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Industry At Large

Global Solar Sector Expects Full Recovery This Year

With the global economy re-stabilizing, investors' confidence in solar firms has returned, ushering in an era of growth. Expect to see improvements in companies' profit margins, a supply-demand balance, and more initial public offerings and other public deals.

Process

Manufacturers Striving For "Green Parity"

Existing methods and materials are less toxic than assumed, but thin-film module manufacturers continue to make strides toward environmentally sound production. One substitution likely to become especially popular is replacing the NF3 used for cleaning with fluorine.

Product

Essential Features, Quality Considerations For Solar Trackers

Dual-axis trackers offer an energy-output advantage over single-axis trackers, but they will require more land for installations and are unsuitable for roof-mounted systems. A tracker of either type must be of durable construction in order to protect the overall system investment.

Process

Analyzing Rheology To Fine-Tune Printability Of Silver Pastes

For optimal solar cell performance, front-contact pastes must produce fine and continuous fingers with a high aspect ratio. Associated research can be streamlined through the use of screen printing simulation programs.

Product

Performance Showdown: Evacuated-Tube Collectors And Flat-Panel Collectors

In general, installers and end users in warm, sunny climates may find lower-cost flat-panel collectors can deliver a sound return on investment. However, evacuated-tube collectors will likely make more sense in colder or less sunny climates, regardless of the user's water-heating requirements.