Magazine Archive 04 – 2024 | From the ground up

  Community solar and other collective consumption models, a focus topic in this, April 2024 edition of pv magazine, are already proving their worth by providing low-cost clean energy direct to the customers that need it. In pioneering markets such as Italy and the United States, such models already promise gigawatts worth of new PV […]

The Invesco Solar (TAN) exchange-traded fund (ETF) under-performed the S&P 500 and Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJIA) stock indexes in February 2024 but there are signs that stability could be coming. Jesse Pichel, of Roth Capital Partners, says a targeted sales approach is proving successful in the United States.

Contrary to expectations, module prices fell again in March 2024. For mainstream modules, that may be down to high inventory levels in Europe but there can be no rational explanation for ever-cheaper tunnel oxide passivated contact (TOPCon), heterojunction (HJT), or back-contact products, argues Martin Schachinger.

As rising renewables penetration and electrification place ever more strain on the world’s grids, the use of grid-forming inverters, rather than grid-following models, will play a vital role in network stability.

The level of solar stock held by European module manufacturers has almost halved since October 2023, says InfoLink’s Alan Tu. Module prices have tumbled amid an oversupply situation and many countries are beginning to push harder toward 2030 renewable energy targets. That’s good news for installations but means a more difficult environment for the continent’s PV manufacturers to navigate.

Sourcing solar and energy storage locally will reduce some supply chain risks but it also opens the door to a new set of questions for prospective investors.

Vinay Rustagi, senior director of renewables at risk-management business Crisil, considers the prospects of an ambitious $9 billion policy that India hopes will breathe life into its dormant home solar market.

There is huge PV potential to be found across Europe’s farmlands but in some respects, it is a segment still at the germination stage. Recent regulatory activity in Italy could fuel progress, as pv magazine learned when it caught up with industry expert Oltis Dallto to discuss the evolution of agrivoltaics.

The year 2023 set a record for renewables power purchase agreements (PPAs) in Europe and the most optimistic industry analysts forecast 25% growth in 2024. While Spain has long been the continent’s PPA leader, it could soon be knocked off its perch as other regions ramp up their plans.

While coupling battery energy storage systems (BESS) and renewables is increasingly common in the United States, co-location has been slow to gain traction in Europe. A range of practical challenges has hindered the commitment of developers and investors but the growing share of solar and wind energy, and policy support in some parts of Europe, are making the business case increasingly appealing.