Asia

India’s PV-powered irrigation mission has had a sluggish run, even though the PM-KUSUM scheme provides flexibility and budgetary support for system implementation. An IEEFA report highlights the need to address key challenges at state level to increase deployment.

Moreover, Linyang Energy announced a plan to build a 10 GWh lithium-ion battery manufacturing facility in Qidong city, Jiangsu province. Chinese state-owned lender China Development Bank (CDB) has allocated RMB500 billion in special loans to support projects in the energy sector to help China reach its decarbonization targets

The government of the archipelago is tendering the deployment of two big batteries, with capacities of 24 MW/24 MWh and 16 MW/16 MWh, respectively, to store renewable energy for 22 islands.

An Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis (IEEFA) report says that the sale of power in the futures market will benefit renewable energy developers and distribution companies alike.

Energy efficiency, electrification of heating and transport, and the provision of clean cooking facilities are all going in the wrong direction as the Covid crisis deprived millions in sub-Saharan Africa of electricity use, according to a report by the IEA, IRENA, WHO, World Bank and UN Statistics Division.

Scientists in South Korea tested a new cathode material as part of a calcium-ion battery (CIB), achieving some impressive results. The material retained more than 90% of it initial capacity after 500 cycles, alongside some of the best performance results seen so far for this technology. The scientists say that this discovery opens up “an unexplored pathway toward the realization of stable and high-power cathodes in CIBs.”

With the solar industry already seeing prices rise because of a shortage of panel raw material polysilicon, an explosion yesterday at the factory of a silicon metal
and silicone producer in Xinjiang could have further repercussions on supply. No casualties have been reported.

The technology company and inverter maker has created a new unit to operate in the renewables and e-mobility sectors. Elsewhere, China’s largest e-commerce company, JD.Com, has signed an agreement with the world’s biggest wind company, GoldWind, to establish a renewables joint venture.

The metal wrap-through-focused module maker revealed its M series at the SNEC solar conference in Shanghai, claiming a bifacial rate of up to 70%.

The capacity will be set up on a build, own, operate basis and bidding in the tender closes on August 26.