China solar module prices keep diving
In a new weekly update for pv magazine, OPIS, a Dow Jones company, provides a quick look at the main price trends in the global PV industry.
Thermax unit commissions wind-solar hybrid power plant in India
First Energy, a subsidiary of Thermax, has commissioned a 45.8 MW wind-solar hybrid plant in India for consumption by industrial consumers.
Thirty years of photovoltaic module degradation
Scientists in Europe have put together a comprehensive guide to PV module degradation, examining literature and case studies on the topic as far back as the 1990s. Their paper details the primary stress factors faced by modules in the field, the most common modes of degradation and failure, and provides clear definitions relevant to reliability, quality and testing standards. Among their key findings is that a full understanding of how combinations of different stresses over varying timeframes is still missing from methods to estimate and improve system reliability.
Impact of floating photovoltaics on thermal characteristics of lakes
A new study details how floating photovoltaics impact wind flow and irradiance on lakes, with the effect of influencing water temperature at different depths. However, the report’s authors say more research is needed on how to design systems for maximum benefit to the water bodies themselves.
Solar Leaders at Intersolar 2023: ‘We now need to think of strategic reserves of PV panels’
José Donoso, the president of Spanish solar association UNEF, spoke with pv magazine at Intersolar 2023 about the future of solar manufacturing in Europe, incentives, and the need for Europe and Spain to master the entire PV industrial cycle.
Solar Leaders at Intersolar 2023: ‘France will be soon in the 5 GW league’
Xavier Daval, the president of Syndicat des énergies renouvelables (SER), the French renewables association – spoke with pv magazine at Intersolar 2023 about solar and nuclear power in France, as well as the prospects for PV prices and installations. He touched on the market for power purchase agreements (PPA) and the outlook for solar manufacturing in France, where PV installations could hit 3 GW this year.
Germany deployed 4.97 GW of new PV in first five months of 2023
In May alone, the nation’s new PV additions hit 1,040 MW. Its cumulative PV capacity reached 72.5 GW.
CEA identifies major safety concerns in 97% of audited rooftop PV systems
Clean Energy Associates (CEA) has performed a safety audit on more than 600 rooftop PV systems and has found that 97% of installations have major safety concerns. It says that 49% of sites have grounding issues, 47% have damaged modules, and 41% have cross-mated connectors.
New technique to repair solder interconnection failures in solar panels
Researchers in Japan have developed a repair technique for solar modules with damaged busbars and solder ribbons. They claim the new method can be implemented on site, without removing the panels from the array.
Solar to reach ‘unassailable position’ as cheapest electricity source, says DNV
Solar’s levelized cost of electricity will reach $30/MWh in 2050, as global capacity surges, said DNV.
