World

Increasing demand for solar power in China has prompted analysts to boost their 2017 estimates, forecasting an increase of more than 9% this year, with the annual global market reaching 85 GW.

Total corporate funding across the global solar industry reached $3.2bn in the first quarter of the year, which is a 100% increase on Q4 2016. This rise is largely due to increased debt financing activity, said Mercom Capital Group CEO Raj Prabhu.

The German silver paste specialist is ramping up its global team to support its strategic pivot towards becoming an integrated solution provider. Majority of new hires expected to be in China, company confirms.

Schmid Group and MacDermid Enthone have been selected as pv magazine’s 2017 Technology Highlights award winners. In late March, the prize jury of industry experts met to select the winners, from a shortlist of eight innovative new PV production equipment and materials. Dozens of entries to the award were received from suppliers worldwide. Alongside the two winners, the jury selected Sinton Instruments as worthy of special commendation as having provided the ‘Technology to Watch’ in 2017.

No Trump, no Musk: just a week filled with excellent technological breakthroughs, encouraging acquisitions and market growth, and just a hint of Brexit-themed fake news. But the good kind.

The latest Global Trends in Renewable Energy Investment 2017 report by the UN Environment, Bloomberg New Energy Finance and the Frankfurt School-UNEP Collaborating Centre finds that while investment in clean energy fell last year, annual installations rose, revealing the cost-competitiveness of the sector.

Figures published today by both IHS Markit and GTM research forecast annual growth in the global solar market in 2017, albeit at a slower rate than was seen in 2016. The analysts predict continued demand from the four largest markets, particularly China and India, as the key drivers behind this growth.

Latest data from market analysts IHS Markit reveals a utility-scale global battery storage pipeline of 3.4 GW – a figure double that of last year and a growth that can trace its roots to rising demand in China and Asia.

More than 70% of 114 global energy experts interviewed in REN21 Renewables Global Futures Report believe global transition to 100% renewable energy is feasible. However, challenges remain fiercest in areas of transport and larger economies.

The two-facial module can be angled to ensure Brexit-supporting homeowners only harvest solar energy intended for the British Isles. 350 watt and ‘actual power’ versions available.