Markets & Policy

The Hi-MO 4 offers power ratings up to 430 watts, with module efficiencies as high as 19.2%, as the latest high-powered module to hit the floor at Intersolar Europe.

Electric vehicles could account for more than half of all passenger cars and buses sold throughout the world within the next two decades, according to a new report by BloombergNEF. Sliding lithium-ion battery costs will make EVs cheaper than vehicles based on internal combustion engines by the mid- to late-2020s, the research firm says.

A new report analyzing 10 solar markets throughout Africa claims that the continent’s PV market could expand from about 5 GW at present to up to 30 GW by the end of the next decade.

The Spanish developer’s operating revenues reached €12.5 million in the first quarter of 2019, up roughly 35% from the preceding three-month period. EBITDA stood at €4.5 million, up 14% from the fourth quarter of 2018, suggesting that the company has been moving from strength to strength since listing its shares in December.

While China is resetting its policy framework, other regions are gaining more importance on the global PV market. The Intersolar Europe conference in Munich focused on Europe and the Middle East as growth drivers.

Global investment in energy hit roughly $1.8 trillion in 2018, broadly similar to levels reported in the preceding year, according to a new report by the International Energy Agency. However, spending on renewables and energy-efficiency initiatives have slowed and the agency notes that its findings are at odds with global efforts to achieve targets set under the Paris Agreement.

The U.S.-based company, which is now supplying solar trackers for more than 400 MW of contracted projects in the U.K., Spain and Greece, will bolster its sales presence in Europe, where it anticipates a “solar renaissance.”

Pumped hydro storage is highly cost competitive for large-scale energy storage, according to a report published by the San Diego County Water Authority. The report models a pumped hydro project as securing better financing terms than battery storage.

Canadian company CellCube Energy Storage Systems and Pangea Energy have signalled their intention to install a 50 MW/200 MWh energy storage system in Port Augusta, South Australia.

Welcome to Day 1 of Intersolar Europe 2019! Follow pv magazine live to keep updated on the latest solar PV and storage developments, events and trends from this year’s event, as they happen. Today’s highlights include the launch of our new sustainability campaign, UP; the unveiling of the newest addition to the pv magazine family, pv magazine France; moderation of the launch of both Longi’s and JinkoSolar’s latest modules; and the Intersolar award finalists. Stay tuned!