Growth, Market Share and Dynamic Change in The PV Inverter Industry

The PV inverter market, once short of innovation, has seen a surge of investment in the last few years. Spurred by startup advances, established firms like SMA, Satcon, and National Semiconductor are developing new distributed PV electronics technologies in-house or through acquisition. This Special Report from Greentech Media, sponsored by Enphase Energy, takes a look at the state of innovation in the inverter market, VC investment activity, and the emerging leaders in the $2.4 billion PV inverter market.

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As the price of PV falls, the technology will become more competitively priced in Europe and the U.S. before its prices are competitive in China.

CPV: New Applications and Emerging Markets
November 16, 2009

Hot Startup »

Solar Startup Solasta Seeks Next Round

The solar firm was founded in 2006 with A round funding from Kleiner Perkins and claims its process could increase the efficiency of conventional amorphous silicon PV by up to 150 percent.

People

Swapping CIGS for Silicon

AQT plans to launch production of its thin-film cells that will look like conventional silicon cells but at much cheaper price, its CEO says.

Solar
Ucilia Wang November 20, 2009
MiaSolé Begins Shipping CIGS Panels

The CIGS thin-film maker has kept a low profile for most of the past year. Now it has something to brag about: customers and plans to boost production.

Solar
Ucilia Wang November 18, 2009
Solar Research Hits the Sunshine State

University researchers in Florida are exploring ways to use sun’s power for desalination and killing germs in water. Other ideas possibly on the way involve module containing a solar cell and a LED and lithium-ion battery.

Solar
Ucilia Wang November 16, 2009
Applied Materials: Plans for Layoffs, Cautious Outlook on Solar

The factory equipment maker expects to break even or better for its solar business next year, but remains cautious about solar market recovery.

Solar
Ucilia Wang November 11, 2009
SF Supervisor to SolarCity: Where’s That Job Training Program?

A spat over SolarCity’s promise to provide job training highlights San Francisco’s struggle to create ‘green’ jobs.

Solar
Ucilia Wang November 9, 2009
Vela Solaris Tackles the Solar Puzzle

The Swiss startup licenses software for designing solar thermal heating and cooling or electric systems. Expect more software developers to jump into the solar market.

Solar
Ucilia Wang November 5, 2009
SPI: Solar Quandaries and Strategies

Another Solar Power International has come and gone. This year was cautiously optimistic as the industry has begun to recover from a shaky 2008.

Solar
Frank Smith October 30, 2009
Masdar PV: First Commercial Project and Factory Expansion

The startup amorphous-silicon thin-film maker, backed by Abu Dhabi, plans to ship panels with two layers of amorphous silicon next year.

Manufacturing
Ucilia Wang October 29, 2009
Robert Kennedy on Being Subversive

The environmental activist and VC talks up his love of green energy, opposition to a Feinstein bill, and concern about Chinese solar companies ‘flooding the market’ with their products.

Solar
Ucilia Wang October 28, 2009
What the Solar Industry Wants in a Climate Change Bill

The Solar Energy Industries Association is asking members to pony up for a big political battle against oil and coal industries.

Solar
Ucilia Wang October 27, 2009
Green Jobs: Trickling In?

U.S. Labor Secretary Hilda Solis outlines her department and other federal agencies’ efforts to create green jobs, but the full impact of these programs isn’t likely be felt until 2010.

Solar
Ucilia Wang October 27, 2009
DayStar Technologies Loses CEO, Again

The struggling CIGS thin-film company, which also canceled a merger plan with EPOD Solar, is now on its fourth chief executive this year.

Solar
Ucilia Wang October 21, 2009
Job Seekers: TSMC Pushing Hard to Fill Spots for Solar, Lights

Get those resumes moving. TSMC is looking for execs to head up its push for solar. Other conglomerates may follow.

People
Michael Kanellos October 13, 2009
Nice Pay Package for First Solar’s New CEO

Robert Gillette, who will replace Michael Ahearn come Oct. 1, is set to get $5 million sign-on bonus and much more in stock and options.

Solar
Ucilia Wang September 10, 2009
First Solar Taps Honeywell Exec for CEO

The fast-growing company has snagged an aerospace exec to replace current CEO Mike Ahearn.

Solar
Michael Kanellos September 3, 2009
Xunlight 26 Solar Aims for CdTe on Plastic

The one-year-old Ohio startup is developing a flexible cadmium-telluride thin film that isn’t like First Solar’s, and plans to go into pilot production next year.

Solar
Ucilia Wang September 1, 2009
Is Buying European a Good Idea?

There seems to be a growing call for regulations to protect European solar companies from producers mostly from China. China and the U.S., meanwhile, aim to protect their domestic companies.

Solar
Ucilia Wang August 27, 2009
Video: The Red, White and Green Home

Dr. Jerome Block has a 10-kilowatt solar system, a 20,000 gallon water cachement system, a biodiesel truck, and soon will have a solar water heating system. Why? To show how we can get off foreign oil.

Solar
Michael Kanellos July 20, 2009
Video: National Semi’s Green Ambitions

The 50-year old company says it can boost the performance of solar modules with chips. After that, it’s on to smart grid, says CEO Brian Halla.

Solar
Michael Kanellos July 15, 2009
Big Changes at SoloPower

One of SoloPower’s VCs steps in as CEO and a star researcher returns to NREL. Volume production now due in late 2010, early 2011.

Solar
Michael Kanellos July 8, 2009