SEMI PV Group ♦ The Grid, November 2011 IN THIS ISSUE Leapfrogging Techniques Used by Developing Economies Has Thin-Film Weathered the Perfect Storm? Building a Profitable Business Model for CIGS Thin-Film PV Taiwan-initiated Solar Panel Shipping Standard Call for Papers - 8th Advanced Manufacturing Forum PV Manufacturing Equipment Revenues to More than Halve in 2012 Time for a Green Bank? AC Modules Continue their Launch CALENDAR Nov 24 Supplier Forum for International Technology Roadmap for PV Dec 5-7 PVJapan 2011 Mar 20-22, 2012 SOLARCON China 2012 Mar 25-27, 2012 6th PV Fab Managers Forum PARTNER EVENTS Nov 30-Dec 1 PV Power Plants - USA 2011 Dec 1-2 4th Thin Film Solar Summit Dec 8 3rd Annual SolarTech Green Tie Holiday Affair & 2011 Solar Hero Award Ceremony Jan 16-19, 2012 World Future Energy Summit Feb 9-10, 2012 OTTI: PV Rollout 2012 SEMI Urges Productive Dialog on Trade Policies By Bettina Weiss, Executive Director, PV Group About a year ago I wrote an article for this newsletter titled "Global PV Competition Creates Increased International Trade Disputes." It focused on the fact that our industry is characterized by wide imbalances between supply and demand. It called for global, open and free trade policies to promote and sustain the healthy development of the solar industry necessary to increase adoption of solar energy and decrease dependence on fossil fuels. This week we released a SEMI Statement on Recent Solar PV Trade Developments in response to a trade complaint by SolarWorld and other domestic solar manufacturers, alleging illegal Chinese subsidies of solar panels in the U.S. On November 17, The U.S. Commerce Department opened an anti-dumping and countervailing duty investigation of solar cells imported from China, following a similar action by the International Trade Commission. In our statement on the case we urged that the case currently under review proceed on a factual basis and that the process not become politicized. Moreover, to the extent possible, SEMI would support efforts by involved parties to reach a mutually acceptable accord that will serve the legitimate interests of all parties. SEMI has regularly engaged policymakers on solar policy and free trade issues important to our members. In 2009 and again in 2011, SEMI urged China to accelerate domestic adoption of PV power, partly in response to the growth of Chinese PV cell and module exports. This year China will install nearly 2GW in solar and has a reported 16GW of non-residential solar projects in the pipeline, a dramatic increase over 2010. (More...) Leapfrogging Techniques Used by Developing Economies By Scott Graybeal, Managing Director, Business Development, Emerging Markets, Intevac In this second installment of a three-part series, we take a historical view of technology leapfrogging in the development of advanced non-solar technologies and the strategies pursued by those countries to achieve industry leading positions. Has Thin-Film Weathered the Perfect Storm? By Matt Carr, PV Insider With 2012 just around the corner, Matt Carr of PV Insider attempts to clear the fog surrounding the thin-film industry after a year of dramatic failures and important steps forward. Building a Profitable Business Model for CIGS Thin-Film PV By Vincent Kapur, ISET After many years of buildup, CIGS companies are finally approaching commercial readiness only to discover that the PV industry is at a significant crossroads. Taiwan-initiated Solar Panel Shipping Standard By Maggie Hershey, SEMI Global trade policies serve a fundamentally important function in the photovoltaic industry since many companies throughout the supply chain are highly dependent on exports and work with a range of customers around the world. Call for Papers - 8th Advanced Manufacturing Forum By Stephan Raithel, SEMI Europe SEMI PV Group and VDMA Photovoltaic Equipment are pleased to announce the 8th Advanced Photovoltaic Manufacturing Forum from 12-13 June to be held in conjunction with Intersolar Europe 2012. PV Manufacturing Equipment Revenues to More Than Halve in 2012 By Tim Dawson and Stacey May, IMS Research The market for PV manufacturing equipment will more than halve in 2012 according to the latest quarterly-updated report from IMS Research. Supplier Forum for International Technology Roadmap for PV (ITRPV) By Stephan Raithel, SEMI Europe This meeting is planned to discuss the next ITRPV publication and get direct feedback from suppliers to the PV industry. Time for a Green Bank? By Charles W. Thurston Financing in the USA: In the United States, the idea of founding a Green Bank or a Clean Energy Development Authority to finance renewable energy development is again being floated among Republican and Democrat legislators alike. AC Modules Continue their Launch - But Will be Slow to Adoption By Matthew Feinstein, Lux Research AC modules are simply solar modules with microinverters attached at the production site, sold as an AC-outputting device. Inverter suppliers see this as a way of reducing total installation cost; today, developers and installers buy inverters separately from modules.

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