Want to decrease manufacturing costs? Improve product, supplier quality
Ninety-eight percent of the lifetime costs of a solar energy system are wrapped up in product quality, according to Jody Cowan, managing director of Strategy22. He explains how a product is manufactured directly affects operating costs in the long run, and provides an example of how one design problem spread across an entire system can lead to performance issues 10-15 years down the road. Share:
To secure financing, the solar industry needs to double-down on quality
Jigar Shah, CEO of the Carbon War Room and founder of SunEdison, says that quality is critical to obtaining financing in the solar industry. He cautions against being penny-wise and pound-foolish -- instead, the industry needs to double-down on quality. Share:
Business strategy, roadmap, and vision required when scaling up solar production
Karim Lokas, VP at Camstar, lays out the roadmap challenges that face a solar manufacturer that is scaling up production. He advocates using life-cycle intelligence to provide a view into a product's performance from the early stages of design, development, manufacturing, and all the way through its use in the field. Share:
Lessons learned in scaling a PV fab
Ralf Plieninger, director of business management at Q-Cells, describes lessons learned as the company has scaled its Malaysian facilities from smaller production lines to utility-scale lines. For example: Equipment throughput matching is not required, and fab managers have more choices in choosing equipment. Share:
Industry News & Analysis
Bright start to 2010 for PV module market
IMS Research analyst Sam Wilkinson takes a closer look at PV module shipments and trends so far this year, and why early 2011 will be very different. Share:
Major Asia Pacific photovoltaic markets to grow 85% in 2010
Asia-Pacific photovoltaic markets are poised to make a significant contribution to global market growth in 2010, following improvements in the policy environment in most of the region's key countries. Share:
Thai PV plant taps Sharp, Mitsubishi
What is being billed as one of the world's largest solar power plants is about to start construction in Thailand, with support from two of Japan's big PV players. Share:
New solar group to hold first general meeting during Intersolar
The Solar Engineering & Manufacturing Association for engineers, managers, and other professionals in the solar and related industries will hold its first general meeting in San Francisco on July 15. Share:
Weber Ultrasonics debuts 250kHz ultrasonic generator for cleaning
Ultrasound component and surface cleaning meets the challenges of removing film and contamination from miniaturized/delicate structures and sensitive substrates, with Weber's new 250kHz ultrasonic generator.
Indium intros tabbing and bus ribbon kits
The solar cell assembly tabbing and bus ribbon kits, which contain common-sized tabbing and bus ribbon and fluxes for photovoltaics applications, are available in three versions, including one with a Pb-free, bismuth-containing, low-temperature coating.
Do you know your supply chain?
The Association for Operations Management is offering a one-day training course to provide foundational information about supply chain management to staff who support the supply chain, but are not professionals in the field.
PV Pipeline
Air Products to build 1.5MW solar farm
A proposed 12-acre solar farm at the company's corporate headquarters in Allentown, PA, would generate enough electricity for nearly half the administration buildings when it comes onstream in early 2011.
Solar Semiconductor, Conex Energy to develop >300MW in NA
The plan is to develop solar opportunities at various ground-mount and rooftop locations in California and Ontario, Canada, using Solar Semiconductor's PV solar panels and related equipment.
Recurrent Energy to supply 60MW of solar in Sacramento
A number of 20-year power purchase agreements (PPAs) with the Sacramento Municipal Utility District are the first to come out of the utility's feed-in tariff (FIT) program.
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