Photovoltaic modules from aleo solar have once again demonstrated their excellent performance stability in an independent test. As part of its PV Durability Initiative (PVDI), the Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems ISE put modules from eight manufacturers through an “endurance test”. The test went beyond the usual standards by simulating the kind of stresses… Read more »
· SOLON constructing a ground-mounted system specifically designed for self-consumption· 18o landfill surface inclination requires specialized system design· Approximately 5,000 SOLON Black/Blue 220/16 modules to have been installed by the end of June Berlin, June 18, 2013. SOLON Energy GmbH is to construct a 1.2 MW solar system on the disused area of the Oberhaugstett… Read more »
International industry experts discuss the hottest topics of the solar industry Munich, June 17, 2013 – The Intersolar Europe Conference 2013 kicks off today at the ICM – International Congress Center in Munich, bringing experts from the international solar industry to the Bavarian capital. Up until June 20, around 400 speakers and 2,000 attendees are… Read more »
Innovative networking of solar inverters Bosch presents communication system for solar inverters Simplified planning, initial operation and monitoring Data transfer and configuration in seconds via RFID interface Integrated programme for the configuration and analysis of performance data Hamburg/Böblingen ? Bosch Power Tec will present the innovative ‘e.World’ communication system for the first time at the… Read more »
We take a look at this ambitious Scottish design, which posed an immense challenge for its project planners due to its steep inclination of almost 45 degrees…Tom King has come full circle. The managing director of Sustainable Renewable Technologies (SRT) began his career as a land surveyor in the coal mining industry in exactly the… Read more »
A well-established company that enjoys an excellent reputation as an optical metrology solution provider in Europe, omt has been servicing the PV sector since the mid-2000s. Since then, the company has gone on to introduce its industrial Raman microscope and, just last year, the 3-in-1 microscope. PES: Welcome back to the magazine. When we last… Read more »
• The Energy Portal enables Martifer Solar’s O&M customers real-time access to all their PV plants • It is a new platform developed to integrate PV assets’ monitoring systems without additional investment for the customers Martifer Solar, a subsidiary of Martifer SGPS, has launched the Energy Portal, a new O&M platform developed to integrate all… Read more »
‘Do you believe the European Commission should impose trade duties on Chinese module manufacturers?’ Now there’s a question. We put together this cross panel interview two weeks before we went to press – just before the recent trade duties announcement – and the answers we received were pleasingly polarised. Find out what our interviewees thought… Read more »
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 Scandinavian module manufacturer Innotech Solar has secured the leading specialist wholesaler and system provider Krannich Solar as a partner. The company added ITS solar modules to its portfolio in May 2013. Krannich Solar believes that the particular advantages of ITS modules for PV installers and plant operators lie in the high quality of the… Read more »
Chinese solar giant ReneSola is set to attend Intersolar (Booth A1.560) in Munich from June 19 to 21. ReneSola will take the opportunity to show off the PV modules from its European and global production facilities. The company will also feature its Micro Replus microinverter, which helps installers cut costs and will reopen opportunities in… Read more »
Expanding from light and electron microscopy into X-ray microscopy solutions OBERKOCHEN/Germany, PLEASANTON/California/USA , 13.06.2013. ZEISS, the international leader in the fields of optics and optoelectronics today announced the planned acquisition of the US-based Xradia, Inc. Xradia is an medium-size company providing innovative 3D X-ray microscopes for industrial and academic research applications. The closing of the… Read more »
Renusol assembles modules in record time Cologne, June 13, 2013 – The Cologne-based mounting systems manufacturer Renusol is the new record holder for mounting solar modules onto roofs. Armed with its MetaSole mounting system, Renusol took part in the mounting test set by the trade magazine “pv magazine” and finished with a mounting time of… 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 »
During the fourth annual Metallization Workshop, which took place on 7 and 8 May in Constance, Germany, DEK Solar and the Institute for Solar Energy Research Hamelin (ISFH) presented findings from a recent research effort that provides insight for cell metallization cost reduction strategies. The work focused on utilizing the most advanced stencil and screens… Read more »
ib vogt GmbH strengthens its management team to accelerate its international expansion and in particular the build-out its 300 MWp United Kingdom project pipeline David Hogg, the 25 year veteran solar industry executive has been appointed to CEO of ib vogt GmbH. The move together with the appointment of Carl von Braun as CFO will… Read more »
Metals will be the biggest segment at $12.8 billion as geographically diverse demand offers rare opportunities for innovation and product differentiation, Lux Research says BOSTON, MA – June 11, 2013 – The global market for photovoltaic (PV) materials is poised to grow 52% to $27.2 billion, up from $17.8 billion in 2012. As PV supply… Read more »
The team of SGS Weather and Environmental Systems Private Ltd. (India), Geonica S.A. (Spain) and Hukseflux Thermal Sensors B.V. (The Netherlands) is chosen to supply measuring instruments and to install, commission and maintain a network of sixty measurement stations for solar radiation resource assessment in India. The network will be used by C-WET Centre for… Read more »
Freiburg, Germany, June 4, 2013 – The Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems ISE today announced that it has joined forces with EV Group (EVG) to develop equipment and process technology to enable electrically conductive and optically transparent direct wafer bonds at room temperature. The new solutions, developed in partnership with Fraunhofer ISE based on… Read more »
Brazil, in its preparations as host to the 2014 Football World Cup, has selected Ingeteam inverters for the PV systems installed at its main stadiums. The Confederations Cup, set to start this Saturday, will mark the launch of these PV systems, given the fact that three of the six stadiums hosting this tournament have been… Read more »
Part of the European EUREKA Technology Cooperation Program, the OPTIMUS project will last three years and is part funded by the CDTI. * The OPTIMUS project, which is led by MECASOLAR and also includes the participation of ACF and ISTON, will represent a technological leap by improving polymer and cement-based composites, obtaining materials that are… 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 »