Advanced technology is of little use if it cannot reach those who need it most. Two Indonesian companies – Kopernik, an NGO based in Bali, and Sumba Sustainable Solutions, from the island of Sumba – are trying to bridge the gap between those in need and those with technological solutions. They both focus on the PV electrification of rural areas and brightening Indonesia’s “last mile.”

Scientists in Germany have estimated that roof and facade PV systems can cover almost 40% of the total requirements of a standard office building, assuming that no battery storage is installed.

Given the rapid decrease of the solar electricity cost, pv magazine explores the drivers and obstacles behind switching off coal and embracing photovoltaics and other renewable energy technology in Asia. The good news: things are moving in the right direction.

The system generates electricity and heat for residential houses and small businesses. An integrated energy management system should guarantee maximum self-consumption of the solar power produced.

pv magazine has taken part in a webinar examining the thorny issue of financing clean energy generation in developing markets.

Sector coupling may be somewhat of a buzzword, but it also points to opportunities for PV beyond the power markets, which may quickly reach limitations during peak hours of irradiation. Combined energy, food and clean water production presents one such opportunity, with benefits for developers, utilities and communities.

In an earnings call this week, Tesla CEO Elon Musk boldly claimed that the company will soon be “the market leader in solar.”

The Bangladeshi government has launched a pilot hydrogen production project as part of its effort to reduce the country’s dependency on fossil fuels and accelerate the transition to clean energy.

A new Wood Mackenzie report suggests that costs for front-of-the-meter battery storage systems in the Asia-Pacific region could fall by 30% by 2025. The declining costs are already having a palpable impact, as 2021 has opened with a slew of large-scale battery project announcements.

The current developer-EPC model has increasingly turned to focus on quality over a two-year horizon. This contrasts with long-term owners who are focused on quality over the lifetime of their projects (20 to 40 years). With long-term owners now buying projects in the pre-construction phase, the current model looks set for disruption. Olivier Crepon, managing director at Skyray Engineering, reviews the emerging model of project development and explains how it will impact developers, EPCs, and third-party services and ultimately lead to a stronger, more mature PV sector.