Markets & Policy

The strong performance delivered by PV in Wednesday’s auction has demonstrated the solid market fundamentals of Brazil’s solar sector, and an improving competitive landscape. The winners of the auction included both major international players and local companies. Despite the auction’s surprising outcome, which was also driven by cheaper equipment and a stronger Real, PV technology will not be included in the upcoming A-6 auction.

The smarter E: First to join Intersolar was the energy storage trade fair EES, and now the concept has become even more comprehensive, the trade fair and conference even bigger. Markus Elsässer, CEO of the organizer Solar Promotion, explains that all of the events now fall under the umbrella of “The smarter E”.

The announcement was made by Prime Minister Youssef Chahed. The tender is set to be published on April 27.

According to the latest GTM Research statistics, global inverter shipments increased 23% in 2017, and revenues 11%, thus representing another record year. A market first, three-phase string inverter shipments overtook those of central inverters.

The Chinese PV manufacturer shipped 3.85 GW of solar PV products last year, including 37.6 MW of wafers, 1,346 MW of solar cells, and 2,475 MW of PV panels. China was still the company’s largest market, accounting for 74.9% of total sales.

A new report drafted by Bloomberg New Energy Finance (BNEF), the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), and the Frankfurt School-UNEP Collaborating Centre shows that global solar energy investments overshadowed all other forms of electricity generation in 2017. China is leading the pack of the world’s largest renewables investors, followed by Australia, Mexico and Sweden.

The French energy giant will now build a solar PV power plant in Tauba, central Senegal, which will sell power at €0.0380 per kWh, while a second plant selling electricity at €0.0398 per kWh will be constructed in Kahone.

Scientists from the University of Wollongong in Australia have developed battery cells based on sodium-ion technology, which the university says can achieve excellent cycling stability and easily be scaled up for mass production.

The Ministry of Economic Affairs is currently working on a new Electricity Market Act. In the future, the use of plug-in solar devices in Luxembourg should be allowed. Furthermore, self-consumption from solar sources may be exempt from paying the electricity tax.

Nuon, the Dutch subsidiary of Swedish energy giant, Vattenfall, is offering bonds to its customers, as well as to customers of other power providers, in order to raise additional funds for the financing of its solar project pipeline in the Netherlands.