Sharp, ABB, SMA and Bosch are among the big names readying new energy storage products for the UK PV market. Andy Colthorpe caught up with them at the Solar Energy UK show to find out what tech fits best for the UK's nascent storage sector.
Thin-film manufacturer and utility-scale PV plant developer First Solar revealed one of its projects had become the first of its kind to receive a Quality Tested certification from testing institutes VDE and Fraunhofer ISE. Ben Willis spoke to First Solar and VDE to learn more about the process and its wider implications for the large-scale solar sector.
The US solar trade case continues to cast a shadow over the buoyant American PV market. Ben Willis spoke to the originators of the case, SolarWorld, at SPI 2014 to see if they stand by their actions.
Stealthy US-based start-up, Sunpreme will be showing what it claims to be the world's first Bifacial double glass module with a measured STC output of 503W at Solar Power International (SPI 2014). It is designed to maximize energy production in ground mount as well as tracker configurations and with a 15% Bifacial power boost, the effective panel wattage can be enhanced to 575W with an effective module efficiency of 22.2%, according to the company. Upon full market release, the product warranty will be backed by Munich Re.
SMA Solar Technology is showcasing an expanded range of ‘Sunny Boy’ TL-US inverters with ‘Secure Power Supply’ at Solar Power International. The higher power ratings of the new Sunny Boy 7000TL-US and 7700TL-US are designed to meet the needs of large residential PV projects and are able to provide daytime power in the event of a grid outage.
Enphase Energy will be launching a new solar energy solution for the commercial market. The new offering combines Enphase's microinverter technology with a comprehensive set of services and partnerships to assist the owner and installer of a commercial solar project from concept through implementation and eventually to maintenance—providing low-cost solar energy and long-term reliability.
Ampt has introduced a new string optimizer, a DC power converter with multiple maximum power point tracking (MPPT) and output voltage and current limits to optimize system design and maximize performance of large-scale PV systems.
Solvay Specialty Polymers has expanded its position in the PV market with the launch of two film grades of its ‘Halar’ ethylene chlorotrifluoroethylene (ECTFE) for photovoltaic (PV) modules. The two new high-performance products, Halar PV ECTFE and Halar ECTFE ultraviolet (UV) blocking technology have been specifically designed for frontsheet applications.
