Tag Archives | Solar
African children enjoy their gift of solar lights - Photo: Steve Katsaros/Nokero/Flickr

Sunlabob: A Laos Solar Supplier Building Energy Markets in the Poorest Countries

Sunlabob, a commercial solar lighting supplier based in Laos, is using public sector contracts to reach the poorest in Liberia and other  markets at the base of the economic pyramid.  This cannot be a simple commercial proposition, says Sunlabob Director Andy Schroeter. The poorest cannot cover the capital costs. Liberia’s destroyed electricity infrastructure Liberia had […]

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Cape Town South Africa - Photo: stckxchng

South Africa Renewable Energy Program is Under Way

Round 1 of the renewable energy development program (REIPP)in South Africa is finally under way. The government will sign final agreements with 28 project developers in the next few days. They plan to build 1.4 GW of generation capacity and invest US$5.4 billion. The government has also announced plans for a major extension of the […]

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A silicon wafer - Photo: Piotr D./stckxhcng

Photovoltaics – the Law of Comparative Advantage in Action

China has an important share in world patents for upstream high-value processes in photovoltaic cell manufacture, such as the production of silicon, ingots and wafer segments. But those patenting activities are the result of Chinese public research institutes’ efforts to break the country’s dependence on foreign suppliers of hi-tech components, according to researchers from Mines Paris Tech. That R&D is not […]

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Photovoltaics - attribute to Neville Micallef - stckxchng

Global PV market up 139% Tougher times ahead

This article was first published on Leonardo Energy on 5th September 2011 A record 18.2 GW of solar photovoltaics was installed across the world in 2010, according to the annual survey from the Californian solar energy consultancy Solarbuzz. That is growth of 139% in installations over 2009. The survey reports that the PV industry generated US $82 billion […]

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