What PV installers expect in 2023
Solar module prices continued to fall in January, and there is no end in sight. The main drivers impacting prices are lower shipping rates from China and the further recovery of the euro-US dollar exchange rate. Martin Schachinger, of pvXchange, expects other effects, such as slowly falling energy costs or polysilicon and wafer prices – which are in freefall – to further strengthen the trend in the coming months.
Developers accelerating construction of large-scale solar across Africa
The Africa Solar Industry Association (AFSIA) has identified the top five solar markets in Africa. Its latest report also looks at the most notable large-scale projects across the continent.
Photovoltaic electolyzer with shingled solar panels, anion exchange membrane
Scientists in Belgium have designed a solar-powered electrolyzer that uses standard-sized, large area shingled silicon PV for water splitting. The system is reportedly able to achieve solar-to-hydrogen efficiency of 10% at electrolyzer current densities of approximately 60 mA cm−2.
Only5mins! – Year of change for Slovenia’s PV market
Nina Hojnik, the director of the Slovenian Photovoltaic Association, speaks to pv magazine about new provisions for large-scale solar in Slovenia. She discusses several regulatory obstacles to developing agrivoltaics, as well as plans to phase out net metering for rooftop PV.
Impact of single-axis agrivoltaics systems on non-irrigated grassland
US researchers are studying how agrivoltaic systems mounted on single-axis trackers affect rainfall and light redistribution at a 1.2 MW installation on grassland in Boulder, Colorado.
UK added 555 MW of new solar in 2022
The United Kingdom hit 14.3 GW of cumulative solar capacity by the end of last year, according to provisional government data. New solar capacity grew by 4% year on year, with the rooftop PV market accounting for most of the new installations.
Gautam Solar releases 550 W bifacial solar module with 21.27% efficiency
Gautam Solar’s 10-busbar solar panels feature peak power outputs ranging from 520 W to 550 W, with front-side conversion efficiencies ranging from 20.11% to 21.27%.
US developers actively building 25 GW of solar
With 25 GW of solar now under development, on top of 107 GW of existing capacity on the US grid, the energy transition is in full swing.
Solar moves forward in Latin America amid easing supply chain issues
PV developers have launched, resumed and completed several large-scale solar projects in Latin America in recent weeks, including two Enel installations in Chile and Colombia.
Gentari seals deal for Wirsol’s Australian solar, storage assets
Gentari, the clean energy unit of Malaysian oil and gas supplier Petronas, has finalized its acquisition of Wirsol Energy’s Australian renewables assets, including 422 MW of operational capacity across solar and storage facilities, and 765 MW of potential capacity under development.
