Policy

Chinese solar manufacturer reports a similar scale of first-half losses to the $15m profit it posted this time last year. Will the company’s decision to almost double module production capacity prove an inspired move or a mistimed disaster?

According to IHS Markit, on the back of the decision to end the MIP in Europe, solar module prices will decline by up to 30%, while total project system costs will be “immediately” driven down. Overall, it forecasts PV demand to grow 40% in 2019.

The first round of Ireland’s newly introduced Enduring Connection Policy – 1 (ECP-1), introduced at the beginning of the year, has resulted in considerable success for solar PV and battery storage, with the technologies clearly outcompeting various forms of gas-fired generation, biomass, and wind energy.

In a major development, the Solar Energy Corporation of India (SECI) has reduced its solar manufacturing tender size from 5 GW to 3 GW, and curtailed the minimum bid capacity from 1 GW to 600 MW. The size of Power Purchase Agreement (PPA), however, remains unchanged at 10 GW.

In an unexpectedly early announcement, the European Commission has decided to end EU anti-dumping and anti-subsidy measures on solar PV cells and modules from China at midnight on September 3.

To ensure their continued viability, nearly 8 GW of solar PV projects have been granted an extension by the Ministry of New and renewable Energy (MNRE).

Australia’s new federal Energy Minister has revealed his thinking, although few details, as to the measures the government will take in pursuit of its new “laser like”, focus on electricity price reduction. While denying that he is a climate sceptic, emissions reduction clearly has no place in the proposed policy measures.

A U.S. bill to extend the SGIP program through 2026 and add nearly 3 GW of behind-the-meter energy storage has passed the California Assembly. It will now go to the Senate to be reconciled before going to Governor Jerry Brown.

In consultations in late July this year, the U.K. Government proposed ending both the feed-in tariff (FIT) and export tariff schemes. The policy changes would end financial compensation for prosumers feeding electricity into the grid. In a letter, the industry, including major utilities like Eon and Ovo Energy, voiced their clear rejection of the plan.

In a major development, the Ministry of New & Renewable Energy (MNRE) has directed the Solar Energy Corporation of India (SECI) to fix the upper permissible solar tariff at Rs. 2.50 (US$0.036)/kWh and Rs. 2.68 ($0.038)/kWh for developers using domestic solar cells and modules (without safeguard duties), and imported products (with safeguard duties), respectively.