What is needed to persuade UK households and businesses to go solar?
The government’s Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy surveyed householders and small businesses and was told the prospect of firms having to pay higher taxes after installing PV prompted fury – just as the national solar trade body has been telling Whitehall for years.
Switching from subsidization to taxation may improve uptake of heat pumps coupled to PV
According to a Swedish-Austrian group of scientists, the combined use of heat pumps and rooftop PV generation may be boosted in Europe by replacing current subsidies with a carbon tax policy. Their analysis showed that the profitability of this combination is strictly dependent on gas prices, and that a slight increase in gas prices would be crucial to sustain strong development.
Australian grid operator reveals plans for 2.5 GW renewable energy hub
Spark Investment, an electricity network owner, has announced plans to develop a 2.5 GW renewable energy hub in New South Wales as it continues to move beyond owning regulated network infrastructure and into renewable generation assets.
General manager of GCL subsidiary approved $79m contract payment against company policy
While the independent investigation of a payment handed over to a state-owned lead contractor for a polysilicon fab planned by GCL exposed a breach of internal policy, the manufacturer has been cleared of any non-compliance with legal requirements.
China to add 619 GW of solar this decade
Indonesia will catch the eye too over the next nine years, according to analyst WoodMac, as its market grows from 300 MW to 8.5 GW.
Switzerland added half a gigawatt of PV in 2020
All segments grew strongly and, overall, the newly installed capacity increased by almost 50% compared to 2019. Photovoltaics was able to cover 4.7% of Switzerland’s electricity needs last year.
Rotterdam court conditionally releases Longi PV modules
Korean solar manufacturer Hanwha Q Cells has told pv magazine a Dutch court which gave it permission to seize a shipment of solar products made by Chinese rival Longi Solar at the warehouse of a storage keeper last month, has confirmed Longi can reclaim the PV products upon proof they will not be distributed in European markets where a Hanwha technology patent applies.
New PV system assembly factory in Brazil
The factory will be located in the state of Ceará and is expected to begin manufacturing activities in 2022.
Montenegro launches net metering program for rooftop PV
Although very limited in scale, the program is Montenegro’s first attempt to support rooftop PV.
Turkey launches another 1 GW PV tender
The Turkish government has set a ceiling price of TRY0.40/kWh ($0.046) for the fourth procurement exercise of the Yeka program.
