Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) is well known all over the world for its technological innovation. The latest development from the well known US research institution involves an inexpensive manufacturing process that could be applied to all sorts of optical devices from the screens of smartphones and televisions to car windshields, windows and solar power.

The surface of the glass consists of a pattern of nanoscale cones that are five times as tall as their base width (200 nanometers). It is based on a new fabrication approach that MIT have developed using coating and etching techniques which they adapted from the semiconductor industry.

The process begins by coating a glass surface with thin layers which include a photoresist layer. This is then illuminated with a grid pattern that is steadily etched away so that successive etchings form conical shapes. It is the shape of the nanotextured surface, rather than the technique involved, that delivers the unique characteristics of the new glass. In the future, the team believe glass or transparent polymer films might be manufactured in such a manner by passing them through a pair of textured rollers while still partially molten. This would not add much to the cost of manufacture but the advantages of the new technique are substantial. Touch-screen devices for example will be able to eliminate reflections, something that is already a standard feature of many solar panels, as well as resisting contamination by sweat.

At present solar PV panels can lose as much as 40 percent of their efficiency within six months due to dust and dirt accumulating on the surfaces. Over 50% efficiency can also be lost through reflection depending on time of day, although some solar panels have an anti-reflective coating to try and counter this.

The new glass also resists the formation of water droplets as well as having a virtual absence of glare meaning that much more light will be absorbed by solar panels rather than bouncing off the surface.  The team stated that they were inspired by looking at various surfaces in nature, such as lotus leaves.

The team have been working on this project with the help of funding from the US Army Research Office through the MIT Institute for Soldier Nanotechnology. MIT have already applied for a patent on the process.

Among the suite of tools is the iLS-W2 inspection tool which will be used for on-the-fly photoluminescence (PL) inspection of electrical wafers. Other tools will help mono manufacturers to accurately identify yield detraction factors and reduce cell efficiency spread.

BTi regards itself as one of the world’s leading suppliers of luminescence-based inspection tools and quality control systems for the solar PV industry. The company’s aim is enable wafer makers and fully integrated PV manufacturers to inspect every wafer they produce with regard to its electrical performance before they make it into a solar cell. This will help to secure premium pricing for wafers and cells which will be increasingly important in a market with tight margins where customers are tending to focus on higher cell efficiency.

“Our customers are focusing on higher cell efficiency as a key differentiator” said Ian Maxwell, Chief Executive Officer of BT Imaging. “In designing this suite of tools we had three important considerations. The tools all needed to be production-ready, retrofittable into existing production lines, and enable customers to reap the efficiency benefits of cast mono manufacturing. I am very pleased that we can offer our customers the capabilities they seek.”

Continued reductions in subsidies around the world combined with supply and demand and competition dynamics have helped to reduce profit margins in the solar power market and so cell efficiency has increasingly become important among customers seeking to differentiate among the myriad of different solar panels available. Cell makers are therefore setting higher specifications for wafers and that means demonstrating and understanding electrical wafer quality is a vital factor right across the supply chain.

Low solar installation figures may see any further cuts to solar subsidies delayed by up to one month. According to recently published installation figures – which made for dismal reading – the demand for solar PV in the UK has dropped from a four-weekly average of 71MW over the last 12 months to just 17MW in total installed capacity over the last four weeks.

The solar industry has been calling on the Government to hold back on making any further FiT cuts, and the Climate Change Minister tweeted: “Having listened carefully to industry, we are looking at scope for pushing back a little the next proposed reduction in solar feed-in tariffs.”

The Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) has since confirmed the news, and said that they are considering delaying the FiT deadline. The news comes after the Solar Trade Association (STA) revealed it had written to DECC to ask for the next round of cuts, due to be implemented on 1 July, to be delayed.

According to the STA the solar industry has seen signs of recovery in March but enduring another round of cuts so soon would not help the market as it continues to adjust to the 21p FiT rate.

“We are facing an unusual set of challenges right now and it is fundamentally a problem of confidence and perception. We need all champions of solar – in Government, industry and elsewhere – to help us get the message out that solar is still a great investment, particularly with energy bills on the rise again,” commented the STA chairman, Alan Aldridge.

“But we also need Government to show real sensitivity to the current situation and work with us to create a stable and growing market,” Aldridge added.

Leonie Greene, Head of External Affairs at the Renewable Energy Association reacted to the news, saying: “We’ve been making a case for a delay to the July cuts for a couple of weeks now, so we’re very pleased DECC has been listening to industry. Hopefully this will give industry a chance to kick-start the market.”

DECC is yet to officially confirm when the reduced rates will come in to force. However the solar industry is speculating that the delay will see the new FiT rates launched on 1 August.

Van den Heuvel is the co-founder and former CEO of Scheuten Solar, a Dutch solar PV firm. He has been brought in to replace former Solarcentury CEO Derry Newman who stepped down from the position earlier in the year.

With more than 13 years of industry experience to his name, Van den Heuvel was previously in charge of ProxEnergy, a solar installation company and developer of smart grid products and services which he also founded.

“Frans is one of the most experienced CEOs in the downstream solar business, and has a gold-plated reputation in our industry. We’re thrilled to have landed his services,” commented Solarcentury’s chairman, Jeremy Leggett.

“He has led huge growth in exactly the markets Solarcentury is targeting: building-integrated and building-applied solar, plus solar parks. He joins us at a time when solar prices are falling fast globally, meaning substantial markets will open up in the next few years,” he added.

Speaking on his new appointment Van den Heuvel said that although times were tough for many in the solar industry, he was determined to make the most of opportunities that still existed despite the state of the market.

“I am delighted to join the team at Solarcentury, a skilled and strongly motivated team of professionals,” he added.

Founded in 1998 Solarcentury specialises in the design and supply or solar PV systems for the built environment. The company also has offices in Italy and France.

Bristol Power is planning to introduce the scheme on a trial basis in Lockleaze. Should it prove successful, the co-op intends to make free solar panels available throughout the city. This would provide residents with access to free renewable energy, whilst money generated by exporting surplus electricity to the National Grid would be retained by Bristol Power.

The ambitious project comes after the British Government reduced Feed-In Tariffs (FITs) from 43p per kWh to 21p per kWh. Solar subsidies are expected to fall to 16p later this year and further reductions ought to be anticipated as the manufacturing cost of solar panels decreases.

Bristol Power is not a private company, however, which means that it does not exist to generate profit. Whilst private firms have criticised the decision to cut solar subsidies because it lessens their profit margins, Bristol Power, as a co-op, can possibly afford to operate in the sector on less favourable commercial terms. Any profit generated by the organisation must be reinvested in the initiative.

Bristol Power’s David Saunders explained: “We want to offer people the opportunity to join an energy co-operative which would give them the chance of solar panels on their roof and much cheaper annual electricity bills”.

Mr Saunders added: “In Bristol, there is enough roof space for 700 megawatts of solar power. That’s the equivalent of a decent sized power station”.

Residents in Lockleaze are set to become the first people to benefit from the scheme. Participants need not pay anything towards the cost of solar panels, as these will be supplied and installed using co-op funds.

During the spring and summer months, households will be able to enjoy free solar electricity generated by the panels. There will be times when participants must purchase energy from suppliers, but savings generated when the sun does shine (even through light cloud) should still equate to more than £200 a year. This could be enough to lift some families out of fuel poverty, whilst alleviating the burden of many others.

The report, entitled Global Market Outlook For Photovoltaics Up To 2016, observes that solar power is now a fundamental part of the European energy mix, PV currently contributing up to 2 percent of the continent’s energy demand with four percent of peak demand. Italy is one of the countries that the report praises highly, identifying it as ‘highly progressive’ having reached 5 percent of electricity demand obtainable from photovoltaics with over 10 percent of peak demand.

During 2011 photovoltaics became the third most important renewable energy source with regard to installed capacity with hydro and wind following close behind. The report claims this is the sign of a watershed moment in PV’s development with PV for the first time being the number one electricity source in Europe in terms of added installed capacity. It further claims that PV is in line to stay within the three top energy technologies on the European mainland.

“The evolution of the electricity mix in Europe will depend on a series of parameters” the report continues. “The Spanish PV market has shown in recent years that PV can quickly become a direct competitor to incumbent players, and notably gas. PV is especially entering in direct competition with other technologies during mid-day peak hours, one of the moments when flexible power plants run.”

The crucial factor is government support. There must be a more measured response to market developments as the market matures. PV must move from Feed-in Tariff (FiTS) into an environment in which it competes more directly with other electricity sources. Government’s must also work to remove bureaucratic barriers, encourage innovation and ensure grid access. Although FiTS will not last forever, tariffs will have to support PV for the time being until such time that the technology can close the competitiveness gap.

Nevertheless the report also warns that without sufficient government support, the PV industry could collapse although growth outside Europe could help to support the European market. A slowing Europe would create a void that would be filled by the Chinese, Japanese, US and Indian markets. However, with the right policy initiatives Europe could see a PV capacity of 240.15 GW of which the UK would supply 11 GW.

The new scheme, called the Solar Schools Project, was launched in association with Mumsnet and has embraced the latest online fundraising techniques in order to help raise awareness and support. It works by giving schools a platform by which they can crowd source necessary funds for solar PV installation. Each school has a virtual ‘solar roof’ allocated to it complete with blank solar panels. Interested parties such as parents, businesses and alumni are then invited to sponsor sections of the roof, the money going towards the purchase of solar panels.

When the pilot scheme was launched in 2011 five schools managed to raise £70,000 towards the cost of solar panels. One of these, EP Collier Primary School in Reading, managed to secure over £11.070 in as little as nine weeks. Following the success of the pilot scheme, the project will be launched officially throughout the UK in September with the aim of helping 100 schools to go solar over the forthcoming year. Online and offline resources will be provided along with staff training, support and educational resources including advice on fundraising and publicity.

Mary Shorland, Bursar at EP Collier School, said: “Solar Schools has unlocked the potential within our school community and identified that for many local businesses they were just waiting to be asked for help. This increased engagement has the potential to have a long-term benefit for our school.”

The crowd sourcing technique not only allows a valuable method of fundraising but also a means by which schools can engage with their local community. Those schools that manage to raise enough funds, thereby allowing them to obtain solar panels, can then benefit further from the government’s Feed-in Tariff scheme (FiTS). The overall aim is to enable schools to cut their carbon emissions but also allows them to increase their budgets through FiTS.

Angela Bryant, 10:10’s Executive Director, commented: “Solar panels are an incredible investment and a great way to teach pupils about energy and climate change. But with budgets squeezed, most schools struggle to afford the up-front investment”

Solar energy is fast approaching the price of fossil fuels and if their policies remain on track, India has the potential to become a world leader in solar development. For any nation, clean energy leadership would be something of a coup.

With the future for solar in India so bright, the country is a shining example to the rest of the world when it comes to unleashing the potential that is clean green renewable energy. The Indian Government has sent itself an ambitious target of reaching 20 gigawatts of solar energy by the year 2022, and while the nation clearly has a long way to go, what India has achieved in just the last two years alone is impressive.

The solar market has been completely transformed, thanks to India’s National Solar Mission, which has returned some really impressive figures. Its installed solar capacity reached more than 500MW under the first phase of the project, jumping from 17.8MW. Prices of solar dropped to Rs. 7.49/kWh ($0.15 USD/kWh) which means the renewable energy is fast approaching grid parity, meaning it can compete with traditional fossil fuels like gas and coal.

The fact that the market is so young makes the feat all the more inspiring. It’s certainly no wonder the rest of the world is closely monitoring India’s solar developments, with a view to trying to replicate their successes in a global solar market that has taken more than its fair share of knocks recently.

No less than 47% of homes in St Agnes is now equipped with solar power, 31% with solar PV panels on the roof and the remaining 16% with solar thermal. This places St Agnes well above other communities on the islands, most of which have reached only 1% to 2% similarly equipped at best. However, this is not entirely surprising considering that the Scilly Isles enjoy the highest levels of sunshine in the UK.

Andrew Tanner of Penzance-based solar company Plug Into The Sun managed to install the equipment in spite of the somewhat challenging nature of many of the sites involved. The conditions in many places included wind speeds of up to 100 mph and a salt-laden atmosphere. Despite this, one of the installations, sited on the roof of a school, is now producing more power than any comparable installation in the country. Usually, the average rated power produced by a system in the UK amounts to around 850 kW hours. That increases to 1000 kW hours in Cornwall, but the St Martin’s school installation even beats that at 1200 kW hours, which is 50% more than the UK average.

The Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) ran an article which raised concerns that free solar schemes – which are the bread and butter of solar companies such as A Shade Greener – are in breach of mortgage arrangements.

According to the RICS consumers contemplating installing free solar panels need to be wary because of question marks relating to liability over faulty solar PV panels, along with the impact these installed systems could have on the saleability of the property. Should structural problems occur as result of the installation homeowners potentially risk violating the terms of their mortgages, given that it could influence the market value of their home.

The official advice from the RICS is to get consent from lenders before signing up for free solar. However, Yorkshire-based solar company A Shade Greener said that their lease and procedures did comply with the Council of Mortgage Lenders’ (CML) guidelines. Not only that, but when the CML were putting together their guidelines they consulted with Anne Emmerson, who is A Shade Greener’s legal director and in-house solicitor.

“We have also liaised with mortgage companies individually to ensure that individual lenders’ requirements are also taken into consideration. Since we commenced installing in April 2010, many homes have been sold with our free system in place without any problems and many of our customers have obtained remortgages, again without a hitch,” said Stewart Davies, chairman of A Shade Greener.

With more than 7,000 free solar panel installations the company added that to the best of their knowledge there have been no issues with lending requirements.

A guide is available for solar panel providers, which the CML has put together to try and minimize any issues which may arise.

“By following the guidance, providers will face fewer concerns from mortgage lenders,” commented senior policy advisor, Jennifer Bourne.

“Of particular importance is the need for providers to ensure they include adequate break clauses in the event of the mortgage lender having to take possession in the event of the borrowing defaulting on their mortgage, and the solar installation having a negative impact on marketability of the property,” she added.

There are of course both pros and cons of free solar schemes. So when considering rent-a-roof scheme likes those offered by A Shade Greener, it’s important to arm yourself with all the facts.