South Korea kicks off polysilicon duty talks with China
South Korean government urged China to lift import measures against its polyisilicon. China imposed duties on polysilicon from South Korea and the United States in July 2013.
PV Market Alliance expects 120 GW of new solar capacity in 2019
The global market stagnated last year, with around 98 GW deployed. For 2019, the experts expect stronger solar growth, provided there are no setbacks in China.
PI Berlin: Asia leading the way for module quality
Quality assurance provider PI Berlin has found the solar industry has made significant improvements to module quality in the past six years and that, perhaps surprisingly, manufacturers in China and South East Asia are setting the standard by producing higher quality modules, on average, than other regions.
Korean scientists demonstrate new lead-free perovskite
A team of researchers from South Korea’s Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology has demonstrated a new type of tin-based perovskite. The researchers say that, despite current low efficiency, levels could lead to improved understanding and the development of solar cells using lead-free perovskites.
Hanwha Q-Cells completes internal going-private reorganization
The South Korean PV manufacturer has finalized its plan to merge with Hanwha Solar. The company will no longer be listed on the Nasdaq stock exchange and will continue as a wholly owned subsidiary of Hanwha Chemicals.
Kaco sells central inverter business to Korean developer OCI Power
German concern Kaco has sold its central inverter business. The German manufacturer hopes to focus on its string inverter and energy storage branches while the South Korean buyer hopes the newly acquired knowhow can improve the energy efficiency of its large-scale PV parks.
Energy storage inverter shipments to reach 3 GW in 2018, 7 GW in 2022
According to IHS Markit, energy storage inverter shipments are on track to reach 3 GW in 2018, growing to 7 GW by 2022. Currently, SMA is the market leader. Overall, the competitive landscape is “highly volatile” with expectations that consolidation will continue.
Hanwha Q Cells posts $165m loss in Q3
The South Korean PV manufacturer saw sales increase slightly in the last quarter. Net losses, however, more than quadrupled compared to the previous period.
Kokam installs 40 MWh storage in South Korea
The storage system company, in which Solaredge recently acquired a majority share, has said it will commission two large storage systems in South Korea before the end of the year. The market looks somewhat promising according to recent government initiatives, like the ‘Renewable Energy 3020’ plan and a 3 GW solar park on reclaimed land.
Korean utility develops blockchain-based micro-grid
The micro-grid will convert electricity into hydrogen by using a power-to-gas technology.
