reprint The solar energy industry may prove to be a dark horse in the race to provide global energy security. The world has renewed its interest in solar energy investment as it searches for a cleaner and more sustainable alternative to conventional fossil fuels. Countries like China , Germany, the UK, the US, Japan and Canada have already made significant investments in solar power . Who are the other players who are investing big in solar energy? With its own set of limitations such as high installation costs and high plug-in time, are consumers across the world ready to choose solar energy to power their daily lives? Or, are the conventional energy sources still the best bet? The best part about solar energy is that it is abundant and freely available, at least in most parts of the world. However, the high upfront costs of a photo voltaic panel remain a concern for many. Things are changing fast, however, and according to data from SEIA, the cost of an average PV system i
A series of comprehensive market overviews performed in the most recent months provide detailed in-sights into a obviously robustly growing market segment: smart (water) metering. Accordingly, growth rates of > 10% per year are possible for water utilities in the very next years. Other reports consider longer periods up to the year 2020 suggesting a stable growth rate above benchmark. What is currently lacking seems to be well-developed network infrastructure/utilities/facilities; in this context mobile phone networks could play a key role when it comes to information transmission between end-user and individual equipment items.
