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.

Projects

Spain Installed More Than 3GW of Solar in 2008

The latest estimates from the Spanish government show that the new capacity added last year exceeded some expectations by as much as threefold.

Solar
Ucilia Wang January 16, 2009
Budget Shortfalls Could Shrink States' Solar Incentives

Maryland and Connecticut are struggling to come up with statewide budgets while trying to figure out how or whether to fund solar power programs that have run out of money early.

Solar
Ucilia Wang January 14, 2009
Report: Recycling Programs Could Curb Solar Panel Toxicity

The Silicon Valley Toxics Coalition has released a report outlining the potential environmental and health dangers posed by materials used to make solar panels.

Solar
Ucilia Wang January 14, 2009
Optisolar Lays off 300, Half the Staff

Optisolar, one of the fastest growing solar companies in the market, has cut half its staff due to lack of financing.

Solar
Michael Kanellos January 9, 2009
All-in-One Solar Panels and Solar Thermal

A group of companies want to make hot water and power from the same piece of equipment. It won't be that expensive either, they claim.

Solar
Michael Kanellos January 9, 2009
SolFocus Scores $47.5M to Peddle Concentrating Solar Technology

The California startup aims to increase the total installations of its solar energy systems from 0.5 MW to 100 MW by 2010.

Solar
Ucilia Wang January 8, 2009
Suntech Boasts 1GW Capacity Amid Tough Times for Solar Market

The Chinese solar panel maker could use the manufacturing might to undercut competitors during a year when a panel bumper crop will likely happen.

Solar
Ucilia Wang January 8, 2009
Taiwanese LCD Giant AUO Jumpstarts Thin-Film Solar Business

AU Optronics plans to set up a pilot production line this year, joining other Taiwanese electronics makers in producing thin-film solar panels.

Solar
Ucilia Wang January 7, 2009
The Year in Solar: A Mix of Victories and Woes

More government incentives are becoming available to boost solar energy projects in 2008, while new solar technologies are making their market debuts. But the credit crunch has caused no small amount of heartaches.

Solar
Ucilia Wang December 24, 2008
Solar Fraud Could Eliminate Spanish Market

A government investigation has uncovered many incomplete projects that were reported as finished by a September deadline. Those projects could qualify for the new 500MW cap for 2009, blocking new project applications.

Solar
Ucilia Wang December 15, 2008
GE and Conergy Seek $250M for Asian Renewable Energy

GE Energy Financial Services and Conergy subsidiary Epuron want their Renewable Energy Trust Asia (RETA) to raise $250 million to build 200 megawatts of wind, solar, hydroelectric, biogas and biomass projects in the next five years.

Other Topics
Jeff St. John December 15, 2008
American Solar Industry's Secret Sauce: Innovation

A new Greentech Media market research report surveys the North American solar industry and finds the explosive growth in emerging technologies the key to U.S. dominance in the global solar market.

Solar
Ucilia Wang December 12, 2008
Splitting the Thin-Film Difference

NanoGram is building a 5-megawatt factory where it hopes to make thinner solar cells that match crystalline silicon's efficiency.

Solar
Jeff St. John December 5, 2008
Solar a Bust in Spain

Installers of solar energy systems are trying to unload megawatts worth of panels cheaply after buying too many at high prices earlier this year.

Solar
Ucilia Wang December 2, 2008
Moser Baer Rolls Out Thin-Film, Builds Power Plant

The Indian solar company plans to build factories with more than 600 megawatts of capacity by 2010, while developing solar power plants to take advantage of the new feed-in tariff in India.

Solar
Ucilia Wang December 2, 2008
First Solar Creates Tough Act to Follow

Solar startups will have trouble replicating the thin-film solar panel market leader's performance in today's poor economy, industry watchers at a Photon International conference warn.

Solar
Jeff St. John December 2, 2008
150 Solar Startups

VC investment in solar has risen from a trickle to a flood in the previous four years. In this three-part series, Eric Wesoff digs into these solar investments to see what turns up.

Solar
Eric Wesoff December 2, 2008
U.K. to Offer Solar Incentives by 2010

The government will create a feed-in tariff program to boost electricity production from solar, wind and other renewable energy. Similar programs exist in Germany, Spain, France and elsewhere.

Solar
Ucilia Wang December 1, 2008
Helio Micro Connects Tech Museum to the Sun

The startup solar energy developer joins San Jose, Calif. mayor and SunPower to go solar at a tech museum.

Solar
Ucilia Wang November 21, 2008
NREL Hunts for Solar-Thermal Hot Spots

The national lab is working with Iberdrola Renewables and other companies on measuring solar energy resources for developing solar-thermal power plants in Arizona.

Solar
Ucilia Wang November 14, 2008