A total of 27 carports at India’s Cochin International Airport, the first airport in the world to run completely on solar power, are now up and running.
Announcement
pv magazine test
Reputation and quality are everything in the world of solar, which is why the return of the pv magazine module test should excite solar module manufacturers eager to see their products shine. And we want to do our bit to help showcase the best modules in the industry – so get in touch today to learn more about the pv magazine module test.
Announcement
Upcoming Roundtables at SPI
Register now for our upcoming Roundtables at SPI in Las Vegas:
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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!
Markets & Policy
Cypress Creek secures $450 million in funding
“This agreement accelerates our mission to put as much solar in the ground as soon as possible”
Manufacturing
India launches AD probe against Chinese, Taiwanese and Malaysian solar cells
Country’s Directorate General of Anti-Dumping states that it has identified a causal link between dumping and injury of Indian firms, enough to warrant the initiation of the investigation.
Markets & Policy
Azerbaijan commissions 1.1 MW solar plant in Pirallahi island
The project is the first phase of the 2.8 MW Pirallahi PV power plant and part of the Government’s 2014-2020 energy strategy which aims to deploy over 600 MW of solar by 2020.
Markets & Policy
VDMA: solar equipment orders increase 328% in Q1
A report published by German engineering federation VDMA reveals strong demand for solar production equipment, with order intake in the first quarter of 2017 tripling over the previous quarter. The book to bill ratio of orders to delivered systems hit the ‘very high’ level of 4.4 for the first quarter of 2017
Installations
Italy’s CESI helps Bahrain implement solar program
The Italian company will provide technical assistance for the implementation of a net metering scheme for decentralized renewable and solar energy projects under Bahrain’s National Renewable Energy Action Plan (NREAP).
Energy Storage
VC funding for battery, smart grid and efficiency tech tops $1bn in H1 2017, finds Mercom report
More than $1 billion raised in the first half of 2017 by battery storage, smart grid and energy efficiency companies – up from $807m in H1 2016, finds latest Mercom Capital Group report.
Installations
Ellomay’s 300 MW solar project in Spain secures final approval
The Talasol Solar PV power plant will be located in Talaván, Cáceres, in the southern region of Extremadura. Israeli solar company Ellomay acquired the project in May.
Markets & Policy
Featured
Turmoil in residential solar
U.S. residential: After years of steady, relentless growth, the U.S. residential solar market is struggling with challenges on both the policy and customer acquisition fronts. And as the market diversifies away from California and the Northeast, the future is far from clear.
UK: Nearly 126,000 employed in thriving renewables industry, report shows
In the first year energy storage and electric vehicle sectors are included, REA’s annual publication reveals a 2.5% YoY increase in the number of jobs in the renewable energy industry, but also a significant decline in growth from two years previous when it was at nearly 9%. The Association points to negative policy changes as the reason behind the downward trend.
...Community solar may push Finnish PV market forward
In 2016, the North European country saw the addition of 19 MW of new PV systems. As the Finnish economy seems now to be reviving after several years of stagnation, solar (and especially community solar) may become even more interesting for homeowners and businesses.
...U.S. court upholds strict scope for duties on Chinese, Taiwanese imports
A pair of court rulings has shot down challenges by a range of solar manufacturers related to the details of 2014 import duties on solar products from China and Taiwan.
...Installations
Featured
Blue is the new black
Utilities and solar: The old structures of centralized power generation are slowly being eroded by a combination of more affordable solar PV and cleantech innovation. Many of Europe’s big utilities were initially resistant to this changing of the old guard, but a growing number are now realigning their business structures to place PV at the forefront.
BayWa r.e. sells 20 MW project in Australia
German project developer BayWa r.e. today announced that it will sell the 20 MW Hughenden solar plant, located in Queensland, to Lighthouse Infrastructure, an Australian specialist in infrastructure investments.
...SunPower secures 29.9 MW order from French developer Tenergie
The U.S. manufacturer will provide its modules for 157 rooftop projects totaling 26.8 MW and three ground-mounted PV plants equaling 3.1 MW, that will all be located in France.
...Neoen signs PPA for 100 MW in Australia
French power producer Neoen has agreed to provide electricity to EnergyAustralia from 100 MW of solar capacity it plans to build in New South Wales. The two companies did not disclose the terms of the deal.
...China H1 solar panel production surges 25% in a year
Data from the China Photovoltaic Industry Association (CPIA) reveals a 25.9% rise in solar module production over the first six months of the year, reaching 34 GW. Q2 utilization rates stood at 85%, data shows.
...Technology
Featured
Unleashing the sun
Off-grid in Nigeria: With the largest unelectrified population in Africa, Nigeria holds great promise for off-grid solar companies. Progress on electrifying the country can be accelerated by improving government policies.
Organic electrode material could boost lithium ion capacity
Researchers at Germany’s Helmholtz Institute have developed a new electrode material which could improve the capacity and charge/discharge speed of lithium-ion technology, as well as reducing for costly cobalt in the batteries.
...Australia’s Greatcell signs MOU with JinkoSolar
Under a non-exclusive Memorandum of Understanding with JinkoSolar, Greatcell noted it would make available developmental perovskite cells for further evaluation.
...U.S. university CPV system outperforms silicon by 54% in test
A single-cell concentrating photovoltaic system developed by researchers at Penn State University reportedly reached 30% efficiency, and generated 54% more energy during a two-day test than a commercial silicon solar in the same conditions.
...Leaked DOE study draft: U.S. grids are getting more reliable, not less
A leaked draft of the study ordered by Energy Secretary Perry appears to show what we already knew: That grids are getting more reliable, not less, as wind and solar are added. But the political tampering with the facts may already be happening.
...Manufacturing
Featured
When the levee breaks
Solar and delisting: Trina Solar’s departure from the NYSE could signal a wave of solar firms leaving U.S. stock markets. But many uncertainties remain.
Meyer Burger receives new equipment order worth CHF 22 million
Swiss PV equipment supplier Meyer Burger has received a further order for its MAiA PERC production platform SiNA cell coating system from an existing customer based in Asia. The combined contract for both technologies amounts to CHF 22 million ($23.2 million).
...Behind the world’s first Meyer Burger SmartWire line
While it has been slow to gain major traction in manufacturing, Meyer Burger’s SmartWire cell interconnection technology now has a significant reference application, in the form Polish manufacturer Hanplast.
...REC Silicon’s polysilicon sales rise 18% sequentially in Q2, net loss increases
The Norwegian polysilicon producer saw its revenue drop slightly Y-o-Y to $61.0 million in the latest quarter. Average solar grade polysilicon prices, on the other hand, dropped by 6.9% from the previous quarter.
...LONGi Solar first to place order for new Meyer Burger tool
Swiss equipment supplier Meyer Burger today announced the launch of its new MAiA EVO system, and the receipt of the first order for the system from PERC manufacturer LONGi Solar Technology. The tool is set to be delivered in the second half of 2017.
...Energy Storage
The U.K.’s business and energy secretary Greg Clark will reveal today plans for a £246 million ($320 million) investment in battery technology over the next four years. The scheme will focus spending on research and innovation in battery storage technology, with the key sectors of renewable energy and electric vehicles (EVs) poised to be the […]
UK to unveil £246m battery investment strategy
Business and energy secretary Greg Clark to announce on Monday focused strategy designed to modernize the U.K.’s energy sector and bring more renewables into the fold via sustained support for storage technology.
...London: New tool predicts cost effectiveness of electrical energy storage
As costs are driven down by the economies of scale and improvements in manufacturing and deployments, new technologies are finding their way to widespread adoption, as seen in the case of solar modules. In order to facilitate the prediction of costs and outcomes for new energy storage technologies, a team of researchers from Imperial College London has developed a tool to help policy makers and investors make informed decisions.
...Canada’s utility Alectra expands solar-plus-storage business
The power provider has entered into a partnership with AMP Solar, a Canada-based solar developer, to offer storage solutions for its Ontario customers.
...Tata Power DDL deploys its first 15 KWp microgrids in the Indian state of Bihar
Tapping into the high potential for the implementation of microgrid projects for reliable electricity supply to rural areas, the Indian utility is piloting two such installations in the state of Bihar.
...Keep up to date
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Press Releases
Heraeus Photovoltaics and Tongwei Solar join forces to develop new generations of solar cell technologies
Heraeus Photovoltaics, the worldwide leading supplier of metallization solutions to the PV industry, announced today that it has established a cooperation agreement with Tongwei Solar on the R&D and applications of new-generation solar cell technologies, including black silicon, PERC technology and other high-efficiency technologies. Based in Chengdu, China, Tongwei Solar is one of the world’s […]
Hanwha Q Cells becomes international partner of RB Leipzig
Hanwha Q CELLS international partner and exclusive partner regarding solar energy for RB Leipzig. Partnership over two years with option for renewal.
KOSTAL Solar Electric – The new PIKO 36 EPC for large projects
The cost-optimized project inverter, with a maximum efficiency of 98. 7% and optional overvoltage protection for AC, DC and communication, is especially well-suited for large projects.
Krannich Solar cooperates with Victron Energy
Even more innovative storage solutions in the PV specialist wholesaler's product range.