Taiwan takes India to WTO over safeguard tariffs
Taiwan has joined Malaysia in requesting consultations with India under the safeguard agreement of the World Trade Organization (WTO), following India’s decision to impose 25% safeguard duties on imports of solar cells, whether or not assembled in modules.
No priority lending for RE projects
India’s cash-strapped solar industry was in for a rude awakening after the Ministry of New & Renewable Energy (MNRE) has refused to write to the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) to accord priority sector lending (PSL) status to renewable energy projects.
The long read: Backsheets to the future
As backsheet manufacturers aim to keep up with cost reductions up and down the PV supply chain, new processes and materials are appearing, with claims to offer better performance as a moisture barrier, as well as better acetic acid permeability and higher reflectivity, among other features. pv magazine examines the state of the market for PV backsheets, and takes a look at some of the new material innovations that are gaining ground with module manufacturers.
SECI defers 10 GW solar auction, again
India’s much-hyped 10 GW solar auction has hit another roadblock. The state-run Solar Energy Corporation of India (SECI)’s tender bids for 10 GW of ISTS-connected solar PV power projects linked with 3 GW (per annum) solar man-ufacturing capacity, has now been extended to October 12.
International Solar Alliance boosted by EIB funds
The International Solar Alliance (ISA) received a significant boost at the New York One Planet Summit, with European Investment Bank (EIB) President, Werner Hoyer announcing a commitment to back the ISA in its expansion of India’s solar industry and the exchange of technology.
International research group develops solar cell with storage properties
Although the “solar flow battery” is currently considered too expensive by its own creators, a further improvement of its design and the use of emerging solar materials and new electrochemistry may open new opportunities for this kind of technology.
Scientists show hybrid organic–inorganic perovskite is ferroelastic, not ferroelectric
This means that this promising material, contrary to common belief, is able to form domains of polarized strain to minimize elastic energy. The research team made its discovery by using multimodal imaging.
Imec claims 24.6% efficiency for tandem CIGS cell based on perovskite
The Belgian research institute developed its cell in partnership with EnergyVille, Solliance and German research center, ZSW.
Triton to manufacture solar batteries in Andhra Pradesh
U.S.-based Triton Solar, LLC has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Andhra Pradesh Economic Development Board (APEDB) to set up a solar battery manufacturing unit in the state under a public-private-partnership (PPP) model.
Solar PV to grow 65-fold by 2050, 2°C target will be missed by a long shot – report
DNV GL has issued its annual Energy Transition Outlook. It reports that global electricity demand is set to grow by a factor of 2.5. Over half of this demand is expected to be met with renewable energy by 2050, while storage will play a key role. It adds that grid infrastructure expenditures are less related to variable renewable energy assets than to increasing energy demand. In the current scenario, meanwhile, global warming is likely to reach 2.6°C.
