Germany added 292 MW of solar in July
Demand for systems with a generation capacity of up to 750 kW is driving the market. The 52 GW capacity cap for solar under the national FIT scheme is approaching. In September, feed-in tariffs and market premiums will fall a further 1.4%.
PV cheaper than spot market electricity across Europe
The levelized cost of energy produced by large scale PV projects ranges from €24/MWh in southern Spain to €42/MWh in Finland. New research states that is already cheaper than the average spot market electricity price and that the figure for big facilities in southern Spain may fall to €14 in 2030 and €9 in 2050.
France launches three solar tenders for 2 GW of capacity
Two procurement exercises will be for ground-mounted PV and will be launched in January and June. A third tender, scheduled for February, will concern rooftop PV.
Uzbekistan launches rebate program for rooftop PV
The Uzbek government last week opened a rooftop solar program which provides 30% of the initial costs for buying and installing a PV system, up to around $320 per project. Tax incentives are also available.
French scientists try to uncover the secrets of black perovskite
X-ray analysis is said to have solved the mystery of how to preserve optical absorption in perovskite layers. Researchers say the discovery could help stabilize the material and speed up the launch of a new ingredient for PV research.
There are –data missing– solar power fires per year
International data suggests that fires caused by rooftop solar power systems are rare; however, the United States doesn’t centrally track this information – with the National Fire Data Center classifying them in the “other” category.
China added 11.4 GW of solar capacity in first half of this year
According to official statistics produced by the nation’s National Energy Administration, China’s cumulative installed PV generation capacity had reached 185.5 GW at the end of June.
Heraeus claims module output increases by 2.1% with new ribbon
The performance of the company’s Selectively Coated Ribbons was measured for more than a year in a field test. Heraeus says the yield gains are achieved by the device’s optical properties – said to enable improved reflection – even at low angles of incidence and in low-light conditions.
Polish mining company to deploy solar on dead coal sites
Poland’s second largest power company, Tauron, wants to build a 5 MW ground-mounted facility in Jaworzno and is seeking EPC contractors through a tender. The project is part of the company’s plan to deploy PV on its unused sites.
Meyer Burger moves to calm shareholders
Meyer Burger’s new chairman has acknowledged that the outlook remains tense for Europe’s largest solar equipment supplier, but he is urging shareholders to support the company’s plan to reposition itself to focus on high-yield technologies and markets beyond China.
