2020 in retrospect: A year in solar

The US energy storage industry remained “remarkably resilient” during what most of us have found to be a difficult year - to say the least. Andy Colthorpe speaks with Key Capture Energy’s CEO Jeff Bishop and FlexGen’s COO Alan Grosse - two companies that made 2020 one of growth in their energy storage businesses - to hear what lessons can be learned and why economics rule.

Key to the rapid success and growth of the energy storage industry in the US, China and other maturing markets has been the presence of a small number of system integrators. IHS Markit association director Julian Jansen examines what it is that system integrators do that makes them so vital to the industry and why the future ahead looks to be one characterised by growth, competition and consolidation.

While fire incidents involving lithium-ion batteries in energy storage systems are rare, they can have devastating consequences for the industry and pose a threat to safety. Tom Bensen, Nick Warner, Ryan Franks and Michael Bowes from energy storage and fire safety expert group Energy Safety Response Group (formerly Energy Storage Response Group) discuss some of the most important aspects of creating a safe battery storage industry

Finlay Colville, head of research at PV Tech and Solar Media, offers exclusive insight into the PV ModuleTech Bankability Ratings and explores how the industry’s major module manufacturers can be grouped entering 2021.

How Mytilineos overcame numerous hurdles to deliver one of Chile’s largest solar projects to date.

The introduction of large-format modules promises to pose both benefits and challenges to developers. Christopher West, head of central engineering at Solarcentury, explores the many considerations PV designers must bear in mind now large-area modules are on the market.