In common with every other PV market in the world as it matures, attaining grid parity for the technology is the ultimate goal for Japan. As an electricity market in general, meeting electrical supply with demand will of course become ever-more important.
China is planning to create a ‘green certificates’ market to promote renewable energy and reduce its use of fossil fuel-based power, under proposals from the country's National Energy Administration (NEA),
Japan's government has given its clearest indication to date of planned rule changes around renewable energy policy, including official confirmation that a tender process is being put before its parliament for the 2017 financial year.
Brazil’s solar association (Absolar) and think-tank Strategies Centre for Natural Resources and Energy (CERNE) have signed a strategic partnership agreement aimed at boosting PV deployment in the north-east regions of Brazil.
Arizona utility Tucson Electric Power (TEP) is planning an additional 1.1GW of renewable energy capacity by the end of 2030, which would bring its total renewables capacity to 1.5GW.
The UK Court of Appeal has dismissed claims against the premature closure of the Renewables Obligation support scheme, bringing to an end the long-fought dispute between UK solar developers and the government.
The Indian state of Uttarakhand has invited applications for the installation of 10MW of grid-connected rooftop PV and small-scale solar systems of 5kW size each.
Japan's PV industry is changing fast. The feed-in tariff has brought about over 30GW of installed capacity, with large-scale solar outnumbering residential by about 10 to one. Ahead of this week's PV Expo in Tokyo, Andy Colthorpe takes a look at some of the issues expected to dominate.
A levy, or cess, on coal and other fossil fuels in India will be doubled from INR200 (US$2.93) per tonne to INR400 per tonne, under the latest Budget announced today by minister of finance Arun Jaitley.