The provincial government of Prince Edward Island, Canada, has signed an agreement with the Canadian federal government to implement the Oil to Heat Pump Affordability (OHPA) program. The scheme offers grants to low- and medium-income households to install heat pumps and has nationally delivered more than 7,000 units to date.

The tool has been billed as the world’s first independent daily spot market price assessment for solar panels. S&P Global says it has been launched to aid transparency in technology pricing as solar modules become increasingly commoditized.

High interest rates, an uncertain rate trajectory and timeline, increasing trade barriers, supply chain challenges, concerns about the presidential election’s impact on the sector, and constantly evolving trade policies have created a climate of uncertainty.

Statistics from the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) shows that if the world were to continue with a 14% annual growth rate in renewables capacity, as seen in 2023, it will fall 1.5 TW short of meeting deployment targets set at COP28.

The IEA Photovoltaic Power Systems Programme’s (IEA-PVPS) latest factsheet covers bifacial PV modules and advanced tracking systems. It says a combination of bifacial modules with single-axis tracking could increase energy output by up to 35%.

Market intelligence platform TrendForce says 210 mm n-type technology is “set to spearhead a new industrial revolution.” It expects 210mm modules to account for 78.29% of the large-format module market this year, increasing to 82.51% by 2027.

Bernreuter Research says low module prices will drive demand in the second half of this year. The researchers note the shipment targets of the world’s six largest solar module suppliers, who are aiming for an annual growth rate of 40% on average.

US scientists have analyzed the impact of “seasoning” a formamidinium lead iodide solution with two-dimensional (2D) perovskites. They have found that the template improved the efficiency and durability of their solar cells.

A new report from the International Energy Agency (IEA) suggests that the world could miss out on a target of 11,000 GW of global renewables capacity by the end of the decade, as agreed at COP28. It also predicts that solar will become the world’s largest source of installed renewable capacity, surpassing hydropower.

Freight costs, which represent around 4% of a solar module’s total costs, are increasing on trade lines between the Far East and the US West Coast, Northern Europe, and Mediterranean region.