Photovoltaics (PV) Features for April 2010

Photovoltaics (PV) Features Archive

EU renewable energy National Action Plans (NAPS) – the current status EU renewable energy National Action Plans (NAPS) – the current status

EU Member States are currently preparing National Action Plans to detail how they will meet their renewable energy targets.

Innovations in PV installation technology Innovations in PV installation technology

Part 1: Cell manufacturers continue to drive down the cost of manufacturing and boost efficiency of their products. But it’s for nothing if installation costs and peripheral devices that harvest usable energy from the cells negate the manufacturing cost savings, and add to the price for the end user. Joyce Laird looks at what is being done on the user end to move PV closer to a universal reality – one that meets all demands at a reasonable cost.

Comment: A change of direction for solar inverters Comment: A change of direction for solar inverters

The new medium-voltage directive of the German Federal Association of Energy and Water Management (BDEW) demands that photovoltaic inverters no longer turn themselves off after a temporary blackout. Sputnik Engineering AG has adapted their SolarMax products accordingly.

PV in 2010: clouds on the horizon? PV in 2010: clouds on the horizon?

2010 was predicted by many to be the year that solar PV recovered some of the ground lost over the past 18 months after the industry’s well-documented problems. So how are things likely to play out?

NREL's new robots scrutinise solar cells NREL's new robots scrutinise solar cells

The race to build a better solar cell is looping through the National Renewable Energy Laboratory where new robots are fabricating thin-film cells and analysing glitches faster and with more precision than ever before.