Tag Archives: industry
The Future of the Global Renewables Industry
How much renewable energy will the world consume in the coming decades? That depends on who you ask. If you’re an oil company with a stake in the continued use of fossil fuels, you’ll probably downplay the penetration of renewables. If you’re an international organization with a conservative reputation, you’ll probably see moderate growth. And [...]
Japan’s Solar Market: Big in Japan
Growth in renewable energy has been proceeding at a frantic pace since Japan’s very generous feed-in tariff (FiT) took effect on July 1, and everyone from oil companies to banks are rushing to participate. Japan is expected to jump to the world’s third biggest solar market this year, placing it right behind China and either the US or Italy. It’s [...]
Rumor: More Layoffs at Nanosolar?
The slashing continues at CIGS solar PV aspirant Nanosolar. Last week Nanosolar went through a round of layoffs, according to sources and verified with a company spokesperson. The spokesperson would not reveal the magnitude of the staff cuts. Sources claimed 75 percent of the staff was let go. The spokesperson said that Nanosolar was “in [...]
Middle East Solar Industry Could Hit $6.8 Billion
The Middle East is boosting its solar power sector with $6.8 billion worth of projects in the pipeline, said Jigar Shah, the chairman of the inaugural Solar Middle East Conference. Mr. Shah told a Trade Arabia report that around 10 major projects are set to be plugged in the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Oman, Egypt, [...]
Why The Solar Industry Needs Capital
In the past few years, the solar industry has been suffering from a lack of capital on both the equity and debt fronts. Despite remarkably high rates of return, tax equity investment still only amounts to around $4 billion per year — roughly 0.2% of its potential in the United States based on total individual [...]
Why Emerging Solar Markets are Essential
Moving into emerging markets is a big risk, but one that utility-scale solar developers will have to take if they want to continue to thrive, according to recent report from Lux Research. Boston-based Lux analyst Matt Feinstein reported that China and India will be key emerging markets for solar developers even in the face of [...]
Does The Solar Industry Need A Credit Rating System?
Will solar projects get financing more easily if they have something similar to a credit rating? With the solar industry booming, you’d never know that less than 5% of the 6500 banks and lending institutions in this country are actively involved in financing solar projects. 16 leaders in the solar industry are coming together in the truSolarTM Working [...]
In Focus: Solar 2.0
One hundred gigawatts of solar PV is installed on the global grid. That first 100 gigawatts has brought the solar industry to this curious point. The solar industry is living through the denouement of a market jacked up on incentives and the associated manufacturing overcapacity and painful consolidation. Entrepreneurs are witnessing the collapse of a [...]
Exciting Next Level Solar Technologies
As the world begins to transition from fossil fuel energy to more sustainable forms of power, interest in solar panels has grown exponentially. New solar panel technologies currently under development will make it easier and more cost-efficient to use on new homes, as well as for retrofitting older homes to solar power. Understanding Solar Panels [...]