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.
Armageddon Energy has a solar system-in-a-box that removes a lot of the pain and expense from installing solar systems.
The German solar company has opened its New Mexico factory, while keeping a close eye on its competitors who have become power project developers.
Solar companies are unloading assets and issuing IOUs to raise capital at a time when making good money proves tough.
SunDrum combines solar PV and solar thermal with a technology that comes from PCs. Could it make all-in-one solar cheaper?
The Massachusetts company plans to set up its own silicon wafer factory in China and contract with China-based Jiawei to turn those wafers into cells and panels. Evergreen also widened its first-quarter net loss to $64.3 million.
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.
The partnership will allow both companies to co-market products aimed at a growing number of solar panel and inverter developers.
Soliant won’t try to fill fields with its concentrators. Just commercial rooftops. Is the niche big enough to support a company? Is the world big enough for concentrators?
SunDrum combines solar PV and solar thermal with a technology that comes from PCs. Could it make all-in-one solar cheaper?
The company continues to count on Europe as its primary market, though it's selling panels at lower prices to gain entry into the U.S.
The companies will focus on second-generation amorphous silicon technology. Their hope is that competitors who started with the first-generation will find it difficult to compete with companies that already are selling more efficient panels.
Sluggish solar market demand is prompting Q-Cells to cut work hours for about 80 percent of its staff. Wind turbine maker Vestas is shrinking its European operations to focus on the United States, China.
There are four different ways to generate megawatts from the heat of the sun, but figuring out the best one remains an art.
As the economic downturn drags on, analysts are questioning whether SunPower could stay competitive when so many others are hawking cheaper goods.
The solar company said it has delayed using two new production lines in the Philippines and taken other measures to cut costs. It has also reduced its 2009 sales outlook.
The power plant developer is looking at different solar technologies for a project in Arizona. Panels are cheaper than thermal, says the CEO.
Startups in the solar and automotive space were among the companies that pitched their ideas and sought funding at a Dow Jones conference.
The one-year-old California company says it can help installers attract customers and save costs through its software and service offerings.
Here are the stories and blogs you might have missed from Greentech Media's sold-out Surviving the Shakeout solar conference held in Phoenix, Ariz. this week.
The economy won't be the limiting factor on the concentrating photovoltaic market, says SolFocus' Nancy Hartsoch. It's whether or not the firm can scale its manufacturing and transition successfully into commercialization.