NEWS I ROUNDUP
Could solar be the key to greater European growth and success? THE EU Commission is loking to
expand Germany’s energy transition (Energiewende) Europe-wide. A move that could help crisis-ridden Southern Europe. In those countries, this would involve the introduction of simplifi ed approval processes, work skills training as well as lower grid connection costs, while the core European countries such as Germany would have to contribute with targeted investments in the order of 1 to 3 billion euros annually. Countries such as Greece could then expect an additional economic growth of about 0.5 to 1.0 percent. These are the results of a new study led by researchers from the Mercator Research Institute on Global Commons and Climate Change (MCC) and other renowned research institutes and published in the journal Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews.
Based on meteorological data and the evaluation of scenarios for a cost- effi cient energy transition in Europe, the researchers come to the conclusion that countries such as Greece, Portugal, Italy and Spain could move from being electricity importers to exporters in particular through the expansion of photovoltaics. However, realizing this potential would require the legislative harmonization of energy policies through the EU in close coordination with its Member States. More specifi cally, the scientists are proposing that the feed-in tariff for renewables be uniform, or as uniform as possible, across Europe.
“The energy transition should be understood as a joint European project that provides prospects especially for disadvantaged countries,” says Felix Creutzig, head of the study and of the MCC working group Land Use, Infrastructures and Transport. “Germany’s Energiewende alone cannot do the job. Instead, Germany needs partners in Southern Europe.” This is true also in light of the fact that the impact of wind and clouds on the energy yield of renewables is better compensated across a larger geographical area.
However, Europe’s Mediterranean countries are only able to take on the bureaucratic and fi nancial hurdles facing a large-scale implementation of photovoltaic systems with aid from the North. A possible source of funding in this endeavor could be the revenues generated by a reformed European emissions trading system. This type of EU investment in which Germany and other countries fi nance the renewables infrastructure of Southern Europe could also offset the collapse of private investment in those countries with no additional burden to their budgets.
The researchers estimate that the union of the European Economic Area provided economic benefi ts primarily to Europe’s core countries, being Germany and the Benelux countries, and that it weakened the productive base of its Mediterranean member states.
Dupont chase SunEdison over tellurium patents
DUPONT has fi led a patent infringement lawsuit against SunEdison and its affi liate NVT LLC in the U.S. District Court for the District of Delaware.
In its complaint, DuPont (DFT) alleges that by sourcing and using photovoltaic cells and solar modules containing Samsung SDI Co., Ltd. (into which the former Cheil Industries Inc. merged) front side metallization paste, SunEdison infringes DuPont’s patented tellurium paste technology.
The complaint also identifi es Neo Solar Power of Taiwan as the cell manufacturer and Flextronics as SunEdison’s contract manufacturer.
“DuPont will enforce its patent rights to protect our substantial investment in innovation to improve solar energy effi ciency,” said Peter Brenner, global photovoltaic business marketing manager, Microcircuit Materials, DuPont Electronics & Communications.
“Installers and module makers like SunEdison are responsible for ensuring that their products do not use infringing cells or pastes. Our patented tellurium technology is available only from DuPont; no other photovoltaic paste manufacturer has a license to use our patented technology.”
As a supplier of materials to the photovoltaic industry, DuPont hasdeveloped innovations such as Solamet photovoltaic metallization paste products.
DuPont has been able to deliver innovations to the solar industry as a result of investing heavily in research and development and the company intends to protect its investment when required or necessary.
Issue IV 2014 I
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