German Development Bank granted incentives to 6,900 residential solar-plus-storage systems in 2017
Approved incentive applications reached a volume of approximately €123 million. At the turn of the year, however, the rebate granted by the German Government dropped from 13% to 10%.
2017: The PV year in review
Trade cases, insolvencies, record-breaking low auction prices, China’s eye watering installation rates – all this and more characterized the 2017 solar PV industry. pv magazine reflects on the biggest stories, trends and developments of the past year; and summarizes what the industry can expect in 2018.
The weekend read: Six trends that will shape the inverter landscape in 2018
Inverter overview: As 2017 drew to a close following a record-breaking year for solar, pv magazine sat down to discuss the global inverter landscape with Cormac Gilligan, senior solar analyst at IHS Markit. With China dominant, India’s soaring solar market still very much up for grabs and technical innovation a perennial route to market leadership, these are the six trends that we believe will shape the solar inverter landscape this year.
ETH Zürich demonstrates decentralized energy systems
Researchers at ETH Zürich have published a paper illustrating the potential for distributed energy systems with solar at their heart, as a replacement for the current centralized energy system.
France’s renewed solar confidence on display at EnerGaïa 2017
France’s PV sector demonstrates regained confidence in the future of solar PV in both domestic and foreign markets. This was the key takeaway from renewable energy event, EnerGaïa, which took place this week in Montpellier. Expectations are that the event is fast becoming France’s energy transition fair. pv magazine presents the four themes dominating 2017’s event.
US C&I storage rankings place Stem, Green Charge and AMS at top
In the increasingly competitive commercial-and-industrial storage market, IHS Markit expects the segment to grow 10-fold over the next five years – and ranks the companies that will lead the charge.
Sunverge to build VPP project for TEPCO in Japan
Sunverge Energy has revealed plans to install “dozens” of energy storage units in eastern Japan, as part of a virtual power plant (VPP) project under regional utility Tokyo Electric Power (TEPCO).
UK could reach 12 GW storage capacity within five years, report finds
Lessons learned from solar failures could propel battery storage market to 12 GW by 2021, argues report by All-Party Parliamentary Group on Energy Storage, which implores government to be “on the front foot” when it comes to seizing ways to ensure energy security for the nation.
RENA leans on solar knowledge to develop mass etching process for lithium-ion batteries
German PV equipment manufacturer to team with Kiel University to develop scalable production of silicon anodes to boost lithium-ion battery performance.
Bali volcano threat prompts distribution of solar-powered TVs, kits
Non-profit organization, Kopernic is providing disaster relief in Bali with the distribution of solar-powered televisions and kits.
