First-half solar funding fell by a quarter as Covid-19 bit
The latest PV finance report released by Mercom Capital had solar investment falling almost entirely across the board with the number of new solar funds launched in the last three months offering a rare piece of good news.
New production equipment for large-area perovskite solar cells
National Taiwan University and Taiwanese PV production equipment provider E-Sun Precision Industrial Co. have developed equipment to produce different kinds of perovskite cells with varying chemical compositions. The first trials achieved 14.3% conversion efficiency rates.
Chinese PV Industry Brief: Jinko’s new capacity and a 200 MW solar park
JinkoSolar has begun construction of a new 16 GW module production base in Yiwu city, Zhejiang province and Eging PV has resumed a 200 MW solar project in Qitai county in the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, after securing approval from local authorities. The China National Energy Administration has confirmed the nation can add no more than 48.45 GW of solar to the grid this year.
Covid-19 weekly round-up: US job losses raise concern but France and China continued to add new solar
Cell supply shortages could kick-start manufacturing activity in India, EV car sales are braced for a fall while still gaining market share and a new date has been set for the world’s biggest solar trade show.
Investigating backsheets and ultraviolet stability
Five testing laboratories led by Germany’s Fraunhofer ISE have begun a ‘round robin’ project to test the effects of ultraviolet light on polymer backsheet materials. Initial results indicate a route to accurate accelerated testing of backsheet UV stability over module lifetimes of 20 years-plus.
Covid-19 pandemic puts 150 GW of PV, wind at risk in Asia
Up to 150 GW of PV and wind projects could be postponed or canceled throughout the Asia-Pacific region by 2024 if the coronavirus-triggered recession continues beyond the current year, according to new research by Wood Mackenzie.
Financial close for 181 MW floating PV plant in Taiwan
The installation will be located in the Changbin Lunwei East district. A NT$7.2 billion loan was secured from a consortium of seven banks and the solar facility is expected to be grid-connected this year.
Wood-like solar facades
Taiwanese manufacturer Heliartec Solutions is offering BIPV panels for building facades that can be designed to mimic different kinds of textures in conventional building materials. The panels can also work as colored laminated safety glass and replace traditional cladding in the ventilated facades of buildings. They vary in length from 60 cm to 240 cm, with widths ranging from 30 cm to 120 cm. Depending on their size, the panels can offer power outputs of 90 W to 150 W per square meter.
Taiwan’s URE signs 120 MW glass-glass bifacial module order
United Renewable Energy has signed a memorandum of understanding to supply project developer Ye Heng Power with 120 MW of its solar panels. It plans to start shipping the PV modules in the second half.
Marubeni acquires Taiwanese solar developer
The Japanese conglomerate will buy Chenya Energy for an undisclosed sum. The Taiwanese developer has a 270 MW solar project pipeline on the island.
