Chinese PV Industry Brief: Strong profit growth for Sungrow, new wafer prices from Longi
Furthermore, Risen predicts its solar module shipments will reach 15 GW this year and Sze Tan Hung has increased her stake in solar cell and panel maker Solargiga.
Solar system prices to rise – then fall – in 2021, with another record year anticipated
IHS Markit is predicting the world will add 30% more solar capacity this year.
3-D multi‐ribbon interconnection tech for IBC cells
The interconnection tech, developed by scientists at the Belgian research institute Imec, is based on a three-dimensional fabric of encapsulant with incorporated horizontal and vertical solder‐coated metal ribbons. Mini solar modules built with the proposed technique have provided interesting results in tests for thermal cycling reliability, showing very limited degradation.
Storing oversized large scale PV with molten salt storage
Scientists from Israel and France have proposed a PV-plus-thermal-storage (PV-TS) concept that may be applied in regions with low direct solar beam radiation and high levels of global solar radiation. They estimated that the grid penetration rate of a large scale PV plant, when combined with molten salt storage, may rise from around 30% to up to 95%.
Chinese solar developers scramble to pay down debts
Shunfeng International is already overdue on debts of $381 million and a deadline for investors holding GCL-Poly senior notes worth $500 million to agree to postpone payment is due to expire today as the company prepares to vote on a $309 million, 430 MW solar project sell-off.
French startups develop PV-powered desalination solution
Two French companies have collaborated on the development of the Osmo-Watt system, which is powered by solar panels. They claim that the technology can produce up to 100 cubic meters of drinking water per day.
Xinjiang sanctions and the PV supply chain
Due to forced labor concerns, a ban on imports from Xinjiang to the United States appears likely. This could be another blow for polysilicon producers hit by industrial accidents and the threat of floods in the third quarter of 2020. Chinese polysilicon prices have surged more than 50% in a matter of a months. Consequently, wafer prices have skyrocketed, bringing increasing costs to the solar cell and PV module segments. In the face of price hikes, some projects are now postponed until the first half of 2021.
Former landfill to become largest US urban solar project
Developers will build the 50 MW Sunnyside solar project on a former landfill site just outside of downtown Houston.
Indian utility launches call for 500 MW of PV
GUVNL, an electric utility in the Indian state of Gujarat, is seeking project proposals through competitive bidding, followed by a reverse auction. Bidding closes on Feb. 23.
Sumitomo reveals hydrogen plans in Australia, Oman
Sumitomo has signed a contract with an EPC for a PV-powered green hydrogen plant in Queensland, and has also started a feasibility study for a gray-green hybrid hydrogen project in Oman.
