REN21 report: record PV growth but soaring energy demand leaves renewables playing catch-up
Renewable energy has made great strides in electricity generation but the integration of renewables in the heating, cooling and transport sectors is still in its infancy. With those sectors making up around two thirds of global energy demand, there is still enormous potential to harness PV and other technologies.
China: 2018 installations could drop by more than a third
On Friday, three Chinese government ministries issued a joint “2018 Solar PV Power Generation Notice.” Its impact has been hotly debated since, with two key conclusions: the largest market segment – utility-scale PV – will take a pounding and not come close to last year’s record installation figure of just under 34 GW; and the expanding distributed generation market segment, which rose 360% from 2016 to 2017, will also be severely impacted by a 10 GW cap on new projects.
Dubai has 43.7 MW under net metering
Most of the capacity, around 27 MW, was deployed in the emirate over the past eight months.
Solar sets new record in Germany
PV systems set a new German record in May. According to preliminary figures from the IWR, photovoltaics produced just under 6 TWh of solar power during the month.
Industry urges EU to boost self-consumption
After EU Parliament, Council and Commission each reached their respective position on the future of renewable energies in the EU until 2030, at the end of last year, representatives of the three bodies have commenced negotiations to find a EU wide position to be implemented as soon as possible. The renewable energy directive is expected to be ready for inking during this summer.
Official statistics illustrate UK solar market’s sluggish growth
Despite a remarkable cumulative PV capacity of over 12.8 GW, newly registered PV systems in the first four months of this year amounted to a disappointing 72 MW. The U.K. Solar Trade Association does not expect the current poor growth trend to improve unless the government provides more regulatory certainty.
Record-breaking SNEC in Shanghai
The annual SNEC photovoltaic power expo 2018, in Shanghai, closed yesterday after the 12th edition of the world’s biggest PV exhibition. Reflecting the rapid development of China’s PV industry, the scale of SNEC increased from 15,000 sqm at the first exhibition to 180,000 sqm last year and 200,000 this year – a 10% year-on-year increase. Preliminary figures show more than 220,000 visits to this year’s edition, with more than 5,000 industry professionals attending the expo and series of high-level conferences.
India’s rooftop sector still lagging behind
With barely 1.8 MW solar power (roof top) achieved in the first month of the 2018-2019 financial year, against the end of year target of 1000 MW, India’s solar dreams are hitting massive rooftop blocks. Grid-interactive solar power (ground mounted) has fared better, achieving 231.81 MW against the EoY 10 GW target.
More solar in Algeria – but petrochem will dominate for 100 years
Announcement of intent to deploy solar will not supplant the importance of fossil fuels to Algerian economy, states Sonatrach chief
Dutch solar sector fights belief PV is eroding agricultural land
With ground-mounted solar plants popular in the Netherlands, critics says large-scale plants are devouring agricultural land. PV association Holland Solar says even if the country reaches an installed capacity of 16 GW by 2050, only 0.5% of its agricultural surfaces would be covered
