Covid-19

New research from Wood Mackenzie shows that overall system costs for installations using mono PERC modules are set to fall by as much as 20% by 2025.

2.05 GW of PV modules were shipped in March before plummeting to 1.24 GW in April. Yet, while shipments slowed, the cost per peak watt reached and sustained record lows.

Also in the brief: Community solar for Covid recovery, flaring wasted $750 million of natural gas, and coal’s descent.

The solar industry’s largest trade show goes hybrid, with a virtual and outdoor event at the Las Vegas Convention Center Oct. 21-22 — and organizers say, no swag, please.

Private PV manufacturers and project developers alike are set to be squeezed out by the state in the world’s biggest solar market, according to Frank Haugwitz, who has compiled a wide-ranging report as preparations for the next five-year plan gather pace.

With a data point of one (California solar interconnection data through the end of April), the author makes optimistic inferences about U.S. solar in Q2 and 2020.

The Covid-19 pandemic featured prominently at this week’s inaugural pv magazine Virtual Roundtables Europe, which took place last week. Not only did the pandemic lead to the virtualization of pv magazine’s established June Roundtables, but it was a big topic in the final session dealing with markets and specifically the further development of power purchase agreements (PPAs) in Europe.

Across the industry, organizers are scrambling to find new ways for virtual trade shows to replicate the live networking and business building these events provide — and keep attendees engaged. We speak with the organizers of the trade show once known as SPI, as well as the folks at lntersolar and the event people at SolarEdge.

“Solar loans have proven to be a resilient asset class through these turbulent times.”

Utility-scale solar strength will cover for residential and rooftop weakness in 2020, according to SEIA and WoodMac.