The pv magazine weekly news digest
The story of storage gained a few new chapters this week as Saft, Sonnen and Tesla all grabbed the headlines, while further woes for SunEdison, steady-as-she-goes from SMA and a Latin love affair suggested it was business-as-usual elsewhere.
Government rep feels heat at German PV symposium
Taking place at the majestic Banz Abbey near the city of Bamberg, the symposium is the longest-running PV industry event in Germany, drawing hundreds of solar sector representatives.
US: Solar better investment than stocks, study finds
A typical solar PV system represents a better investment than the stock market in 46 of America’s largest 50 cities, according to a report from NC Clean Energy Technology Center.
Deutsche Bank predicts growing solar margins in 2015, despite oil price
In its 2015 outlook for investors, Deutsche Bank predicts a year of growing margins and stable supply and demand dynamics for the year. Diverse demand drivers in the U.S. will be a key highlight, while project financing and permitting progress in China balances potential weakness in Japan.
Solar disrupts utilities out of their comfort zone
Solarpraxis Forum highlights how traditional energy utilities are struggling to cope with the expansion of the renewable energy sector, forcing a rethink of their relationship with renewables.
REC Group signs 85 MW US supply order deal
The agreement is the largest utility-scale order to date in the U.S. for the Norwegian solar company. REC has already doubled its U.S. order intake over the past 12 months.
France provides interim support for solar
In a sign that the photovoltaic industry may be set to receive more support under Frances socialist Hollande government, new measures have been unveiled today.
Phase two of Indias Solar Mission
A draft version of phase two of Indias Jawaharlal Nehru National Solar Mission (JNNSM) has been released, targeting 9 GW of grid connected solar by 2017. The draft proposes reverse auctioning 1.65 GW of photovoltaic projects by April 1, 2013 and 870 MW in 2014.
PV on the campaign trail Down Under
New residential solar market research in Australia was released yesterday, challenging the oft-repeated claim that photovoltaic support programs like FITs are “middle class welfare,” and are taken up by middle or upper income households.
UN: solar investment doubles wind investment in 2011
While photovoltaic manufacturers struggle through difficult market conditions, two new reports have shown that solar attracted twice as much investment as wind in 2011. The reports have also shown that total renewable-energy investments excluding hydro-electric accounted for 44 percent of all new generating capacity worldwide.
