Global demand for solar PV could rise up to 40% in 2023 as favourable economics in the solar sector combine with broad policies like the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) and REPowerEU schemes.
First Solar has announced that it will produce a limited production run of bifacial thin film PV modules, which it says are the first of their kind. The company ultimately plans to roll the product out commercially, following field and laboratory testing.
First Solar has filed a legal complaint against fellow US PV manufacturer Toledo Solar for modifying, marketing and reselling old First Solar panels as its own product, claiming to be made in the US.
The US Department of Energy (DOE) has announced US$52 million in financing for research and development (R&D) into domestic solar manufacturing and recycling, including a focus on new technologies.
The US market is expected to see a strong uptick in overall module supply, both domestic and overseas, in 2023. Alongside this will be a range of different module technologies, making the US market the most differentiated from a technology standpoint this year.
As the PV industry reckons with its social and environmental impact and the byproducts of its processes, beyond the near-term questions over provenance and manufacturing ethics, concerns at the horizon of a module’s lifespan are coming more and more into focus.
