Markets

In a new monthly column for pv magazine, the International Solar Energy Society (ISES) debunks old and new urban legends about solar energy.

The Coalition for Community Solar Access trade group says a utility requirement for “direct transfer trip” make many solar projects financially unviable, while researchers argue that the targeted safety risks can be addressed with lower-cost alternatives.

Changes announced ahead of seventh Contract for Difference (CfD) allocation round widely viewed as key to achieving government’s clean power targets for 2030. Target commissioning window for solar projects also extended in anticipation of larger capacity projects.

Tongwei, Longi, and JA Solar have predicted steep losses for the first half of 2025, as persistent oversupply and falling solar module prices continue to pressure margins across China’s PV manufacturing sector.

Mexico’s energy regulator has issued new provisions to streamline the permitting process for self-consumption power plants between 0.7 MW and 20 MW, aiming to improve legal certainty for project developers.

New fire-resistant container aims to enhance the safe transport of waste lithium-ion batteries across the United Kingdom and Ireland.

During last month’s SNEC exhibition in Shanghai, pv magazine met with Wanfei Qu, CIO of Skyworth Group and CEO and director of Skyworth PV (also named Solavita in Europe), at the Chinese manufacturer’s impressive booth. The company utilizes the “Solavita” brand in Europe, but whether the brand is “Skyworth” or “Solavita” the it can leverage its strong foundation in manufacturing, electronics and IT, which it has built up in over 37 years. The Shenzhen-headquartered manufacturer only entered the solar PV industry in 2020, but in the span of just four years the company went from $10 million in PV-related revenues to $3 billion in 2024. The young CEO of Skyworth PV has ambitious goals for the future, targeting $1 billion in overseas PV revenues in the next three years. Germany and Italy are the company’s target markets in Europe.

The US Department of Commerce (DoC) says it will investigate the potential for export restrictions by foreign countries, as well as their ability to “weaponize” their control over supplies of polysilicon. 

Residents and local restrictions are delaying and blocking renewable energy projects in the United States at an accelerated rate, according to a study from Columbia University.

Cavendish Renewable Technologies (CRT) has launched an advanced hybrid electrolysis platform that blends the strengths of solid oxide and alkaline technologies and addresses the pain points of green hydrogen adoption.