May 2013 - Volume 6, Number 4

Market Report: Utility-Scale Solar

Challenges For U.S. Utility-Scale Solar Will Drive International Shift

Developers focusing on utility-scale solar in the U.S. may face difficulties unless they expand globally.

Industry At Large: Residential-Scale Projects

Seven Pain Points In Residential Solar Installations

An executive at a solar manufacturer and distributor goes undercover to install a solar array on his own home.

Industry At Large: Residential-Scale Projects

Pushing Solar Installations Into The Mainstream: Advice For PV Installers

As the U.S. solar market evolves, installers and their partners will need to find new ways to market their offerings.

Product: Solar Thermal Balance-Of-System Components

Can Low-Priced, All-In-One Solar Thermal Systems Deliver True Cost Savings?

Installers report back on whether inexpensive thermal appliances reduce labor and live up to performance expectations.

Process: Automation

Automation Market Pauses As Solar Manufacturers Await Global Recovery

PV manufacturers may eventually invest in automation equipment to accommodate new cell and module technologies.

April 2013 - Volume 6, Number 3

Product: Mounting Systems

How Structural Guidelines For Low-Slope PV Arrays Affect Mounting System Design

Solar arrays on low-slope rooftops have unique characteristics related to their extent, geometry, weight and method of connection to the building that are not addressed in the current U.S. building codes. Fortunately, new documents can provide some guidance for racking manufacturers.

Process: Wafering

Manufacturers Will Slowly Switch To Diamond Wire

Using diamond wire rather than a slurry-based process for slicing ingots offers demonstrable cost advantages. However, diamond wire adoption rates within the solar cell manufacturing industry have not grown as quickly as many industry observers expected.

Industry At Large: Interconnection

Past, Present And Future Of Solar Interconnection: A Crucial Project Process

California has made useful changes to its solar project interconnection procedures in recent years. Now, however, the expiration of the investment tax credit in a few years makes satisfying interconnection study requirements and getting ahead in the queue a top priority.

Industry At Large: Project Safety

New Research Examines How Solar Arrays Affect Firefighter Operations

A grant from the United States Department of Homeland Security helped fund research focused on the fire service concerns of interacting with photovoltaic systems during suppression, ventilation and overhaul operations.

Process: Crystalline Module Assembly

For PV Module Assembly, Factory Geography Plays Increasingly Important Role

While solar manufacturing equipment suppliers and module producers report few new process breakthroughs, localized or even on-site module manufacturing could emerge as a key strategy.

March 2013 - Volume 6, Number 2

Process: Simulation & Testing

Solar Module Testing Practices: Future Standards, Current Limitations

Solar module testing cannot prevent all field failures, but it represents a crucial step for manufacturers, project developers, investors, insurers and end users alike. With increasingly stringent tests and standards under development, all parties may be able to place more trust in their modules.

Industry At Large: Federal Policy

Farm Bill Inaction Threatens Rural Solar Program

The U.S. Department of Agriculture has funded several programs to incentivize renewable energy projects on rural lands, with the Rural Energy for America Program (REAP) available for solar projects. However, Congress’ failure to move farm legislation forward puts REAP in jeopardy.

Industry At Large: Federal Policy

SEIA’s President Outlines Top Solar Federal Policy Priorities For 2013

The Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) has its finger on the pulse of the industry’s needs in Washington and beyond. Rhone Resch, the organization’s president and CEO, offers a preview of the federal policy issues that SEIA considers most important this year.

Product: PV Modules

Triple-Junction Cells Could Create Next-Generation Photovoltaic Modules

Industry professionals know that exciting new photovoltaic cell technologies developed at research institutions may not necessarily lead to viable real-life modules. But new triple-junction technologies show significant promise in laboratories.

Market Report: Solar Thermal

Roundtable Discussion: What Is Holding Back Solar Thermal In The U.S.?

Despite some gains, solar hot water heating continues to be overshadowed by the PV market. Is a technological revolution needed, or does the industry simply need to overcome a shortage of end-user awareness and develop new finance models?

February 2013 - Volume 6, Number 1

Market Report: Residential-Scale Solar Power

The Keys To Continued Growth For Residential Solar In The U.S.

One of the biggest challenges for many PV installers is finding capable sales people who can effectively communicate with potential customers and close sales - especially as the market expands beyond the tech-savvy and/or environmentally minded early adopters.

Industry At Large: Project Risk Management

Risk Protection For Midsize Solar Installations

Despite additional protections now available for commercial-scale solar photovoltaic projects that reduce risk and protect cashflows, problems can occur. Solar technologies are still evolving, as are the respective coverages that are needed.

Process: Diffusion

P-N Junction Formation: A Critical Manufacturing Step For Photovoltaic Cells

Several technologies are available to create the emitter, but ion implantation and plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) are used only in relatively small volume compared to the more widespread technology - thermal diffusion.

Industry At Large: Residential-Scale Projects

The ‘Value Of Solar’ Rate: Designing An Improved Residential Solar Tariff

Traditional net metering creates an opportunity cost for all customers. A customer willing to self-invest in a system that could generate valuable excess on-peak or near-peak energy for the network may be dissuaded from making that investment by low payments for that energy.

Product: AC Modules

Do AC Solar Modules Deliver On Their Promises? Three Installers’ Views

PV modules equipped with micro-inverters can offer improved performance for shade-affected projects, easier installation and improved safety features in the event of an electrical emergency. However, not every installer that has worked with the products has had a positive experience.

January 2013 - Volume 5, Number 12

Industry At Large: Commercial-Scale Solar Projects

Commercial PV Design Strategies For Weight-Constrained Roofs

Given that dozens of solar racking companies are selling weight-conscious products in today’s solar market, there are a few product characteristics that a developer or integrator can use to quickly identify which systems are likely to meet weight needs.

Product: Utility/Large-Scale Inverters

Solar Inverter Components Can Raise Efficiencies

PV inverters have traditionally been implemented using a variety of processors, including microcontrollers and digital signal processors. A third option is to include programmable logic in the solution using field programmable gate array technology.

Process: Manufacturing Cost-Reduction

Manufacturers Beware: Backsheet Quality Varies Among Suppliers

Tests for PV backsheets address the causes of several hazards, including optical degradation, shunting, increased series resistance, moisture ingress, corrosion and de-lamination. They break each hazard down by its potential causes and match the causes with tests and test methods.

Market Report: Crystalline PV

Examining The Dynamic Global Forces That Shape The Crystalline PV Market

Overall, the tariffs on Chinese solar modules may give U.S. and European solar manufacturers some breathing room. However, it is not likely that these measures will address any of the fundamental or structural issues facing the crystalline PV market, according to one research firm.

Product: Utility/Large-Scale Inverters

Multilevel Topologies: Can New Inverters Improve Solar Farm Output?

For next-generation PV inverters, multiple units will be connected in parallel in order to reach a higher power rating with modularity and scalability. Modular and redundant topologies will be adopted in the design for improved inverter reliability.