08 | 2016 | 78538 Photo: ARENA Photo: Photo: SolarwattPhoto: Photo: European Parliament/Flickr European Photo: Markets & Trends Industry & Suppliers Applications & Installations UK: Already facing an uphill battle, Made in the EU: Module production Offgrid+storage: Solar, backed by can the U.K.’s solar sector find ways in Europe explored through the lens storage, is proving its worth in the to thrive post-Brexit? Page 22 of five manufacturers. Page 50 vast Australian outback. Page 72 2016 | 08 PHOTOVOLTAIC MARKETS & TECHNOLOGY solar speaks A special In Conversation edition in which industry leaders discuss the markets of today and technology Illustration: Harald SchüttIllustration: Harald of tomorrow. Pages 28 to 46 / Perfect Welding / Solar Energy / Perfect Charging THE FUTURE LIES NOT IN OUR STARS, BUT IN OUR SUN. WE ARE DEVELOPING THE SOLAR TECHNOLOGIES OF THE FUTURE. / We believe in a future where humankind covers 100% of our energy requirements from renewa- 24HRS ble sources: a world of 24 hours of sun. Solar energy plays a key role in this world - both day and SUN night, summer and winter. This future is already fast approaching as more and more people are converting to solar. To drive this major change forward we are developing technologies that help 24hoursofsun.com make solar the cornerstone of our future energy systems. Visit www.fronius.com SE_AD_Stars_Solar_Technologies_EN_72220_2.indd 1 18.05.2016 09:07:27 From the Editor A second half to remember Cue: a collective sigh of relief. Solar’s silly season has passed. magazine/Maximilian Rügamer pv Photo: The eight-week crunch of three major solar events in quick suc- cession – the SNEC, Intersolar Europe and Intersolar North America – is now behind us. And it’s summer, in the northern hemisphere at least, so time to take stock and get in some much- needed rest and relaxation. If only it were so simple. The ever shifting solar landscape will unlikely let sleeping dogs lie this August as the second half of 2016 shapes up as being every bit as intriguing as the first. A rapidly cooling China mar- Jonathan Gifford with IHS Technology’s Ash Sharma at Intersolar Munich. ket, looming module oversupply and the first determination in Hemlock’s legal action against SolarWorld subsidiary Solar- World Industries Sachsen (formerly Deutsche Solar), which dized solar projects to become the rule rather than the excep- was published at the time of writing, are likely to contribute to tion. However, the case is at the very least expected to drag on another intriguing six months. for some time, so it’s best not to get too far ahead. But it is prom- ising nonetheless. In a ruling handed down in the dispute between Hemlock and SolarWorld over multi-year polysilicon contracts signed by the In the European markets, the minimum price undertak- two companies, U.S. District Court Judge Thomas L. Ludington ing (MIP) does not look set to budge any time soon, much to detailed the process through which Deutsche Solar and Solar- the chagrin of the downstream sector. European solar is not World executives sought to renegotiate the multi-year poly expected to grow in 2016, with up to 9 GW of installations supply agreements with Hemlock. The PV market was rapidly forecast (pp. 30 – 31). While the MIP provides some support to changing in 2012 and 2013, and poly prices undergoing steep manufacturers in Europe, they still face a host of challenges declines. (pp: 44 – 53). Storage deployment is certainly presenting a most significant opportunity both for installers and suppliers, and it Most interestingly, the ruling sets out the precise moment in was the major talking point at the ees shows in both Munich and which Dow Corning, Hemlock’s parent company, stepped in to San Francisco, co-located with Intersolar (pp. 16 – 19). Another request that SolarWorld petition the U.S. Department of Com- topic on the lips of those attending the European trade show merce to seek a resolution to solar antidumping proceedings was Brexit, which has posed more questions than answers between the U.S. and China. The ruling indicates that Solar- (pp. 22 – 25) since news of the shock vote broke. World did not follow through on this request in the manner requested of it by Hemlock, and the relationship between the Multiple reports are coming out that storage cost reductions two companies deteriorated to what it is today. are exceeding expectations, which is pointing the way for some exciting applications both off (pp. 72 – 75) and on-grid. What While there is no doubt that the major winners of the affair better way to learn about the latest storage offerings than by tak- have been the respective companies’ legal teams, there may be ing a guided tour of some of the leading suppliers’ trade show a silver lining for the global solar industry in this largely sorry booths, which pv magazine – along with industry expert Götz story. In responding to the judgment, PV industry analysts Fischbeck – has duly produced. Our findings can be viewed on were quick to observe that if a resolution to the matter were the pv magazine global YouTube page. to be achieved, and SolarWorld would likely be seeking such given the $770 million at stake in the suit, a push towards the At Intersolar Europe this year, pv magazine ramped up its video removal of duties on PV cells and modules bound for the U.S. coverage, producing more than 20 reports in German and Eng- from China, and solar-grade polysilicon headed precisely the lish across the three days. So on the back of these and other other way, may be the end result. discussions, our annual In Conversation special (pp. 28 – 43) touches base with some of the leading and most innovative sup- With the U.S. market continuing to forge forwards with both pliers and analysts in the solar industry. Hear from the industry the distributed and utility scale sector in robust health, a reduc- in its own words, in print, online and in video format. Either tion of tariffs all round would likely lead to continuing expan- with a magazine, laptop or smartphone in hand this summer, sion and market growth. Expectations are for some 10 GW of you can take solar’s story with you! PV to be added to the country’s grids in 2016. Solar’s resultant increased competitiveness with traditional generation sources Jonathan Gifford would also be enhanced, helping to pave the way for unsubsi- Editor in Chief 08 / 2016 | www.pv-magazine.com 1 Contents In Conversation Special talking solar this Page 30: Ash Sharma, Senior Director, Solar Research, IHS Technology month… Ash Sharma of IHS discusses with pv magazine how many European solar markets are eyeing a return to growth on the (distant) horizon. The analyst also touches on the significant secondary solar market emerging in the more mature PV regions, and also dives into the huge opportunities presented by the O&M market. Page 32: Guy Rong, President, Arctech Solar In Conversation Guy Rong, the President of Chinese solar company Arctech Solar, presents an outlook for the Chinese large- scale solar PV market, out- lining why he believes that tracking technology is on course for continued growth in 2016 Back again for 2016, this year’s and beyond. In Conversation Special brings you Page 34: Bikesh Ogra, another hand-picked selection of inter- Manager, Solar Business and Page 36: Peter Pauli, Photo: pv magazine/Harald Schütt pv magazine/Harald Photo: International Operations, CEO, Meyer Burger Library/Flickr Public London Photo: views from some of the solar industry’s Sterling and Wilson Emerging as the giant of the Sterling and Wilson’s (S&W) PV production equipment most respected voices and opinion Bikesh Ogra explains the great landscape, Switzerland’s formers, with pv magazine strides made by the Indian Meyer Burger boasts an electricity infrastructure giant, impressive technology supplying the ammo for touching on S&W’s success in portfolio to boot. But how the Indian solar EPC space and does it position itself a raft of interesting and outlining why the country in the ever-intensifying sector is now seeing the low competitive environment insightful discussions. solar bid prices evident today. among technology providers with Chinese Page 38: Frank van Mierlo, rivals rising fast? The month of August – in the northern stuffing this month’s issue into your CEO, 1366 Technologies hemisphere at least – tends to be a rather suitcase in preparation for your vacation, Talk of technological advance- peaceful four-week affair of out-of-office it means that you can enjoy a selection ment is never far from the lips Page 40: William Zhou, of most solar pioneers, and the email replies, summer ‘Silly Season’ of insightful conversations about the Vice President, Sungrow same is true for Frank van Mierlo, stories dominating the airwaves, and current state of the solar industry from Sungrow Vice President CEO of 1366 Technologies, who quieter-than-normal cities as the world those in the know. William Zhou talks about explains to pv magazine why appears to take a collective breather And you can do so from the comfort the reasons behind why the company’s Direct Wafer tech- before getting down to business once of your sunlounger or hammock, the Chinese power con nology represents a step change - again in September. with the soothing sounds of the ocean – version giant remains for the industry. As veterans of the global solar rather than the usual cacophony of committed to supplying industry, pv magazine knows better than competing voices found at a typical central inverters in the most the challenges – and opportunities – trade show – as an aural backdrop.