Tunisia tenders 498 MW of solar projects
Tunisia’s Ministry of Industry, Mines and Energy has approved four solar projects in the first phase of a 1.7 GW solar tender. The lowest price awarded was TND 98.8 ($0.03113)/kWh.
Chinese silicon giants cut production, driving price concerns
Major Chinese companies such as Tongwei, Daqo, and GCL-Poly have cut silicon production, driving concerns over rising polysilicon prices.
PowerChina to build 530 MW of solar in Panama
China Power Construction Corp. (PowerChina) is set to develop 530 MW of solar in Panama after securing an engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contract from local firm Sajalices Energy Co.
BatX Energies opens lithium battery recycling plant in India
BatX Energies says it has opened a lithium battery recycling facility in India to extract critical materials using a hydrometallurgical process.
DRI, OMV Petrom sign Romania’s largest PV power deal
DRI has signed Romania’s largest-ever power purchase agreement (PPA) with OMV Petrom, covering three solar projects and 100 GWh of annual generation.
Solar dominates Poland’s latest renewables auctions
Figures from Poland’s Energy Regulatory Authority (URE) show that solar accounted for 198 of the 200 successful bids awarded under the country’s latest renewables auctions. Auctions covering hydroelectric power plants, agricultural biogas plants, and biomass went unresolved due to a lack of valid offers.
New tech to reduce oxygen defects in Czochralski wafers
Research from the Chin-Yi University of Technology in Taiwan revealed a novel heater design in the Czochralski silicon crystal growth process that can control and decrease oxygen concentration without incurring the costs associated with other methods, such as installing magnets or using alternative crucible materials.
Aluminum frames lead solar panel costs amid shifting industry prices
SinoLink Securities says aluminum frames now dominate solar panel costs, as material price shifts reshape the cost structure of the PV industry and drive the need for innovation.
A tumultuous year for solar and batteries
In five key trends, pv magazine looks back over a year that saw PV module prices fall lower than many thought possible, while demand was restrained by grid congestion, among other challenges. Energy storage has had a strong year and geopolitics is seeing solar and battery manufacturing enter new regions as competition drives technical innovation.
Jimmy Carter’s clean energy legacy
The world has lost a forward-thinking clean energy proponent, who 44 years ago recommended a solar strategy to move the United States toward energy security by using abundant, clean energy sources.
