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Broken promises: Legal recourse for retroactive FIT cuts Generous feed-in tariffs, a short-lived boom and retroactive cuts – the early stages of large-scale solar deployment in Europe followed a regrettable pattern. Project developers have increasingly turned to the legal system for restitution, and many have been successful, writes Daniel R. Meagher, a partner in Winston & Strawn’s international arbitration practice.
Daniel R. Meagher, partner, Winston & Strawn
Jan 23, 2020
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Transitioning to larger wafers Since 2017, 156.75 mm M2 wafers have been the standard. However, improvements in cell efficiency appear to have hit a bottleneck, making wafer size a hot topic among manufacturers once again. In the second half of 2018, 158.75 mm G1 mono wafers were introduced to the market. Corrine Lin of PVInfoLink argues that while G1 will likely become the mainstream format over the next two years, 166 mm M6 wafers and 210 mm M12 wafers are presenting new options for manufacturers.
Corrine Lin, PVInfoLink
Jan 21, 2020
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Harmful lead in photovoltaics – are there sustainable alternatives? Without globally unified standards in waste management, the risk from toxic materials such as lead will become increasingly important.
Stephan Kube, head of marketing and Susanne Müller, product development, Heliatek
Jan 17, 2020
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A new era of sustained growth After several years of weak solar demand growth in Europe, compared to the historical highs of 2011, installations are expected to surge by 88% to reach a new installation record of 23 GW in 2019, writes Cormac Gilligan, research manager at IHS Markit. A range of favorable macro conditions have coalesced this year to reignite the market.
Cormac Gilligan, research manager, IHS Markit
Jan 16, 2020
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Markets & Policy
Why Europe and the US failed to capitalize on thin film solar Is First Solar stalled in innovation and growth? Markus Beck, a thin-film solar expert and former chief technologist at First Solar, provides an industry perspective on the fate of thin-film PV in the United States.
Markus Beck, Business and technology consultant
Jan 10, 2020
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12 GW bifacial demand in 2020 Back in June, the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) granted Section 201 tariff exemptions to bifacial cells and modules, but reversed the decision on Oct. 28. Two weeks after the reversal, the U.S. Court of International Trade issued a temporary order against the withdrawal of the bifacial exemption. An investigation is now underway, with the first hearing taking place on Dec. 5.
Corrine Lin, chief analyst, PV InfoLink
Dec 31, 2019
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China’s market in transition By the end of 2018, China was home to around one third of global cumulative PV capacity, with around 175 GW of operational PV systems. In the context of China’s power sector, writes Frank Haugwitz of Asia Europe Clean Energy Advisory, the cumulative installed capacity makes up 9% of the total existing power generation capacity and contributed approximately 2.7% to total electricity generation.
Frank Haugwitz, consultant, Asia Europe Clean Energy Advisory
Dec 30, 2019
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Never a dull moment in the US-solar market With its trade wars, exclusions from tariffs, reversals of exclusions, and stays of reversals of exclusions – in addition to the repeal of the Clean Air Act and potential changes to the Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act – the U.S. solar market is anything but boring, writes SPV Market Research’s Paula Mints.
Paula Mints, SPV Market Research
Dec 27, 2019
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European Green Deal promises better products – and ecodesign shows the way to making it happen The European Green Deal needs better and longer-lasting products, and that includes solar panels, says ECOS, the environmental NGO specialising in ecodesign and standardisation.
Justin Wilkes, Executive Director, ECOS
Dec 23, 2019