GTM Research’s latest report predicts a 50% to 60% overall reduction to solar installations if trade action is taken, with the utility-scale sector taking the most significant hit.
Announcement
Array Changing Technologies 2017
A new format for 2017 sees the Array Changing Technologies feature split over three issues. A panel of European experts assessed the tech shaping Europe’s solar market for June, with a similarly experienced panel on board for July’s North American selection. The winner will be announced in September, so read on to discover which of the 20 entries have been shortlisted for the top prize!
Announcement
Catch up with the Solar Superheroes!
A busy summer season sees our heroes traveling the globe to wow onlookers with their solar-honed skills. But the specter of Coal’s polluting prowess is never far from the surface… read the latest installments now! Episode 3, Part 2 & Episode 3, Part 3.
Announcement
We are hiring!
We are looking for an editor for the Indian market. Check out the offer here and send your application to editor-jobs(at)pv-magazine.com
Manufacturing
Australia’s CEFC backs lithium mining project to tune of $15m
The Clean Energy Finance Corporation pledges AUS$20 million to part-fund the Pilgangoora lithium-tantalum project in Western Australia.
Manufacturing
China’s East Hope Group signs $300m MoU with Adani to build Indian manufacturing unit
The two industrial giants will develop a large fab at a port in the Mundra economic zone in Gujarat, which will manufacture solar power generation equipment as well as other goods.
Installations
Zambia receives $34.8 Million from German KfW
The funding is to be used to implement a Renewable Energy Feed-in Tariff (REFiT)-Strategy. Zambia aims to attract investors to overcome the energy crisis and to generate power sustainably.
Installations
Georgia launches net metering scheme for solar and other renewables
Through the scheme, the Caucasian country will support wind, solar, biomass, and hydropower generation installations with a capacity of up to 100 kW.
Manufacturing
Neo Solar Power inaugurates 200 MWp Taiwan solar module fab
The Taiwanese solar cell specialist has opened the country’s first automated high-efficiency module production facility at Hsinchu. NSP will produce its new Glory BiFi module at the site.
Markets & Policy
Destroy the industry to save it? Another report warns of potential devastation from the Section 201 case
GTM Research’s latest report predicts a 50% to 60% overall reduction to U.S. solar installations if trade action is taken, with the utility-scale sector taking the most significant hit.
Installations
Panama’s Social Security Fund seeks to invest in solar
Income from solar power generation would be used to provide additional funds for two social security programs endangered by the Fund’s precarious financial situation.
Markets & Policy
Featured
So close, no matter how far in former Yugoslavia
Ex-Yu roundup: The history of the former Yugoslav countries is mired in political upheaval and war, and irreversibly shaped by the country’s dissolution in the 1990s. While Slovenia and Croatia have gone their own way in leading the charge towards solar deployment, a lack of funding and policy transparency coupled with bureaucratic inertia is limiting PV rollout.
ADB rolls out $200m renewables package for 11 Pacific islands
Pacific Renewable Energy Investment Facility created by the Asian Development Bank to finance series of clean energy projects in 11 smallest island nations of the Pacific.
...Europe presses the gas on decarbonization drive with launch of two campaigns
Electrification Alliance and “Make Power Clean” initiative unveiled over past few days to increase the volume on decarbonization across Europe. Solar body SolarPower Europe at forefront of both movements.
...German, Austrian firms collaborate on 98 MW Chile solar farm
The Huatacondo solar park in northern Chile, commissioned by AustrianSolar Chile SpA, has been acquired by Sojitz Corporation in a deal overseen by Germany’s Oppenhoff & Partner on contractual matters.
...Installations
Featured
Module replacement as a last resort
Repowering: The German Renewable Energy Act (REA) places strict limits on exchanging solar modules to restore profitability to PV plants. Plant operators should contact the network operators in advance to preserve the old feed-in tariff and avoid having to pay back tariffs already received. Proving solar panels are defective can be very complicated.
Eicke Weber: Trump’s border wall could host 5 GW of PV capacity
The former head of Germany’s Fraunhofer ISE said in an interview with Spiegel that, although the proposed U.S. border wall should reach a length of only 3,000 kilometers, this would be enough to build a huge PV installation. With solar LCOE ranging from $0.03 to $0.05/KWh the PV plant could be amortized in five to six years.
...India: TANGEDCO proposes severe net metering cut
The Tamil Nadu utility is planning to slash its net metering tariff from INR 6.63 – 7.23/kWh to potentially as little as INR 2.20/kWh in response to recent record-low tariffs in the state and as a means to increase uptake of rooftop solar.
...Pakistan to install 556.5 MW by end of 2018
Roughly 956.8 MW of solar capacity is now under development at 28 locations in Pakistan under the Alternative Energy Development Board (AEDB), with 556.5 MW set for completion by the end of 2018.
...Indian state of Maharashtra announces 2 GW of solar projects
The Maharashtra State Power Generation Company (MAHAGENCO) issues call for developers to build 500 MW solar park and construct 1.5 GW of solar projects to solarize state’s agriculture feeder infrastructure.
...Technology
Featured
Quantifying Risk: CEA introduces benchmarking
Quality assurance: Having been involved in assuring quality with over 16 GW of PV installations, Clean Energy Associates is putting its experience to good use. Its new Supplier Benchmarking Program brings together its proprietary data set with an analytical methodology, delivering a tool to judge the ability of PV module suppliers’ ability to deliver on promises of durability and reliability. Director of Technology and Quality George Touloupas sets out the program.
NASA tests new roll-out solar array in space
The space agency has successfully deployed its new roll out solar array in space for testing. The new panels are lighter and more flexible than the standard folded arrays on older satellites.
...Heraeus signs silver paste development partnership with China’s Solar Space
The German metallization and silver paste specialist will collaborate with Solar Space on the creation of regular new dual printing and other techniques in the pursuit of optimized metallization paste performance.
...China’s BYD to open PV R&D facility in Brazil
The facility at the Universidade Estadual de Campinas to become BYD’s first overseas R&D facility for PV, and will be set up with initial $1.5m in funding. Subsequent financial support will be based as a percentage of firm’s domestic net sales.
...Cheap gas and renewables are making U.S. merchant power untenable
A new report by Power Research Group and Wilkinson Barker Knauer finds that cheap natural gas, wind and solar make it impossible for merchant plants to recover invested capital, and threaten the basic operation of wholesale power markets.
...Manufacturing
Featured
“The circular economy is possible”
Recycling: As PV module deployment continues to grow, so does the issue of end of life. Germany’s Loser Chemie has long worked on the recycling of thin film PV modules and has recently made major strides in applying chemical separation technology to the crystalline silicon (c-Si) space. The question is not how, but when large-scale recycling of PV modules will be reality, says Loser Chemie’s Wolfram Palitzsch.
China’s Sinomach Group plans solar module factory in Moldova
The Chinese industrial conglomerate intends to take advantage of the fiscal incentives offered by the local government for industrial projects.
...Open letter: European PV industry needs urgent measures
The PV research and upstream organizations ETIP, EUREC and Solarunited have submitted seven requests to all EU policy makers. According to the three entities, the entire PV supply chain must be preserved in Europe in order to give a future to the market and the R&D sector. The reason for the letter was the insolvency of Solarworld, which has spread fears that Europe could completely lose contact with the global market.
...India: GE signs 140 MW inverter deal with Solairedirect
Inverter division of GE is partnering with Engie subsidiary Solairedirect to supply 1 MW central inverter solutions to 140 MW of solar projects being developed in India, complete with 25-year service agreement.
...Ingeteam supplies inverters for 100 MW project in Australia
The Spanish company has delivered system components — including 1,500 V (DC) central inverters — to Fotowatio Renewable Ventures, as part of a turnkey deal for a solar array in Clare, Queensland.
...Energy Storage
Featured
More than just self-consumption
C&I storage: The commercial and industrial segment of the storage industry represents something of a middle ground between the known benefits of residential and large-scale storage. pv magazine looks at how this sector is shaping up, and which companies are most active in the space.
Italy simplifies rules for PV storage
The rules were harmonized with the regulation for revamping and repowering of PV systems issued by the GSE in March.
...ABB microgrid to control solar, wind power on island of Aruba
The microgrid will be supplied to WEB Aruba N.V., a utility that controls a large portion of the island’s power. Technology and software is designed to better integrate high levels of renewable power while also delivering storage backup and load shedding capabilities.
...JinkoSolar supplying 38.4 MW solar plant in Japan’s Hokkaido
The Tier-1 Chinese solar company will supply its solar modules to a new utility-scale solar installation being built at Tomakomai, located on the southern Japanese island of Hokkaido.
...Germany’s KfW granted incentives to 3,200 solar storage projects so far this year
The German development bank reports robust demand for storages systems combined with PV power generators. Starting from July 1, the repayment subsidy will drop from 19% to 16%.
...Keep up to date
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Press Releases
KACO new energy supports the Turkish TIDER foundation with donations from the sale of inverters
KACO new energy supplies inverters to Eko Renewable Energy Inc. for an 8-megawatt solar park in Aydin.
Obton enters the Canadian market with full effect through an equity investment into the experienced renewable energy developer Perimeter Solar Inc.
Obton enters co-ownership deal with recognized Canadian project developers, Perimeter Solar Inc. The co-ownership means that Obton now owns 49% of the company, who has more than 280 MW under development in Canada.
CleanCapital closes investment round led by FinTech leaders and pioneers
CleanCapital, an online marketplace for clean energy investing, announced today the closing of the first round in Series A funding, as part of an ongoing capital raise.
Sungrow and YUASA enter into strategic partnership in Japan
Sungrow announced that it has partnered with YUASA Trading Co. , Ltd, a renowned Japanese trading company, to distribute its PV inverters in Japan, aiming to provide better sales services for Japanese customers.