Max Hall
China made 14 GW of solar modules in June – and more than 80 GW in six months
The nation produced 57% more solar cells in the first half of this year than in the same period a year earlier.
Europe had just 650 MW of solar cell manufacturing capacity at the end of 2020
The Photovoltaics Report published by Fraunhofer ISE said that Europe had just 1.25 GW of solar wafer production capacity at the end of 2020.
China’s cheap electricity crowds out foreign polysilicon
Imports from South Korea and the U.S. dwindled, year-on-year, ensuring Germany’s Wacker and the Malysian unit of Korean company OCI will supply the bulk of the world’s non-Chinese solar polysilicon this year.
Solaredge records pandemic progress despite tough final quarter
Full-year revenues nudged up despite tough comparisons with the end of 2019 for the final quarter of last year. The inverter maker expects to log revenues of $385-405 million in the current three-month window.
Panasonic says it will exit solar manufacturing
The Japanese brand plans to shutter its Malaysian factory, liquidate its Panasonic Solar Energy Malaysia subsidiary, and lay off staff by March 2022.
King of the hill? McKinsey says renewables will be cheaper than fossil plants by 2030
The study cites the cost competitiveness of renewables-powered green hydrogen by 2030 as a big game changer for the energy transition.
Norway’s Statkraft to buy UK’s Solarcentury in latest solar-hydropower blend
The Norwegian hydropower business wants to pay $152 milllion for the London-based clean energy developer which claims to have brought to life 1.2 GWp of project capacity in seven countries since 2013.
REC Silicon could restart poly production at Moses Lake
The Norwegian polysilicon maker has been been frozen out of the Chinese solar market by political tensions between Beijing and the U.S. and mothballed its Washington State production line last year. However, two recent business agreements could change all that.
Vietnam opens 450 MW solar plant
Ho Chi Minh City-based construction company Trungnam Group said its army of laborers took just 45 days to perform site clearance for a project which took shape within 102 days.
Off-grid solar funding concentrated in just three companies
With a previous 50-50 split between equity and debt investment funding for the off-grid market shifting to 84% debt, and commentators stating most of this year’s backing was agreed before the onset of Covid-19, fears are mounting about the prospects for the sector.
