Last month US president Barack Obama launched a multi-billion initiative to bring power to the African people. But with little of this money so far directed towards developing solar capacity in a continent ideally suited to it, Felicity Carus asks whether the money is being wisely spent.
Phoenix Solar, the US subsidiary of Phoenix Solar AG from Germany, recently announced the largest PV installation to date in its 14-year history, in the US state of Georgia, after previously announcing its intention to restructure away from European markets and expand into the US and Asia. Lucy Woods caught up with Murray Cameron, founding member and CEO of Phoenix Solar’s US subsidiary, to ask how Phoenix has gone about conquering the US market.
Despite a long list of thin-film company failures and retrenchments over the last few years, several start-ups continue to tout their technology offerings ahead of actual commercialisation.
First of all, congratulations to ReneSola for being included in Bloomberg New Energy Finance’s (BNEF) tiering system for PV module makers – joining the often used “Tier 1” category.
Only around 18 months ago media reports were claiming that Hyundai Heavy Industries’ (HHI) foray into the solar PV market was over. But despite the highly competitive market place that has generated an extended period of consolidation, bankruptcies and market exits, HHI is focused on growing its market presence.
California governor Jerry Brown got Intersolar North America off to a rousing start in San Francisco yesterday. Reporting from the event, Felicity Carus says recent hard times for solar in the US are not overshadowing a new mood of optimism for the industry.
Meyer Burger and LayTec have collaborated to produce the world’s first fully integrated EVA cross-linking metrology solution for PV module production lines.
Vienna-based Activ Solar is a PV manufacturer and international developer of utility-scale power stations. Speaking to Ben Willis at Intersolar Europe 2013, chief executive Kaveh Ertefai reveals how the company is keeping ahead in an increasingly competitive global market.
Designed for solar modules with cells for rear-side contacting, ‘AKACON BCF’ PV backsheet is being offered by the KREMPEL Group and is ready for volume production. The backsheet comes with a copper layer and is structured according to customer's design for back-contact cells.
Massachusetts' solar programme has been massively oversubscribed. Felicity Carus reports on how emergency measures to extend the programme have benefited the state.
