Operating and maintaining good relations
Solar O&M in Latin America: Every region across the world can lay claim to its own idiosyncrasies and preferences when it comes to doing business. Latin America is in a rather unique position, in that it combines a highly educated populace and a complex political and cultural history. The lessons learned from EDF Renewable Services’ Chilean experience are therefore valuable to know when entering Chile’s solar industry, writes Nicolas Rossel.
If it looks like a duck …
… swims like a duck and quacks like a duck, then it probably is a duck. Solar is that duck: an energy source that enjoys massive public support; can be installed at mega or micro-scale; can thrive without subsidies; can be counted upon all year round; and can power homes, businesses, remote communities, and support […]
Cutting costs through competition
Solar as an asset: Growing competition in the solar asset management industry is resulting in lower operating and management costs for large PV plant or portfolio owners, thanks to more intense use of monitoring data and active analysis of O&M opportunities for cost savings.
Changing tides
Utilities and solar: An increasing number of U.S. utilities are embracing the low and predictable costs of utility-scale solar. But conflicts remain over distributed generation, and the real question is who will own the solar that is being built.
Building pillars of PV
Utilities in China: As China looks set to install up to 50 GW of PV this year, pv magazine examines the technology’s relationship with the country’s state utilities. Is the joint R&D venture between German equipment supplier Manz AG, Shanghai Electric Group and the Shenhua Group evidence that Chinese utilities are embracing a solar future?
An NEG-proof boom
All Energy Australia 2017: There is no doubt that the Australian PV market is booming. With installations set to hit all-time highs in 2017, and the major constraining factor in the marketplace being the availability of trained labour, the solar future looks bright. But on the eve of significant and long-term success, the federal government has thrown a spanner in the works with a new National Energy Guarantee (NEG).
The law’s an asset
Argentina market update: Argentina has taken a number of steps in recent months to make solar more attractive. While the utility-scale segment is expected to receive further support thanks to the third round of the RenovAr program, distributed generation (DG) and private PPA businesses may benefit from new regulations set to be issued in the coming months. The country is now better positioned to achieve its ambitious target of sourcing 20% of its electricity needs from renewable sources by 2025.
India’s silent revolution makes some noise
Renewable Energy India Expo: The breathtaking scale of India’s solar expansion over the past 24 months has captured headlines around the world. The recent Renewable Energy India Expo laid bare the growth and opportunities apparent in this soaring market, which has matured from quiet evolution to rapid transformation.
Hungry for renewables
Solar in Spain: 2020 is around the corner. In order to comply with the European objectives and after five years of standstill, Spain has tendered 8 GW of renewables in only three months. The announced drop in the retribution parameters forecast for that year not only jeopardizes the 4 GW already granted to PV, but also the solvency of old installations.
Panel predictions 2018
Major Trends of 2018: From further trade wars and cost reductions to the ongoing pursuit of high efficiency and wider adoption of diamond wire multi-Si wafers and black silicon, what module manufacturing trends lie in store next year?
