Huawei's Matthias Wagner speaks to PV Tech at Intersolar 2017 about the changing trends in PV, the growing role for data management and the impact this has on the wider grid. In particular, the ability of smart solar to defer costly grid expansion investment.
The US solar job force had a year of exponential growth in 2016, increasing 25% year-on-year and constituting one in every 50 new US jobs, according to new analysis by the Solar Job Census.
Even though monkeys were allegedly wreaking havoc on India’s solar rooftop systems last year, 2016 was remarkable for the Indian PV sector. With solar taking 1% the nation’s electricity share and India set to become the world’s third largest market in 2017 , Bloomberg New Energy Finance has proclaimed that ‘solar is king of Indian renewables’. Add the completion of the world’s largest solar plant to these accolades and you have a good indicator of the South Asian giant’s ambitions. Even India’s biggest oil, steel and mining companies are getting on board the solar rush.
Tariffs for utility-scale solar power in India are expected to go below the four rupee (US$0.059) mark next year, which would be a “radical moment” for India’s entire power sector, according to consultancy firm Bridge to India.
More than 160 UK-based NGOs, public institutions and businesses – including major brands such as Sainsbury’s and IKEA – have come out in support of solar over proposed increases to rateable values.
