Bags of cash – 11-2022
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Huge room for European PV production
A highly competitive new era of solar installations has arrived. Europe has an important role to play in producing these technologies, argues Javier Sanz, thematic leader of renewable energy for EIT InnoEnergy. And the organization is putting its money where its mouth is.
Nov 09, 2022
Opportunity in crisis
The developed world is facing scenarios of zero economic growth or even recessions, as inflation, energy costs, interest-rate rises, and tougher lending criteria makes life tough for business. But money is flowing into the energy transition by scaling and commercializing existing technologies, reports pv magazine’s Tristan Rayner.
Nov 09, 2022
Reducing financial risks
Derisking solar investments and providing confidence in the long-term reliability of PV project components can help accelerate global renewable energy investment. The established track record of PV warranty insurance provides an example of how innovative insurance products can help provide investor confidence and perform this vital role, argues Prentiss Darden, who heads up business development operations in North America for Munich Re Green Tech Solutions.
Nov 09, 2022
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So much cash, so little land
German institutional solar investors manage portfolios amounting to tens of millions of euros. Investor groups have high standards and need one thing above all else: big projects in which to invest. These are scarce in Germany and competition from other funds is fierce, so investors have developed three strategies to identify projects.
Nov 09, 2022
A sustainability swan song
Pioneering PV researcher Martin Green has received an abundance of accolades over his 50-year career of fundamental solar research with teams at the University of New South Wales (UNSW). That contribution was further recognized on Sept. 26, when he picked up the WCPEC-8 Award in Milan, Italy. Green spoke with pv magazine about the role of technologies such as PERC cells and his efforts to advance non-toxic thin film semiconductors for the tandem cells of the future.
Nov 09, 2022
No flash in the pan
German flasher supplier Wavelabs marked the 11th anniversary of its founding at the WCPEC-8 conference, which brings the global PV research community together every four years in Milan, Italy. The occasion was a milestone for the Leipzig-based company, with co-founder Torsten Brammer moving to its newly minted advisory board and Patrick Mergell signing on as managing director, alongside his twin role as chief technology and operations officer. Jonathan Gifford spoke to both men to discuss the company’s legacy and future.
Nov 09, 2022
Solar tops the bill
The US Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 sets aside $369 billion to decarbonize the economy and respond to climate change. pv magazine USA’s Anne Fischer and Ryan Kennedy report on the boost the landmark legislation is expected to provide to solar and battery deployment and manufacturing.
Nov 09, 2022
Elusive longevity
The expected lifetime of PV inverters is significantly shorter than that of modules. In many projects, inverter replacement is included in financial calculations from the start, despite the high costs. Research is being conducted into the causes of faults to develop more durable inverters and components. But plant design can already improve the lifespan of inverters in use today, reports pv magazine Germany’s Marian Willuhn.
Nov 09, 2022
pv magazine Award
Throughout the year we have encouraged solar and energy storage companies that are going above and beyond in the realm of sustainability to submit their work for consideration in the annual pv magazine Award. Here, we feature some of the most promising applications received thus far, that are in the running to be the 2022 sustainability champion. Award winners in all categories will be announced at the start of 2023.
Nov 09, 2022
Shining magnate
Mining magnate Andrew “Twiggy” Forrest is the founder and executive chair of Fortescue Metals Group, a major Australian iron ore producer. The company recently announced an ambitious $6.2 billion decarbonization strategy. Meanwhile, a fully owned subsidiary – Fortescue Future Industries – has rapidly become a global player in green hydrogen, along with a host of other technology pathways in the energy transition. Whether it is pushing to decarbonize mining, hashing out headline-making green energy deals, or using the popular “Rick and Morty” cartoon to educate people about the potential of green hydrogen, Fortescue and its shining magnate are talking the talk. But can they walk the walk? Blake Matich reports.
Nov 09, 2022
A game of risk
The rising popularity of “baseload” power purchase agreements (PPAs) has posed questions to solar electricity suppliers in the German market. How can projects that do not generate at night, with wide seasonal output variation, effectively supply constant power to consumers? More importantly, who shoulders the price risk?
Nov 09, 2022
Leveraging IRA leadership
The US Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) is a profound step in advancing climate leadership, despite coming from a deeply divided nation. Now is the time to show that the landmark policy could lead to progress and profits where the country is not divided, such as overseas engagement and climate leadership, argue David Williams and Daniel Kammen of the University of California, Berkeley.
Nov 09, 2022
Could your town host a gigafab?
With landmark legislation set to devote billions of dollars to develop a clean energy supply chain for the United States, developers will be busy poring over maps to decide where the first green jobs will land. CEA’s Mark Hagedorn looks at the qualities that make for the perfect gigafactory site.
Nov 09, 2022
POE’s gloomy outlook
With global industries of all kinds assailed by stories of supply chain shortage, InfoLink analyst Derek Zhao considers what the rise of TOPCon will mean for supplies of polyolefin elastomer (POE) resin, which is preferred over more commonly used ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA) as an encapsulant for the new, higher-efficiency PV cells.
Nov 09, 2022
Supply security through solar-wind hybrids
Energy supply stability dominates political and public discourse these days. Although there is broad consensus that we have to complete the transformation to a carbon-free energy supply within the next few decades, there is still some debate about how to get there. Solar and wind are thought too erratic to serve as a foundation for 100% supply security. And because electrochemical power storage systems are far too expensive and will never be powerful enough, anyway, many still dream of a future built on hydrogen or a breakthrough in nuclear fusion. But these scenarios are not without their insurmountable hurdles, according to Martin Schachinger and Volkmar Tetzlaff.
Nov 09, 2022
Rising costs increase risk
The Invesco Solar ETF, an exchange-traded fund that tracks the MAC Global Solar Energy Index, underperformed relative to the S&P 500 and Dow Jones Industrial in October. Roth Capital’s Jesse Pichel attributes this to fear over cost increases, and a surge in the broader markets.
Nov 09, 2022
Surfing the next investment wave
In October 2022, European gas prices went negative. While negative price events can be expected periodically, the occurrence was remarkable, as it was preceeded by record highs only months earlier as a result of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Energy demand destruction, businesses and households reducing their gas consumption and unusually warm temperatures played a role, […]
Nov 09, 2022
