Markets

Solar module prices will be pressured by rising industrial capacity this year, with capacities doubling in the ingot/wafer stages and potentially quadrupling for polysilicon by 2027, according to the latest PV pricing report from Clean Energy Associates (CEA).

Both houses of the Australian parliament have approved plans to establish an AUD 15 billion ($10 billion) national reconstruction fund to support domestic manufacturing in future industries and reduce the nation’s dependence on imports.

Canada’s new policy plan mirrors the US Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), including two new input tax credits (ITCs) targeting clean energy and technology manufacturing that will remain at 30% through 2033, stepping down to 15% in 2034 before phasing out altogether after 2034.

Sandbox Solar, a solar developer and US federal grant recipient, has released a beta version of its software modeling tool for agrivoltaic power plants. It supports the design and optimization of solar panels, as well as the crops underneath.

New figures from China’s General Administration of Customs show uninterrupted growth in global solar module demand. Chinese manufacturers exported 14.85 GW of panels in January and 14.82 GW in February.

The European Parliament and the Council have reached a provisional agreement to raise the EU’s binding renewable energy target for 2030 to a minimum of 42.5% of the overall energy mix. The bodies also agreed on a further 2.5% indicative target, which would set Europe on a path to at least 45% renewables within this decade.

A European Union-funded project is bringing building-integrated photovoltaics (BIPV) solutions to eight historical cities in Europe. pv magazine recently spoke with Júlia Pereira, project coordinator for EDP New, about the innovative solutions being blended into the landscape in Évora, Portugal.

Italian most important solar trade show has doubled in size this year, with a high number of visitors. Italian solar analysts say the success of the event reflects the strong growth of the nation’s PV market.

A $12.5 billion (AUD 18.7 billion) takeover deal for Origin Energy has been struck with a consortium led by Canadian giant Brookfield. Brookfield’s vision for Origin Energy involves spending “at least” AUD 20 billion to build new renewables and storage.

While it initially had a chilling effect on the Polish residential solar market, the transition from net metering to net billing has also resulted in positive changes, such as better sizing of rooftop PV systems and a higher rate of self-consumption, says Instytut Energetyki Odnawialnej (IEO), a Polish research body.