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.
Download now »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.
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.
The $90 billion or so in energy-related stimulus funding should offer plenty of opportunities for companies that can manage the process of applying for projects.
Let’s face it, 2009 isn’t going to be a good year for solar. The economy is still awful, and nearly everyone from solar equipment manufacturers to power plant developers are waiting and waiting for the federal government to implement programs from the stimulus package and give the sluggish industry a boost. Only a few companies like First Solar seem to be rising above the difficulties. But next year, or even late 2009, could be quite different. The stimulus money should be flowing nicely and banks could feel generous again. Construction on solar thermal and utility PV projects should pick up speed. So to pick our list of top ten companies, we looked for businesses with strategies that would lead them to make a big impact in 2010, both in the overall solar market as well as promising niches that could gain prominence.
China announced an outline for a solar incentive program last week with some key details missing. That has prompted a lot of speculations and interpretation of what the government really said.
Slipped into the Solar Initiative is a sweetheart program for putting up solar systems at affordable housing complexes and single-family homes.
The patent office's decision is a win for customers of Applied Materials. Oerlikon Solar has licensed the patent for making amorphous silicon/microcrystalline solar cells, and filed suit against an Applied customer.
Chinese solar companies got a huge boost in the markets after a massive government subsidy program was announced. But is the uptick justified? Analysts have differing views.
Energy Secretary Steve Chu appeared in front of a Senate committee to lobby for more research money in the new budget and push for a program to curb pollution.
Voters seemed to have defeated the controversial Measure B by a narrow margin. The measure would have mandated L.A.'s utility to add more solar power to its mix. Opponents said it would've excluded private installers from participating in the utility's solar program.
Voters in Hollywood will get to decide whether to support a measure to require their utility to build more solar energy projects. Opponents say the measure would lock out private solar energy installers.
The process of filing papers for permits, rebates and other incentives from local, state and federal agencies can incur a sizable cost – $1 per watt. But it could also create a business opportunity for some.
The government has created a register of projects that can receive the lucrative solar-electric rates for feeding electricity to the grid, a move that is a month behind schedule and has caused project delays.
The signing ceremony for the $787 billion stimulus package featured the Colorado solar installer, who was held up as an example of hope.
A plan to turn renewable energy investment tax credits into direct payments from the federal government is part of the stimulus bill being drafted by Congress, observers say. That's a key policy wish for solar and wind power developers.
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.
The Silicon Valley Toxics Coalition has released a report outlining the potential environmental and health dangers posed by materials used to make solar panels.
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.
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.
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.
Installers of solar energy systems are trying to unload megawatts worth of panels cheaply after buying too many at high prices earlier this year.
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.