German PV equipment providers report decline in orders for 2017
After a strong start to the year, new orders from suppliers in Germany declined significantly in the course of 2017. However, order books are still well filled.
China’s capacity additions approach 50 GW mark in 2017
China’s cumulative solar installations reached approximately 125.8 GW by the end of November, suggesting that PV developers completed nearly 50 GW of capacity in the first 11 months of 2017, according to new government statistics.
Ground breaks on Manz’s Chinese CIGS line
Ground has broken on Manz’s CIGS turnkey line, CIGSfab, in China on time. Construction is scheduled for completion by the end of Q3 2018, while production is scheduled to begin by mid 2019.
India considers 7.5% duty on imported solar modules
According to reports, India is planning to impose a 7.5% tax on imported solar PV modules.
India’s impressive solar achievements in 2017
2017 was a busy year for India’s solar industry. As of the end of November, the country had installed around 5.5 GW of PV. With its ambitious renewable energy goals, it is paving the way to becoming a world leader in the industry. Overall, the country saw a rapid increase in renewable energy activity, with solar dominating almost 48% share of total capacity installed.
Oman’s oil producer PDO issues tender for 100 MW solar project
Days after the Oman Power and Water Procurement company (OPWP) launched a tender for 500 MW of PV capacity, the country’s major oil producer has issued its own tender for another 100 MW.
Aiko Solar’s annual PERC output hits 4 GW
Guangdong Aiko Solar Energy Technology’s mono-Si bifacial PERC production capacity has reached 4 GW per year, following a series of phased upgrades throughout the second half of 2017 at two of its production facilities in China.
Suntech’s black silicon solar cells enter mass production
Wuxi Suntech Power Co., Ltd has announced its high efficiency black silicon solar cells have successfully entered mass production. It is targeting an annual capacity of 500 MW by Q1 2018.
From the US editor: Renewable energy and information pollution
A recent article in Bloomberg View illustrates clearly the mythology and misinformation that abounds regarding renewable energy, which in many cases is spread by the media.
PV covered 1.6% of Portugal’s power production in 2017
Overall, renewables accounted for more than 40% of the country’s electricity generation last year. Meanwhile, registered installed PV capacity has reached 478 MW.
