2012 promises to be a good year for CIGS. Among others, Japan’s Showa Shell Sekiiu KK and France’s EDF have announced major new CIGS production projects. However, questions remain whether high volume CIGS production can really become competitive. This is where Smit Ovens’ thermal processes can make the difference… Amorphous silicon and CdTe may have… Read more »
Power-One is the world’s second largest designer and manufacturer of photovoltaic inverters with facilities on three continents producing renewable energy products in Italy, USA, Canada and China. The company offers the full range of photovoltaic and wind products, from small residential inverters to large utility-grade units – a diverse range of solutions to meet the… Read more »
PV manufacturer Schott Solar has announced the launch of a new high performance module. PES takes a look at the Schott Perform Mono 260 to see just how the company’s decades of experience and expertise have shaped their new product. The development team at the German manufacturer have produced the new module in the 260W… Read more »
I’m writing this dispatch as the news comes in on the wires about the decision made by thin-film PV giant First Solar to walk away from its German factories and “indefinitely idle” four of its 24 production lines. To put it bluntly, the blood is continuing to spill across the European solar sector. First Solar’s… Read more »
Dr. Winfried Hoffmann has become the new President of the European Photovoltaic Industry Association (EPIA). He takes over the position after having been elected as EPIA’s new Vice-President, and after Vice-Presidents Boris Klebensberger and Virgilio Navarro Sanchez-Sicilia declined the presidency. Additionally, Jerry Stokes has been elected to fill a vacant seat as a Director on… Read more »
James Pipe, Head of Renewables and Sustainability, Spencer Ogden The solar power industry has enjoyed a prolonged period of buoyancy in recent years. In January this year, a report by PwC confirmed that the global value of renewable technology deals rose by 40% in 2011 and that a third of these were in the solar… Read more »
Andrew Jones, Managing Director of S&C At the helm of a company enjoying its centenary, Andrew Jones considers the pace of innovation in our sector, particularly in relation to the grid and storage, and looks to the next 100 years… Looking back over the last century, there are of course massive differences in the world… Read more »
On the back of the latest round of Feed-in Tariff cuts, we take a look at the continent’s complex relationship with subsidies and consider if the industry can survive without governmental assistance – and where we can all find hope… The last 12 months could well be described as solar’s year of living dangerously. Our… Read more »
The latest solar technologies, applications and market insights will be at Intersolar Europe 2012. PES takes a look… Intersolar Europe, the world’s largest exhibition for the solar industry opens its doors from June 13-15, 2012. This year offers 170.000 square meters in 15 exhibition halls and an outdoor area at the exhibition grounds of “Messe… Read more »
OMT have brought over 12 years’ experience in the field of optical metrology to PV. Using their expertise and innovative products, OMT has found success in a number of markets, and have plans to expand even further. Dr. Matthias Eberhardt speaks to PES about their involvement in thin film and the wider PV industry. PES:… Read more »
Regular contributors to PES, Grenzebach are perhaps one of the most recognisable companies in the European sector, if not the world. We’re pleased to welcome Martin Sträb, CSO/CMO of the Grenzebach Group, to the magazine for the first time for a wide-ranging and illuminating discussion. PES: Let’s begin by taking a look at 2012. What… Read more »
After two years at the top, Germany is this year likely to lose its place as the world’s top PV solar market, slipping to No. 2 behind former runner-up Italy, whose incentives-driven climb to the top of Europe’s PV table heralds a major success for the country. Italy’s booming solar power market is expected to… Read more »
Micro inverters, installed on the rack at the back of each solar module, offer a unique and excellent value proposition compared to conventional string or central inverters. And it seems as though the industry at large is finally convinced by the technology. We spoke to Ajay Malhotra, VP Worldwide Marketing and Product Management for Enecsys,… Read more »
PV might be a relatively young industry, but it is the skills and knowledge being brought by those in other markets that is helping drive the market forward. Günter Arens of Hirschmann Automotive speaks to PES about how they are bringing decades of experience to their new ventures. PES: Welcome to PES magazine. Can you… Read more »
Chris Hellwig, Product Manager for Carl Zeiss MicroImaging GmbH, explains how imaging your in-line metrology equipment gives you the results you would expect from laboratory instruments, without the need for time-consuming alignment… Since the mid-90s, Carl Zeiss has constantly aspired to lab-like accuracy in in-line applications. We achieved the same tolerances expected from a laboratory… Read more »
SoLayTec, Manager Marketing and Sales, Roger GörtzenIn the 1980s, when solar cell production was not as substantial as it is today, titanium dioxide (TiOx) was the anti-reflection coating (ARC), a layer that could easily be deposited by atmospheric pressure chemical vapour deposition (APCVD). This type of deposition was simple and cheap, but it did not… Read more »
Exactly how successful property owners will be in maximising the benefits of solar power will largely depend on decisions made during the installation process. The gulf between a good and a bad installation is vast, and can dramatically affect the efficiency of the panels, and as a result how much power is generated. In this… Read more »
Stéphane Carpentier, Market Management Coating for Pfeiffer Vacuum joins PES for an interview that highlights the company’s dedication to the very highest levels of service and quality. For more than 120 years, Pfeiffer has been setting standards in vacuum technology with these attributes, and it looks set to continue on this admirable course for a… Read more »
Customer needs are continually evolving and business requirements are forever changing. Nowhere is this more apparent than with the renewable energy industry. While the technology continues to become less expensive and more efficient, feed-in tariffs and government incentives have become even less predictable. And with the European Union’s and Japan’s complaint over Ontario’s domestic content… Read more »
In January of 2012, Upsolar launched its technology division to offer testing, consulting and inspection services to other PV companies. Here, the company’s Deputy General Manager of the Technology Division, Natasha Lee, discusses her vision for the new division and how Upsolar’s technical capabilities will realise benefits across the industry. PES: Welcome back to the… Read more »
Before photovoltaic (PV) systems can be connected to the power grid they must pass a comprehensive certification process. Time and again important documents are missing, causing delays in the certification process. What aspects are important for the owners of PV systems and units to ensure grid connection compatibility? PV systems adding up to a total… Read more »
PES is proud to welcome Professor Patrick Gougeon, Director of the Research Centre for Energy Management and UK Director of ESCP Europe Business School. In this illuminating interview, he discusses the Chinese influence, Europe’s booming market, and much more. PES: With PV farms ‘springing up’ across the world, do you have any concerns that proper… Read more »
According to the latest figures released by the European Photovoltaic Industry Association, PV markets saw record growth in 2011, but the industry faces short-term challenges… PV electricity continued its remarkable growth trend in 2011, even in the midst of a financial and economic crisis and even as the PV industry was enduring a period of… Read more »
Part of the ACCIONA group, ACCIONA Windpower North America specializes in the design, manufacture, field assembly and marketing of wind turbines using proprietary technology. The company has positioned itself among the world’s top wind turbine manufacturers, and produces turbines of 1500 kW and 3000 kW rated power, of which it has assembled over 3500 MW…. Read more »
Our industry was built on fresh ideas, novel solutions and new methodologies, and so with that approach in mind, we’d like to introduce you to Baden-Württemberg – a German state that’s very much open for wind business… The future belongs to renewable energy. The greater shortage of conventional resources and the more urgent the ecological… Read more »
With more than 140 vessels currently in its portfolio, Germany based BBC Chartering is a global leader in the heavy lift and multipurpose tonnage segment, offering vessels ranging from 3,500 to 37,300dwt. It operates the single largest fleet in the market with lifting capacities reaching up to 800mt. Founded in 1997, BBC Chartering can be… Read more »
Using an inferior lubricant can achieve short-term savings but can cause risky long-term effects. Castrol Industrial’s global product manager, Daryl Luke, discusses how the right lubrication can not only improve productivity but potentially reduce your overall total operating costs. While budgets are tight, there is a temptation to use cheaper lubricants without the necessary additives… Read more »
For the first time in 60 years Congress has passed sweeping patent reform legislation, the America Invents Act (AIA). Enacted in September 16, 2011 and being phased in through March 16, 2013, the AIA introduces a number of significant reforms impacting all aspects of patent procurement and patent enforcement. The purpose of the AIA is… Read more »
Despite the clear benefits of wind power, there will always be obstacles to overcome, particularly given the often difficult environments developers have to work in, the issues around tariffs and investment concerns during times of austerity. However, innovators around the world are engineering solutions that might literally rise above these challenges. Dr. Corwin Hardham of… Read more »
At the time of writing, the PES team and I are packing our bags in readiness for our trip to Atlanta, or to be more specific: to WINDPOWER 2012. The AWEA show is the focal point for wind professionals to network with and learn from industry leaders and experts, and to discover the latest in… Read more »
A recently published report by the Canadian Wind Energy Association (CanWEA) has shed light on just how vast the potential for wind energy is in British Columbia, and what is required to tap into this vast resource. PES gives you some of the highlights from the report and looks at the energy future for BC…… Read more »
For any wind energy developer, the issue of impacts on local population is one that must not be taken lightly. A new study published via the Commonwealth of Massachusetts has been conducted to look at the potential adverse benefits of wind farm developments on local populations. PES takes a look at the report’s findings… The… Read more »
PES takes a look at a special US energy report highlighting the potential benefits of taking a more pro-active step towards renewable, and particularly wind, technologies. From job creation to pollution and health, the study digs deep into this controversial subject and asks what the future holds for the US power industry. The Civil Society… Read more »
Morgan Troedsson, Product Manager, FORCE Technology FORCE Technology is among the leading technological consulting and service providers in Scandinavia as well as internationally. Our target is to sell highly specialized engineering know-how for practical and efficient solutions to the wind energy business area… The solutions enhance customer competitiveness and are based on the customer and… Read more »
Recently lauded for investing $10 million and creating 200 jobs over five years in Elberton, Georgia, Hailo LLC is a success story made real. We caught up with CEO Steffen Kosir to find out a little more about the Germany-based organisation that produces climbing and service lift systems for turbines. PES: What is your on-the-ground… Read more »
A well-known figure within the sector, Mita-Teknik’s Jean Steen Felber is the first of our Insider interviewees. Here, he gives us an exclusive account of the Danish company and its future ambitions, as well as outlining his own background and goals. PES: Welcome to PES magazine, can you firstly explain a little about your role,… Read more »