Yesterday the US government ended months of speculation by enacting a withhold and release order (WRO) on solar imports to the US linked to specific polysilicon providers in China suspected of having used forced labour. Liam Stoker analyses what we know so far and, crucially, what the industry still needs to know before it can proceed.
The cost of building and operating new utility-scale PV is now cheaper than running existing coal plants in China, India and across much of Europe. However, rising commodity prices could see PV projects become temporarily more expensive in the second half of 2021, according to BloombergNEF analysis.
The amount of renewable energy that came in cheaper than the most competitive fossil fuel option doubled last year, according to new analysis from the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA).
Annual investment in solar and wind generation in the Asia Pacific region could double to US$1.3 trillion by 2030 compared to the previous decade, with policy targets and cost declines boosting growth, according to research firm Wood Mackenzie.
Polysilicon manufacturer Daqo New Energy is set to proceed with its initial public offering after completing its registration with the China Securities Regulatory Commission (CSRC).
Finlay Colville, head of market research at PV Tech Research, explores how solar PV has become dependent on low-cost manufacturing, facilitating a dominance by China-based players, and how the industry could engage with current scrutiny of solar’s supply chain.
Amidst surging materials costs, the solar industry needs to avoid any “gaming” on price between upstream and downstream sectors as it could be “very dangerous for both sides”. Leo Xiang, general manager at Jiang Tai Insurance Brokers’ energy department, speaks to PV Tech about the potential remedies to the situation.
The floating solar-dedicated subsidiary of inverter manufacturer Sungrow expects both offshore areas and reservoirs to be key locations for future PV developments.
