Anti-dumping, countervailing duties on battery materials could have serious effects on the EV and energy storage markets, as the battery material and manufacturing markets in the U.S. are still in very early stages.

Lending to renewable energy projects in India in 2023 increased 63% year-on-year to INR 30,255 crore ($3,663 million). Out of the total, 49% went to solar projects.

The prices of domestically manufactured solar cells are 1.5-2 times more than alternatives from China even after basic customs duty. Such high prices can drive up the capital cost of solar power projects by INR 5-10 million/MW and, in turn, tariffs by 40-50 paise per kWh, says CRISIL Market Intelligence and Analytics.

As the need for decarbonizing cooling becomes more urgent, District Cooling delivered through the CaaS model is expected to gain wider acceptance. Its ability to scale across large developments and provide a more sustainable, long-term solution for India’s rapidly growing cooling demand positions it as a key lever to address the paradox the country faces of meeting the burgeoning cooling needs while honoring our climate commitments.

The co-lending program targets financing 3,600 kW of rooftop solar installations annually, benefiting numerous micro-, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs).

ABB has agreed to purchase Gamesa’s power electronics and storage business, which produces doubly fed induction generator (DFIG) wind converters, industrial battery energy storage systems (BESS), and utility-scale solar inverters.

Acme Solar has switched on four co-located solar projects aggregating to 1,023 MW AC (1,483 MWp) in Rajasthan. The capacity, connected to the interstate transmission system, constitutes 85% of the overall 1.2 GW project that benefits from a 25-year power purchase agreement (PPA) with SECI at a tariff of INR 2.44/kWh. 

Avaada Energy will develop a 200 MW (DC) solar plant for power supply to Gujarat Urja Vikas Nigam Ltd at a tariff of INR. 2.75 per kWh.

The newly commissioned capacity is part of NTPC Renewable Energy’s 150 MW solar project across Limbdi, Mesanka and Radhanpur

India is likely to follow in the footsteps of China and mandate the inclusion of battery storage capacity for future wind and solar energy projects.

A trifecta of cutting-edge products debuted at Hithium’s second Eco Day event held in Beijing.

Researchers in the Netherlands have analyzed the performance of PV façades during the period 2018-2023 and have found that these system may generate more economic value than conventional rooftop PV systems. Their analysis was based on financial, technical and environmental metrics

Waaree Energies will support creation of an advanced fabrication and characterization setup for high-efficiency perovskite solar cells at IIT Bombay.

Netherlands-based Volta Energy has launched a 15 kVA portable solar generator to provide offgrid power equipment for use on construction sites. The system includes solar panels, an inverter, battery, trailer, and a backup bio-diesel generator.

An international research group has developed a light upconversion system that can reportedly improve crystalline silicon solar cell efficiency by up to 0.87%. The technology consists of multilayer nanoparticles that act as near-infrared absorbers across different spectral ranges.

South Korea-based solar module manufacturer Qcells has set a new efficiency world record for a commercially scalable perovskite-silicon tandem solar cell, produced at its pilot line in Germany.

The German wafer manufacturer said the efficiency was achieved with an unspecified M6 HJT commercial production line, without specifying if the result was certified by an independent third party.

NuVision Solar – a newly formed, US-owned and operated manufacturer – has revealed plans to produce heterojunction (HJT) solar cells and modules.

While the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) is reshoring solar manufacturing in the United States, raising import tariffs may slow momentum. The actions of the incoming Trump administration are tough to forecast at this point.

Amid record-low prices for solar modules, the focus of cost reduction for utility-scale solar projects is shifting to non-module balance-of-system (BoS) expenses. A transition from 1.5 kV voltage to 2 kV in solar projects is expected to gain traction through 2030.

India’s target of achieving 5 million tonnes per annum of green molecule production by 2030 presents an investment opportunity of INR 8-10 trillion across building the infrastructure for electrolyzer production, renewable energy generation and green molecule production.

NTPC Green Energy Ltd (NGEL) has tendered the balance-of-system package for 1.5 GW of grid-connected solar PV projects in Bikaner, Rajasthan.

With the latest win, Acme Solar’s overall renewables portfolio has increased to around 7 GW.

IGI Poseidon has partnered with Corinth Pipeworks to test carbon-steel pipes for hydrogen transport under high pressure, while Axpo has begun building a green hydrogen plant in Switzerland to fuel vessels and other applications from 2026.

Battery prices continue to tumble on the back of lower metal costs and increased scale, squeezing margins for manufacturers. Further price declines are expected over the next decade.

The sheer scale of solar installations means that ensuring consistency in operations and maintenance practices across the country is no easy task. Moreover, as technology continues to evolve, companies will need to keep up with the latest innovations to stay competitive.

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.

By offering incentives for green hydrogen production and manufacturing electrolyzers, the government of India is making it easier for players to enter this space and scale up technologies. The focus on public-private partnerships is crucial to this effort, ensuring that both the public sector and private companies collaborate efficiently to make green hydrogen a reality impacting masses.

While solar EPC projects present immense opportunities, they also face challenges that require strategic navigation, including risk management, regulatory compliance, and stakeholder coordination. 

Favorable government policies have played a crucial role in driving the adoption of solar energy in emerging economies. However, investment in grid modernisation and energy storage solutions is crucial to unlock the next level of sustainable solar integration in these economies.