Central & East Asia

German agriculture group BayWa has said its renewables business saw an “unusually strong” start to the year, driven by high demand for solar modules and the sale of a PV plant in Japan.

Leading monocrystalline wafer producer and ‘Solar Module Super League’ (SMSL) member, LONGi Green Energy and subsidiary, LONGi Solar respectively, have continued an unprecedented sales run, notching up first 2021 revenue (operating income) of RMB 15.85 billion (US$2.44 billion), its second highest quarterly figures.

In an exclusive interview with PV Tech’s Carrie Xiao, LONGi’s vice president of its business division Jun Lv has stressed that the industry must move beyond discussions around wafer and module size and refocus on innovations driving conversion efficiency and reduce cost

Canadian Solar provides a detailed analysis of the technologies that are combining within its new HiKu7 and BiHiKu7 series of modules, driving power outputs beyond 600W.

LONGi’s ascent to the top of the solar module shipments league table captured headlines last week, but it also cements the view that consolidation in the sector is inevitable, with an oligarchy of majors dominating market share. Carrie Xiao assesses the prospects of those top five companies as 2021 heats up.

China’s government has signalled it will aim to deploy enough solar and wind power generation this year to make up 11% of the country’s total power mix, according to its power planning agency the National Energy Administration (NEA).

A draft proposal put forward by China’s National Development and Reform Commission could see subsidies for new solar projects phased out, starting this year.

Dubai-based Phanes Group has signed a deal with the government of Uzbekistan to develop a 200MWac PV project in the country.

Manufacturers of solar glass are expecting average selling prices to fall over the course of 2021 as more capacity comes onstream, but high prices last year helped send profits soaring.