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50 projects will be signed on March 11, 2018 during ISA Solar Summit, and 71 will be signed on April 20, 2018 at RE-Invest summit. Now, with five new countries, Madagascar, Gabon, Rwanda, Sri Lanka, and Uganda, the number of nations to have ratified the International Solar Alliance (ISA) framework agreement has reached 26.

While they cannot match the durability and efficiency of inorganic silicon-based solar cells, organic polymer solar cells show potential to provide power to remote microwatt sensors, wearable technology and the Wi-Fi-connected devices constituting the Internet of Things.

Investors throughout the world made 406 investments in large-scale renewables in 2017, collectively valued at roughly €40.1 billion (US$49.5 billion), but solar is set to grow more in terms of capacity than any other clean-energy technology over the next half-decade, according to a new report. Battery storage will play a crucial role in this, it found.

Robotics in PV: The momentum of China’s solar growth appears unstoppable, driving the hunger for faster, qualitative automated solutions for the domestic PV manufacturing industry. Thus, most new solar manufacturing facilities or production upgrades are equipped with nearly fully automated lines.

Despite hitting a record 1.17 GW of new grid-scale storage capacity in 2017, growth was a mere 4.6% on 2016 having surged 61% the year prior. Industry’s reliance on policy support means foundations for growth remain uneven, report finds. Average costs, however, fell by 24% last year.

ISA is seeking recommendations for their ISA program 5: ‘Scaling Solar E-mobility & Storage.’ The program will be launched on March 11, 2018, during the ISA solar summit.

With two new countries, the Republic of Guyana, and Togo, the number of nations to have ratified the International Solar Alliance (ISA) framework agreement has reached 21. ISA will host 6th International Steering Committee (ISC) meeting on February 20.

Module technology: Agfa has developed a backsheet that consists of a single layer – an innovation that could well prove advantageous in the field, offering further opportunities to reduce delamination, lower LCOE, and result in boosted efficiency thanks to higher reflectivity.

Silvia Blumenschein, Vice President – Sales at Solare Datensysteme GmbH, speaks to pv magazine about the importance of scheduling, forecasting and monitoring for the efficient functioning of PV plants. She also discusses the Gateway product launched at REI India in September by Solar-Log c/o Solare Datensysteme GmbH, including its compatibility with inverter suppliers.

The International Solar Alliance (ISA) presents its first offering, a Common Risk Mitigation Mechanism (CRMM) feasibility study, at COP23 in Bonn, Germany, to deepen solar markets, which aims to mobilize up to $1trn of capital investment by 2030.