Daytime charging of electric vehicles further expands adoption of photovoltaics
Photovoltaics continues adding capacity at a rapid pace, and 2024 was another record year for solar PV deployment. In the meantime, despite recent hurdles to widespread adoption in some countries, electric vehicle uptake grew 25% last year. Assuming a 10 kWh/day energy requirement for every new EV, the 17 million new EVs sold in 2024 would have added another 50-70 GW of new PV generation worldwide.
Reliance Infrastructure to enter solar, battery manufacturing
Reliance Infrastructure Ltd (RInfra) has announced plans to set up integrated solar equipment and battery manufacturing units.
Slovakia added 274 MW of PV in 2024
Last year’s solar additions, led by installations in the commercial and industrial sector, took Slovakia’s cumulative solar capacity to over 1 GW.
China’s SPIC offering copper-based heterojunction solar modules
The Chinese module maker is preparing to bring to the market 25.97%-efficient heterojunction solar cells based on copper metallization. The new products are based on ultra-narrow 9-micron busbars, vacuum-deposited copper interconnects and proprietary interface engineering.
Solar generation grew by 30% in 2024, says IEA
The International Energy Agency’s latest market analysis says global solar generation surpassed the 2,000 TWh mark in 2024. It grew by 30% year-on-year for its highest growth rate since 2017, adding 475 TWh in the calendar year.
Slovenia allocates €20 million for renewable electricity, heat
Slovenian electricity market operator Borzen has shared details of a forthcoming €20 million ($20.9 million) fund that will support the installation of heat pumps and solar thermal collectors, alongside other renewable energy devices. Applications for the subsidy will open Mar. 18, 2025.
Contract signed for world’s northernmost floating solar plant
The 160 kW floating solar system, from Norwegian renewable energy company Alotta, will be deployed off the Norwegian coast, helping to reduce the diesel and CO2 consumption at a site belonging to a fishing company.
Heat pump sales dropped across large European markets in 2024
Analysis by the European Heat Pump Association found sales of heat pumps across the 13 main European markets, that make up around 85% of the total European market, fell by an average of 23% year-on-year in 2024, with the UK the only one to buck the trend.
Massachusetts allows increased demand charges to drive energy storage
The Massachusetts Department of Public Utilities has approved a rate change that allows large electricity customers, specifically large business customers, to pay a transmission coincident peak demand charge instead of a volumetric transmission charge.
TrinaTracker establishes 3 GW factory in Saudi Arabia
The facility will manufacture TrinaTracker’s Vanguard series of solar trackers and smart control systems. Commercial operation is set to begin during the first quarter of this year.
