Author: solarenergy

India has made great strides in building a domestic PV supply chain. Do you also see this happening in the energy storage sector?JT: India’s domestic industry has made very impressive investments in manufacturing facilities, technology transfer and business partnerships. The government has encouraged investment in solar energy through production-related incentives and basic customs duties, and many financial incentives have been extended by banks and private equity to increase the number of manufacturing facilities in India.Based on the approved list of models and manufacturers that companies must be on to deliver projects related to government tenders, there are now more than…

Shipping volumes in the global solar tracker market are growing as innovation in project development drives demand. Joe Steveni of S&P Global Commodity Insights looks at the factors shaping the commercial landscape for trackers, from agricultural voltaics and undulating terrain to Indian ambition and the US Inflation Reduction Act. September 18, 2024 pv magazinePrinted edition from pv magazine 24/7The global solar tracker market reached 94 GW in deliveries in 2023, up from 73 GW in 2022. This was driven by growth outside the three largest tracker markets: the United States, Spain and Brazil. The Saudi Arabian and Indian markets in…

AleaSoft Energy Forecasting says lower demand and gas prices, combined with higher wind and solar power, pushed electricity prices across Europe lower last week. France, Italy and Spain also set daily records for solar energy production for September. September 17, 2024 Patrick JowettWeekly electricity prices fell in all major European markets last week, according to analysis from AleaSoft Energy Forecasting.Electricity prices fell in the Belgian, British, Dutch, French, German, Italian, Scandinavian, Portuguese and Spanish markets compared to the previous week. The Dutch market recorded the smallest percentage price drop at 16%, while the French market recorded the largest percentage price…

Frank Family Vineyards, part of the Treasury Wine Estates (TWE) family of brands, has announced the installation of 401 kWAC of solar energy on his property. The facility will generate at least 75% of the winery’s electricity needs, including powering the winery, tasting room and new catering space, The Miller House. Through a combination of on-site solar and purchased renewable energy, Frank Family Vineyards is powered by 100% renewable electricity. The shift to renewable energy at Frank Family Vineyards contributes to TWE’s global commitment to sustainability, with the company setting ambitious targets for 100% renewable electricity by the end of…

Sandhills Energy is set to begin construction on two solar projects – each exceeding 4 MW – in Indianola and Waverly, Iowa. These projects are being developed simultaneously as part of an ongoing collaboration between Sandhills Energy and the Municipal Energy Agency of Nebraska (MEAN) to enhance renewable energy generation and promote energy independence across 16 communities at 15 sites in the Midwest. Construction on site is expected to begin in Q1 2025 on both projects pending final environmental approval from the USDA. Indianola and Waverly are among four of the Iowa-based MEAN member communities poised for solar development. This…

Developers continued to take advantage of the Inflation Reduction Act in the second quarter by adding large-scale solar projects in the United States at a record pace. 7,369 MW of solar power was installed in the quarter, up 49% from the first quarter, according to data from S&P Global Market Intelligence. U.S. installed solar capacity has grown 34% since the second quarter of 2023, with more than 110,000 MW of projects now in operation. Developers plan to add more than 40,292 MW of solar this year, with 3,727 MW announced, 14,548 MW in early development, 1,473 MW in advanced development…

The Hungarian government says 20,000 households have signed up for the PV subsidy program, which offers up to HUF 5 million ($14,125) per home installation. The original budget of HUF 75.8 billion was increased by HUF 30 billion in July. September 17, 2024 Lior Kahana The Hungarian Ministry of Energy has said that more than 20,000 households have signed up for the Napenergia Plusz programme, a subsidy scheme for installing solar panels and storage systems for homes. The government offers a maximum of HUF 5 million per home, with the average application amounting to HUF 4.1 million.“The program increases the…

USTC achieves new record in efficiency of perovskite solar cells A research team led by Prof. XU Jixian from the University of Science and Technology of China (USTC) has set a new global standard for solar cell technology. As of July 3, the Solar Cell Efficiency Tables (version 64) announced that Professor Xu’s team had achieved a certified stable efficiency of 26.7% for their perovskite solar cell, marking a major milestone. “The Solar Cell Efficiency Tables, jointly published by the Australian Center for Advanced Photovoltaics together with scientists from the United States, Japan, Italy and other countries, have a history…

DNV, an independent energy expert and insurance specialist, has unveiled a service that assesses the likelihood of hail events at the site of future solar projects in North America, over a period of up to 30 years. September 17, 2024 Patrick Jowett DNV is offering a new service to solar developers that will assess the potential impact of hail on future solar projects in North America.The research-backed service, developed in collaboration with Jupiter Intelligence, will provide users with the probability of a hail event for a specific location in the contiguous United States, as well as the probability of the…

Ballard Power Systems says it has begun restructuring its global operations to cut costs due to slower hydrogen infrastructure development and delayed fuel cell adoption. September 17, 2024 Sergio MatalucciBallard Energy Systems has announced a global restructuring to reduce corporate spending due to “a slowdown in hydrogen infrastructure development and delayed fuel cell adoption.” CEO Randy MacEwen said that the Vancouver-based PEM fuel cell maker expects the changes to deliver “over 30% annualized total operating cost savings,” with most of the savings realized by 2025. The restructuring includes staff reductions and a “rationalization” of product development programs.Forvia said it will…