If domestic solar panels become as common on the plains and rooftops of the United States as they are abroad, it may be because the financing technique that gave Europe an early lead in renewable energy is starting to cross the Atlantic. {pagebreak} The idea is to pay homeowners and businesses cash for producing green… Read more »
In this exclusive column, written especially for PES, Andrew Cahn, Chief Executive of UK Trade & Investment, argues that Great Britain serves as an excellent springboard for renewables growth across the world. {pagebreak} The global energy sector currently represents one of the most exciting export opportunities for UK companies. UK energy companies already generate revenues… Read more »
All of Europe’s energy needs could be supplied by building an array of solar panels in the Sahara, the recent climate change conference in Copenhagen has been told. Technological advances coupled with falling costs have finally made it realistic to consider North Africa as Europe’s main source of imported energy. {pagebreak} And by harnessing the… Read more »
A world-renowned manufacturer within the PV industry, Bruker-Spaleck has built its business upon innovation and diversification. Heinrich Schillings talks to PES about the past, present and future of the company. {pagebreak} PES: Bruker-Spaleck is well-known for its manufacture of flat wires which are used in a variety of applications. Can you tell us something of… Read more »
Going back to basics for massive gains in speed and yield A company built on simple solutions to complex issues, Eurotron offers a complete solution for the photovoltaic module manufacturing process for backside contact cells. They’ve developed a flexible production line which can adapt to your customised production needs, and in doing so, have pioneered… Read more »
Growth in energy demand combined with the increasing deterioration of existing energy networks, means energy generation and management are now vitally important. The International Energy Agency’s ‘alternative scenario’ commissioned by the G8 reported that most OECD countries are at a critical point in their energy investment cycles, with the need for replacement enabling them to… Read more »
Automating Solar Manufacturing: Taking Advantage of Lessons Learned Solar Energy and Grid Parity There’s no doubt that the solar photovoltaic (PV) industry is hot. According to Solarbuzz, LLC an international solar energy research and consulting company, world solar photovoltaic (PV) market installations reached a record high of 2,826 megawatts (MW) in 2007, representing a growth… Read more »
WIND AND SOLAR IN THE CARBON MARKET – CURRENT STATUS AND OUTLOOK During the first two weeks of December 2008, Poznan, Poland’s fifth largest city, hosted the United Nations Climate Change Conference, the 14th session of the Conference of Parties (COP 14) to the United Nation Framework Convention on Client Change (UNFCCC). {pagebreak} The negotiations… Read more »
The Mediterranean Solar Plan – a necessity, not an option Benita Ferrero-Waldner, EU Commissioner for External Relations and European Neighbourhood Policy, makes an impassioned plea for the diversification of solar initiatives in Europe. {pagebreak} When Russia cut gas supplies to Ukraine in 2006, European supplies were not seriously affected. When it did so this year,… Read more »
Gases and chemicals contribute a significant part of the bill of materials for PV cells, and as the industry grows, material suppliers will face a number of key challenges to meet demand. Kaytie Lilley of Linde Electronics offers PES an illuminating view of the sector. The production of photovoltaic (PV) electricity has doubled every… Read more »
Copenhagen must build the road to a sustainable global energy future In February, Stavros Dimas, European Commissioner responsible for the environment, delivered an address to EU Sustainable Energy Week 2009, in which he impressed upon delegates the importance of the imminent Copenhagen United Climate Agreement {pagebreak} – described as: “the world’s last chance to bring… Read more »
European BIPV projects grow – but legislation is still urgently needed A recent report has shown that the European Building Integrated Photovoltaics (BIPV) market in last year was estimated at €143 million with a total installed capacity of 25.7 MW for the commercial, residential, industrial and public markets combined. {pagebreak} Currently, there is substantial amount… Read more »
In the race to produce the cleanest and most efficient forms of renewable energy, a vital point is often overlooked – that the renewables themselves need to become a lot more renewable. This theme emerged at a recent Energy Conference in London, with delegates hearing that the most advanced “renewable” technologies are too often based… Read more »
Blessed with massive budgets, the military is often an ‘early adopter’ when it comes to technology. Recent reports suggest that US is putting up massive funding for three ground-breaking projects – all of them centred on solar power. {pagebreak} Portable power packs During a battle, the ability to redeploy troops swiftly and without detection can… Read more »
In this enlightening interview, Joachim Melis, Vice President Worldwide Sales for Adept Technology GmbH, puts forward his personal take on the current state of the industry and looks to the future… PES: How did you come to be involved in the renewables industry? {pagebreak} Joachim Melis: Adept Technology has been active in the solar industry… Read more »
Trina Solar Limited, a leading integrated manufacturer of solar photovoltaic products from the production of ingots, wafers and cells to the assembly of PV modules, founded in 1997, announced its financial results for the fourth quarter and fiscal year 2008. {pagebreak} Full Year 2008 Results Financial and Operating Highlights — Solar module shipments were… Read more »
A company built on simple solutions to complex issues, Eurotron offers a complete solution for the photovoltaic module manufacturing process for backside contact cells. They’ve developed a flexible production line which can adapt to your customised production needs, {pagebreak} and in doing so, have pioneered a 100MW line for the future. PES asked company… Read more »
Solar power history will be made in Southern California, after it was announced that Southern California Edison and Israeli firm, BrightSource Energy, have signed the world’s largest solar energy deal. Now awaiting approval from the California Public Utilities Commission (this could happen by as early as 2013), the Israeli-California sun project will power almost one… Read more »
5th PV Industry Forum in Munich, May 25 – 26, 2009 International trends in photovoltaics at the PV Industry Forum The photovoltaics market in flux: growing production capacities and altered political and economic parameters {pagebreak} Future developments, prospects and technological trends in the international photovoltaics market will be the focus of the 5th PV Industry… Read more »
The price of solar panels could fall by as much as 40 per cent by the end of the year as huge increases in polysilicon supplies lead to a sizable fall in production costs for solar panel manufacturers. Industry analyst New Energy Finance reported that polysilicon prices hit a peak of $400 per kilogram last… Read more »
Tokyo Electric Power Co. will build a solar power plant in the state of California through its subsidiary Eurus Energy Holdings Corp., according to a recent report. The company apparently plans to begin operations at the 1000 kilowatt plant by 2010 on a site yet to be selected, the Nikkei business daily reported. {pagebreak} Eurus,… Read more »
Southfield, MI – Schreiner ProTech is now marketing an array of specialized labels and identification-preparation equipment for solar panels and components. Drawing on its extensive solar product experience in Europe, Schreiner is nowaggressively seeking new customers in North America for its UL/CSA-approved solar labeling solutions. {pagebreak} The manufacturing of photovoltaic (PV) solar modules makes exacting… Read more »
The notion of Space-Based Solar Power (SBSP) is not new. There has long been talk of 24-hour-a-day solar power beamed from space via microwave to any point on earth. However, a new company named Space Energy, Inc. believes it well placed to develop SBSP satellites to generate and transmit electricity to receivers on the Earth’s… Read more »
Scientists at Berkeley University (USA) have this week released research revealing that alternative raw materials, such as iron pyrite – or Fool’s Gold – could offer a far cheaper alternative to silicon for solar panel manufacturers. The rapid growth of the global solar market has been repeatedly hampered by shortages of silicon, which is used… Read more »
24. February 2009. Raphael van Hövell is one of the first system operators in Germany to finance their PV installations with the new tariff for private consumers under the German Renewable Energy Sources Act (EEG). With the EEG amendment on 1 January this year the German government introduced the new type of payment for PV… Read more »
Developers from DEGERenergie have created a so-called design tool which planners and operators of solar plants can use to safeguard against storm damage – providing a standard of safety that is currently not demanded by legislators or insurance companies. Tracking systems from the company increase the energy yield of photovoltaic systems by up to 45… Read more »
CHANGZHOU, China, Jan. 29 /PRNewswire-Asia-FirstCall/ — Trina Solar Limited (NYSE: TSL) (“Trina Solar” or the “Company”), a leading integrated manufacturer of solar photovoltaic products from the production of ingots, wafers and cells to the assembly of PV modules, today announced that its subsidiary, Changzhou Trina Solar Energy Co., Ltd., {pagebreak} entered into a sales agreement… Read more »
KUKA innovation at the Photovoltaic Technology Show 2009Solar modules for a perfect frame (of mind) Augsburg, 17 February 2009 (pk) – KUKA Systems is presenting its new ROBO FRAME module (for which a patent application has been filed) at this year’s PTS (Photovoltaic Technology Show) trade fair in Munich. Furthermore, KUKA Systems will also be… Read more »
3S Industries AG develops new soldering technology to connect the cells for Solar Impulse Engineers from all fields are working together on the first prototype of the solar airplane planned to fly night and day with no fuel and zero polluting emissions. Important know-how for the solar propulsion system is being supplied by 3S Industries… Read more »
Inspired by the beauty industry, scientists have devised a way to make solar panels cheaper and more efficient – by spraying them on. Researchers from the Australian National University (ANU), solar company Spark Solar Australia, and Finnish materials company Braggone Oy are collaborating on a three-year project that could transform the production of solar cells…. Read more »
Technological advances are driving down photovoltaic panel prices by as much as 10% each year, Dutch sustainable energy provider Econcern recently announced. The company claimed that system prices are decreasing by 7% to 10% a year as a result of technological innovation and increased production capacity. {pagebreak} According to Econcern board member Kees van der… Read more »
According to research done by The Solar Electric Power Association (SEPA), in 2008, over 5,000 megawatts of new photovoltaic and concentrating solar power projects were announced, and with the eight-year extension of the US federal investment tax credit (ITC), the market is expected to grow significantly. {pagebreak} Along with the tax credit extension, the revised… Read more »
Chinese solar panel maker, Suntech Power Holdings, has crossed the all-important milestone of being able to produce 1 gigawatt of solar panels a year. The company celebrated the accomplishment last week, along with the opening of a new headquarters in the city of Wuxi that comes with 1-megawatt solar panels built into building’s facade in… Read more »
A consortium of manufacturers is to invest almost $3 billion in Italian solar power ventures. Japan’s Sharp Corp, Italy’s Enel SpA and a third manufacturer hope to tap growing demand for cleaner energy. {pagebreak} Sharp, the world’s second largest maker of solar cells, said it and Italy’s largest power company Enel planned to spend about… Read more »
The Vatican, the world’s smallest sovereign state, has stepped up its fight against global warming by installing a huge rooftop solar energy system. More than 2,000 photovoltaic panels have been fixed to the roof of one of the city state’s main buildings, enabling the Holy See to cut its carbon dioxide emissions by about 225… Read more »
A new ‘Solar Totem Tracker’, which makes it possible to track the progress of the sun and direct light to PV panels, has been unveiled in Italy. Enerqos plc, a leading photovoltaic system and solar power plant construction company and ESP, which designs and construction of metal structures for the photovoltaic sector, showcased their tracker… Read more »