Chinese PV Industry Brief: January-June solar installations hit 78.42 GW
China’s National Energy Administration (NEA) says the nation installed 78.42 GW of solar in the first six months of this year, bringing it to nearly 470 GW of cumulative installed PV capacity by the end of June.
‘As always in solar, those who wait are those who lose,’ says Otovo CEO
Andreas Thorsheim, the CEO of Norway-based residential solar specialist Otovo, recently spoke with pv magazine about high inventory levels for solar modules in Europe and falling panel prices. He said there will be a strong buyer’s market this fall and noted that the latest modules off the boat are the cheapest.
US federal agencies urged to tap 25 GW of solar potential on canals
A large US environmental coalition has signed a letter to support solar deployment on 8,000 miles of federal, open-air canals.
Imec presents inverted perovskite solar cell with 24.3% efficiency
The researchers of the Belgian research institute used a dual-layer treatment for the perovskite absorber, which they said improved the cell efficiency and stability. The device achieved an open-circuit voltage of 1.17 V, short-circuit density of 24.5 mA/cm2, and a fill factor of 84.6%.
Solar production drops as rare summer storm lashes Netherlands
In a new weekly update for pv magazine, Solcast, a DNV company, presents the solar irradiance data it collected for northern Europe in the first week of July. The data show that an unseasonal storm created by a strong low pressure system moving across from England into the North Sea had a strong impact on solar power generation in the Netherlands and Denmark.
Tesla adds ‘Charge on Solar’ feature to Powerwall batteries
Tesla owners can select a feature in an app to set their Powerwall batteries to solely charge their vehicles on excess stored PV capacity.
Transnational grid across Sub-Sahara Africa may help spur renewables deployment
An international research group has proposed to build a Sub-Sahara Africa (SSA) central grid across 12 countries in order to reduce energy poverty. The proposed transmission line would touch Mali, Niger, Nigeria, Chad, Sudan, Ethiopia, Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania, Burundi, Mozambique, and South Africa.
India’s PV module exports surged in fiscal 2023, says ICRA
India exported $1.02 million of solar cells and modules in fiscal 2022-23, and the United States was the top destination, according to ICRA Ltd.
China solar module prices rebound
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.
Namibia kicks off tender for 70 MW solar plant
Namibian utility NamPower is seeking an engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) contractor to build a solar farm in Rosh Pinah, a southern mining town. The project was originally designed for wind power generation.
