Markets

IEA PVPS has published its new “Snapshot of Global PV Markets 2024” report, highlighting key insights and trends. Despite record installations, concerns over profitability and manufacturing dynamics persist, underscoring the need for strategic interventions and policy support to navigate towards a resilient and sustainable PV ecosystem.

The European Investment Bank (EIB) has agreed to lend €150 million ($160.2 million) for renewables in Bhutan, in order to fund solar and hydropower installations in remote regions. Solar facilities are expected to reduce Bhutan’s reliance on energy imports during the dry months of the year and diversify the nation’s electricity mix.

The Ministry of New & Renewable Energy, Government of India, has extended the deadline for submission of R&D proposals under National Green Hydrogen Mission, to April 27, 2024.

Overcoming industry challenges requires collective efforts and partnerships that foster innovation and shared growth. This is why digital ecosystems are now becoming the buzz words and a necessity for the manufacturing companies in the renewable energy value chains.

The European authorities are trying to determine whether two consortia – including subsidiaries of Longi and Shanghai Electric – violated the new EU rules on foreign subsidies when they participated in a procurement process in Romania for a 110 MW solar farm. The European Commission is expected to make a final decision within 110 working days.

Energy storage is the new solar for an increasing number of Chinese PV manufacturers. However, China still requires enabling policies for storage to provide the end-market volumes needed to bolster the fortunes of manufacturers old and new.

In a new weekly update for pv magazine, OPIS, a Dow Jones company, provides a quick look at the main price trends in the global PV industry.

The International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) says developers installed 345.5 GW of solar throughout the world in 2023. China mainly drove the surge, accounting for nearly three-quarters of all new renewable energy, but IRENA says more equitable growth will be needed to hit 2030 deployment targets.

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) tops in green hydrogen competitiveness with the world’s lowest levelized cost of hydrogen (LCoH) of $2.7/kg in 2023 and a projected $1.7/kg in 2030. It is followed by Saudi Arabia and India, which could produce green hydrogen at $2.9-$3.2/kg in 2023 and $1.8/kg in 2030.

The International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) released a new report on the sidelines of the Berlin Energy Transition Dialogue this week describing the actions needed so the world complies with targets set at the recent COP29 conference in the United Arab Emirates. IRENA President Francesco La Camera says renewables are the only energy sources with the speed and scale to achieve the ambitious targets set in Dubai.