Soaring polysilicon costs have tipped the solar manufacturing industry to the brink of crisis and while only expected to be in the short-term, the ramifications in 2021 could be significant. On the sidelines of SNEC 2021, Carrie Xiao speaks to experts from across the value chain to determine how solar PV can tackle supply chain constraints.
India installed just over 2GW of solar in Q1 2021 as the country rebounded from COVID-19 related delays, however full-year installs could fall to well below previous estimates, one forecast suggests.
The Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) has unveiled a new tool to make it easier for solar developers to trace where their modules and technologies are made and ensure an ethical supply chain.
More than 180GW of solar will be deployed globally this year as the sector defies headwinds including higher module prices and supply chain constraints, IHS Markit has said.
China-based integrated monocrystalline PV manufacturer Solargiga Energy has warned that despite a 37% increase in total revenue for 2020, supply chain issues led to expected losses of around RMB215 million (US$33 million) for the year.
The solar supply chain will have to markedly adapt and change current solar shipping practices and overhaul utility-scale solar design models to accommodate next generation panels, industry stakeholders have said.
US-based suppliers of Walmart will be able to contract for renewable energy as a cohort under a new initiative launched by the retailer alongside Schneider Electric.
In the absence of live events and exhibitions this summer, the solar PV and energy storage supply chains have adopted online and virtual events to ramp up marketing activity.
Multinational utility Iberdrola is maintaining its course for green power, ramping up investments in order to stave off the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Andy Klump, chief executive officer and founder of Shanghai-based consultancy Clean Energy Associates, examines what lessons the solar industry can learn from the COVID-19 outbreak and its impact on global supply chains.
