Residential PV

According to the German solar trade association, BSW-Solar the number of energy storage systems in Germany is set to double in two years. Already, politicians recognize the increasing relevance storage has, in light of the progressing energy transition.

Massachusetts has joined California, Hawaii, Nevada and Vermont in the club of 10% solar states. PV made up 2.4% of total generation in the United States during the first half of the year, with solar and wind together making up slightly less than 10%.

Although lobbyists will be dismayed a 1 GW annual cap on PV will remain, the indications are it will disappear after 2030 – if not before – and renewables appear to have become a more attractive proposition than nuclear, as coal is phased out.

National scheme reportedly aims to drive installation in segments including residential and commercial and industrial facilities.

The Netherlands, second-last in the EU when it comes to the production of renewable energy, presented its first draft of the Dutch Climate Agreement. This agreement is drafted to set out targets and policies across sectors such that the country adheres to the previously proposed Climate Act. When both are signed, writes Rolf Heynen, director of Good! New Energy, the Netherlands will be only the seventh country worldwide with such an act – and on paper one of the most ambitious. What will this mean for solar energy?

The rebate mechanism may cover up to 90% of the costs for buying and installing a rooftop PV system, but grants may not exceed 20,000 RON (around US$4,800). The scheme is intended to support the development of net metered residential solar projects.

In a recent pv magazine webinar, K2 Systems presented two new developments designed for solar PV systems on flat roofs, which promise a higher coefficient of friction and good thermal cycling, among other benefits. Here are the questions we didn’t have time to answer.

A 10 MW system in Derbyshire provided power to the grid as part of a virtual power plant in a national first. It should prove a popular development, according to the results of a new survey.

A combination of national, state and public body commitments could see the amount of PV added nationally treble on the last four-year period. But even with a new 7-8 GW added, rooftop solar will still be bringing up the rear.

According to the latest figures from the MNRE, cumulative grid-connected ground-mounted solar PV capacity has reached 22 GW in India, with 1.3 GW connected between this April to July. Module prices, meanwhile, are said to have come down “considerably”.