The (Western) money is all going downstream
Mercom Capital’s latest report on financial activity in the solar sector shows the growing move of capital towards downstream companies and solar projects, as projects become an increasingly attractive asset.
Tesla begins construction of Shanghai gigafactory
The EV and battery maker wants to start production of its Model 3 for the Chinese market by the end of the year. Next year, according to high-profile CEO Elon Musk, mass production of electric cars will start there, and this is expected to include their batteries as well.
Inverters from China to be spared 25% tariffs – for at least 90 days
Enphase, Huawei and other companies which make inverters in China may be the beneficiaries of a compromise struck between Presidents Donald Trump and Xi Jinping.
Researchers hit new organic PV record
A team of scientists at Germany’s Friedrich-Alexander Universität Erlangen Nürnberg has set an efficiency record of 12.25% for a non-fullerene based organic solar cell.
Boom in EVs unlikely to cause lithium shortage
The French Environment & Energy Management Agency has published a report in which analyzes the dynamics of lithium supply and demand in different scenarios of global electrification by 2050. The agency experts are convinced that only with a 75% penetration of electric vehicles there is the real risk of a marked decrease in the safety margin of lithium supply.
POWERHOUSE to turn on in December
RGS Energy says it expects to deliver its first POWERHOUSE solar shingles in December. The company did not accept deposits for its $127 million in written reservations, but now that UL approval is in they’re soliciting those groups for cash deposits.
SMA, BYD charge into the US market
The German inverter maker has joined forces with the Chinese battery maker after losing U.S. market share to SolarEdge. This follows BYD linking up with Kostal to optimize communication interfaces between inverters and storage applications.
First Solar’s big format brings big bookings
The PV maker’s quarterly results show not only the ramping of its Series 6 production at a third location, but also bookings that continuing to climb, with 11.3 GW of modules now under contract.
REC Silicon struggles with even lower demand, Chinese tariffs
Revenue for the polysilicon maker’s solar materials segment fell almost 70% on the previous quarter, and the company reports its Moses Lake, Washington facility is running at only 25% capacity.
Tesla secures 210 acres in Shanghai for its first international Gigafactory
Tesla is planning accelerated development and construction of this new battery and EV plant, which will mark the company’s first soirée into international production.
