World

The global solar module industry is expected to regain a sustainable balance in the next six months, Yana Hryshko, head of Solar Supply Chain Research for Wood Mackenzie, told pv magazine. She explains why solar module prices may increase soon, suggesting that Tier 1 modules prices could reach $0.14-$0.15/W by the end of this year, and discusses how consolidation is materializing within the global PV industry.

First Solar sues JinkoSolar for alleged TOPCon patent infringement
First Solar has sued JinkoSolar in a US federal court in Delaware, claiming that the Chinese manufacturer infringed upon US Patent No. 9,130,074, which is related to tunnel oxide passivated contact (TOPCon) solar technology.

The company said the new product uses up to four lithium iron phosphate (LFP) batteries. It is equipped with a single 180 kW or 2 x 90 kW chargers and multiple three-phase sockets.

High-efficiency solar modules are becoming scarce, prompting some retailers to stockpile in anticipation of rising prices, says Martin Schachinger, founder of pvXchange.com. He expects module prices to climb moderately but steadily until at least early next quarter.

New research shows correlation between PV module electrode corrosion and damp heat test
A research group in Japan identified a correlation between damp heat test of 1,000 hours to 3–6 years of field exposure in humid areas and changes in acetic acid concentration in photovoltaic modules. Their analysis also showed that an acetic acid concentration over 10,000 μg/g can be critical.

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 Energy Agency’s latest market analysis says global solar generation surpassed the 2,000 TWh mark in 2024. It grew by 30% year-on-year for its highest growth rate since 2017, adding 475 TWh in the calendar year.

Israel’s storage tender sets prices between $0.0056 and $0.0085 per kW, with kWh figures therefore at $49.41 to $74.20 per kWh.

NTPC Green Energy Ltd (NGEL) and Bharat Light and Power (BLP) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to jointly explore the off-take of green hydrogen and its derivatives from NGEL and its affiliates to third parties.

Scientists in Indonesia have investigated early operational defects in a 24.9 MW solar PV system in Sumatra and have identified hotspot formation as the dominant defect. They also detected 282 cases of glass cracking, 350 cases of junction box failures and shading effects linked to module defects.