Solar Magazine Archive

	Photovoltaic innovations from site analysis to system optimisation: Intersolar Award for young enterprises and new solutions Intersolar Award 2009: Solarserver is proud to present the excellent photovoltaic innovations of Aerowest GmbH, National Semiconductor Corp. and SOLON SE after a first review.
	Pvresources annual review displays development of utility-scale PV power plants: all-time records in capacity and growth in 2008 In cooperation with pvresources.com solarserver.com highlights the key findings on installed capacity, capacity by region / country, solar cell and mounting technologies, Investment costs and electricity price in the special solar report of may 2009.
	PV Innovation in North America: the gateway to solar gigawatts The $50 billion global PV industry is fast approaching a critical juncture in its history. The solar report sketches developments and potentials of PV companies as well as technology in North America as a key factor for a gigawatt solar industry and market.
	Concentrated photovoltaics: the path to high efficiency The costs of a photovoltaic installation are driving the market and the need for subsidized schemes, such as feed-in tariffs. CPV is leading the development of future lowcost renewable energy sources in two ways: on one hand offering high efficiency systems, and being most capable of reducing manufacturing costs.
	Solyndra emerges from stealth mode with cylindrical approach to CIGS thin-film photovoltaics Like many TFPV purveyors, Solyndra loves glass as a substrate, but the company's meter-long CIGS-coated cylindrical modules look like a fluorescent light-bulb tube, not just another rectangular slab of the smooth stuff.
	Zero-energy house with photovoltaics and heat pump With solar panel positioning, good heat insulation and energy-efficient heating technology, energy consumption of the house of the Purpers in Eltville-Rauenthal/Rhine (Germany) is reduced significantly to such an extent that the solar power generated on the roof with a photovoltaic system (7.5 kWp) equals energy consumption.
	The creation of large-scale photovoltaic power plant: the move to thin film modules David Owen, delineates in the solar report the drift to the use of thin film modules large-scale photovoltaic power plant and talked with Stephan Brust from the German systems integrator City Solar AG about the companies technology and future plans.
	Building-integrated photovoltaics – a niche market with ample opportunities In co-operation with the Economic Forum the Solarserver points out in its Solar Report 11/2008 the BIPV markets in Europe, as well as the costs of BIPV, it shows hurdles in the process of winning market share and outlines the target groups for marketing and distribution.
	The photovoltaics industry: against all odds, strong growth continues The PV industry faces many challenges, coupled with a wealth of success stories to prepare it for the battle. And with the world now viewing solar as a mainstream energy choice, this battle is almost won. The energy future is a renewable one.
	The superlative of solar parks: the world’s largest open-space solar power plant with CIS technology The photovoltaic system supplier Würth Solergy and the Swiss manufacturer of inverters Sputnik Engineering AG commissioned the largest open-space photovoltaic plant with modules of copper indium diselenide (CIS) in the Spanish city of Albacete.
	PV production: The dawn of the "gigawatt" fab After a detailed study challenges the current mindset and forces manufacturers to consider scaling manufacturing to new heights. Together with Photovoltaics International Journal Solarserver is discussing the opportunities for scaling PV manufacturing with Robert Gattereder, Managing Director of M+W Zander FE GmbH.
	Waldpolenz Energy Park: Thin-film photovoltaic on the way to the world’s biggest solar electric power park By the end of 2008, juwi solar GmbH, based in Rhineland-Palatinate state (Germany), is constructing the world`s biggest photovoltaic (PV) power station near Leipzig in Eastern Germany.
	Intersolar 2008: the largest solar fair of the world shows the continuously increasing global importance of solar technology For three days visitors at the Intersolar could inform themselves in seven halls about solar power and solar heat. But also production systems and equipment for manufacturers of solar cells and solar modules were presented on a large scale.
	2008 Photovoltaic trends: Innovative thin film technology and large-scale power plants; Gigawatt perspectives in the USA In cooperation with the independent portal site pvresources.com the German and international solar portal site solarserver.com outlines the world wide development of commercial PV power plants.
	The Combined Power Plant The Combined Power Plant of Schmack Biogas, SolarWorld and Enercon links and controls 36 decentralised wind, hydropower, solar power and biogas installations so that they can cover the electricity demand in any weather conditions by tapping into the unequally distributed energy potential across Germany.
	Large pv-power plants: average growth almost 100 % since 2005 The solar report 1/2008 first gives an overview on the development of photovoltaic markets in general and showcases the biggest commercial solar plants around the world, the installed and cumulative solar power in 2007 as well as the important markets all around the world.
	Research Agenda provides a Vision for European Photovoltaic Solar Energy Technology The European Photovoltaic Technology Platform in June 2007 published a Strategic Research Agenda (SRA) for Photovoltaic Technology. The SRA is giving a clear message: photovoltaic solar electricity will be competitive with conventional electricity in Southern Europe by 2015 - and in most of Europe by 2020.
	Intersolar on its way to becoming the Solar World Fair After eight years in Freiburg, Intersolar will be moving to Munich where a surface area of 50 000 m2 will provide its 800 exhibitors with ample space to make an international statement in presenting their achievements in the field of solar thermics and photovoltaics as well as solar construction.
	Building integrated Photovoltaics (BIPV): Solar electric power systems conquer large roofs and façades The Solar Report presents some examples of high-output photovoltaic solar roofs, innovative solar power façades and a brief outlook on the future integration of photovoltaics into buildings.
	Solar thermal in Europe: expanding markets, better political framework conditions and state-of-the-art technical solutions In the forefront of the Solar Thermal Industrial Conference estec 2007 the Solar Report focuses on current developments in the utilisation of solar heat in Europe and highlights new, rapidly expanding markets as well as their political dispensations.
	Award-winning photovoltaic system: solar power system as backup system offers protection against blackouts In the event of a power failure the "Sunny Backup System" fully automatically switches to “stand-alone power supply”. The Solarserver June 2007 wishes to present this innovative photovoltaic backup system developed by SMA Technologie AG”.
	Photovoltaic industry achieves record profits, discussion over high module prices continues Solar power is more in demand than ever before: photovoltaic power plants are built in ever greater numbers all over the world to transform sunlight into electrical power.
	Intersolar 2006: Solar technology and demand at an all-time high The solar industry is growing rapidly and steadily – and with it in tandem also the international Intersolar Fair. The exhibition area of this leading European solar technology fair was expanded by 50 % in comparison to the previous year; on 26 000 square metres companies from 27 countries presented new products to the international solar industry.
	The world’s largest photovoltaic solar power plant is in Pocking On the former military training area in the Lower-Bavarian town of Pocking, sheep are now grazing under and around 57 912 high-tech photovoltaic modules. The Pocking solar park with its peak performance of 10 Megawatt (MWp) is currently the largest one-piece photovoltaic solar power plant worldwide.
	Electricity and heat from the sun and salad oil The engineering graduate from Stuttgart, Martin Bucher, operates a power station, from in his own house, that heats the building as well as the indoor swimming pool throughout the year and, in addition, generates electricity for approximately six families.
	Solar Roof Tile Exhibition shows developments in photovoltaic roofing In an exhibition the company Biohaus PV Handels GmbH presents the history of solar roof tiles over the past 15 years. With its zero-energy office building the photovoltaic system integrator located in Paderborn demonstrates, since the beginning of 2005, versatile and innovative solutions for the integration of solar technology.
	Cooling with Solar Heat: Growing Interest in Solar Air Conditioning Days that have the greatest need for cooling are also the very same days that offer the maximum possible solar energy gain. The demand for air conditioning in offices, hotels, laboratories or public buildings such as museums is considerable.
	Light Control and Optimizing Energy in Offices and Other Buildings Photovoltaic modules and solar collectors make the sun's energy usable, but technologies that provide for optimal light efficiency in buildings and that make "living and working with the sun" enjoyable also use solar energy. effective daylight use and control as well as energy optimizing are the characteristics of three buildings that we present in cooperation with the BINE Information Service (BINE Informationsdienst).
	Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems (Fraunhofer Institut für Solare Energiesysteme (ISE)) in New Quarters For some weeks now, the approximately 300 employees of the Freiburg, Germany Institute for Solar Energy Systems have been working under one roof. In light of the field of activity of the institute, it is then understandable that solar collectors are on the roof and photovoltaic modules are mounted on the façade.
	Fuel Cell Research and Development in Southern Germany Research facilities and companies are searching for the energy carriers of the future: Southern Germany is working on the link between (solar) hydrogen and the economy. In Baden-Wuerttemberg's capital city, Stuttgart, and its surroundings, high-tech is at the forefront - not only in colleges and research laboratories, but also in medium-sized companies and industry.