Market Watch

For years California, Texas and Florida have dominated the US solar market, but backed by the investment tax credit, strong state-specific renewables standards and falling costs, new states are coming to the fore. Molly Lempriere takes a look at what is driving them, and the hurdles they face if they are to challenge the ‘Big Three’.

As several large investors exit Australia, Alice Grundy takes a look at how transmission infrastructure and future policies are denting investor confidence while initiatives like the Renewable Energy Zones are creating new potential.

Reforms in energy policy since the election of Andrés Manuel López Obrador have led to increased uncertainty for solar developers in Mexico, with renewables auctions cancelled and changes to power dispatch priorities proposed. Alice Grundy looks at how the market can move forward once again.

After a challenging year, India’s solar sector stands primed for something of a rebound. But a host of familiar issues, from the perilous state of DISCOMs to regulatory uncertainty, run the risk of stymying future growth. Vinay Rustagi, managing director at consultancy Bridge to India, talks to PV Tech Power about the future prospects for Indian solar.

Vietnam experienced enormous growth in solar deployments in 2020, with as much as 9GW being installed as the successful FIT policy drew to a close. Edgar Gunther explores how that policy came to be so successful, and what the future holds for solar PV in Vietnam.

Asia is expected to dominate floating solar’s growth over the next four years with up to 70% of global installations of floating PV to take place in the continent. But what are the key drivers behind this surging demand, and what can other continents learn from it? Jules Scully investigates.

Andy Colthorpe takes a look at what’s happening and what’s expected to happen in the Japanese large-scale PV market, with data and analysis courtesy of RTS Corporation and interviews with Vena Energy Japan, Sonnedix Japan and Baywa Japan.

As green hydrogen starts to gain a foothold in the decarbonisation journey, Alice Grundy looks at the more developed markets for the technology, the measures needed to scale further and the role of solar PV.

Joe Biden’s victory in November’s US election may have taken some time to certify, but there’s every chance his tenure in the White House will be worth the wait for US solar. Molly Lempriere looks at what a Biden administration will do for the industry.

Travel restrictions imposed by countries in response to the coronavirus pandemic have contribution to a slowdown in investment in rural electrification projects. Thomas Hillig examines the extent of the investment freeze and possible solutions to get capital flowing into much needed projects again.