US boom in the shadow of a black swan
Supply-chain constraints related to China’s coronavirus outbreak could weigh on the performance of the U.S. solar market in 2020, writes SPV Market Research’s Paula Mints.
Slovakian government hands out €700,000 for residential solar in just 36 minutes
The national Green Houses Program grants incentives for the installation of solar water heaters, PV systems with a generation capacity of up to 10 kW, heat pumps and small wind turbines.
The weekend read: Covid-19 disrupts
A viral outbreak in the city of Wuhan, in China’s Hubei province, has become a nationwide health crisis with global implications. And with PV manufacturing concentrated in China, there are serious implications for all corners of the solar world, reports Vincent Shaw in Shanghai.
Cheap renewables putting $639 billion of new coal investments at risk
The Carbon Tracker Initiative crunched some numbers and discovered that more than half a trillion dollars worth of coal investments are at serious risk due to the declining cost of renewables.
Jinko profits surge in 2019
The Chinese manufacturer shipped 14.3 GW of PV modules last year, up 2.9 GW from 2018. In its 2020 outlook, it reiterated its initial shipment guidance and confirmed its plans to ramp up capacity.
Change at the top for Meyer Burger after €37m loss
The Swiss PV equipment supplier posted the loss for 2019, citing increasingly fierce competition in China, and plans to continue a strategic realignment of its business with the options including the establishment of a European PV manufacturing operation.
Yingli finally opens up on debt restructuring
The Chinese manufacturer had not updated its English-speaking investors since October and now appears set to have its chief Chinese operations taken over by creditors.
Short-term symptoms
The Covid-19 outbreak has disrupted the global PV supply chain. China, the largest manufacturing hub for solar products, has postponed factory openings in many regions, as it has been hit by logistical hiccups, staff shortages, and delivery delays. Manufacturers in some Chinese provinces are running under capacity, while those overseas are facing the same situation.
German module maker increases production capacity
Soluxtec is almost trebling output capacity at its 200 MW fab in the Eifel region. The Luxembourg-owned manufacturer says it wants production capacity of 550 MW for monocrystalline PERC modules and special formats this year.
European industrial strategy makes no mention of solar
The move has been welcomed as a step in the right direction by lobby group SolarPower Europe nevertheless, particularly as it envisages bringing together EU low-carbon businesses. The outline ambition will now be considered by the European Parliament.
