Asia

Installations are set to fall in India’s rooftop PV sector, even after the current coronavirus lockdown is lifted, as consumers will continue to grapple with financial constraints, according to a newly published research report.

The nation’s Ministry of New and Renewable Energy has reiterated that clean energy projects have not been affected by falling electricity demand as a billion citizens have been ordered to stay at home.

The patentability of Korean company Hanwha’s technology is being examined by a U.S. commission, according to Jinko. The Chinese manufacturer said it expects a final decision by December. Hanwha responded by announcing its decision to appeal.

Scientists in Korea have investigated performance degradation in quantum dot solar cells – an important consideration for a technology that has seen rapid efficiency increases in recent months. The group found surface oxidation of quantum dot material represents a significant threat to longer-term performance and the researchers suggest that an additional layer in the cell could solve the problem.

The Hong Kong-listed PV developer has recorded a RMB3,598 million ($511.6 million) net loss for the year to the end of December, despite a 7% year-on-year uptick in revenue to RMB2,168 million.

In a recent interview with pv magazine, K.R. Harinarayan – the founder and CEO of U-Solar Clean Energy – discussed the impact of India’s Covid-19 lockdown on the company’s solar EPC projects, and how the Bangalore-based PV developer is utilizing this time productively.

Researchers in Australia and China used intensity-modulated photoluminescence to map the series resistance of perovskite solar cells with a technique which could further understanding of the causes of instability issues in such devices.

With the introduction of guided feed-in prices for different types of electricity by China’s National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC), the world’s largest solar market has its PV subsidy policy finalized two months earlier than last year.

Mercom Capital Group has issued a report tallying up financial activity in the solar sector between January and March 2020. The sobering result is that cash flows are down by considerable margins on all metrics.

Hanoi has set new feed-in tariff rates for utility-scale, rooftop and floating PV projects, ending a long period of policy uncertainty. The government has announced the new rates, which are broadly in line with industry expectations, roughly 10 months after the expiration of its old tariffs.