In a somewhat turbulent, but always interesting year for solar PV, we’ve seen supply chain volatility and subsequent pricing concerns, a burgeoning technology arms race and a new regime in the US shake off the shackles of the four years prior. But what were PV Tech’s top ten stories of 2021?
Solar PV has taken off in the MENA region in recent years, driven by positive governmental policy, prominent tenders and decarbonisation targets. But challenges remain, both for smaller companies wishing to enter the market and in the operation of plants. Molly Lempriere takes a look at the market drivers and the challenges of competing.
As 2021 draws to a close, PV Tech is reviewing the year in solar, reflecting on some of the biggest stories and hottest trends of the last 12 months. Today we start in orderly fashion, analysing the headlines from the first three months of the year, as the industry got off to a roaring start.
With subsidies now a distant memory in most markets, solar is increasingly finding itself deployed via government tenders and corporate PPAs. But what are the prospects for those to mature, and to what extent will merchant revenue models emerge this decade? Jules Scully reports.
The grid of 2030 will span vast areas, be highly automated and require a huge amount of storage as it seeks to connect terawatts of renewable capacity. Sean Rai-Roche speaks to experts about our future infrastructure needs.
The sun wasn’t shining in Glasgow for COP26 and many in the solar sector lamented the lack of mention in countries’ pledges. Nonetheless, some vital announcements were made that will be crucial to the industry’s growth and its role in reaching net zero, writes Sean Rai-Roche.
The so-called ‘king of electricity markets’ is rapidly approaching an inflexion point, wherein solar PV will become the most prolific source of new-build power this decade. However to pave the way, numerous hurdles in the technological, manufacturing, O&M and grid fields will need to be surpassed. Liam Stoker, Jules Scully and Sean Rai Roche discover solar’s 2030 blueprint.
The US and China will account for a combined 57% of total forecasted solar capacity additions through 2030, with the countries adding 151.3GW and 436.9GW of solar capacity, respectively. Both countries have risks to this development, however, with the US needing to overcome trade and tariff problems, while China needs to ensure the reliability of PV production
