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Hanwha Qcells shuts down 3.5 GW solar factory in South Korea

Hanwha Qcells has closed its 3.5 GW solar factory in South Korea as part of plans to optimize its PV module production capabilities amid a stagnant domestic solar market.
Installations

Industry pushes for ‘agricentricity’ at Agrivoltaics2023

At the Agrivoltaics2023 conference in France this week, companies such as solar developers and mounting system suppliers called for a more central role for agriculture, amid ongoing legislative and commercial developments. However, uncertainties remain o...
Markets & Policy

EU lists 166 cross-border energy projects to receive rapid support

The European Commission announced yesterday that 166 cross-border projects will be afforded streamlined permitting and regulatory processes, and be eligible for EU financial support, as part of a new push for the European Commission to reach its European...
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Markets & Policy

TotalEnergies acquires minority stake in UK-Moroccan solar-wind interconnector

TotalEnergies says it has invested GBP 20 million ($25 million) in Xlinks’ 11.5 GW hybrid solar and wind facility in southern Morocco. Xlinks aims to transport power to Great Britain through 3,800 kilometers of underwater cables.
Installations

Workflow for integration of BIPV in historical buildings

Italian researchers have outlined a four-step method to assess the technical feasibility of building-integrated PV (BIPV) projects in historical buildings. They applied the proposed approach to a courtyard building from the 16th century in the historical...
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Manufacturing

Imec integrates silicon heterojunction solar cells into curved surfaces

Imec has successfully integrated silicon heterojunction PV cells into curved surfaces, resulting in a 6% efficiency increase compared to passivated emitter and rear contact (PERC) half cells. The cells are suitable for applications in vehicle-integrated ...
Markets & Policy

Limited success for large-scale PV auctions in Austria

The Austrian authorities have only used 35% of their 2023 budget for large-scale solar auctions thus far.
Markets & Policy

Engie starts building 400  MW of solar in India

Engie has secured a 400 MW solar project through competitive bidding in an auction by Gujarat Urja Vikas Nigam Ltd. (GUVNL). The project is set for commissioning by the second quarter of 2024.

Press Releases

Bslbatt and Eve sign batter cell strategic cooperation agreement

Bslbatt is delighted to announce the formalization of a strategic partnership with EVE Energy Co. , Ltd, a LiFePO4 Cell manufacturer.

24.5MW Astronergy TOPCon products generate greener power to light up Chile

After six-month installations, 12. 25MW EL Rayador Solar Park and 12.

Trina Solar’s Vertex N series modules prove superior performance in UL Solutions’ bankability study

UL Solutions, a global safety science leader, published a bankability study report on Trina Solar’s complete Vertex n-type portfolio. The report’s findings showed that the series modules prove to have outstanding product reliability and lower LCOE for highly recognized bankability.

Beny Unveils New AC EV Chargers at London EV Show

November 28 to 30th, London - The London EV Show, themed "Move to the Future," was successfully held at ExCeL London, attracting a large amount of businesses, industry professionals, and media attendees. Beny, always prioritizing user needs, presented intelligent and efficient EV charging solutions, with a special focus on showcasing new products such as the Three-Phase Portable Charger (7.

Opinion & Analysis

Featured

Renewable energy has MIBEL recording lowest Euro prices in the final week of November

Strong solar and wind meant MIBEL recorded the lowest energy prices compared to the other major European markets in the final week of November, according to data collected by Aleasoft Energy Forecasting.

Casting the net for solar recruits

Solar-industry companies need to forget ideas about office-based roles and look far afield to source the recruits necessary for the energy transition – and then they need to keep them loyal by offering a rewarding career.

U.S. solar has less thanks to give, as El Niño pattern develops

In a new weekly update for pv magazine, Solcast, a DNV company, reports that, in November, weather patterns have started to resemble the characteristic El Niño signature, with low pressure in the northwest Pacific, and an enhanced subtropical jet stream spreading from the Pacific across the southern United States.

Solar wafer prices marginally rise, supported by currency exchange rate

In a new weekly update for pv magazine, OPIS, a Dow Jones company, provides a quick look at the main price trends in the global PV industry.

Workforce dilemma casts long shadow

Solar industry expansion is racing ahead but shortages of skilled labor could derail progress. Long-term solutions are required to support further growth. Benoit Ribeaud, partner at Everoze, explores how a workforce bottleneck is affecting the solar industry and calls for more action to alleviate recruitment pressure.

The solar module surplus: EUPD Research considers Europe’s warehouse woes

As solar module prices continue to drop to record lows, amid global oversupply, questions are being asked about how much inventory is sitting in European warehouses and when normal levels will return. With numerous estimates and assumptions swirling, EUPD Research’s Markus A.W. Hoehner and Ali Arfa have looked closely at the numbers in an attempt to provide a transparent view of the issue.

Markets & Policy

Featured

Are Europe’s major solar associations divided, again?

An article published in French newspaper Le Monde recently sparked a war between two prominent European PV associations – the decades-old SolarPower Europe and the three-year-old newcomer the European Solar Manufacturing Council. pv magazine looked into the matter to unpick the potential long-term impact the rift could have on the sector.

LG launches residential air-to-water propane heat pump

The new product utlizes propane refrigerant with a lower global warming potential and has a seasonal coefficient of performance (SCOP) of over 5. According to the manufacturer, it can achieve a flow temperature of 75 C and 100% heating output at outside temperatures of -15 C.

New solar installations to hit 413 GW this year, says BloombergNEF

BloombergNEF says historically low module prices will drive the global solar industry to record installations in 2023.

Chinese PV Industry Brief: CHN Energy buys 10 GW of solar modules at $0.15/W

CHN Energy has acquired 10 GW of solar modules at $0.15/W in its most recent solar module procurement round. The state-owned company says it bought 3.21 GW of panels from Longi, 740 MW from Tongwei, 2.49 GW from Astronergy, and 3.56 GW from JinkoSolar.

The Hydrogen Stream: Brazil reveals $3.6 billion hydrogen production plan

Brazil has announced a $3.6 billion hydrogen production plan, Adnoc has launched a green hydrogen refueling-station pilot in the United Arab Emirates, and the European Union has moved forward on the establishment of EU-wide hydrogen rules.

India’s Waaree secures US order for 1.5 GW of TOPCon solar modules

India’s Waaree has signed a three-year deal with Acciona to supply 1.5 GW of TOPCon solar modules for the Spanish developer’s PV installations in the United States from 2024 to 2026.

Installations

Featured

Japan’s 18th solar auction concludes with lowest bid of $0.053/kWh

Japan’s latest procurement exercise was open to PV projects above 250 kW in size. The lowest price came in at JPY 7.94 ($0.053)/kWh, with 105 MW of allocated capacity.

Renewables helping China to halve power prices compared to US, Europe

Wood Mackenzie says in a new report that China could install 230 GW of PV and wind capacity and export more than 200 GW of solar panels in 2023. Unlike Europe and United States, the country is avoiding the high curtailment of PV and wind.

Chad launches tender for engineer to oversee 30 MW PV plant construction

The Republic of Chad has started accepting applications for a consulting engineer to supervise the construction of a 30 MW (AC) ground-mounted solar power plant – with a 60 MWh storage system, 90 kV line and 90/33 kV substation – near the national capital, N’Djamena.

Performance parameters for residential heat pumps linked to PV, storage

German researchers measured a PV-powered heat pump with battery storage in a single-family home in Freiburg, Germany, for a period of a year. It features smart grid-ready tech that adjusts operations based on the grid.

AEG releases 445 W all-black TOPCon solar module with 22.27% efficiency

AEG is offering three versions of its new all-black solar panels, with power outputs of 435 W to 445 W and efficiency ratings ranging from 21.5% to 22.0%. They feature 108 half-cut monocrystalline cells with n-type technology.

New multilevel PV inverter concept based on switched capacitors, single DC input

Scientists in India have developed a 500 W seven-level inverter prototype based on switched capacitors. The device is reportedly able to achieve a high efficiency despite switching, conduction, and capacitor voltage ripple losses.

Technology

Featured

France’s INES building first TOPCon panels for space applications

France's National Solar Energy Institute (INES) – a division of the French Alternative Energies and Atomic Energy Commission (CEA) – is developing ultra-thin TOPCon solar devices for space missions, in cooperation with the European Space Agency (ESA).

GCL claims 18.04% efficiency for perovskite solar panel

The China National Institute of Metrology has certified the result. The manufacturer claims it was able to increase the panel efficiency from 16.02% to 18.04% in a few months.

Sparc Hydrogen tests prototype photocatalytic water-splitting reactor

Sparc Hydrogen has successfully tested a green hydrogen tech prototype and is now advancing to a pilot plant study near Adelaide, Australia.

Perovskite-silicon tandem solar cells provide extra protection against reverse-bias degradation

An international research team demonstrated that monolithic perovskite-silicon tandem cells do not suffer the same degree of reverse bias degradation that is typically seen in perovskite single junction solar cells under partial shading. They explained that the tandem devices are “protected” by the silicon subcell.

Serbia’s Domi Eko commissions 150 MW TOPCon solar module factory

The factory is located in Velika Plana, central Serbia. The production equipment was provided by Italian manufacturer Ecoprogetti.

Infinite Turbine debuts heat pump turbine for homes, businesses

Infinite Turbine has developed a heat pump turbine for residential and commercial applications, using PV or alternative electricity sources for simultaneous cooling and hydraulic power. The tech can be retrofitted with existing CO2 heat pump systems for air conditioning, hot water, and process heat.

Manufacturing

Featured

Solarwatt announces 85 layoffs

German module manufacturer Solarwatt blamed market disruptions and very low module prices for its decision to lay off 10% of employees at the end of the year.

Polysilicon prices could hit all-time low by year-end

Bernreuter Research says in a new report that it expects polysilicon prices to soon dip below the historical low of $6.75/kg, which was reached in June 2020. It says global polysilicon capacity could hit 2.75 million metric tons (MT) by the end of December, with just 200,000 MT of the total outside of China.

Toyo Solar inaugurates 4 GW TOPCon solar cell factory in Vietnam

Toyo Solar, a subsidiary of Vsun Solar, commissioned a 4 GW TOPCon cell factory, completing the first phase of an 8 GW manufacturing facility in Vietnam.

EU Commission approves €5.7 billion Italian scheme for energy communities

The European Commission said last week it has greenlighted a €5.7 billion ($6.24 billion) scheme for Italy to develop renewable energy communities up to 1 MW in size.

Studer unveils 3-phase distribution cabinet for solar-plus-storage

Switzerland-based Studer says its new infra product can include up to 24 kW of solar and 30 kWh of battery storage. The system has two 12 kW inputs for solar panels and uses 5 kWh batteries from Italian manufacturer Weco.

Dutch startup unveils 600 W two-module residential rooftop PV system

Netherlands-based developer of lightweight PV systems, Rable Group, claims its new rooftop PV solution can be installed in 20 minutes without the need for special permitting or modifications to the fuse box.

Energy Storage

Featured

Maharlika Consortium wins Philippines microgrid tender

The Philippines Department of Energy says the Maharlika Consortium – representing three companies – will develop two microgrid hybrid solar and diesel generator power plants for "underserved" communities located on Panlaitan island and the island of Mindoro.

China’s State Grid commissions 1.2 GW pumped hydro project

State Grid Corp. of China has commissioned a 1.2 GW pumped hydro project, featuring three 300 MW turbines.

Australian startup begins work on agrivoltaic project with thermal storage

Graphite Energy, a thermal storage company, is building a facility in Australia to demonstrate how renewable energy and agriculture can co-exist through agrivoltaic and greenhouse systems.

Weekend Read: BESS lessons learned

Taking a rigorous approach to inspection is crucial across the energy storage supply chain. Chi Zhang and George Touloupas, of Clean Energy Associates (CEA), explore common manufacturing defects in battery energy storage systems (BESS’) and how quality-assurance regimes can detect them.

The Hydrogen Stream: Germany, Italy plan hydrogen pipeline to North Africa

Germany, in collaboration with Italy, has revealed plans to import hydrogen from Northern Africa.

Weiheng Ecactus releases 233 kWh all-in-one battery system

Weiheng Ecactus has unveiled its new Tianwu battery system, with 233 kWh of capacity and 100 kW of output, giving users the flexibility to connect up to 10 units in parallel.