News

European coal fleet will run at a loss of €6.57bn this year
Economic thinktank Carbon Tracker used financial modeling to determine the profitability of every coal power plant in the EU. On average, 79% of the facilities run at a loss, with Germany, Spain and Czechia among the states particularly exposed to the consequences – for coal investors and the public.
Nov 1, 2019 // Markets & Finance News, Spain, Germany, Italy, Europe, Netherlands, Slovenia, carbon tracker, Czechia, Matt Gray
COP, climate, class struggle?
The World Climate Summit in Santiago de Chile, set to be held in just a few weeks, has just been cancelled. Against a background of social protests in the country, concerns have recently grown as to whether logistics and security could be guaranteed for the event. Nevertheless, social problems and environmental protection must not be played off against each other: Both are closely linked to the economic paradigms of recent decades.
Nov 1, 2019 // Opinions, Chile, South america, Stephan Franz
Towards circular business models for the PV sector
With solar energy about to reach the iconic terawatt (TW) milestone of globally installed PV capacity, waste handling and end-of-life (EoL) scenarios become a pressing matter.
Nov 1, 2019 // Opinions, pv modules, Europe, CIRCUSOL
Large orders from Asian solar manufacturers boost Centrotherm
Enormous order intake is ensuring high production capacity utilization at the German PV equipment provider. The company said demand was particularly strong for high-efficiency solar cell production equipment in Asia. Thus far this year, however, that has not been reflected in the balance sheet.
Nov 1, 2019 // Manufacturing News, Markets & Finance News, Germany, Europe, Asia, Centrotherm International AG
French Development Agency helps Mozambique build 80 MW of solar capacity
Two PV plants are set to be built under the Project for Promotion of Auctions for Renewable Energies program, being implemented with the support of Mozambican utility Electricidade de Mocambique, which is likely to be the future off-taker of the solar energy generated.
Nov 1, 2019 // Plants, Large-Scale, Commercial, Scatec Solar, tender, Africa, Mozambique, French Development Agency, PROLER
Spain and Brazil the world’s ‘solar investment hotspots’ but eyes on Vietnam
Analysts at Fitch Solutions have published a report singling out Spain and Brazil as ‘outperformers’ in the global solar market and labelled Vietnam the “market to watch”. The analysts expect surging growth from the Southeast Asian nation to continue in the coming decade.
Nov 1, 2019 // Markets & Finance News, Spain, South america, Europe, Brazil, Fitch Solutions Macro Research
Renewables set new records in Germany, but ‘second pillar’ solar needs to accelerate even further
Renewables contributed some 43% of electricity consumption in Germany in the first nine months of 2019 – a new record – however doubts remain over the country’s chances of meeting future targets.
Nov 1, 2019 // Markets & Finance News, Germany, solar pv, Europe, decarbonisation, renewables, Stefan Kapferer, Frithjof Staiß
Turks and Caicos launches Clinton Foundation-backed energy strategy
The government of the Turks and Caicos Islands, utility FortisTCI and the non-profit Clinton Foundation inked a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on Wednesday to kick off the initiatives in the country’s new energy transition strategy.
Nov 1, 2019 // Plants, Large-Scale, Commercial, Markets & Finance News, Storage, Grids, ENERGY STORAGE, utility-scale PV, Caribbean, fortistci, rocky mountain institute, clinton foundation
Dutch startup Lightyear sets new benchmark in automobile aerodynamics with its solar-powered car
Many of the technologies we come across everyday seem to be either perfect or nearing perfection. However, there is always scope for improvement and this is what the Dutch startup Lightyear follows. The company manufactures a car that comes equipped with a solar panel that helps generate electricity and improve the vehicle’s range. While the solar panel itself is not a new innovation, the company has announced of notably improving the aerodynamics of its car.
Nov 1, 2019 // Technology, Transport, Europe, Lightyear, startup
Perovskite Nanocrystal Breakthrough Could Lead to a Better, Cheaper Solar Cells
Scientific instrument made at McGill reveals liquid-like properties of a solid substance.
Nov 1, 2019 // Technology, Canada, solar cells, perovskite, North America, McGill University, Patanjali Kambhampati
Kenya’s Kisumu County launches tender for solar mini-grids
The local authority is seeking proposals to build mini-grids with generation capacities of more than 5 kW to power hospitals, markets, water pumping and street lighting. The council has expressed a strong preference for the build, operate and transfer project development model.
Nov 1, 2019 // Markets & Finance News, Grids, Policy, tender, Kenya, Africa, mini-grids
Bidders line up for Ecuador renewables auction
The final results of the exercise, which attracted 22 participants, will be known on April 15. A 200 MW solar project will be assigned in the auction, with the winning bidder for that facility securing a 20-year power purchase agreement.
Nov 1, 2019 // Markets & Finance News, Ecuador, South america, auction, Carlos St. James
Off-grid solar sector witnesses sales of 4.1 million products in six months
Industry body Gogla and the World Bank’s Lighting Global program said the last six months set a record for off-grid solar deployment. Solar home systems and other small off-grid appliances are being used in ever larger numbers.
Nov 1, 2019 // Plants, Large-Scale, Residential, Markets & Finance News, Grids, Asia, Africa, Gogla, Lighting Global
Enphase is riding high
Enphase’s Q3 results show a company that has turned its fortunes around, with revenues more than doubling and high profitability, but questions remain around growth potential.
Nov 1, 2019 // Markets & Finance News, Inverters, Grids, USA, SunPower, Panasonic, solaria, North America, Enphase, Badri Kothandaraman, Roth Capital
Export analysis
PV InfoLink analyzed the key markets of China’s big module manufacturers, as well as product trends, based on export statistics. According to trade figures, the nation’s module exports totaled 34.2 GW in the first half of 2019, up by more than 90% from the corresponding period of 2018. In a nutshell, overseas demand has been strong in 2019.
Nov 1, 2019 // Manufacturing News, Markets & Finance News, Japan, Canadian Solar, Spain, Portugal, Germany, India, SunPower, China, Ukraine, Australia, JA Solar, Europe, JinkoSolar, Asia, Risen Energy, Oceania, Trina Solar, PV InfoLink