Solarserver Archive: professional articles on photovoltaics

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 (AeroSolar software), National Semiconductor Corp. (SolarMagic energy management) and SOLON SE (SOLON Black 160/05 photovoltaic in-roof system) 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 billion global PV industry is fast approaching a critical juncture in its history. With kind permission of GTM the solar report on solarserver.com 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. Concen-trated photovoltaics is leading the development of future lowcost renewable energy sources in two ways: on one hand offering high efficiency systems, and on the other, 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 (London, Munich and Bozen) 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, and it is looking as if solar electricity will be a major part of that future.

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. The solar power plant with its 41 600 solar modules and 30 central inverters has an overall output of 3.26 MWp.

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. Completed at the end of this year the Waldpolenz Energy Park will comprise 40 megawatts (MW) of production capacity.

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. Industrial equipment manufacturers increasingly contribute to lowering the costs of photovoltaics by creating solutions for the efficient, resource-saving production of solar cells and modules.

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 and presents national and international trends

The Combined Power Plant That wind energy, photovoltaic and bioenergy plants can replace electricity from nuclear and coal plants is no longer disputed. 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 In the past three years the annual growth of large photovoltaic plants with an average peak power of 200 kWp or more accounts for almost 100 %. 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.

PV-TEC – Research factory for solar cells Since the beginning of 2006, solar cell, wafer and module manufacturers as well as system manufacturers can analyse and develop innovative processes, materials and systems in an ultra-modern production line for crystalline silicon solar cells, without having to interrupt operation on their own production lines.

Organic photovoltaics: solar power from extremely thin tinted films and polymer films The photovoltaic cells made of organic semiconductor materials are flexible and as thin as plastic films, as well as light-weight and variable in colour. Solar Report 8/2007 zooms in on the fundamental principles of OPV, as well as on research on organic solar cells and sketches industrial perspectives of the “Third Generation of Solar Technology”.

PV modules as far as the eye can see: in Pocking electricity comes from the sun.

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.

	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”. It maps the route to stand-alone supply safety with the help of network-coupled solar power systems.
	Building integrated Photovoltaics (BIPV): Solar electric power systems conquer large roofs and façades Since the beginning of 2007 photovoltaic records are going from strength to strength. The Solar Report 6/2007 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.
	Photovoltaic investments outside Germany? Looking into the southern EU states The renewable energy law that came into effect in Germany in 2004 was followed by a true boom in photovoltaics. Other European states and countries worldwide took this law that promotes the generation of electricity from solar energy as an example and passed similar laws.
	Solar power from the desert rather than desert in Germany: renewable energy in a trans-European context Trans-Mediterranean Renewable Energy Cooperation (TREC) developed a solution with which our electricity may be obtained in future from the desert. TREC, established in September 2003, developed a comprehensive concept for energy, water and climate security in Europe, the Middle East and Northern Africa.
	Power for Africa: solar hybrid systems for rural electrification As solar system of the month of February 2007, the Solarserver presents the solar power system combined with a vegetable oil generator operated by the Vincentian Sisters in Mbinga (Tanzania). This solar hybrid system provides clean electricity day and night to 140 people in various institutions run by these sisters.

	New Study: Renewable Energy can replace abandoned Nuclear Energy in Germany The Solar Report summarises the pertinent results of the study and sketches the suggested road to a replacement of nuclear energy with autonomous, decentralised supply of renewable energies.
	Chinese solar modules penetrating the German market Chinese producers have become larger and significantly more professional. Many of the very large companies have intensively sought contact with China from the beginning of 2005 and ensured that they received their piece of the cake through large-scale supply contracts. That Chinese modules are of interest to German system integrators is proven by current co-operation and supply agreements.
	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. In co-operation with the expert magazine Photon, the Solar Report zooms in on the discussion regarding module prices.
	Economic feasibility of PV systems in Germany: more than just a little sunshine The demand for photovoltaic systems has remained continually high for a full two years. However, the paradigms in Germany have shifted during the past year. Everybody thinking of acquiring such a system should calculate his investment carefully to avoid nasty surprises. Economic consultants Dr Andreas Wutz and Rainer Weng have done their research for this Solar Report and highlighted the most important decision criteria.

Intersolar 2006: Demand for solar technology greater than ever.

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. The combined vegetable oil Heat and Power Unit (CHP) is run with cold-pressed canola (salad oil) from farmers of the region. Additional heat is provided by solar thermal collectors on the roof.

Biohouse building with solar roof tiles on a monopitch roof,

Solar Roof Tile Exhibition shows developments in photovoltaic roofingSolar 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.

The "SunRace", a Solar Mobile Race takes place in Australia every year, here: "SunRace2002".

Renewable Energy in Australia Australia, along with the US and Canada, received plenty of public criticism during the negotiation of the Kyoto Protocol. They were portrayed as being hostile to the goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions and of energy conservation in general. In this article, we explore the Australia' energy resources including renewable energy and Australia's interest in alternative energy forms.

New Photovoltaic Factories and Capacities in Germany
After the solar boom the past couple years, market impulses driven by the Renewable Energy Sources Act (Erneuerbare-Energien-Gesetz (EEG)) and the 100,000 Roofs Program and in the run-up to the parliamentary elections (Bundestagswahl), demand for photovoltaics at the End of 2002 lay at about the same level as the year before.

Sun, Light and Heat: Light Control and Optimizing Energy in Offices and Other Buildings Daylight is solar energy. This is a trivial statement but comes lightly to the background when speaking of solar energy use. 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).

The National Energy Plan - The US Government Decides the free Market needs more Mining The balance between energy consumption and the environment have always seemed at odds with one nother. Is it possible that the Alaskan National Wildlife Refuge could be opened to oil exploration without adverse effects to the environment? George W. George W. Bush believes so.

Trade Fair Intersolar 2001 Presents World Wide Solar Technology for the First Time The international trade fair and conference for solar technology, Intersolar 2001, held for the second time in Freiburg from 6th until 8th July in Germany, takes place against an increasingly international trade for solar technology. The special exhibition "Solar Technology for the World Market" presents for the first time products suitable exclusively for applications inside and outside of Europe.

Power Generation with Perspective: Transparent POWER-Cells for Innovative Solar Architecture
German Sunways Inc. in Constance is moving to a new direction. The company, which has been listed on the stock market since February 9, 2001, develops products and solutions for the production of solar electricity. The award-winning POWER-Cell (Polycrystalline Wafer Engineering Result) offers architects and planners new possibilities for the design of aesthetic, high quality facades, which produce energy from sunlight. Glass façades on office buildings, winter gardens or sunroofs on automobiles will become energy suppliers with the transparent solar cell. Modules with translucent POWER-cells can be directly integrated into the façade.