UK grid operator calls for 47 GW of solar by 2030, deployed at 4.6 GW per year
The UK National Energy System Operator (NESO) has published its Clean Power 2030 Advice to Government, setting out pathways to decarbonize the power system of Great Britain by 2030. It calls for a threefold increase in the pace of deployment to hit clean energy targets.
Trina targets Australian-made solar modules by 2027
Chinese manufacturing giant Trina Solar says it could start making panels in Australia as soon as 2027 as part of its joint-venture plans with Sydney-based PV innovator SunDrive Solar.
International Solar Alliance re-elects India as president
India has been re-elected to hold the presidency of the International Solar Alliance (ISA), with France to serve as co-president, for a two-year term from 2024 to 2026.
Canadian solar glass manufacturer to open US factory
Canadian Premium Sand (CPS) plans to open a 4 GW solar glass factory in the United States, in addition to 6 GW of annual production in Manitoba, Canada.
Solar manufacturing facing substantial pressures, says IEA-PVPS
The International Energy Agency (IEA) Photovoltaic Power Systems Programme (PVPS) says in its latest report that 2023 was a record-breaking but tumultuous year for solar development. It says the manufacturing industry faces pressure from supply-demand imbalances, with overcapacity causing prices to collapse.
EBRD, EU finance 126 MW solar plant in Uzbekistan
The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) and the European Union are investing a combined $61.6 million in a 126 MW solar project in Uzbekistan. A special-purpose company fully owned by French developer Voltalia will develop the plant.
‘There is no such thing as a global patent’
Jeffrey Saltman, partner at US intellectual property law firm Fisch Sigler LLP, recently spoke to pv magazine about the rising number of patent lawsuits between PV module manufacturers. He said this increase in litigation mainly stems from the industry’s convergence on tunnel oxide passivated contact (TOPCon) tech and noted that the number of lawsuits is likely to rise in the near future.
Ecuador issues new law to address energy crisis with renewables
Ecuador’s National Assembly has unanimously approved a new law to promote private initiative in energy generation. Among other measures, it seeks to stimulate self-consumption and promote private investment in the energy sector.
Rooftop solar installation rates rise after record month in Australia
Rooftop solar installations in Australia recorded a 6% jump in October, with the latest monthly data revealing that 279 MW of small-scale rooftop PV capacity was installed on household and business roofs across the country last month.
Dealing with Pakistan’s solar panel glut
Solar panels flooded into Pakistan during the first half of 2024 and oversupply has wiped out module margins. Solar developers want greater liberalization of the nation’s electricity market but the government is concerned that moving too quickly could place more pressure on utilities already burdened by high capacity payments.
