By 2025, Taiwan aims to reach a cumulative installed solar PV capacity of 20 GW. However, by mid-2018, just 11.2% of this goal had been met. TrendForce analyst, Rhea Tsao, examines the situation and discusses what needs to be done to reach the target.

Module degradation tests are essential not only for effective plant operations, but also to ensure an optimum ROI. However, fixed laboratories, where such tests are usually carried out, involve transportation issues, while it is not always economically feasible to send in mobile laboratories. So how can degradation in these instances be measured? Leonardo Enrique Pérez Abreu, Technical Manager of the Testing & Optimization department at Enertis discusses this issue.

World Overshoot Day marks the day the world has used up its annual budget of the resources it could have sustainably consumed. Despite efforts in relevant sectors, the date is creeping forward every year. Twenty years ago, it was in late September.

India is currently the second largest market in the world for PV module demand. With China’s domestic demand frozen since the 31/5 notification, the country’s total module demand in 2018 will likely only achieve 32-34 GW. This will allow India, which may surpass 10 GW in annual demand, to reach 13% of global PV demand this year. As a result, the future of India’s trade war has become an influential factor in the global PV industry.

Jay Lin, CEO of PVGuider discusses why the effects of light induced degradation (LID) in PERC cells cannot be completely eliminated. To explain the difficulty, we first need to understand the LID behavior of the cells, he says.

The final order from the U.S. Trade Representative includes an interim tariff rate of 10% set to start on September 24.

Bids can be submitted to the German grid authority, Bundesnetzagentur until November 2, 2018. Solar accounted for all winning bids in the first round.

In an interview with pv magazine, vice president of GoodWe, Ron Shen, talks about the company’s plans for Germany, Spain, Africa and India, in addition to its goal to triple production capacity to 15 GW in China. He also discusses the effect of China’s 31/5 policy change, and plans for an initial public offering (IPO).

The Qatar-based investment firm has agreed to acquire a 75% stake in Netherlands-based Zon Exploitatie Nederland Holding B.V. (ZEN). The Dutch company owns a PV plant porftfolio of around 96 MW.

The Energy Project Implementation Support Unit (EPISU) will help independent power producers (IPPs) improve the bankability of projects. The new entity is being created with the financial support of the African Development Bank.

German-headquartered project developer juwi Renewable Energy has inked an agreement with the University of Queensland to deliver a solar+storage hybrid power solution at its research station located in the Great Barrier Reef.

A new study from the University of New Brunswick confirms that homeowners are more likely to install a residential PV array if they live in areas with a high concentration of rooftop solar power generators. Investments from public entities installling rooftop solar, according to the study’s authors, can indirectly promote renewable energy just by making it more visible to people.

The solar plant was built by the local IPP, Meinergy Ghana Ltd in Gomoa Onyaadze, in southern Ghana. The country’s President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo said that further IPP projects will be brought online via competitive bidding, and that solar bids will have to be cheaper.

The Lebanese Center for Energy Conservation (LCEC) has published a list of the 75 Expressions of Interest (EoIs) for three 100 MW solar PV plus storage projects. A detailed call for project proposals will be circulated to the 75 consortiums by December 2018.

Head of SolarPower Europe welcomes news of imminent Solarworld sale whilst predicting removal of EU trade barriers on Chinese-made panels will bring dormant market back to life.

Renewable energy sources, notably solar and wind, are reaching price and performance parity on and off the grid, shows a report from accountancy firm Deloitte, highlighting seven trends that are driving this transformation.

In PERC modules, both light and elevated temperature induced degradation (LeTID) and light induced degradation (LID) must be mitigated. What makes this tricky, however, is that the mitigation process of the first, counteracts that of the second, says Karin Krauß, R&D project manager, Rehm Thermal Systems. At the pv magazine Roundtable in Taipei next week, she will discuss possible solutions with cell and module manufacturers, and EPCs.

The Dutch company provides lithium iron phosphate batteries and employs artificial intelligence solutions for mobility-as-a-service applications. It aims to develop its technology further with the help of the University of Twente.

A team led by Switzerland’s Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale Lausanne has developed a low-dimensional perovskite layer it says can be used as a capping layer on perovskite solar cell material, improving stability and water resistance. The team reports a 20% efficient cell incorporating the material.

The market for EVs is experiencing robust uptake worldwide with companies, governments and municipalities implementing policies to drive development. EVN and EVBox announced plans for expansion this week, and the UK government is also pouring investment subsidies into the electric vehicle market.

Taiwanese solar cell manufacturer, Motech has announced plans to reduce its workforce by 300 and further adjust production capacity, while Sino-American Silicon’s CEO has revealed the company may exit the wafer business.

According to the company’s insolvency administrator it is unlikely negotiations with potential investors will generate concrete results this month. Module production has been suspended at Freiberg with employees relocated to a transfer company.

The transaction, expected to be finalized next month, will be made through the purchase by the Advanced Materials business of the holdings of Q Cells’ three main stakeholders. The company told pv magazine the operation is intended to enhance the group’s solar growth strategy.

The U.S. microinverter maker has said the capacity increase will be made under its partnership with the Flex Group. It will start delivering devices produced in Mexico to the U.S. market, starting in the second quarter of 2019.

The 31/5 PV policy change in China led to Daqo New Energy Corp.’s exit from the wafer manufacturing business. Around 450 employees are set to be made redundant.

The two companies joined to build one of Europes largest storage systems. The project will provide grid management services, such as primary control reserve. SMA says it is just one of four others large grid management storage systems it will commission in Germany over the next few months.

The World Bank is helping Gambian utility NAWES find a consultant for the nation’s first large-scale scheme, to be developed under the national Electricity Restoration and Modernization Project. The solar plant may have a capacity of up to 20 MW, and could be linked with a storage system.

The Centrale électrique de l’Ouest guyanais was started by French hydrogen specialist HDF Energy in May. The $90 million plant, expected to generate 50 GWh per year, is being built near Saint-Laurent-du-Maroni in northwestern French Guiana, and will meet the energy needs of the nearby municipality of Mana.

Anesco has installed 3.75 MW/3.75 MWh of battery storage at the offices of Philip Dennis Foodservice. The systems are connected directly to the U.K. grid, and will generate revenues of £750,000 over the next 20 months.

Although initially expected to deliver around 650 MW, Victoria’s first renewable energy auction has smashed the goal, delivering 928 MW of renewable capacity. Six projects will be developed in total, three wind and three solar, under the state’s renewable energy target. In a separate announcement, the Andrews government promised to provide half price solar batteries for 10,000 Victorian households, if re-elected.