PV Tech Power Papers

Irradiance measurement | Pyranometers play a crucial role in gathering irradiance data for PV yield and performance modelling. Ben Willis explores this sometimes-overlooked piece of technology and efforts by researchers to improve our understanding of its characteristics.

An extension and gradual phase out of the investment tax credit would help the US solar industry on to a more sustainable footing in the long term, argues James A. Mueller.

Modelling | First Solar has developed an energy assessment software platform that models the electrical generation of utility-scale PV power plants. This software, called PlantPredict, is an enterprise application that streamlines and fulfils many energy simulation needs throughout the project development life cycle, from the site prospecting, through design and optimisation, and contractual commitments, to power plant monitoring. Bodo Littmann and Alex Panchula of First Solar discuss some unique models required for characterising CdTe power plant performance, and outline the PlantPredict tool’s use throughout the project development phases, with the goal of ultimately lowering the total cost of ownership of PV power plants.

With a volatile energy market and a fast-expanding solar sector, there are plenty of topics for the industry to stay on top of. Intersolar Europe will explore a number of issues aimed at helping the industry find new business opportunities and understand key market trends. PV Tech Power looks at three of these in more detail

Future solar finance | Ahead of the Solar Finance & Investment Asia Conference in Singapore, Dr M. Rusydi of SGI Mitabu tells John Parnell how solar could tap into the potentially enormous investment opportunities offered by Islamic finance.

PV waste | Europe is leading the way in efforts to regulate the disposal and recycling of old or discarded PV modules. Sara Ver-Bruggen investigates the extent to which the industry is complying with the rules and whether PV markets in other parts of the world are likely to follow Europe’s lead.

Post-subsidy solar | Europe’s solar market has been characterised by peaks and troughs and a good deal of pain for its industry in the process. Although the continent is not expected to see a return to anything like the explosive growth it saw up until 2012, steady forecasts for the coming years hint at solid, sustained expansion. John Parnell reports.

Conference report | In April, the deployment of solar in West Africa came under the spotlight during a two-day event in Accra, Ghana. Reporting on the event, Ben Willis heard huge excitement over the prospects for solar in the region tempered by the realities of scaling up a new technology in a challenging part of the world.

Emerging markets | Mexico remains a market of undoubted potential, but there’s a growing opinion that it will struggle to live up to its hype amid regulatory uncertainty. Liam Stoker asks if last year’s sweeping energy reforms will continue to hold the market back, or result in a solar explosion by 2018.

Competitive bidding | Now into its fourth round, South Africa’s national renewable energy programme has successfully driven down the price of solar energy. But there are growing concerns that this has been at the expense of fostering a diverse local market, writes Tom Jackson.