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.

As more states adopt ambitious renewable power and storage targets, hopes increase for continued market opportunities beyond the ITC. In the mid-term, the overall market opportunity is clear. At IHS Markit, we project 73 GW of solar PV systems will be installed in the United States from 2018 to 2022.

Independent energy analyst, Corinne Lin discusses the fallout of China’s recent solar PV policy decision, including decreasing utilization rates and serious oversupply; and a focus on equipment upgrades, particularly for PERC, SE, half cut and bifiacial technologies. The industry will bounce back in 2019, she concludes.

With the percentage of renewables in the global energy mix increasing, and global energy demand projected to increase by 30% over the next two decades, energy storage is more important now than ever. But what are the main technologies for energy storage, and how will these technologies affect global energy? Gabriel Hurtado González, Energy Solutions Manager at Mitie, and Sasaenia Paul Oluwabunmi, Operations Officer at the OPEC Fund for International Development answer this pertinent question.

The driving force behind the innovative energy storage system installed at Amsterdam’s John Cruiff ArenA in the Netherlands, The Mobility House (TMH), talks to pv magazine about the death of the combustion engine, and how electric vehicles (EVs) are presenting both strong business cases, and unparalleled levels of flexibility via decentralized intelligence – blockchain technology – for electricity grids around the world.

The project connecting Germany and Norway was first conceived in 2015. The 624 km undersea cable will have a capacity of 1.4 GW, when operational in 2020. The EU is supporting the project and other grid infrastructure projects through its EFSI scheme to interconnect the European energy markets, for better renewable energy integration and improved security of supply.

According to China’s Ministry of Commerce, the 30% import duties on Chinese PV products do not comply with the World Trade Organisation’s rules. The Chinese government added that its solar industry could be seriously damaged.

The Peruvian Government has submitted to public consultation the draft of Supreme Decree for the regulation of distributed generation (DG), which is the secondary legislation necessary to implement the DG law first promulgated in 2015. Talking to pv magazine, the president of the Society of Peruvian Renewable Energy explains how the new rules will not only introduce a net-billing scheme for installations up to 200 kW, but also a scheme for projects up to 10 MW, which is very similar to the so-called Pequeños Distributed Generation Media (PMGD) program in Chile.

As the lira’s troubles continued to weigh on the markets today, it remained unclear how the country’s solar market will be affected. While the plunging currency fosters uncertainty – public enemy number one for investors – it could also create conditions for lower system costs and cheaper PV projects. Nevertheless, a serious slow-down for 2018 must be considered.

Amidst the Indian government’s yo-yoing on the 25% safeguard duty, the National Thermal Power Corporation’s (NTPC) auction to develop 2 GW of interstate transmission system (ISTS)-connected solar PV projects attracted a low winning tariff of Rs. 2.59 (US$0.0372) per unit.

Canadian Solar and EDF will maintain a stake of 30% and 20%, respectively, in the solar plant. The value of the transaction is estimated at BRL 1.1 billion (US$283.6 million).

The heatwave across Western Europe saw wind power 20% lower than usual while solar irradiance was 20% above average, according to Vaisala, a provider of measurement systems and equipment for meteorology. If this balancing effect is confirmed by further analysis, the technologies may ensure future energy supply by providing a diversified, ‘climate-resilient’ portfolio.

Module manufacturing giant Canadian Solar shipped 1.7 GW of modules in the second quarter of 2018, a 23.7% increase on the previous quarter, according to the company’s latest update. Net revenue, however, fell more than 50% quarter-on-quarter with the company blaming fewer project sales and lower module prices.

Solar – and wind – will finally bring an element of environmental consciousness, and value for money, to the system charged with keeping the lights on in Britain. Is PV finally shaking off long-held fears about its intermittent nature?

When pioneering and award-winning solar researcher Stuart Wenham passed away suddenly shortly before Christmas last year, some in the PV industry may have wondered what would become of his research into the role of hydrogen in crystalline silicon cells. His daughter, Alison Ciesla is answering that question alongside Wenham’s former team at UNSW, advancing its work into the crucial role of hydrogen in the degradation of silicon cells.

Researchers at Australia’s University of New South Wales have surpassed 10% efficiency for a cell based on copper zinc tin sulfide – sulfide kesterite. It is the fourth time in two years the group has set a new record for the efficiency of cells based on such materials.

Arizona State University researchers have determined that a 32% efficient perovskite-silicon tandem cell could produce electricity at the same price as cutting-edge 22% efficient panels in the most cost-competitive of situations

Odyssey connects stakeholders along the mini-grid value chain to streamline development and financing processes. Reportedly over 275,000 connections would be achieved if the full pipeline is realized, and recently, it experienced a significant boost in a very dynamic mini-grid market.

Enel Green Power North America and Raptor Maps will develop AI-based drones to reduce O&M costs. Kicking off this month, the project will see its first batch of 30 field workers trained by the end of the year. Both companies already have the relevant technology in their portfolios.

The London-based metal alloy and metallic products provider has conducted a test on 500 kW of wafers in cooperation with the Silicon Module Super League (SMSL). In the next weeks, it will also test 500 kW of PERC cells relying on its own “black silicon”, in coordination with another Super League producer.

The Quebec-based mining company has received financial support to the tune of $1.4 million from the local government to start a pilot production of 50 MT. The production equipment will be installed at the company’s facility in Montreal at a cost of $6.8 million.

The Chinese PV manufacturer has proved to the European Commission that it does not use products from China at its Malaysian plant. Therefore, the commission has exempted these products from the applicable minimum import price regime.

According to PV Info Link, the price for monocrystalline cells in China fell below that of the usually cheaper multicrystalline products. However analysts expect it to be a blip, with multi prices expected to fall and mono to be supported by the Top Runner Program, now China’s main source of demand for the rest of 2018.

Chinese solar PV manufacturer, Seraphim has inaugurated a US$14 million, 300 MW solar PV module manufacturing facility in South Africa. Plans are in place to ramp this up to 1.5 GW over the next three years, and add 300 MW of cell production.

The Japanese PV industry should respond to the government’s recent decision to leave its 2030 energy mix targets unchanged by pushing for a higher share of solar in the next version of the country’s strategic energy plan, according to a new report.

A data center, which will be used for crypto and Bitcoin mining, will be powered by a combination of solar power generated at an adjacent 20 MW solar PV farm and coal-fired generator.

As the debate heats up before Friday’s meeting between federal, state, territory and local government energy ministers in Australia, the Victoria authority has issued a last-minute call to redraft the proposed National Energy Guarantee, and the Australian Capital Territory has redefined its NEG approval condition with regard to the emissions target. Meanwhile, Australia’s energy bodies have taken separate paths.

Mini-grid solutions are becoming more popular to deliver electricity to rural areas. There are 1 billion people worldwide without access to electricity and off-grid solutions could be the cheapest and easiest solution for about 70% of them. It is estimated the market in the segment will be worth $64 billion by 2030.

In the lead-up to a Council of Australian Governments meeting of energy ministers this week, a poll conducted by ReachTEL for Greenpeace Australia Pacific shows more than 70% of respondents want an ambitious renewable energy target to drive down electricity prices.