imon and Sarah are part of a working group co-ordinated by Carbon Leapfrog which is assisting community energy project, MOZES, to challenge the UK Government’s policy on state aid and community energy projects. Here, they outline the impact of the policy and compare to elsewhere within continental Europe where the legislation has been more liberally… Read more »
Self-consumption of solar energy is on the rise as Feed-in Tariffs decline and electricity prices go up. This is an interesting option, not only for house-owners, but also for companies and communities as the case of the AmeyCespa waste treatment plant shows. Power Purchase Agreements are one way to use the energy of the sun… Read more »
The Organic PhotoVoltaics (OPV) shared research program addresses efficiency, lifetime and production costs for (near) future OPV applications. The balance of these three parameters depends on the envisaged application, but in the end, OPV should be able to compete somehow with Si PV in the future. We take a look at the notable collaborative work… Read more »
Introducing the high-level photovoltaic simulator PVS from Spitzenberger & Spies. The amount of generated energy of a solar panel field (and therefore the profitable efficiency) mainly depends on varying weather conditions such as cloudiness and adverse weather situations. To achieve the maximum energy rate at heavily varying irradiation, modern intelligent solar inverters are used. The… Read more »
Why Europe’s PV industry should encourage Chinese collaboration Since 2011, Europe’s photovoltaic industry has been in the midst of a crisis. Companies across the solar value chain are struggling, forcing layoffs and lowering growth projections over the coming years. By promoting tariffs and policies that aim to encourage the development of Europe’s PV industry by eliminating… Read more »
A privately-held Swiss corporation that is a pioneer in the field of software solutions for the renewable energy sector, Vela Solaris AG is one of the leaders in the global market, combining software innovation with expertise in renewable energy – with a particular focus on solar. We caught up with the company’s visionary Managing Director,… Read more »
The sun may provide us with unlimited free energy, yet the solar modules that capture its rays and turn them into power have a shorter lifespan than their source. At some point they reach their end of life and have to be disposed of as electrical waste in line with applicable legislation. This produces a… Read more »
The German family-owned company VON ARDENNE develops and manufactures advanced vacuum coating equipment for the photovoltaic and solar thermal industry, the architectural glass coating market, and the web coating market. We take a closer look at the company, which is constantly identifying and analysing market trends throughout these industries in order to strengthen and broaden… Read more »
We’re delighted to welcome back Hirschmann Renewable Energy to the magazine. The company presents a thought-provoking essay on the reported decline of quality in the solar industry and offers its own solutions… Most of us respond when asked, believe that energy is obviously one of the most important fundamentals of our being on this planet…. Read more »
Consistently rated among the 50 fastest growing technology companies in Germany, LayTec in-line GmbH is a global market leader of in-situ metrology and has made its services available to the PV industry since 2008. We’re delighted to welcome the organisation back to the magazine and to grab five minutes to put our questions to company… Read more »
The latest tit-for-tat EU-China trade disputes could signal worse to come, and both sides have a lot to lose if things get out of hand and harm the much-needed economic growth they seek. PES asks: with so much to lose, what’s to gain? In May this year, China and the EU have locked horns over… Read more »
This illuminating personal insight is care of Andrew Jones, Managing Director, EMEA, of S&C Electric Company. Can the UK – not to mention other industrialised European nations – learn from Kenya when it comes to smart grids? Very much so, argues Andrew… Adoption of smart grid technology in emerging markets is rising, and fast. It… Read more »
With severe oversupply and recently crashing polysilicon prices, module prices have dropped precipitously – as low as $0.70/W from top-tier Chinese players. However, the cost of goods sold (COGS) for modules has largely not reached this level, resulting in massive net losses for a majority of module manufacturers. With pressure from competitors, customers, and policy-makers… Read more »
Longstanding contributors to the magazine, Merck, and RENA deliver an upgrade concept that opens the door to excellent profitability. PES explains more…We are living in turbulent times and, where there is overcapacity and shrinking margins, solar cell manufacturers tend to look for solutions that will improve competitiveness and profitability. And while short-term strategies are necessary,… Read more »
A leading global supplier of solar charge controllers and inverters, Morningstar Corporation has been at the forefront of innovation, technical excellence and customer service for over two decades. We caught up with Lee Gordon, the company’s President and CEO, to ask him about his views on the industry and to discover just how he’s managed… Read more »
John Sylvester, motivation expert and Executive Director of P&MM Motivation, discusses how an engaged workforce can benefit the solar industry and contribute towards its growth. Maximising staff performance is fundamental to the success of any organisation, no matter what their industry, but it is of particular importance when cost controls are at a premium yet… Read more »
Longstanding contributors to PES, Multi-Contact is one of the leading manufacturers of PV connector systems worldwide with more than 15 years of experience in the field, offering solutions for all kinds of installations. We take a look at the MC portfolio of original connectors. MC is a true pioneer in PV connectivity; in 1996, the… Read more »
State-of-the-art battery performance and the innovative design of power electronics have created commercially viable storage systems. Combined with PV or co-generation at home, E3/DC has created significant volumes in Germany based on professional, industrial production and a new product architecture. Andreas Piepenbrink, founder and CEO, explains the company and product strategy. Demand for storage: motivationEnergy… Read more »
Chemical purity is important to the manufacture of photovoltaic cells for many critical process steps, and acknowledging this, the Semiconductor Equipment and Materials International Corporation (SEMI) PV Group has established standards for gases specifically for the photovoltaic industry. PES investigates. The standards outlined by SEMI include PV6-1110 for bulk argon, PV7-1110 for bulk hydrogen and… Read more »
We’re delighted to welcome FLIR to the magazine for the first time. The global leader in the design, manufacture and marketing of thermal imaging infrared cameras, the company’s products play pivotal roles in a wide range of industrial, commercial and government applications in more than 60 countries. Today, we turn the spotlight on its activities… Read more »
We’re delighted to be joined by Gantner Instruments’ Annette Christine Kehrer, who writes about her company’s creative systems and how they can be applied to real-world PV scenarios. In large solar power plants, monitoring equipment is becoming constantly more complex and important: system operators want to find faults in modules, strings or groups quickly and… Read more »
Autarky: the quality of being self-sufficient. We’re proud to present a thought-provoking dispatch on the subject and how it’s rooted in the solar market from one of the industry’s most respected commentators… Since the 60s, people have been putting panels on their roofs with complete disregard for Feed-in Tariffs. These green pioneers were interested in… Read more »
A byword for quality in the extrusion sector, Breyer GmbH is one of Germany’s most established and forward-thinking businesses. Today, the company is recognised throughout the world as one of the leading manufacturers of systems for the processing of thermoplastics and has specialised in economically working extrusion lines. With over 320 employees, Breyer produces an… Read more »
When a company operating within the solar sector expands from its heartland into new territories, there’s a steep learning curve and the faint threat of failure. On the other hand, there’s an overwhelming sense of opportunity. Olivier Jacques talks us through his organisation’s expansion into Europe, and the lessons he’s learned. In less than five… Read more »
Last year, 66,000 visitors from 160 countries and 1,909 exhibitors from 49 countries descended on to Intersolar Europe 2012 and firmly established the event as the biggest and best on the industry’s calendar. Can this year’s show deliver even more of an impact? PES investigates… From June 19-21, the international solar industry will once again… Read more »
Renewable energy sources have finally got the attention of the Polish government. With the package of energy regulations, including Renewable Energy Law, Energy Act and Gas Act, the country may form one of the most important new markets for solar just in the heart of Europe. PES investigates. Energy regulations packageUntil recently, the Polish government… Read more »
A sector of the solar market that is expected to grow from two to four gigawatts per year, CSP is currently enjoying an enviable boom. But it’s worth noting that the technology relies on a seemingly innocuous small part to work effectively, as Janaki Weiden, Global Market Manager, Saint-Gobain Performance Plastics, explains. The facts speak… Read more »
A worldwide brand with a formidable reputation, Diehl Controls has over 2,600 employees in the German headquarters of Wangen and Nuremberg and subsidiaries further afield (including China and the US). Outstanding engineering competence and a worldwide production volume of more than 80,000 electronic systems a day go towards building a company that is a manufacturing… Read more »
Eurostat, the European Union’s statistical arm, has just released the most recent and comprehensive analysis available of the continent’s renewables use. In this edited extract, we drill down into the latest trends. The share of energy from renewable sources in gross final energy consumption in the EU-27 reached 12.5% in 2010 and is showing steady… Read more »
As Global Business Development Manager Wind Energy for TÜV Rheinland, Frank Witte is well-known throughout the industry. We secured a few minutes with the busy executive and asked him about the state of the sector, the value of technical expertise and certification challenges… PES: Welcome to the magazine. Before we get into the main issues… Read more »
In this exclusive dispatch, Julian takes a look at the wind industry’s contribution to EU GDP and argues that ‘Green Growth’ is central to recovery – and growth. Europe is in crisis. The economy has entered the slow lane. Jobs are vanishing. Yet Europeans are paying €700 per person per year to countries such as… Read more »
Despite the scale and rapid growth of the wind industry, it has until recently been challenged by the limited service options available for the maintenance and overhaul of turbine gearboxes. We take a look one company’s forward-thinking solution. The UK wind energy market comprises more than 4,000 onshore and offshore wind turbines, with around 1,400… Read more »
A specialist in the transport of heavy-lift, project and break-bulk cargoes across the world’s oceans, HANSA HEAVY LIFT GmbH has been quietly but confidently carving out a reputation in the wind sector. Here, we talk to company CCO, Joerg Roehl. PES: Welcome to PES magazine. Can you tell us a little about the company and… Read more »
Faster rotor blade bonding thanks to new technology. The energy turnaround and the push to expand renewable energy generation is posing major challenges for manufacturers of wind energy plants. To ensure economic viability, efforts are focusing first on improving the availability and productivity of existing production facilities. One of the wind energy industry’s top priorities… Read more »
As wind energy grows in Europe, so must infrastructure development. The European Parliament has considered all the renewable energy sectors in the regions and explored how projects are financed in the current programming period of structural funding. PES took a look at the existing and future measures for renewable energy infrastructure as well as electricity… Read more »
A recent report by the European Wind Energy Association argues that EU electricity market rules must reflect the energy generation mix of the future, and help usher in a flexible power system with a large-scale uptake of wind power and other renewable energy sources. A number of recommendations have been made – many of which… Read more »