As the floating solar sector becomes more mature, larger projects are being deployed in a range of water bodies, presenting a host of construction challenges. Jonathan Tourino Jacobo talks to project developers about how the latest technology is driving growth.
Rarely does the planning and design phase of solar farms consider the subsequent operational management and its costs. Jörn Carstensen, managing partner at greentech, explores how unforeseen effects from development, procurement and construction can have a significant impact on the economic viability of PV plants.
Astronergy is aiming to reach 49GW of solar module capacity this year as it increases efforts to expand TOPCon production while exploring the potential of opening a manufacturing facility in the US.
As solar projects become ever larger, sites with slopes and uneven terrain are becoming the norm for project development, leading tracker manufacturers to adapt their offerings accordingly. Molly Lempriere details the latest launches that aim to address this issue.
While renewables procurement is more challenging for SMEs with smaller power demands and less energy sector expertise, PPA aggregations offer a solution. Meghan McIntyre of Schneider Electric explores the deal structures for such aggregations and how project developers can benefit from them.
US PV incentives should be entirely focused on solar cell manufacturing in the short term, with maximum incentive rates given to domestic solar cell production that ultimately has a risk-free supply chain of materials and equipment, writes Finlay Colville, head of research at PV Tech.
While collecting verified bottom-up project data in real time has previously been cost-prohibitive, satellite data can now be leveraged to make comprehensive market intelligence attainable for investors. Daniel Cruise and Joseph Triepke, partners at energy intelligence firm Lium Research, reveal how satellites can provide more reliable insights into the construction of US utility-scale solar projects.
The recent swathe of announcements from US policymakers – coupled with growing geopolitical unrest regarding Chinese manufacturing dominance and the role of solar PV from an energy security standpoint – has the potential to redefine PV technology, manufacturing and component supply chains in a way that the industry has never seen before, writes Finlay Colville, head of research at PV Tech.
