Installations

Project developer Sunseap has announced plans for one of the world’s largest PV systems floating on seawater, to be built in the Johor strait which separates Singapore and Malaysia. The 5 MW system is expected to be completed in the first quarter of 2019.

The leading trio – China, the United States and India – will comprise 70% of the projected 552 GW of solar capacity, which will be added between end-2017 and 2027, finds Fitch Solutions, which has revised down its original forecast for solar capacity growth in China. The curbed growth in China, due to subsidy cuts and restricted access to the United States and India, is expected to squeeze domestic solar equipment manufacturers, but also lead to access to cheaper solar panels in other smaller markets.

New solar installations in the country reached the milestone in six months, according to Dutch New Energy Research, which publishes its first Dutch Solar Quarterly report today.

Developers gave short shrift to warnings about depreciation, protectionism and tax headwinds as tendering and auction figures soared, but shied away from tough price caps set for the Solar Energy Corporation of India’s procurement exercises.

In addition to solar subsidy cutbacks of around 20%, planned for the start of 2019, the German Federal Ministry of Economics’ draft Energy Sources Act includes special tenders for PV and onshore wind. While many say the cuts cause great uncertainty for large-scale project developers, politician Peter Altmaier sees it differently: the energy transition is becoming safer and more affordable, he says. The decision to adopt or change the act now lies with the Federal Parliament.

The rise of batteries will attract that headline figure in investment up to 2040, say analysts, as exponential growth in EV ownership, falling stationery system costs and the needs of the world’s grid-poor regions combine to boost lithium-ion technology.

A report published today by U.K.-headquartered energy company Drax says that, for the first time ever, total generation capacity available from renewables has overtaken that of fossil fuels on Britain’s electric grid.

With the Solar Energy Corporation of India having already proposed 10 GW of solar be located on artificial bodies of water over the next three years, one of its directors has mooted ambitious plans at four more locations.

While the timelines for PV plant execution and completion of the manufacturing facilities required by the tender are now more realistic, production obligations – especially related to capacity utilization – need to be revisited.

Prime minister has announced a tough new renewable energy target, which will build on the current ambition of generating 12% of the nation’s electricity and heat from renewables in little over a year’s time.