Category Archives: PV

Tamil Nadu has the last laugh with 690MW Solar Power Plants to be commissioned next march

Posted on June 4, 2013 by Ritesh Pothan

New proposals increase solar project capacity to 690 MW Even about a month ago, it looked as if the State government’s Solar Energy Policy was able to attract only a modest number of project proposals with capacity of 260 MW. … Continue reading →

Posted in Crystalline, Grid Connected, PV, Renewable Purchase Obligation, Renewables, Solar, Solar Policy, Tamil Nadu, Thin Film | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

Solar rooftops a must-have for Kolkata New Town highrises

Posted on June 1, 2013 by Ritesh Pothan

The New Town Kolkata Development Authority (NKDA) on Saturday took a stride forward to turn Rajarhat-New Town into a solar city. It has made it mandatory for all commercial and residential highrises to install solar rooftop systems to meet at … Continue reading →

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Solar Industry Anxious Over Defective Panels – Audit discovered defect rates of 5.5 percent to 22 percent during audits of 50 Chinese factories

Posted on May 31, 2013 by Ritesh Pothan

Jenya Meydbray, chief executive of PV Evolution Labs, a testing company in Berkeley, Calif., scrutinized solar panels. LOS ANGELES — The solar panels covering a vast warehouse roof in the sun-soaked Inland Empire region east of Los Angeles were only … Continue reading →

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EU votes against module Anti Dumping, and hopefully so will India

Posted on May 30, 2013 by Ritesh Pothan

Eighteen EU member states vote against solar duties Countries who voted in support of the proposals include some of Europe’s largest solar players, most notably France, Italy and Spain. Image: Lightsource industry reaction to EU council vote on anti-dumping (04:20) … Continue reading →

Posted in Cells & Modules, Crystalline, PV, Renewables, Solar, Thin Film | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Find out what its going to take to make Solar Power in India a success both on grid and off

Posted on May 29, 2013 by Ritesh Pothan

Solar Renewable Energy Certificates (Solar RECs) – Today and the way ahead for Solar Power was the title of my presentation at InfralineEnergy’s 2nd Annual Conference on Solar Power – Future Possibilities held on May 28, 2013 at The Lalit, New … Continue reading →

Posted in DISCOM, PV, Renewable Energy Certificates, Renewable Purchase Obligation, Renewables, Solar | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

43.6 % Four-Junction Solar Cell under Concentrated Sunlight New Manufacturing Technologies allow for Higher Efficiencies

Posted on May 24, 2013 by Ritesh Pothan

Image of a solar cell wafer with four-junction concentrator cells and test structures. ©Fraunhofer ISE In an ambitious industry project with the French company Soitec, Fraunhofer ISE is currently developing a new generation of multi-junction solar cells with efficiency potential … Continue reading →

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Punjab receives just 270MW bids against the 300MW requested for by PEDA

Posted on May 20, 2013 by Ritesh Pothan

In a growing trend of developers not agreeing to the prices that are being floated by State Renewable Agencies, Punjab has just received 90% of the proposed capacity. In the past Solar projects have been oversubscribed in the multiples but … Continue reading →

Posted in Crystalline, PV, Renewables, Solar, Solar Policy, Thin Film | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

TN focuses on the true power of solar – to subsidise 2000 solar powered irrigation pump sets of 5HP by 4 Lakh Rupees

Posted on May 17, 2013 by Ritesh Pothan

The Tamil Nadu Government will distribute 2,000 solar powered agriculture pump sets at subsidised rates to farmers in the current year, announced the Chief Minister, J. Jayalalithaa in the Assembly today. The Agriculture Department will distribute the 2,000 pump sets … Continue reading →

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Cumulative deployment of various Renewable Energy Systems / Devices in the country as on 31st March 2013

Posted on May 13, 2013 by Ritesh Pothan

New & Renewable Energy Cumulative deployment of various Renewable Energy Systems/ Devices in the country as on 31/03/2013 Renewable Energy Programme/ Systems Target for 2012-13 Deployment during March, 2013 Total Deployment in  2012-13 Cumulative achievement up to 31.03.2013 I.   POWER FROM RENEWABLES: A.   … Continue reading →

Posted in Biomass, Crystalline, Geothermal, Hydro, PV, Renewables, Rooftop, Rural Lighting, Solar, Solar Thermal, Thin Film, Waste, Wind | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Methodology (Draft) for Implementation of 750 MW New grid connected Solar Power projects Under JNNSM Phase-II, Batch-I (Initial Draft*)

Posted on May 13, 2013 by Ritesh Pothan

Solar Energy Corporation of India (A Govt of India Enterprise) This documents is prepared based on draft guide lines issued by MNRE for selection of 750 MW New grid connected Solar Power projects Under JNNSM Phase-II, Batch-I and may undergo changes. … Continue reading →

Posted in Crystalline, JNNSM, Phase II, PV, Renewables, Solar, Solar Policy, Thin Film | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Domestic Content Requirement restricted to 300MW including Thin-film – India to Close Solar Import Loophole in Energy Auction

Posted on May 11, 2013 by Ritesh Pothan

India plans to close a loophole before its next solar-power auction to stop companies from importing thin-film panels from overseas suppliers like First Solar Inc. (FSLR) for projects that otherwise must be built with local equipment. The government will invite developers by the … Continue reading →

Posted in Cells & Modules, CPV, Crystalline, JNNSM, Phase II, PV, Solar, Solar Policy, Thin Film | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

SECI Invites RFS for Implementation Of Grid Connected Roof Top Solar Pv System Scheme In Selected Cities/States In India (Phase-II) of 11.1 MW

Posted on May 6, 2013 by Ritesh Pothan

SOLAR ENERGY CORPORATION OF INDIA (A GOVERNMENT OF INDIA ENTERPRISE) INVITES REQUEST FOR SELECTION OF BIDDERS (RFS) FOR IMPLEMENTATION OF GRID CONNECTED ROOF TOP SOLAR PV SYSTEM SCHEME IN SELECTED CITIES/STATES IN INDIA (PHASE-II) RFS No: SECI/Cont./SRT-II/58/2013 Dated: 01.05.2013 SOLAR ENERGY … Continue reading →

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Andhra Pradesh Solar power bids heading for re-tendering? States now expecting developers to quote below Rs. 7

Posted on May 4, 2013 by Ritesh Pothan

The government’s bid to finalise tenders for solar power and encourage generation of non-conventional energy to meet the gap in the demand and supply from conventional sources may not be a smooth affair. It may even lead to cancellation of … Continue reading →

Posted in Crystalline, PV, Renewable Purchase Obligation, Renewables, Solar, Thin Film | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Germany’s solar-power success: Too much of a good thing?

Posted on May 4, 2013 by Ritesh Pothan

Solar panels on a German house. It’s been a long, dark winter in Germany. In fact, there hasn’t been this little sun since people started tracking such things back in the early 1950s. A few days before Easter, the streets of Berlin … Continue reading →

Posted in Crystalline, PV, Renewables, Rooftop, Solar, Solar Policy | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Solar power producers oppose any anti-dumping duty on imported gears

Posted on May 3, 2013 by Ritesh Pothan

(In the last batch of the projects…) Ten solar power producers, including Jackson Ltd, Vikram Solar, Symphony Vyapar Pvt Ltd and Lexicon Vanijya Pvt Ltd have written to the ministry of new and renewable energy ( MNRE) saying imposition of … Continue reading →

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2nd Workshop On “Challenges and Issues in Solar RPO Compliance/REC’s” December, 2012

Posted on May 3, 2013 by Ritesh Pothan

Natgrp: This workshop had some very useful presentation on numbers behind REC and RPO as well as valuable information on certain states compliance rules. Proceedings of the Workshop Inaugural Session Mr. Tarun Kapoor (Joint Secretary, Ministry of New and Renewable … Continue reading →

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REC suggestions jointly submitted by Solar Energy Association of Gujarat and Natural Group

Posted on May 2, 2013 by Ritesh Pothan

REC modification suggestions were jointly submitted by Solar Energy Association of Gujarat and Natural Group to ensure the future of Solar in India. These suggestions will also be discussed by Shri Pranav Gupta and Ritesh Pothan on the panel chaired by CERC … Continue reading →

Posted in PV, Renewable Energy Certificates, Renewable Purchase Obligation, Solar, Solar Policy | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Solar RPO and REC Framework by MNRE – March 2013, everything you wanted to know about RPO and REC in detail

Posted on May 2, 2013 by Ritesh Pothan

Among the various renewable energy resources, solar energy potential is the highest in the country. In most parts of India, clear sunny weather is experienced 250 to 300 days a year. The annual radiation varies from 1600 to 2200 kWh/m2, … Continue reading →

Posted in Crystalline, Renewable Energy Certificates, Renewable Purchase Obligation, Renewables, Solar | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Engineering the Solar Age – Suppliers for Photovoltaics

Posted on May 1, 2013 by Ritesh Pothan

Read the complete report here Photovoltaics, an application of electronic and semiconductor technologies, long since became an independent high-tech industry. This brochure presents the most important applications, backgrounds, technologies, and, most importantly, the key players in the fields of machine engineering, automation, raw and process materials, and … Continue reading →

Posted in Cells & Modules, CPV, Crystalline, PV, Solar, Thin Film | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Solar shakeout: Banks pull LDK subsidiary Sunways’ credit facilities

Posted on April 28, 2013 by Ritesh Pothan

Sunways said in a statement that the “current economic situation of the photovoltaics industry and of the company” led to its banks terminating all credit facilities and would exercise rights to unspecified collateral provided by the company that had initially … Continue reading →

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Could Kurzweil be right about solar, the Google of energy?

Posted on April 28, 2013 by Ritesh Pothan

Ray Kurzweil presents his cost curves on solar at Berkeley University earlier this month. Paula Mints’ slide doesn’t look a million miles away from one of Kurzweil’s exponential graphs. Cleantech investors often talk about the quest for the ‘Google of … Continue reading →

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Sharp adds 0.2% efficiency to record triple-junction InGaAs solar cell

Posted on April 28, 2013 by Ritesh Pothan

The latest efficiency improvement was due to further indium, gallium, and arsenide material combination optimization that improved light absorption across the various wavelengths. Further tweaks of its triple-junction InGaAs InGaAs (indium gallium arsenide) solar cell have led to Sharp reporting … Continue reading →

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Amonix CPV system breaks peak efficiency record

Posted on April 28, 2013 by Ritesh Pothan

Amonix CPV module has set a new peak efficiency world record. Image: Amonix. Concentrated PV (CPV) manufacturer Amonix claims to have converted a record 36% of sunlight into energy in a module trial at the US National Renewable Energy Laboratory … Continue reading →

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AP fixes Rs 6.49/unit for solar photovoltaic projects

Posted on April 24, 2013 by Ritesh Pothan

Andhra Pradesh is considering the possibility of a uniform tariff of about Rs 6.49 a unit for solar photovoltaic power projects. Following a detailed review of the various aspects of the bidding process, a Cabinet sub-committee on power seems to … Continue reading →

Posted in Crystalline, PV, Renewables, Solar, Solar Policy, Thin Film | Tagged , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Inviting comments on Draft Guidelines for setting up of 750 MW Grid Solar PV power projects with Viability Gap Funding (VGF) under Jawaharlal Nehru National Solar Mission (JNNSM), Phase-II, Batch-I

Posted on April 23, 2013 by Ritesh Pothan

No. 29/5/2012-13/JNNSNM Government of India Ministry of New and Renewable Energy Solar Power Division Subject:  Invitation for Comments on  Draft Guidelines for setting up of 750 MW Grid Solar PV power projects with Viability Gap Funding (VGF) under Jawaharlal Nehru … Continue reading →

Posted in Cells & Modules, Crystalline, JNNSM, MNRE, Phase II, PV, Renewables, Solar, Solar Policy, Thin Film | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Spinning mills’ body files case against TN solar policy

Posted on April 22, 2013 by Ritesh Pothan

The Tamilnadu Spinning Mills’ Association has filed a petition with the Appellate Tribunal for Electricity asking the Tribunal to declare Tamil Nadu Government-imposed ‘solar purchase obligation’ null and void. (Above) Houses constructed under the Chief Minister’s Solar Powered Green House … Continue reading →

Posted in Crystalline, PV, Renewable Purchase Obligation, Renewables, Rooftop, Solar, Solar Policy, Tamil Nadu, Thin Film | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Solar Power Record In Germany — 22.68 GW — Infographic

Posted on April 20, 2013 by Ritesh Pothan

On Monday, the 15th of April, 2013, the approximate 1.3 million solar power systems in Germany set a new domestic/world record by reaching a peak power output of 22.68 GW at noon. The New Normal This new record is almost … Continue reading →

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Current Solar Module Efficiency Nowhere Near Its Potential, Especially Thin-Film Solar & CPV (Chart)

Posted on April 19, 2013 by Ritesh Pothan

National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) Director Dan Arvizu recently gave a keynote speech during the 2013 International Renewable Energy Conference (part of Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week), which I was lucky enough to attend*. His speech covered a large variety of cleantech topics, and most of … Continue reading →

Posted in Cells & Modules, CPV, Crystalline, PV, Solar, Thin Film | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Power crunch turns grim in Kerala – State turning to Solar as a solution

Posted on April 17, 2013 by Ritesh Pothan

  Deficient rains have compounded power woes in Kerala as the water-level of reservoirs is receding fast in the state.   THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Deficient rains have compounded power woes in Kerala as the water-level of reservoirs is receding fast in the … Continue reading →

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PV Power Plants 2012 – Industry Guide

Posted on April 17, 2013 by Ritesh Pothan

Today’s PV market is now completely different to that of one year ago when the previous edition of this brochure was published. Thanks to a dramatic fall in the price of solar modules and an equally significant drop in the … Continue reading →

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NREL verifies First Solar’s 16.1% total area module efficiency record leap

Posted on April 16, 2013 by Ritesh Pothan

  Easily surpassing its previous record of 14.4% efficiency, First Solar a pushed the bar to 16.1%. Importantly, the CdTe thin-film leader also set a record for open circuit voltage (VOC), reaching an NREL verified 903.2 millivolts (mV). First Solar … Continue reading →

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Spectrolab breaks world record with 37.8% cell efficiency

Posted on April 16, 2013 by Ritesh Pothan

Spectrolab, a wholly owned subsidiary of The Boeing Company, is a manufacturer of high-efficiency multi-junction space solar cells and panels. Image: Boeing Manufacturer of space solar cells and panels Spectrolab has announced a 37.8% efficiency rate for its multi-junction solar … Continue reading →

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Rajasthan allots 75MW Solar Power Projects under competitive bidding Rajasthan Solar Policy 2011 (Phase I)

Posted on April 16, 2013 by Ritesh Pothan

Solar Power Projects Under Competitive Bidding, Rajasthan Solar Energy Policy Sr. No Reg No Name of Company Capacity in MW Address District Location 1 S/428/2004 Essel Mining and Industries Limited 20 Aditya Birla Centre, SK Ahire Marg,Worli. Mumbai- 400030 Jodhpur … Continue reading →

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Rajasthan has a total of 512.75 MW installed as off March 2013

Posted on April 16, 2013 by Ritesh Pothan

While a vast majority of Solar projects are JNNSM, REC based projects are picking up. Below are the names of the 84 odd organizations who have installed Solar Power Plants in Rajasthan with their capacities, technology and commissioning date upto … Continue reading →

Posted in Cells & Modules, Crystalline, CSP, JNNSM, Phase I, Phase II, PV, Renewables, Solar, Solar Policy, Thin Film | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

MSEDCL removes Cross Subsidy discount for Renewable Energy in Maharashtra

Posted on April 16, 2013 by Ritesh Pothan

Natgrp: In a blow to open access in electricity for Maharashtra, MSEDCL has now implemented the highest tariffs for commercial consumers.  Applicable  CSS for  Open  Access (OA)  Consumers  of  MSEDCL effective   from  21st February 2013  :- A.  CSS for HT … Continue reading →

Posted in Biomass, CSP, DISCOM, Maharashtra, PV, Renewables, Solar, Transmission and Distribution | Tagged , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

First Solar to manufacture copper-based crystalline silicon solar cells

Posted on April 15, 2013 by Ritesh Pothan

TetraSun’s cell concept is based on what the company has termed “a novel surface passivation technology”. It enables the use of 40um wide copper electrodes instead of screen-printed silver metallization. Without demanding special equipment for the manufacturing process, cell Voc … Continue reading →

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IEA: Global solar capacity nearing 100GW milestone

Posted on April 15, 2013 by Ritesh Pothan

Image: St Gobain Despite the uncertainties plaguing the European and Chinese markets in particular, a new report has revealed that 28.4GW of solar PV capacity was installed in 2012, bringing total global capacity to 89.5GW in the 23 countries in … Continue reading →

Posted in Cells & Modules, CPV, Crystalline, CSP, PV, Renewables, Rooftop, Rural Lighting, Solar, Solar Thermal, Thin Film | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Why consumers won’t need the power industry any more

Posted on April 13, 2013 by Ritesh Pothan

Natgrp: India has the dubious yet unique opportunity of bringing solar to the masses who as yet do not have the use of grid energy mechanisms especially in villages and far flung locations. Solar can take care of most of … Continue reading →

Posted in Grid Storage, PV, Renewables, Rooftop, Rural Lighting, Solar, Solar Policy, Transmission and Distribution | Tagged , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Citigroup: How solar module prices could fall to 25c/Wp

Posted on April 12, 2013 by Ritesh Pothan

Energy analysts at global investment bank Citigroup suggest that the cost of solar PV modules could fall beyond most expectations in coming years – and reach a cost of just 25c a watt by 2020. The prediction is included in … Continue reading →

Posted in Cells & Modules, Crystalline, PV, Renewables, Rooftop, Solar, Thin Film | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

What next after the polysilicon apocalypse of 2012? – An analysis on why module prices are hardening

Posted on April 8, 2013 by Ritesh Pothan

Polysilicon prices plummeted last year, but signs of recovery are emerging. A year ago in the inaugural edition of PV-Tech’s sister digital publication, Solar Business Focus, we provided a detailed update on the PV polysilicon industry and the impact overcapacity was … Continue reading →

Posted in Cells & Modules, CPV, Crystalline, PV, Renewables, Solar, Thin Film | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Energy Storage: Why We Need It, And Why We Don’t

Posted on April 6, 2013 by Ritesh Pothan

NATGRP: India is a country blessed with abundant Hydro (~20% of total  generation) due to the Himalayas with sunny days almost through out the year. Balancing Solar with Hydro would be the easiest way of covering peak energy concerns for … Continue reading →

Posted in Crystalline, Grid Storage, Hydro, Off-grid, PV, Renewables, Solar, Thin Film | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

India’s Off-grid Renewables Initiative Changing Lives in Ladakh

Posted on April 6, 2013 by Ritesh Pothan

Ladakh, a remote district of India’s northernmost state, is currently benefiting from the largest off-grid renewable energy project in the world. The Ministry for New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) is spending INR473 billion (US$88.8 million) on decentralized solar and hydro … Continue reading →

Posted in Crystalline, Off-grid, PV, Renewables, Rural Lighting, Solar, Thin Film, Transmission and Distribution | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Draft CERC T&C for Renewable Energy Certificates (Second Amendment) Regulations, 2013 – suggestions latest by 25th April 2013

Posted on April 3, 2013 by Ritesh Pothan

No.L‐1/12/2010‐CERC. PUBLIC NOTICE 1. In exercise of powers conferred under section 178 of the Electricity Act, 2003 (the Act), the Commission has made draft Central Electricity Regulatory Commission (Terms and Conditions for recognition and issuance of Renewable Energy Certificate for … Continue reading →

Posted in Biomass, CERC, CPV, Crystalline, CSP, Geothermal, Hydro, PV, Renewable Energy Certificates, Renewable Purchase Obligation, Renewables, Rooftop, Solar, Solar Thermal, Thin Film, Tidal, Transmission and Distribution, Waste, Wind | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Centrosolar sells solar glass division; suffers devastating 2012 losses – Another one bites the dust

Posted on April 2, 2013 by Ritesh Pothan

Centrosolar Group AG will sell its solar glass division off, following a year of devastating financial losses. The Germany-based company has also postponed the publication of its annual report and announced the continuation of its restructuring measures. Centrosolar saw 2012 … Continue reading →

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Completely Solar Powered Solar Impulse to fly across US with SunPower cells in May

Posted on April 2, 2013 by Ritesh Pothan

Solar Impulse’s trip across the US is its last “mission” before attempting a zero-fuel round-the-world flight in 2015   The world’s first solar-powered plane will begin its attempt at a coast to coast crossing of the United States in May … Continue reading →

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India achieves 1.44GW cumulative capacity for Solar PV

Posted on April 1, 2013 by Ritesh Pothan

India has plans to install a further 800MW in this fiscal year. Image: Tata Power India has achieved a total a cumulative capacity of 1,447MW for grid-connected solar PV. According to statistics from the Indian Ministry of New and Renewable … Continue reading →

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The largest PV System Integrator / EPC companies for 2012: First Solar, Sun Edison, BELECTRIC…..

Posted on April 1, 2013 by Ritesh Pothan

IHS’s table of the world’s top 15 EPC companies. Source: IHS. US giant First Solar became the world’s largest engineering, procurement and construction contractor (EPC) last year, according to a report from IHS Research. The study also revealed a shift … Continue reading →

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SMA Solar’s market share falls from over 40% in 2010 to just 25% in 2012

Posted on March 31, 2013 by Ritesh Pothan

SMA Solar’s market share, sales, margins and workforce fall in 2012 SMA Solar’s market share has plummeted from over 40% in 2010 to only 25% in 2012. An increasingly competitive marketplace continues to erode SMA Solar Technology’s once dominant position in the … Continue reading →

Posted in CPV, Crystalline, Inverters, PV, Rooftop, Solar, Thin Film | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Age of renewables: Why shale gas won’t kill wind or solar

Posted on March 30, 2013 by Ritesh Pothan

The emergence of the shale gas boom in the United States, and the discovery of significant reserves in Australia and elsewhere, has prompted many people in the energy industry to proclaim a “golden age” of gas, one that will cause … Continue reading →

Posted in Biofuels, Crystalline, CSP, PV, Renewables, Rooftop, Rural Lighting, Solar, Solar Policy, Solar Thermal, Thin Film | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

China warns EU against imposing tariffs

Posted on March 30, 2013 by Ritesh Pothan

China warns EU against imposing tariffs Chong Quan the deputy representative of MOFCOM said the Chinese government has advised the EU to show restraint in order to avoid a trade war. China has told the European Union to expect a … Continue reading →

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