New renewables cheaper than legacy coal or gas for almost half the world’s population
Electricity bill payers in nations as diverse as China, India, Germany, and Greece should be aware new solar projects can now generate electricity cheaper for them than legacy coal and gas-fired plants.
India installed 3.2 GW of solar in 2020
In large-scale solar, Adani was the largest developer by capacity, and Sterling & Wilson the preferred EPC partner. Tata Power Solar led in rooftop solar installations.
Trina launches 670W Vertex solar module and tracking systems in India
The Chinese solar manufacturer has launched the 670W Vertex solar module in India that offers an efficiency of up to 21.6%. It has also fielded two models of panel tracking solutions from its TrinaTracker business.
Floating solar plant operational at Cochin Airport
The 452 kWp array features 1,300 photovoltaic panels across an acre of water split between two artificial lakes at the airport golf course.
Austrian company Aerocompact to make solar racking in India
The ‘intelligent’ racking solutions provider has joined hands with Norwegian aluminium producer Hydro Extrusion’s India arm to manufacture PV racking for rooftops. The manufacturing unit—located in Bengaluru—is eyeing at least 20 MW of business from India in the next six months.
Odisha fire stations to go solar
The state will contract for a total 1.73 MWp of rooftop generation capacity with all the panels supplied manufactured in India.
IHS Markit: Trackers to account for a third of PV installations
New analysis predicts more than 150 GW of tracker capacity will be installed in the next five years – around a third of all ground mount projects up to 2024. Rapid growth in Europe, the Middle East and Africa; and the better cost structures possible from combining trackers and bifacial modules are singled out as key trends.
Bifacial beats Trump’s tariffs
Federal trade authorities in the U.S. have ruled bifacial solar modules will no longer be subject to the Section 201 ruling which applies a 25% tariff to solar panel imports.
The long read: Bifacial testing sites multiply in the US
Bifacial solar panel performance has become such a hot topic there are now at least four competing field test sites ramping up in the United States, each matching a different set of trackers and panels. DNV GL, Soltec, NREL and Sandia are all involved, and initial results are expected this year, once a year’s data has been collected.
India added world’s second largest PV capacity in first half of 2018
The nation installed 4.9 GW of solar, surpassing the USA – which installed 4.7 GW – to become the second largest solar market in the first half of the year, second only to China’s 24.3 GW.
