Manufacturing

European PV installations are set to fall by more than 6 GW this year and the EU’s incoming anti-dumping duties on Chinese modules will account for 1.3 GW of the decline, according to a report by research group IHS. Global installations will still see double-digit growth rates, however.

Due to the improved supply-demand balance, the global photovoltaic (PV) materials market will climb 52% in 2018, according to a report by Lux Research. Materials differentiation and innovations will become the major contributors to the sustainable growth of global demand.

In order to save costs for the public electric system, the Spanish government is set to again cut subsidies for operational PV plants. Feed-in-tariffs could shrink at a rate of 20%.

In the first three months of the year, the U.S. saw PV installations rise 33% to 723 MW, with solar now accounting for 49% of new electric capacity in the country, according to GTM Research and the Solar Energy Industries Association’s (SEIA) newly published U.S. Solar Market Insight report.

Hit by falling prices and increased competition, LDK Solar remained deep in red ink in the first three months of the year with a net loss of $187.1 million, $104.3 million in revenue and liabilities totaling $5.3 billion.

German photovoltaic manufacturer Inventux is supporting construction of a 3 MW solar project in Chile.

State-owned energy holding group EAD has ordered drastic limitations on renewable energy capacity. Electricity distribution company CEZ will cut capacity by 40%.

Kingdom’s Solar Industry Association has launched a vocational training program with U.S. solar training company SEI, aimed at engineers, designers and decision makers. The program will be showcased, along with a Women in Solar initiative, at Intersolar Europe.

Australia’s ARENA today launched an AUD$400 million fund to displace diesel in remote areas of the country. The fund is aimed at off grid and fringe-of-grid communities as well as mining operations and is expected to generate 150 MW of new renewables capacity by 2018.

U.S.-based Mitsui subsidiary Sunwize will install Samoa’s largest solar project to date. The 546 kW scheme is expected to generate 700,000 kWh per year across ground mounted sites in Salelolaga on Savai’i and Tanugamanono and Vaitele on Upolu.