A new dawn – 12-2018
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Excerpt from the magazine
Grid parity’s muddy trails
Europe’s new breed of grid parity projects is mushrooming on the southern fringes of the continent. With governments’ flexible attitude towards remuneration, to the detriment of reliable planning, the desire to make grid parity projects work is strong, and its progress will likely spread north.
Dec 03, 2018
pv magazine outdoor test
October 2018 results We are happy to present to pv magazine readers with the next batch of energy yield results of the outdoor test field at Xi’an, China. Since the November issue, we have been showing the results of the month that precedes the issue by two months, so the October results will be presented in this issue.
Dec 03, 2018
New subsidies for Australian storage
While little action is seen on the federal level, energy storage is increasingly coming to the fore as part of state and territory energy policies. With a rising number of residential battery subsidy schemes taking shape in Australia, funding appears to be slowly moving away from solar to energy storage. Such initiatives are poised to not only reshape the battery storage market Down Under, but also have a major impact on the grid, making it more reliable, responsive, and flexible.
Dec 03, 2018
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The sun mine
The country boasting the highest solar irradiance in Europe has now clearly resumed its race to become a superpower in renewable energy. Pushed by its large-scale segment, the Spanish PV market is expected to see strong growth for the entire next decade. Several factors are contributing to short-term success, including lower module costs and a hike in prices in the local spot electricity market. A series of challenges, however, may provide lower than expected growth, such as grid capacity and rules for access. Although the current Spanish government is seeking to improve the regulatory framework, caution must be advised on the policy side.
Dec 03, 2018
A call to action
Solar PV has come a long way as a power generation technology. As highlighted in SolarPower Europe’s Global Market Outlook for 2018 to 2022, solar added 98 GW of net generation capacity last year, eclipsing all other forms of electricity generation. But solar needs to do a lot more, and to do it very soon if we want to limit greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and keep global warming to below 1.5°C from pre-industrial levels.
Dec 03, 2018
Materials matter
As problems with component failure have already laid bare, there is a clear need for contract clarity at every stage of a PV project, from material and component sourcing to power purchase and operations agreements. Here, pv magazine investigates a little covered issue for module buyers, which could threaten insurance coverage and the overall success of a project further down the line.
Dec 03, 2018
China’s 31/5 malaise
While recent signs from the Chinese administration, including the National Energy Administration, are that the PV sector in the country will return to robust health, the contagion of the 31/5 policies is still being felt throughout the supply chain. Vincent Shaw in Shanghai investigates the symptoms and causes of Chinese solar’s ill health.
Dec 03, 2018
Downside of good times Down Under
In 2018 and 2019 combined, Australia is set to double its cumulative installed PV capacity. The speed at which installations are being realized is having implications for quality that, if not addressed, could leave project investors, lenders, businesses, and homeowners regretting their decision to go solar. The first pv magazine Quality Roundtable at All Energy Australia in October fostered discussion of these issues, finding that time is of the essence.
Dec 03, 2018
Refreshing blend or toxic technology cocktail?
Battery storage is racing even faster than the PV market did a few years ago. Costs are plummeting and new production lines are popping up all around the world. Smart people with smart ideas are leveraging venture capital and research funds. M&A activity is also accelerating with a new range of investors taking interest. But the technology battle is far from over, says Ragna Schmidt-Haupt, Partner at Energy Consultancy Everoze.
Dec 03, 2018
Positive signals from China boost 2019 forecasts
The Chinese market is rebounding from its 31/5 setback. Demand could reach 42.5 GW next year, writes PV InfoLink Chief Analyst Corrine Lin. But the actual target will depend on China’s official target announcements at the end of this year. If the target is set high, actual demand is likely to be higher than anticipated.
Dec 03, 2018
The time is right
Kaco is launching a mass-produced string inverter with silicon carbide switches onto the market following 10 years of discussion about the technology within the industry. In the 100 kilowatt plus segment, the technology produces small, lightweight devices with few components.
Dec 03, 2018
Revamping and repowering: the size of the opportunity
The concept of revamping and repowering is one of the newest terms in the solar industry. As the installed base of photovoltaic (PV) systems ages, the concept of upgrading and improving operating plants becomes increasingly relevant to both manufacturers and PV plant asset managers. However, the real market size for new PV components in existing plants will depend on the characteristics of each plant, the overall regulatory framework and the economic benefits that will accrue to asset managers.
Dec 03, 2018
New technologies move to the back
The tension between the cost cutting and performance boosting opportunities presented by new technologies and the tendency for risk aversion is never more evident than in PV module materials. This applies nowhere more than in backsheets, where new innovations are big on promise, but must convince manufacturers and the market of their long-term performance.
Dec 03, 2018
Now or never for the EU
The European solar industry is on its knees, but the EU appears willing to set a course for reconstruction. With SolarPower Europe and the European Solar Manufacturing Council, there are now two associations that are actively advancing a course for strong solar industrial policy among the EU bureaucrats in Brussels. The goals, however, are somewhat different.
Dec 03, 2018
TOPCon boosts demand for EU equipment
Photovoltaic manufacturers in Asia are importing deposition reactors from the EU to test the latest word in silicon solar cell passivation. Two thin buffer layers sandwiched between silicon wafers and metal contacts are increasing the efficiency of conventional solar cells and setting new records. Equipment suppliers expect the technology to spread through the industry and boost their bottom line.
Dec 03, 2018
What to expect of 2019 with one caveat; it can all change in an instant
At the beginning of 2018, expectations were high for another high growth year. Pundits expected over 110 GWp of PV installations, perhaps as high as 130 GWp. Manufacturers confidently announced capacity expansion plans based on the assumption that strong growth was a certainty. It was not to be.
Dec 03, 2018
Zero planning security
“I’m not installing anymore this year – I’m not going to put myself through that kind of stress.” You increasingly hear this or something similar when you talk shop to planners or installers in Germany these days. And you can also hear some variant of, “If I order more modules now, can you guarantee me that I’ll actually get them on time?” In short, there is a simmering discontent in the market that occasionally boils over into all-out anger but also expresses itself as simple resignation. So, what is it that has quashed the generally positive mood so quickly?
Dec 03, 2018
