Covid-19 weekly round-up: Module prices fall as big solar starts to recover in Germany

The easing of Covid-19 lockdown measures in Germany in May helped the addition of almost 121.4 MW of solar generation capacity across 33 ground-mounted projects during the month, according to the latest monthly figures published by federal network agency the Bundesnetzagentur.

London-based renewables project insurer GCube Insurance was obviously trying to flog an insurance policy when it issued a press release yesterday about the cyber risks which have escalated as asset owners have turned to increasingly remote solutions during Covid-19 lockdowns. However, it was interesting to note the company backed up the claim by mentioning recent big cyber attempts against clean energy facilities in Portugal, the U.K. and the U.S.

Colleges and universities in the U.S. have reportedly been using their coronavirus-enforced shutdowns to reassess their energy needs – and their findings could provide a boost for solar.

The way forward

Peter Thiele, from Sharp’s German and Austrian solar business and the German Solar Industry Association, has written an article for pv magazine about how the German presidency of the EU which starts today could shape the post-Covid recovery using the European Green Deal.

German engineering association the VDMA has reported the solar equipment manufacturing sector suffered its worst quarter-on-quarter sales retreat in the first three months of the year since the nation’s PV industry hit rock bottom in 2012. Sales fell 55% from the final three months of last year to the first quarter this year, thanks to the effects of Covid-19. The industry body said a coronavirus recovery in the Far East and continued shutdowns in other markets explained why only 5% of orders in the second quarter were logged from each of the sector’s U.S. and German markets.

U.S.-owned analyst WoodMac expects the residential solar market to benefit most from plunging module prices just as manufacturers reportedly slash prices and accept reduced margins in the face of Covid-driven falls in demand worldwide.

The energy storage aspects of the $1.5 trillion Moving Forward Act introduced by Democrats in the U.S. House of Representatives could help combat project delays caused by the Covid-19 crisis, according to the CEO of the U.S. Energy Storage Association. The house is due to consider the proposed bill by Saturday.