[July 2011 Issue]
BUSINESS IN BRIEF
MARKET UPDATE
Record Module Inventory Levels
North American Residential Solar Market Prospect
Engineering Innovation in PV
Europe Continues to Dominate Solar Market in 2011
COVER STORY
Where to Enter the PV Business?
We have seen a surge in interest around the development and production of HBLEDs and in technologies and processes that underpin PV, to the extent that major manufacturers who had ¡®traditionally¡¯ served the silicon semiconductor and compound semiconductor market have been busy refocusing their business models to take advantage of the adjacent market opportunities that exist in the HBLED and PV industries.
- By Geoff Irvine
GLOBAL LEADERS IN PV
Astronergy on Fast Track to a World-Class PV Enterprise
Astronergy continues to research and develop the global thin-film industry¡¯s sophisticated technology. Their comprehensiveness of what they¡¯re able to provide gives Astronergy a competitive edge in the industry.
- By Jeanny H. Lim
VIEWPOINT
India: PV Future
Recently, India has become one of the important sites for PV players. Before yourcompany banks heavily on the Indian market, let¡¯s take a look at the situation on the ground.
- By Vincent Kapur
GLOBAL MARKET REPORT
Korean Capital Equipment Suppliers Target US$15 Billion PV Opportunity
With 80% year-on-year growth in PV equipment spending during 2010, new opportunities have emerged for equipment suppliers previously focused on adjacent industries such as Flat Panel Display (FPD) and semiconductor.
-By Finlay Colvile
Photovoltaics: The Italian Policy of Uncertainty
After a booming 2010, Italy feared it would become like a new Spain in photovoltaic market. In a market so difficult to forecast, Italy manages to cause more doubts and disastrous stops and goes.
-By Gerardo Capilupo
CELL & MODULE
Photovoltaic Modules for Attractive and Profitable Facade
The facades of buildings are ideally suitable as photovoltaic surfaces. As a facade is also a building¡¯s ¡®calling card¡¯, modules have to be especially well-designed. To make sure that customer wishes are met with regard to color and form, the Austrian company PV Products GmbH has invested in a production line which enables crystalline glass-film and glass-glass modules to be manufactured cost-effectively in just about any color or format. The partiallyautomated manufacturing system has been designed and realized by ACI-ecotec.
-By Doris Schulz
Trina Solar Revealed Its Modern PV Factory to Worldwide Reporters
Trina Solar invited members of both local and international media to show its advanced
manufacturing facility and the cutting-edge manufacturing and testing process.
-by Jeanny H. Lim
PRODUCTION & INSPECTION
Roadmap for PV Efficiency and Cost Reduction
The International Technology Roadmap for Photovoltaics (ITRPV) organized by the Crystalline Silicon PV Technology and Manufacturing (CTM) Group aims to inform suppliers and customers about expected technology trends in the field of
crystalline silicon (c-Si) photovoltaics and sets a basis to intensify the dialog on required improvements and standards. This article is based on the second edition of ITRPV, which was jointly prepared by leading European c-Si solar cell manufacturers, module manufacturers, and wafer suppliers.
-By Heinz Kundert
Selecting the Correct Pumps Keeps Solar Cell Production Costs Down
The manufacturing of solar cells is one of the fastest growing power-generation segments in the world. Playing an enhanced role with respect to this trend is the total cost of producing solar cell materials.
-By Rainer Frericks
TUV Rheinland: Creating Confidence in a Solar Investment
Confidence in a Solar Investment Stefan Heuer, Representative Director & CEO of TUV Rheinland Korea, talks about
recent developments made by TUV Rheinland and how they are benefiting the photovoltaic industry.
-By Jeanny H. Lim
Who is GP Solar?
Making affordable solar energy available worldwide is the mission that motivates GP Solar employees every day. GP Solar¡¯s service and products can be found in more than 250 production lines with a capacity of 10 GW around the world.
-By Jeanny H. Lim
COMPONENT & MATERIAL
Bio-Based True Green Solar Energy
BioSolar, Inc. has developed a new way of cost reduction by replacing petroleum-based plastic panel components with durable bio-based components. Also by removing petroleum from solar panels, BioSolar makes solar energy a true green source of energy.
-By Stella Lee
OSUNG LST Gearing Up for Growth
Based in Chungju, Korea, OSUNG LST has more than 20 years of experience in developing semiconductor and LCD
manufacturing equipment and has sound know-how in localizing the equipment. Since it entered into the solar market in 2007, OSUNG LST has been providing ingots, wafers and manufacturing equipment.
-By Jeanny H. Lim
DuPont Continues to Innovate for Solar
Thanks to its market-driven innovations, DuPont thrives in the photovoltaic market.
-By Jeanny H. Lim
POWER SYSTEM
The ABC¡¯s of Monitoring
Monitoring in the renewable energy marketplace is reminiscent of the metering performed by utilities around the world, or by the measurement and controls companies but with one important distinction. This article provides a baseline for understanding the concepts, evolution, and fundamentals in the renewable energy monitoring marketplace.
-By Tom Dinkel |
