Media developments during the 22nd EU PVSEC

Greentech Media, Photovoltaik, and PHOTON

Although Greentech Media Launches Independent News and Analysis Website occurred on September 4, 2007, I bumped into Greentech Journalist Rachel Barron at the official 22nd EU PVSEC press conference on Monday after the Opening Session. Greentech Editor Jennifer Kho and Ms. Barron are both Red Herring alumni. I was an avid reader of Ms. Kho’s solar articles last fall and even linked to one.

Greentech Media, Inc., was founded by Scott Clavenna and Rick Thompson last of Light Reading, an online publication with the tagline: NETWORKING THE TELECOM INDUSTRY. Greentech Media’s President and CEO Clavenna introduces the website in Welcome to Greentech Media. Greentech has established partnerships with the Prometheus Institute and Rob Day of @Ventures as the exclusive host of his Cleantech Investing Blog. Greentech Media secured $1 Million in Series A funding back on May 21, 2007, in a round led by Northport Private Equity and Lightspeed Venture Partners.

I think I need to purge my broken RED HERRING Energy link and replace it with Greentech Media.

Since Intersolar 2007, the folks who launched Photovoltaik - Das Magazin für Profis, Solarpraxis AG (FRA:SPA) and Alfons W. Gentner Verlag GmbH & Co. KG, have been busy developing a Special 2007 International/American oriented English edition of Photovoltaik – The Professional’s Magazine. The cover story is Ewing Oil Turns Solar interviewing Larry Hagman, Actor and Renewable Energy Supporter. Mr. Hagman is presenting at the Closing Plenary Session of Solar Power 2007.

Solarpraxis was providing gratis sample copies of the Special 2007 edition from a shared stand with pvXchange at the 22nd EU PVSEC Exhibition. I had a chance to chat with Solarpraxis AG CEO Karl-Heinz Remmers on the Metro back from the FIERA MILANO RHO, and the Solarpraxis team will be in attendance at Solar Power 2007, and I believe (almost 100% certain) Solar Power 2007 attendees can expect copies of the Special 2007 edition to be available.

I can’t confirm if this is new news, but Solar Verlag GmbH, the publisher of PHOTON magazines, will launch an Italian version, PHOTON – il Mensile del Fotovoltaico (link points to PHOTON International at post time), starting with the January 2008 edition (see PHOTON 9/2007, p. 27). The magazine has a cover price of €4.20. If I am reading the italiano right, a 12 month annual subscription costs €44 per year (€36 for students) and €84 for subscriptions outside the European Union.

This pricing is similar to German and Spanish PHOTON versions, but, for some reason, a 12 month subscription to the PHOTON International English version costs €214 per year! PHOTON International does not even have a price printed on the cover. PHOTON International claims the regular newsstand price for 12 issues is €321 or an eye popping €26.75 per issue. PHOTON International sells back issues since February 2002 for €25 (PI 9/2007, p. 47) versus the 22nd EU PVSEC Special Conference Price of €15.

While, in fairness, PHOTON International subscribers have more perks than even PHOTON - das Solarstrom-Magazin subscribers, do these perks justify an almost five (5) times higher subscription price?

This pricing discrepancy could make spot market Polysilicon look cheap.

Photovoltaik magazine launched at Intersolar 2007

[Freiburg im Breisgau, Germany]

Targeting busy industry professionals

Solarpraxis AG (FRA:SPA) and Alfons W. Gentner Verlag GmbH & Co. KG have formed a joint venture and launched the unusual issue 00 (double zero) of Photovoltaik-Magazin für Profis at Intersolar 2007 with a 50,000 copy first run. Neue Fachzeitschrift „Photovoltaik“ geht mit 50.000 Auflage an den Start announced the partnership and goals for this new German language publication back in March 2007. Starting with the September 2007 issue, Photovoltaik will be published every month.

I spoke at length with Karl-Heinz Remmers, Solarpraxis AG CEO, to obtain a better understanding of Photovoltaik’s positioning and innovative approach to serve solar electric professionals. Every new publication covering photovoltaics is faced with immediate questions. Are they a direct competitor to industry leader PHOTON? In this case, how are they positioned versus the German language version, PHOTON - das Solarstrom-Magazin? Since Photovoltaik targets active specialists and decision makers of the solar power industry, Photovoltaik is narrower in scope than PHOTON’s A to Z kitchen sink approach to the photovoltaic market for every demographic from consumers to University Professors.

Photovoltaik is centered around two to four page analysis articles covering the prominent issues. Each article will include a one or two sentence executive summary for the ultimate time stressed, multitasking industry professional.

While the 00 issue Editorial describes the style, format, and standard columns of the periodical, two innovative columns stand out. First, active trade electricians and photovoltaic professionals are polled each month to gauge the health and outlook for the market in Germany on a regional basis. Second, the Klagemauer (Western Wall) highlights the top challenges or complaints of professionals in the industry. In the first issue, the modules are too heavy was the number one complaint of installers. I think this will remain a top three gripe for a long time!

Photovoltaik will also leverage the Internet to supplement articles, update content, and even offer an online version of the publication. Online subscriptions hosted by servers powered by renewable energy offer a sustainable alternative to print media.

German photovoltaic industry professionals can sign up for a two month trial of Photovoltaik by going to http://www.photovoltaik.eu/de/abo/ and completing the online form.

I hear the Solarpraxis Team will be attending (and exhibiting at?) Solar Power 2007 in Long Beach, California USA, and may have something to show. Perhaps a localized version of Photovoltaik for the US market is in the works? Solarpraxis and Gentner have international ambitions to expand their joint venture publications with local partners worldwide.