The market drivers that have spurred record solar growth in Europe in recent years
are weakening as the energy crisis abates. JP Casey reports on the measures policymakers
must implement to ensure Europe remains an attractive destination for the huge levels
capital needed to finance the energy transition.
Last year saw 96GW of distributed PV installed in China, an all-time record. But as Carrie Xiao reports, even as the distributed market segment begins to surge, problems associated with its rapid development are beginning to emerge.
Tunnel oxide passivated contact (TOPCon) technology will be the next big thing from this year on. By the end of 2023, PV production capacity will exceed 450GW, putting this technology in first place in terms of market share in the following years. All TOPCon cells are equipped with passivating contact on the rear and, most of them, with selective emitters or with LECO (Laser Enhanced Contact Optimization) processed surface on the front, which increase the voltage to above 725mV and enable cell efficiencies in production of around 24.5%. The next step in cell development is the implementation of passivating contacts for the p+ polarity.
Multiple gigawatts of domestic PV manufacturing are needed in Europe to support the continent’s solar deployment targets and underpin future energy resilience. Will Norman reports on the pros and cons of ongoing efforts to reshore European manufacturing.
