read more »
WAB is the leading business network for the wind industry in Germany’s northwest region and the nationwide contact partner for politics, media and industry for offshore wind power in the country. Projects such as “Inn2POWER” clearly show that WAB is also active in Europe, on behalf of its 350 members, in the wind energy sector…. Read more »
While German wind turbine manufacturers have become active in nearly all markets in the world, in Germany it is facing a profound upheaval. Now that renewable, decentralised energy transition technology has become a major pillar for power generation in this industrial nation. Matthias Zelinger, Managing Director of the Power Systems trade association and VDMA (German… Read more »
At PES we know that maximising uptime and reducing costs are essential to the offshore wind power business. Semco Maritime helps offshore wind farm operators do exactly this by offering full service and maintenance concepts for offshore substations and wind turbine foundations – the so-called transition pieces. Semco Maritime helps offshore wind farm operators maximise… Read more »
Words: Al Maiorino It seems the US is finally being blown away with the idea of wind power. At last traditional forms of energy are being reviewed and clean, sustainable wind energy is being taken seriously. There is to be a 200 turbine windfarm off the coast of Long Island. “Today is a big day… Read more »
PES invited award-winning Scottish technology company PhotoSynergy Ltd (PSL) to give us an insight in to their suite of new products, produced in response to industry led requests to find practicable, cost-effective solutions in a variety of sectors where safety of life is paramount. The company, in collaboration with a number of key technology partners,… Read more »
Words: Gerry Lalonde, CEO, Orenda Energy Solutions. Planning consent is still grey area for the small/medium wind turbine market and it is about time we had consistency and predictability rather than disparate decision making that often blights and inhibits progress across the UK. It has been known for years that planning authorities decision making varies… Read more »
What is torqueing and why is it important to be able to record it? PES finds out from Norbar, the torque tool specialists. In this context, torqueing is principally the measured application of rotational force to a threaded fastener. When the torque is either under or over the manufacturer’s specification, it can cause considerable damage… Read more »
During October 2015 Moventas Gears, the wind turbine gearbox specialist headquartered in Finland, made an investment decision, which now supports customers all around the UK and central Europe. The 3.6MW Full Load Test Bench & Final Assembly workshop was commissioned in Huddersfield, in August 2016. Supported by the UK government, the Huddersfield upgrade was part… Read more »
Words: Kurt E. Thomsen I know what you are thinking, right now you may be considering installing an offshore windfarm and here I am telling you about the problems of getting rid of the thing again. But! The topic is relevant whether you are installing a windfarm, nearing an end to the operational life, or… Read more »