SB Energy, a joint venture between Japanese tech firm Softbank, Bharti Enterprises and Foxconn Technology Group, has started operations at a 455MW solar project in the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh, according to a release from the module supplier Trina Solar.
Following on from the successful year for solar that was 2016, the US market added 2,044MW of new capacity in Q1 2017 alone. As installations grow, prices continue to fall to new lows and utility-scale system prices dropped below US$1/Watt for the first time according to GTM Research.
UPDATED: India solar manufacturers have filed an anti-dumping petition with the Ministry of Trade and Commerce against Chinese solar cells and modules, according to a report from consultancy firm Mercom Capital Group, although no official notification has been released so far.
Leading ‘Silicon Module Super League’ (SMSL) member JinkoSolar reported record PV module shipments of 2,068MW in the first quarter of 2017, exceeding guidance.
With stricter quality standards due to be brought in for Indian solar tenders, including inspections for modules, cells and wafers, energy and mines minister Piyush Goyal has warned the industry about failure to keep equipment quality high.
Norway-headquartered integrated PV module manufacturer REC Group has made a significant shift in its regional sales strategy, which was previously dominated by shipments to the US.
Industrial gases firms Linde and Praxair have announced plans to merge that would create a US$29 billion global business dominating many regional industrial sectors around the world. The major merger is not expected to be completed in the second half of 2018, subject to anti-trust agencies in Germany and the US.
