Markets

At the 7th pv magazine Quality Roundtable, to be held on September 21 at the REI show in Greater Noida, India, a collection of experts will examine the chief quality concerns facing this growing market. Confirmed speaker Steven Xuereb of PI Berlin explains how investors should take a long-term view when entering the Indian market, looking beyond immediate gains.

Hanergy Thin Film Power (HTF) has reported an unaudited net profit of HK$244.8 million ($31.3 million) in the six months to the end of June, down roughly 70.2% from the preceding year, as revenue edged down 13.4% on the year to HK$2.9 billion.

Growth in the booming Indian solar market, heavily reliant on Chinese modules, could slow as strong Q3 demand for panels in China and the U.S. push up prices and impact Indian firms’ financial modelling.

One of the world’s leading climate experts says Australia needs to aim for 100 per cent renewables within two decades as part of its efforts to meet climate targets, and it stands to reap enormous economic – and environmental – benefits if it does.

Information from the latest edition of GTM Research’s Global Solar Demand Monitor shows that solar’s globally installed capacity is rapidly catching up with that of nuclear, and that solar could in fact grow to more than double nuclear’s current capacity within the next five years.

Industry analyst IHS Markit has raised its forecast for global installations in 2017 to 90 GW, representing 14% growth on the previous year’s figures. Continuing demand in China after the June 30th FIT cut is cited as the main driver for the increased expectation.

China’s irico Group New Energy has recorded a profit of CNY 46.7 million ($7.014 million) in the first half of 2017, up roughly 43.9% year on year, as revenue from its PV business jumped 27% to CNY 592.5 million.

German automaker Audi and California-based Alta Devices — a wholly owned subsidiary of troubled Chinese PV group Hanergy Thin Film Power (HTF) — have agreed to collaborate on thin-film solar research, with plans to exhibit a PV-integrated Audi prototype vehicle by the end of this year.

Based on new data from China’s National Energy Administration (NEA), Asia Europe Clean Energy Associates (AECEA) has raised its forecast for PV installations in China for 2017. AECEA now expects to see 40-45 GW installed in China before the year end.

As India’s energy needs are rising fast, the increased use of renewables in 2030 could save the economy 12 times the installation costs, when reduced environmental and health damage are taken into account, shows International Renewable Energy Agency’s roadmap to 2030, ranking solar as the country’s second largest source of renewable energy.