Battery electric vehicle sales in UK were outpacing hybrids – before Covid-19 struck
Pure EVs had begun to claim a rising market share before coronavirus containment measures decimated sales last month. Even in the face of an 88% monthly fall in EV sales from March to April, however, clean energy models fared better than petrol and diesel sales.
Hungary to hold another renewables auction this year
In its next procurement exercise, the Hungarian government will allocate 77% of the available renewable subsidies that it failed to assign in March’s auction.
Chinese PV Industry Brief: 3.95 GW of new PV in Q1, new 500 W-plus modules, and a panel with 23.2% efficiency
China’s cumulative installed PV capacity topped 208 GW at the end of March, thanks to 3.95 GW of new projects completed in the first quarter. JinkoSolar and Longi both joined the 500 W-plus module race, with their new panels offering 580 W and 530 W of output, respectively. Ginlong, meanwhile, has revealed plans to raise funds to increase its annual inverter production capacity to 20 GW, and Xi’An Solar has claimed a 23.2% efficiency rate for its N-type TOPCon modules in mass production.
Turkey plans 1 GW solar tender before October
Minister of energy Fatih Dönmez announced the procurement exercise, which is part of a plan to relaunch the nation’s economy during the Covid-19 crisis.
Hard times for German PV equipment providers
German engineering association the VDMA expects a difficult year because of the Covid-19 crisis. Sales had already dropped considerably last year and the current order intake level offers no glimpse of hope. However, the public health crisis may offer business in new markets determined to break a dependence on Chinese panels.
SMA sold 4.4 GW of inverters in the first quarter
The German manufacturer secured around 60% of the turnover expected this year in the first three months alone but still posted a net loss for a company relying on strong pre-Covid-19 activity in the U.S. and European markets.
Serbia moves forward with renewables auctions
The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development is helping the Serbian government to define its new procurement plan. The international lender is currently seeking consultants to implement the scheme.
Brazilian buses to help drive down cost of lithium-sulfur batteries
British manufacturer Oxis Energy has announced plans to help Brazil to an all-electric bus fleet by 2045.
Covid-19 weekly briefing: US residents ponder solar during lockdown, Aussie installers wonder what might have been and the Indian EV industry calls for help
Plus, Italian developers continue to dig deep for their health service, the pandemic piles on problems for a debt-saddled Chinese company and analysts consider whether there will be any money left for a green economic recovery after the dust settles.
REC Group mulls French module gigafactory
The Norwegian solar manufacturer is considering a 2 GW heterojunction solar module factory in Sarreguemines, in the northeast of the country.
