Residential PV

A study by the International Energy Agency into the chilling effect of the Covid-19 pandemic on energy demand states renewables will be ‘the only energy source likely to experience demand growth for the rest of 2020’. The slower the economic recovery, the more the fossil fuel industry will suffer.

The Delhi-based end-to-end rooftop solar company is looking to eventually raise Rs 250 crore ($35 million) as it plans to improve its technology infrastructure further, scale up the service offerings, and expand to newer geographies, including parts of Middle East, Asia Pacific and Africa.

China’s Growatt emerged as the largest rooftop solar inverter supplier, claiming around 21% of the 1534 MW market, followed by rivals Solis (18%) and Sungrow (17%).

Up to 150 GW of PV and wind projects could be postponed or canceled throughout the Asia-Pacific region by 2024 if the coronavirus-triggered recession continues beyond the current year, according to new research by Wood Mackenzie.

The rooftop solar sector will see reduced installation activity even after lifting of the lockdown as consumers continue to deal with financial constraints. Small-size developers may also lack the financial strength to meet additional working requirements.

A French-Turkish research team has created an economic model to optimize scheduling for solar-powered EV charging units. The proposed model suggests that such projects might be more profitable today than at the end of the decade, depending on a wide range of variables.

Over 21.6% or 3 GW of solar and wind installations will get delayed due to supply and labour disruptions caused by the ongoing Covid-19 lockdown, according to the analysts which in a January report forecast the country to add over 15 GW of renewable capacity this year.

This article talks about the areas the government needs to address both immediately and in the long run to help the ailing solar industry in the country.

France’s Sunbooster has developed a technology to cool down solar modules when their ambient temperature exceeds 25 degrees Celsius. The solution features a set of pipes that spread a thin film of water onto the glass surface of the panels in rooftop PV systems and ground-mounted plants. The cooling systems collect the water from rainwater tanks and then recycle, filter and store it again. The company claims the technology can facilitate an annual increase in power generation of between 8% and 12%.

U.S.-owned analyst Wood Mackenzie expects solar demand to decline but predicts the market will recover, with the prospects for the energy transition remaining intact.