‘Polysilicon shortage will continue through 2021’
The latest global PV industry outlook published by trade group SolarPower Europe, has indicated tight supply of the solar panel raw material is expected to persist this year but the trade body said it would be unlikely to drive further price rises.
Sunseap announces 2.2 GW floating PV project at Indonesian water reservoir
If built, the project would be the world’s largest floating PV power plant and would reach the same capacity as the largest ground-mounted facility currently in operation.
Vikram Solar opens 1.3 GW mono PERC module factory
Vikram Solar has reached an overall module production capacity of 2.5 GW with the opening of a 1.3 GW fab in Chennai, India. The new facility will produce mono PERC modules with peak outputs of up to 640 W.
Longi claims 25.19% efficiency for p-type TOPCon solar cell
Longi’s 25.19% efficiency rating for its new p-type TOPCon solar cells, confirmed by the Institute for Solar Energy Research in Hamelin, is reportedly a world record.
Chinese PV Industry Brief: Linyang builds 2.4 GW solar-wind-storage project, Jolywood begins work on 16 GW TOPCon cell factory
Also, Wafer producer Zhonghuan Semiconductor has further reduced the prices of its products.
Bangladesh’s upper court tells government to get serious about renewables
Responding to a petition seeking an order to protect vulnerable wildlife habitats, the High Court of Bangladesh has told policymakers in Dhaka to draw up a plan for 100% clean energy.
Huge Vietnamese solar park could hit 2.8 GW within a year
An energy transition investment report published this week has also revealed the former world record low price for solar power announced by the Al Dhafra project in Abu Dhabi last year, has fallen even lower since.
South Korea allocates 2 GW in PV tender, final average price drops to $0.118/kWh
Selected projects will be awarded a fixed rate under a 20-year contract under the country’s renewable energy certificate (REC) scheme and will sell electricity to local power distributors.
China added 13 GW of solar to the end of June
The volume of new PV generation capacity added in the first half was higher than expected, given the rising input costs seen in recent months, but solar was nevertheless outpaced by new wind farms in the first six months of 2021.
Hold your breath for a better battery
Recent research has revealed a previously underestimated role for oxygen in limiting the performance of lithium-ion batteries. Newly published research from both Japan and the United States has sought to look deeper into the chemical reactions at the heart of lithium-ion storage; and to better characterize the cumulative effects that minuscule amounts of oxygen released during these reactions can have on battery performance and safety.
