Treasure Islands – 08-2024
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Orcadian sea power
The North Sea was once the oil capital of Europe but as onshore and offshore wind grows, the Orkney Islands are emerging as a renewables hub at the cutting edge of R&D. Experiments abound in green hydrogen and demand-side flexibility as researchers seek solutions to curtailment.
Aug 12, 2024
Brazil is harvesting the benefits of solar
Agriculture accounts for 21.5% of Brazil’s gross domestic product and 27% of its emissions. PV companies are now targeting an industry that represents 14% of the nation’s small-scale installations. With credit incentives and growing familiarity with the technology, agribusinesses and solar specialists are discovering new opportunities for collaboration.
Aug 12, 2024
PERC and TOPCon price parity
The mood in June 2024 at Asia’s centerpiece solar exhibition, SNEC, in Shanghai, was more downbeat than in previous years due to a sustained bear market caused by severe overcapacity, writes OPIS analyst Hanwei Wu. In the intervening weeks, solar supply chain prices have largely stabilized due to industry efforts to address the supply imbalance.
Aug 12, 2024
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Sponsored content: Runergy’s vertical integration helps it achieve supply chain traceability
Adapting to market volatility, Runergy transitioned from its start as a technical services provider to establishing a vertically integrated industrial chain. Tang Jun, president of Runergy, explains how this strategy is not only good for the company but the industry as a whole.
Aug 12, 2024
A critical junction
Tongwei Solar expects to have more than 100 GW of annual solar cell production capacity in 2024, placing it among the largest of China’s vertically integrated PV manufacturers. pv magazine spoke to Guogiang Xing, chief technology officer of PV business at Tongwei, about the company’s new R&D center in Chengdu, which includes a 1 GW pilot line for upgrades and new products.
Aug 12, 2024
Eyes on quality across PV and BESS
At this year’s record-breaking SNEC show in Shanghai, pv magazine spoke with Bao Yang, Trina Solar’s president of global marketing. The Changzhou-based manufacturer, now celebrating its 27th anniversary, has built a strong reputation as a top-tier module maker known for its quality and reliability.
Aug 12, 2024
A chronicle of solar foretold
Colombia’s Energy and Gas Regulatory Commission (abbreviated to CREG) has announced the results of its February 2024 energy auction under Resolution CREG 101-034A of 2022. The outcomes underscore a strong commitment to solar power in the South American nation.
Aug 12, 2024
Questioning quality
Does the PV sector need to rethink its approach to quality? Attendees at this year’s pv magazine Focus sessions, part of The smarter E Europe show in Munich, seemed to think so. Experts from fields such as modules and energy storage discussed ways the industry could improve.
Aug 12, 2024
Small islands, big ambition
The International Conference on Small Island Developing States (SIDS), held once a decade by the United Nations, is key for shaping strategy and development plans for such nations. Following the May 2024 conference in Antigua and Barbuda, pv magazine spoke with Rabab Fatima – under secretary-general and high representative for the least developed countries, landlocked developing countries, and SIDS – about the central role of renewable energy in growing SIDS economies and building resilience to climate change and other challenges.
Aug 12, 2024
No one is an island
The first big wave of solar industry events in 2024 is now in our rearview mirror and it was a big one! In Shanghai, the SNEC PV Power show had outgrown its former location and taken its display of cutting-edge PV technology to an even bigger convention center. The smarter E Europe event filled […]
Aug 12, 2024
Hybrid theory
The Chilean solar market is booming but as curtailment grows, a hybrid approach to generation is gaining ground. Storage project announcements are coming thick and fast as colocation with wind turbines offers cost efficiency and a smoother generation profile. Meanwhile, new capacity mechanism rules could take Chile one step closer to runaway battery growth.
Aug 12, 2024
In pictures: The smarter E Europe 2024
The smarter E Europe event returned, in June 2024, to Munich, Germany, and broke records as the continent’s largest energy industry platform. pv magazine joined more than 3,000 exhibitors from 55 countries for the three-day exhibition. Our editorial team members from across Europe and beyond were out in force to catch up on the latest developments on the show floor.
Aug 12, 2024
Tracking changes
Shipment volumes are growing in the global solar tracker market as innovation in project development drives demand. Joe Steveni, of S&P Global Commodity Insights, takes a look at the factors shaping the commercial landscape for trackers, from agrivoltaics and undulating terrain to Indian ambition and the US Inflation Reduction Act (IRA).
Aug 12, 2024
Hawaii makes strides toward resilience
Hawaiians are embracing renewable energy and battery storage to cut energy costs, as the islands have the highest average electricity price in the United States. At more than $0.40/kWh, Hawaiians pay almost three times the national average but change will not come without challenges.
Aug 12, 2024
Island opportunities
In June 2024, scientists from Oxford University’s Oxford Martin School headed to Montserrat in the eastern Caribbean as part of a multidisciplinary project investigating the island’s potential for geothermal energy and critical raw materials. pv magazine spoke with Oxford University Professor of Earth Sciences David Pyle about the project and its aims.
Aug 12, 2024
Tough times for US solar
Residential and utility-scale solar stocks posted double-digit declines in June 2024, with more challenges ahead. A recent US Supreme Court ruling could increase costs for utility-scale businesses while SunPower’s exit from the lease and power purchase agreement (PPA) market poses risks for US dealers. Jesse Pichel, of Roth Capital Partners, explores these key trends.
Aug 12, 2024
When necessity is the mother of invention
Constrained by geography and a lack of fossil fuel resources, the French outpost of Reunion has long been a test bed for European innovation, with solar power and energy storage being no exception, notes Marion Lafuma of Reuniwatt, a cloud and solar energy yield monitoring specialist.
Aug 12, 2024
Five-star floating solar
Swimsol’s founder identified the Maldives as ideal for floating solar back in 2009. After developing a prototype in Austria, the company began focusing on the island nation. Daniel Reinhardt, Swimsol’s sales and partner support manager, says that most of its clients are luxury resorts.
Aug 12, 2024
UP: Breathing new life into old modules
Solar energy is supposed to be an environmentally friendly alternative to fossil fuels but with the industry generating so much waste, the pressure is on to reuse and recycle modules that otherwise enter landfill. Germany’s 2ndlifesolar is one of several companies working on the problem.
Aug 12, 2024
Our best shot at 100% renewables
With the world’s islands already experiencing some of the worst effects of climate change, much could be learned from their ability to demonstrate the viability of 100% clean energy systems. Greening the Islands’ Gianni Chiannetta examines the case for two islands in the Caribbean Sea and Indian Ocean.
Aug 12, 2024
Pillars of solar success
The quality of solar racking is essential for the structural integrity and longevity of PV projects. Clean Energy Associates (CEA) colleagues Jörg Althaus and Dutt Du discuss some of the most common defects that can derail tracking system quality and make the case for quality control throughout the supply chain.
Aug 12, 2024
Cape renewables crusaders
Cape Verde faces huge challenges in transitioning to renewables, as its fragmented power market is spread across nine islands. Despite this, successive governments have been pushing for clean energy to reduce fuel import costs. Investment is increasing, and while wind energy currently leads in installed capacity, the focus is now shifting to solar power.
Aug 12, 2024
