Markets & Policy

RE-Invest: Speaking at India’s first renewable energy conference, First Solar CEO Jim Hughes warned that India could have difficulty achieving its ambitious solar energy goals if it did not make more land available for plants and facilitate the purchase of clean energy for utilities.

China’s National Energy Administration (NEA) has released 2014 solar figures. The report shows installed capacity approached 30 GW, while manufacturers are reporting greatly increased utilization rates.

Japan and the United States will be the main drivers for PV inverter suppliers in 2015 and 2016, according to a new report by IHS. Price drops resulting from growing competition will result in global revenue growth in 2016 of just 5% over 2014 levels.

RE-Invest: IRENA Director-General Adnan Z. Amin stressed the importance of renewable energy in sustainably meeting India’s growing energy needs at the Renewable Energy Global Investors’ Meet & Expo in New Delhi on Monday.

Figures released today by Green Energy Markets reveal that the Australian commercial rooftop segment is continuing to grow. The positive signs for the sector come as ET Solar announces a deal with Australia’s Clean Energy Finance Corporation to roll out a AUD$33 million (US$25.5 million) commercial rooftop PPA program.

Tesla Motors, the electric vehicle company throwing down a major challenge to the global motor industry, says it is now looking to become a front-runner in energy storage in a major new challenge to the traditional electric utility business model.

Overhang of excess capacity harms Applied Materials’ sales, but company expects rise in next quarter.

Up to €3 billion (US$3.4 billion) will be invested in the development of the Ukranian solar power industry by 2020, according to a recent statement of an official spokesman of the press-service of the Ukrainian Cabinet of Ministers.

Analysts at Frost & Sullivan have added their voices to the chorus confirming that falling oil prices will have little impact on solar investment. In its Annual Global Power and Energy Outlook, Frost & Sullivan forecasts installed PV capacity to grow to almost 450 GW by 2020.

Purpose of market overview is to help streamline the PV interconnection process in order to ultimately benefit utilities and solar consumers across the country.