Mexico has all the right conditions for a solar boom. Felicity Carus investigates what it will take to turn promise into reality.
In a 24 hour whirlwind trip to Switzerland, I visited the headquarters of technology start-up firm SwissINSO, where I was able to see first hand the development of a new technology that is set to bring more colour to the PV market, specifically the BIPV and solar thermal sector.
Thin-film manufacturer Hanergy this week announced its arrival in the UK with the acquisition of domestic solar provider Engensa. As the UK has little track record with thin-film PV, Finlay Coleville assesses what Hanergy’s motives are and how it will succeed.
Third party leasing has become the dominant model for financing residential solar in the US. But as new sources of capital emerge and consumer confidence grows, Felicity Carus asks for how much longer this will remain the case.
New methods used by analysts to rank module manufacturers make the business of assessing market leaders increasingly complex. Mark Osborne attempts to navigate the maze and suggests why it’s time for the industry to consider some simpler alternatives.
With the tectonic plates shifting in the global solar market, Felicity Carus tracks some of the trends that will emerge as the industry comes out of its period of consolidation.
Proposed legislation is seeking to change US tax law to encourage more investment in solar and other forms of renewable energy. But as Nilima Choudhury reports, there are doubts over whether it will have the desired effect.
After a period of policy chaos, order has been restored to the UK solar market propelling it up the world rankings of leading PV destinations. As long as challenges from Europe can be headed off, the good times look set to carry on rolling says Nilima Choudhury.
Futurist and Google collaborator Ray Kurzweil has predicted a world entirely powered by solar. Having heard him speak earlier this month, Felicity Carus wonders whether he could be right.
Italy is at the forefront of countries looking to cut solar power subsidies. Julia Chan investigates what the future holds for the country’s solar market post feed-in tariffs.