Company executives and analysts alike face a number of difficulties in answering this very important question. To reach the answer requires strong fundamentals in solar PV economics. This, however, is unfortunately not enough. The data necessary to answer the question are difficult to collect and even more difficult to structure and maintain. Further, the data are highly dynamic: US incentives change in structure, decrease or expire and electricity prices change in both magnitude and composition. All of these variables affect a market’s attractiveness, which itself can change substantially over time.
Feed-in-tariffs are a controversial subject in the US where the energy industry likes to pretend that free market economics applies to this sector. You might expect clean energy antagonists to baulk: "Let the government set the price for electricity — are you crazy? Let the market decide."
Siliken has developed the ‘energybox’ PV system that offers more than 100 structural solutions for the design of any type of residential and industrial rooftops. The kit is scalable and therefore allows the covering of any rooftop size by connecting several energyBoxes in tandem. Siliken also developed a 72-cell module, which yields the same power with 20% fewer modules, therefore saving components, cutting operating costs and installation time.
Sun Chemical is now offering a broad range of metallization solutions for both additive and subtractive processes as well as module materials for use in the crystalline silicon (c-Si), thin film, printed electronics and other emerging markets. Products being highlighted include a variety of silver tabbing and aluminum backside pastes such as ‘SunTronic’ Cellmet 437W Backside Aluminum paste and SunTronic Cellmet 451W Silver Tabbing Paste.
AEG Power Solutions has announced the expansion of its product portfolio with a new central inverter with 630kW capability. Protect PV.630 has an efficiency factor of 98.4%. With an appropriate transformer, it can also be adapted to the medium voltage grid (e.g. 10, 20, 33kV). The new inverter is said to be the company’s next step in offering high-end utility-class inverters.
By 2016, the federal 30% Investment Tax Credit (ITC) and the California Solar Initiative (CSI), the nation’s largest ratepayer funded program, will have expired. A key question lingering until then will be: “Can the US PV industry be weaned off government subsidies and therefore become self-sustaining?”
The Digital Photonics Corporation (DPC) has launched the ‘SolarJet’ printer for selective emitter application of solar front contacts (c-Si). The SolarJet printer is claimed to simplify offline process feasibility by making it possible for labs to quickly, accurately and cost-effectively gauge real world performance benefits before making larger in-line investments. Once feasibility is confirmed, the system can be easily scaled up for larger print runs. The system features inkjet components from Trident Solar generating enhanced efficiency and reduced scrap rates.
The successful deployment of renewable energy, including solar, is critical for America’s future energy supply. Recently, a lease financing mechanism has been one of the most powerful drivers of solar power deployment in the US. Though solar leases have helped grow the industry, the authors contend that they come at an inflated and higher than intended cost to the US taxpayer compared to cash purchases. Further, if these inflated taxpayer costs become politicized, the industry may suffer another setback.
DuPont Microcircuit Materials has introduced its next-generation back side silver material for high-efficiency solar cells. DuPont Solamet PV51G photovoltaic metallization is claimed to decrease dependence on silver metals by reducing overall material consumption in solar cells up to 25%. Importantly, the material also provided improved adhesion and maintains desired efficiency performance of the cells.
2BG S.r.l. is introducing a new technology in order to completely remove the use of silver paste from crystalline silicon solar cells backside, with the result of improved cell efficiency and a significant reduction in production cost. The research project started in 2010 through the collaboration with Rise Technology Srl, Italian company founded by researchers of La Sapienza University, Rome.
