Netherlands to support residential PV through net metering for the entire decade
The Dutch government is planning to reduce tariffs by 9% annually from 2023 to 2030. The plan should still ensure a reasonable payback time for homeowners willing to go solar, according to the authorities.
Covid-19 daily bulletin
pv magazine rounds up the latest Covid-19-related stories likely to affect the world of solar and energy storage.
BYD launches Blade Battery for improved fire safety in electric vehicles
During an online launch event, a Blade Battery pack was pierced with a nail without becoming unstable or experiencing dangerous high temperatures. The company says the device will be safer during car accidents.
US behind-the-meter storage forecast falls 31% on coronavirus fears
Wood Mackenzie has cut its 2020 storage outlook to 430 MW – still an increase of more than 100% over 2019 – amid concerns over the role of sales, commissioning and interconnection in a period of shelter-in-place ordinances.
Intersolar Europe canceled
Another big solar event has joined the list of those canceled because of Covid-19. The next edition of The Smarter E event will take place next year.
Solar emerging as best bet for West Africa’s future energy mix
The Economic Community of West African States should prioritize the development of solar PV to meet surging energy demand over the next 30 years, according to a newly published study.
Australian researchers make lithium extraction breakthrough
Researchers led by Monash University have made a discovery that will dramatically reduce lithium-from-brine extraction times. The innovative breakthrough is as simple as a sieve.
Covid-19: IHS Markit expects demand for private and commercial storage to fall significantly
A slump in demand would weigh more heavily on the storage industry than a temporary production shutdown and IHS Markit analysts say that is where the risk lies, rather than with a temporary shortage of battery cells. A similar prediction has been made for the PV market.
The sky’s the limit: How solar and storage can set a post-Covid-19 example
The airline industry has been among the hardest hit by the Covid-19 pandemic; carriers are in ‘freefall’ as Glen Peters, research director at the Center for International Climate and Environment Research in Oslo recently wrote, with governments mulling stimulus packages for airline bailouts. How we react to the coronavirus outbreak is crucial for society as a whole and the solar and energy storage industries can lead the charge in rewriting the status quo.
Panasonic suspends work at Tesla’s Nevada fab as carmaker’s California and New York gigafactories pause
Tesla’s Nevada operation is still open for business, though. The EV and battery maker has assured the market its cash position is strong enough to weather an “extended period of uncertainty”.
