Asia

Superior hydrodynamic properties, more robustness in high seas and a much reduced logistics requirement support the case for thin-film over crystalline silicon, pontoon-mounted alternatives, according to an Indo-Italian research group.

Consultancy Bridge to India has looked into its crystal ball to predict India will add 10 GW of solar capacity this year and the same next year before deployment slows to 7 GW per year in 2022 and 2023, dogged by hurdles such as an inexplicable ongoing demand for new coal-fired power plants.

The 5 GW of new production lines announced by JA Solar at the start of the year have now been doubled as the company also unveiled plans to rejig up to 3.6 GW of its existing facilities to accommodate bigger wafers.

An international research group has analyzed the visual impact of PV facades on buildings which include crop cultivation. Architects, PV specialists and farmers were surveyed and the results showed broad acceptance of such projects.

Japanese researchers have developed a new water-splitting technology based on a photoelectrochemical system made with titanium dioxide and cobalt. Cobalt is said to be a solid alternative to noble metals such as gold and silver to improve the light-absorbing properties of titanium dioxide used for water oxidation.

A scheme to install solar lighting and household power, as well as biogas and solar cookers and larger PV plants, has already driven deployment of more than 1.2 million systems. Now the government wants more partners to join the program.

The record feat compares to usual figures of 2-3% for such devices. The Taiwanese scientists who developed the cell said it was prepared with the Silar method and is based on a ternary metal sulfide-alloyed semiconductor. They claim performance could be further boosted.

State-owned engineer and manufacturer Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited has invited bids for the supply of cells with five busbars and a minimum efficiency of 18.8%. Bidding closes on Friday.

The twice-postponed $230 million investment which will see Chinese state-owned Beijing Energy acquire a 32% stake in Hong Kong-listed developer Panda Green has finally gone through. The developer now has five months to drum up enough to pay off two more of its other three state-owned backers.

The government is planning to introduce a procurement regime this year which the Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis says could drive the price of clean electricity as low as PHP3/kWh. It is thought projects which missed the feed-in tariff scheme deadline will be eligible to compete in the auctions.