Highlights

The Dutch authorities have approved “capacity limitation” contracts, allowing owners of PV and wind power assets to inject less electricity into the grid during peak times for “reasonable” remuneration, but standard contracts will be crucial for wider adoption.

High interest rates, inflation, and customer uncertainty could slow down residential PV growth in Sweden this year, despite record solar installations in 2023, but interest in utility-scale PV remains strong.

A heat wave drove Brazil’s power demand up to a record high of 102 GW last week. However, it also affected solar power generation and pushed PV module operating temperatures to up to 60 C.

The Turkish government has decided to impose a tariff of $25 per square meter on solar modules imported from Vietnam, Malaysia, Thailand, Croatia, and Jordan.

Spain’s cumulative installed PV capacity surpassed 25.54 GW at the end of December 2023, on 5.59 GW of new solar installations for the full year.

The Netherlands deployed 4.82 GW of new solar capacity in 2023. The country’s cumulative installed PV capacity hit 24.4 GW at the end of December.

The French authorities have wrapped up a procurement exercise for commercial and industrial (C&I) rooftop PV projects. They allocated 362.2 MW of solar capacity to 42 developers at an average price of €0.1021 ($0.1104)/kWh.

French PV module maker Systovi, facing a sharp drop in orders, is seeking a buyer for its design, production, and commercial activities. It has been manufacturing solar energy equipment since 2008 at its Carquefou factory near Nantes, France.

The German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs has approved measures to streamline solar deployment, with a target of 215 GW of installed capacity by 2030.

An Italian research group has assessed the advantages of combining solar power generation in greenhouses with vertical farming. The scientists claim this new approach offers better land use while increasing agricultural yield.