Highlights

Latest consultation exercise has been launched solely to buy time because Brexit is distracting officials from policymaking, according to a spokesman from the National Farmers’ Union.

Calling for a complete exemption of the 25% safeguard duty on solar equipment, India’s Solar Power Developers Association (SPDA) says, if imposed, it will jeopardize the viability of around 27,000 MW of solar projects involving an investment of more than Rs 1 lakh crore (around US$15 billion). Other key players also speak out against the tariff plans.

Greenko Energies will set up India’s largest Integrated Renewable Energy Project (IREP) in Andhra Pradesh at an investment of INR 150 billion (US$2.2 billion). Recently approved by the Andhra Pradesh government, the project will comprise 1,000 MW of solar energy, 550 MW of wind energy and 1,200 MW of standalone pumped storage capacities. It is expected to provide employment to 15,000 people during construction and 3,000 people after construction.

Stability and reliability, partial transparency, monolithic deposition onto flexible substrates, aesthetically pleasing appearance, applicability in roll-to-roll production, superior temperature coefficient, potential in tandem applications, and suitability for BIPV: The list of advantages that CIGS technology offers is well established and lengthy.

While Africa has emerged as a dynamic, fast-moving hub, Asia leads in capacity deployment with its total capacity more than tripling to nearly 4.3 GW in 2017 from 1.3 GW in 2008, finds IRENA. Particularly, in India, a strong policy has pushed deployment of off-grid solar for agriculture and public end-uses.

The U.K. Government is proposing closing both generation and export tariffs for renewables on March 31, 2019. The country’s solar trade association calls for clarity on the policy framework going forward, for both industry and potential investors.

The German thin film solar PV manufacturer has said it will restart production at its CIGS facility in South Korea. Annual production, scheduled for H1 2019, will be 100 MW.

The proposed safeguard tariffs on imports from China and Malaysia are expected to generate a number of painful short-term impacts. Overall they are not expected to change much in the market, however, says TrendForce. What will have a bigger effect is the EU’s final MIP decision, due in September.

The U.S. state’s latest report shows that it has beat its 2020 target for emissions reductions four years early, mostly thanks to more renewable energy.