Ikea’s full home solar offer arrives in Australia
Ikea has launched its turnkey home solar offer in Australia, making it the first market outside of Europe in which consumers can purchase home solar kits from its website. The company has partnered with Solargain to bring solar to as many Aussie rooftops as possible.
Panasonic, Span team up for home battery backup and energy management
Span’s ambition is to “transform the electrical panel into an intelligent gateway” and expand the adoption of solar and electric vehicles, as well as storage systems like Panasonic’s residential battery.
France assigns 152 MW in commercial and industrial PV tender
The final average price for power generated by solar systems with capacities ranging from 100 kW to 500 kW came in at €96.49/MWh. The price for installations ranging in size from 500 kW to 8 MW was €86.17/MWh.
Flanders to reintroduce subsidies for rooftop PV
Four years after the expiration of green certificates for PV systems up to 10 kW, the authorities in Belgium’s Flanders region want to support solar again – but this time in the form or rebates. A new scheme will likely go into force in 2021, with up to €1,500 to be awarded per PV system.
100% solar-powered floating villa
Australian designer Chuck Anderson’s Lilypad is a 100% solar-powered villa floating off Palm Beach in north Sydney.
PV systems could provide up to 60% of output during hurricanes
Researchers in the U.S. have demonstrated, using simulations, PV system generation can range from 18-60% of clear-sky potential during hurricanes – provided the arrays do not suffer damage. According to them, solar installations could continue to provide back-up power when grids are down during hurricanes, especially if coupled with energy storage.
Covid-19 weekly round-up: It is still unclear how the crisis will play out on various solar segments, although one US installer says business has never been better…
Module price falls driven by the energy demand slump and Chinese oversupply may reverse at the end of the year, Germany appears immune to the Covid rooftop curse and emergency funding has been offered up to EU businesses affected by the crisis.
Bulgaria plans to introduce FITs for solar systems up to 30 kW
The government is considering a €0.12/kWh feed-in tariff for PV installations with a generation capacity of up to 5 kW and of €0.10 for 5-30 kW systems. If implemented, the scheme will come into force next month.
Covid-19 delayed 63% of India’s planned big solar in first quarter
Coronavirus-related disruption severely impacted solar installation during the first three months of the year, as the nation added only 689 MW of utility scale PV, against the 1,864 MW that was scheduled to be commissioned.
Australian rooftop PV market continues to thrive
Australia’s rooftop PV fleet continues to grow in the face of uncertainty surrounding the outbreak of the pandemic, posting another big month above 200 MW. Mega-household solar systems are growing in popularity, but retailers and installers can see the storm clouds gathering.
