News

Enel Green Power Starts Construction of Its First Renewables + Storage Project in North America

published: 2020-07-24 10:00
Enel Green Power has started construction of the Lily solar + storage project in Texas, its first utility-scale solar + storage project in North America. The Lily solar + storage project comprises a 146 MWac photovoltaic (PV) facility paired with a 50 MWac battery and is expected to be operational by summer 2021. In addition, the company plans to install 1 GW of battery storage capacity for future utility-scale installation across the company's renewable portfolio in the United States through 2022. ...  more

Meyer Burger Acquires Production Sites in Germany in a Bid to Revitalize the European Solar Sector

published: 2020-07-23 18:30
Germany was previously the world’s top producer of PV products. However, China overtook Germany in 2015 thanks to policy incentives offered by its government and the cost advantage of its domestic solar enterprises. Currently, Chinese companies represent seven of the world’s top 10 manufacturers of PV modules. Nevertheless, the German solar industry does not appear to have lost its resolve despite losing the upper hand in the competition. With recent trends such as the increasing automation of production lines and the growth of local demand, can the German solar industry, and by extension the entire European solar sector, recapture business opportunities lost to other countries? ...  more

Wheelabrator Kemsley Enters Full Commercial Operation

published: 2020-07-23 13:00
Wheelabrator Kemsley, a new waste-to-energy facility at Kemsley in Kent, England, enters full commercial operation following a successful commissioning phase throughout early 2020, with total capacity delivered reach 2.4 million tons (2.2 million tonnes). ...  more

NREL: High-Value Silicon Is More Important Than Intact Wafers in Recycling of Solar Panels

published: 2020-07-23 10:30
Researchers at the US National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) recently released a study that provides several recommendations on developing the methods for recycling solar panels (or photovoltaic modules). The study, which was published in the journal Nature Energy, estimates that the cumulative mass of discarded solar panels worldwide could reach up to 80 million metric tons by 2050. After evaluating various recycling methods, NREL has concluded that the focus of recycling solar panels should be on the recovery of high-value materials instead of the preservation of silicon wafers for future reuse. The NREL study also states that more aggressive R&D is needed to reduce the cost and environmental impact of the recycling process. ...  more

IDTechEx: CIGS to be the Next PV Rock Star

published: 2020-07-22 13:00
Estimates vary but we are certainly in $100 billion, 100GW territory with the booming photovoltaic market. The new IDTechEx report, "Electronics Reshaped 2020-2040" reveals solar market growth by new capabilities opening previously impossible applications. Well-rehearsed is how silicon is in the lead with massive Chinese investment likely to see single-crystal silicon usurp polycrystalline silicon as its newly-affordable extra electricity output attracts. Amorphous silicon, dye-sensitised solar cells, and cadmium telluride improve little and cadmium is scarcely the tastiest element on the menu alongside, shock horror, lead in the newly arrived perovskite challenger - so what are we missing?  ...  more

Huawei Hosts 2020 Europe Smart PV FusionSolar Day Online

published: 2020-07-22 12:00
In the beginning of July, Huawei hosted its 2020 Smart PV FusionSolar Day in Europe with 5 speakers and 5 panelists from leading research firms, customers and partners. The online event gathered attendees from more than 40 countries covering topics from PV market trends during and post COVID-19 to experience sharing for utility-scale projects. ...  more

American Electric Companies Pondering on Shifting to the Production of Renewable Energy as Natural Gas Pipeline Becomes the Object of Hatred

published: 2020-07-22 10:30
Various states in the US are conforming to different level of engagement in renewable energy policy, and most electric companies are now more interested in gas-fired power generation from the affordable natural gas due to the majority of disinterest in the implementation of renewable energy sources, especially subsequent to the shale gas revolution. However, this status is about to undergo changes as the oil and gas pipelines in the US became the object of hatred, which resulted in the exorbitant cost for establishing natural gas pipelines. Electric companies might as well forfeit the relevant planning, and shift to the production of renewable energy sources, should this phenomenon become the new norm. ...  more