C&I solar

EUPD Research says that with Europe’s solar market shifting towards larger systems, manufacturers, EPC companies and corporate buyers are adapting their portfolios and risk strategies.

The Austrian manufacturer said its new Argeno inverter features an efficiency of 99.1%, a European efficiency of 98.7%, and a rated AC power output of 125 kW.

A new approach aims to reconnect commercial and industrial (C&I) energy users to the grid, supplying daytime power from solar and batteries through grid infrastructure funded by PV installers, with diesel as a backup when needed.

China’s National Energy Administration (NEA) has released new draft rules to reshape the distributed-generation solar market.

Ampin Energy Transition and Japan’s Sumitomo Corp. have formed a joint venture company, Ampin C&I Power, to develop renewable energy sources in India.

The Chinese PV industry has benefited from the availability of substantial finance over the past two decades, supporting the development of the renewable, zero-carbon capability essential for meeting the goals of the Paris climate agreement. Easy access to finance has led to unsustainably low prices and unnecessary losses, however, impacting China’s ability to sustain support for renewable energy systems. As the nation expands clean power installations and enhances grid-balancing capacity, maintaining consistent financial support has become more challenging.

Across Africa, rooftop solar is stepping in to fill the void as fears of non-payment and inflation-reduced donor funding dampen enthusiasm for big solar. Commercial and industrial (C&I) arrays are leading the charge, driving consolidation in markets overstocked with startup and mid-size installers.

A combination of protectionist measures, attractive profit margins, and domestic content incentives has revitalized Turkey’s solar manufacturing industry. Jonathan Gifford asks whether the resurgent sector can become a player on the world stage.

Poland emerged as Europe’s third-biggest solar market in 2022, driven by the rapid uptake of PV micro-installations below 50 kW in size, but this year is already starting to look different. Marcin Ślęzak, chief commercial officer of Warsaw-based Menlo Electric, recently spoke to pv magazine about changes on the demand side and tech preferences in this thriving market.

Solar installations across Africa hit 949 MW in 2022, bringing cumulative capacity past the 10 GW mark, according to the African Solar Industry Association (AFSIA). While that may seem underwhelming for such a huge region, it shows that countries are taking big steps toward realizing the entire continent’s PV potential.