In recent years, solar power has been attracting a lot of attention as a clean, renewable form of energy. However, despite the strong demand presented by the solar market, the localization of manufacturing solar equipment in Europe still faces a number of challenges. This paper will look at the problems faced by the European solar manufacturing industry and possible solutions, as well as looking at new developments in the global solar industry.   Challenges: Insufficient policy support, high production costs, supply chain dependence   There has been a lack of clear policy support in Europe when it comes to solar manufacturing. Despite the EU's ambitious renewable energy targets for 2030, policy remains relatively unclear when it comes to supporting local manufacturing. This makes it difficult for European solar manufacturers to compete with global rivals such as the US and China, both of which have announced massive manufacturing support programs.   Production costs in Europe are relatively high, up to 50% higher than those in regions such as China. This is largely attributed to high electricity prices and labor costs. This makes it more expensive to manufacture solar equipment in Europe, which is a major barrier to local manufacturing.   Europe now relies heavily on polysilicon, but lacks sufficient ingot or wafer processing capacity. To localize solar manufacturing in Europe, more than 40 GW of annual ingot, wafer and cell capacity would need to be built, as well as another 30 GW of module capacity. This means that Europe will need to introduce high manufacturing incentives, as well as barriers to entry that limit low-cost imports, such as a proposed carbon border adjustment mechanism that would tax products with high carbon footprints, and possibly set quotas for local content in public tenders.   Opportunities: Sustainability advantage, technology leadership   Despite the high cost of manufacturing in Europe, European manufacturers have an advantage in terms of sustainability due to the lower carbon emissions of the final product. This advantage becomes particularly important in light of the current trend towards taxing materials and components with a high carbon footprint. European governments can also encourage local manufacturing by setting quotas for locally manufactured, low carbon content in public tenders.   There are opportunities for European manufacturers to take the lead in new technologies, such as chalcogenide or new wafer technologies, which offer lower production costs and higher efficiency. A number of partnerships have emerged in the European market to commercialize next-generation solar cells and modules based on silicon chalcogenide tandem technology. These partnerships are expected to contribute to Europe's technological leadership in emerging cell and wafer technologies, lowering energy production costs and reducing supply chain risks.   Conclusion   Despite the range of challe...

France has submitted an updated National Energy and Climate Plan (NECP) that raises its installed solar PV capacity target to 60GW by 2030.   The new draft adds at least 14GW of installed PV capacity compared to the previous NECP submitted in 2019. By 2035, France aims to increase its cumulative installed PV capacity to 75-100GW.   Although this increase may not be high compared to neighboring countries such as Spain and Italy. Both countries are targeting 76GW and 80GW of installed PV capacity by 2030 respectively, especially Spain, which plans to nearly double its previous solar PV target.   Nuclear power still appears to be an important part of France's electricity decarbonization goals, with the word "nuclear" mentioned 104 times and "solar" mentioned 19 times, many of them in relation to solar thermal, as the draft NECP shows. Last year, nuclear power accounted for 62.2% of France's electricity generation, while wind power accounted for 8.7% and solar power only 4.2%.   At the end of 2022, France had 15.7GW of installed PV capacity, of which 2.6GW was added last year, accounting for more than half of the total renewable energy additions in 2022 (more than 5GW).   Other updated targets include plans to add 5.5-7GW of installed PV capacity per year in France. Most of the new capacity is expected to come from large-scale ground-mounted PV at 65%, rooftop commercial and industrial will account for 25%, and the remaining 10% will be residential solar.   At the level of the PV manufacturing chain, French start-ups are becoming increasingly active, with a number of new module plants announced this year, which are expected to be commissioned in the next few years.   These include a 5GW/3.5GW cell and module plant that Carbon plans to build in the south of France; Holosolis is aiming to build a 5GW module plant targeting mainly residential, commercial and industrial rooftop projects, as well as agricultural PV projects; and Heliup is aiming to secure €10 million ($10.5 million) for the construction of a 100MW PERC lightweight module assembly line expected to be commissioned in 2024.   Germany aims to generate more solar power than Italy, Spain and France combined.   Despite the deadline set for June 30, 2023, several countries have yet to upload their draft NECP updates, including France and Germany. They released their respective drafts earlier this month.   As the largest country in the EU in terms of installed PV capacity, Germany's new targets are unrivaled among the 27 countries, with a projected 215GW of installed solar PV capacity by 2030 and 400GW by 2040, with an annual target of 22GW.When updating its solar targets last year, the German government had already announced targets for 2030 and 2040.   Under the new NECP, Germany's solar PV target is more than double the country's previous projected target of 98GW set in the 2019 NECP. The new target of 215GW through 2030 exceeds the co...

Serbian Energy Minister Dubravka Dedovic Handanovic said in a statement on Nov. 10 that the Serbian government plans to develop a hybrid renewable solar and wind power plant with a capacity of at least 1.5GW in cooperation with Chinese companies Shanghai Fengling New Energy Co LTD and Zijin Mining Group. The goal is to produce 30,000 tons of renewable hydrogen per year.   The country's energy minister said Shanghai Fengling New Energy Co is interested in investing in Serbia's renewable energy and storage capacity, especially renewable hydrogen production capacity.   "Our strategic partner Zijin Mining Group is considering building a hybrid solar and wind power plant in the Bor area. The plant can be used to produce green hydrogen and will enable Zijin to reduce costs."   The minister said there are plans to invest around 2 billion euros in the development and construction of infrastructure including wind and solar power stations, hydrogen storage and hydrogen fuel energy production technologies. The planned capacity is 1.5GW with the possibility of expansion to 2GW.   Zijin Mining owns and operates a large copper and gold mine in Bor, Serbia, according to the company's website.   The energy minister added that in addition to electricity from the mines, renewable energy will also be used to produce hydrogen, with the goal of producing 30,000 tons of renewable hydrogen per year.   Two local sources told ICIS that Serbia needs to develop a hydrogen roadmap and a national strategy to promote the development of its hydrogen market.   "If Serbia is betting on renewables and hydrogen, then it should have a clear plan and legal framework for development," says one local producer.   The second source added: "Although the target of 30,000 tonnes of renewable hydrogen capacity per year is ambitious, the whole Balkan region has welcomed it."   Promote renewable energy   According to an energy plan published in July, Serbia aims to increase the share of renewable energy in electricity generation to 45 percent by 2030, while significantly improving energy efficiency and reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 40 percent.   According to grid operator EMS, Serbia currently has close to 400MW of wind power capacity and 52MW of photovoltaic capacity.   EMS data shows that Serbia has 4.4GW of coal-fired power capacity, and coal and gas units account for 75 percent of the country's energy mix.

Recently, TaiyangNews announced the highest efficiency ranking of global components in October, with 54 component products from 32 companies on the list.     TOPCon is a hot spot in this list.   In the September list, its P-type CEC6-72-555MDHV component ranked 48th with 21.5% efficiency and 555W output power. However, N-type technology has been the trend, in the October list, its TOPCon component CEC6-72-570TDHV for the first time on the list, the efficiency of 22.1%, the output power of 570W, ranked 27th, up 11 places.   Another company riding TOPCon is Yingli. In the September list, Yingli's P-type YLM3.0Plus series component YLxxxDF66f/2 has an efficiency of 21.57% and a power of 670W, ranking 41st. Similarly, with the support of N-type technology, Yingli's PANDA3.0PRO series component YLxxxCF78e/2 has an efficiency of 22.36% and an output power of 625W, ranking 23rd.   In the previous list, the above two companies frequently listed P-type components, but there is no obvious advantage in efficiency, ranking behind. With the support of N-type technology, the TOPCOn component products of the two companies made a heavy debut and entered the list, ranking among the best.   From the perspective of the proportion of technical routes, among the 51 component products on the list in September, PERC accounted for about 45%, TOPCon accounted for about 31%, HJT accounted for about 16%, and BC accounted for about 8%.   September list technical route proportion   In contrast, the October list has changed slightly, with PERC accounting for about 45% of the 54 component products on the list, TOPCon accounting for about 33%, HJT accounting for about 15%, and BC accounting for about 7%. The proportion of TOPCon increased by about 2%, the proportion of BC and HJT decreased slightly, and the proportion of PERC remained roughly the same.   The proportion of technical routes on the list in October   In addition, it is worth noting that there is a "rookie" in this list, and Zhengxin Optoelectronics' PERC component test efficiency reaches 21.575% and output power reaches 625W, which is on the list for the first time.   Since September, Vollsun's Himalaya series HS-21010-B132DS based on HJT technology has been released, with an efficiency of 23.02% and a power of 715W, breaking Maxeon's long-standing position in the top three. The top three component products on the October list are still all from Chinese companies (Aixu, Longi, Vollsun).  

North Macedonia's state-owned water management utility Hidrosistem Streževo has installed a 500 kW photovoltaic power plant on its Stre stre evo dam. In the region, land near reservoir DAMS and such lakes is increasingly welcoming to install solar power plants.   JP Hidrosistem Streževo is in charge of managing the reservoir created by the construction of the Streževo. The company supplies water for irrigation in part of the Pelagonija region, for parts of the city of Bitola near its location, and for industry and flood control in this part of North Macedonia. Hydroelectric systems are also used to generate electricity.   The company operates five small hydro power plants (SHPP) with a total installed capacity of 3,710 kW and an annual generating capacity of 12 GWh. The 500-kilowatt solar plant will increase the company's power generation by about 700 megawatt-hours.   Metodije Gramatkovski, CEO of Hidrosistem Strezevo, said the company is the first listed company in North Macedonia to use its funds to build a photovoltaic plant. It has invested 30 million Macedonian dinars (about 487,000 euros) in photovoltaic facilities.   Gramatkovski: Rational, efficient and multi-purpose use of water resources   He stressed that the company uses water rationally and efficiently and for multiple purposes: irrigation and energy production.   This is the first photovoltaic plant in Hidrosistem Streževo. As the company has received a construction permit with a capacity of up to 1 MW, there is still the possibility of building a second one.   This investment will increase revenue and contribute to the country's goal of increasing clean energy use.   JP Hidrosistem Streževo intends to sell electricity on the market, Gramatkowski said, adding that he expects the investment to pay off in the short term.   More and more photovoltaic power plants are being installed near the reservoir   Land near reservoir DAMS and artificial lakes is increasingly welcoming for installation of photovoltaic facilities.   This is a good combination, as the land is usually not available for other uses, but the infrastructure is well equipped.

Mozambique is emerging with its vast solar potential to achieve a win-win situation in energy development by introducing a renewable energy auction scheme and promoting off-grid renewables. This article will take an in-depth look at Mozambique's energy situation, focusing on its dual strategies of on-grid and off-grid.   Mozambique's solar potential   Mozambique, located in southern Africa, has huge solar energy resources. Although only 60 megawatts of solar power will be installed in 2022, the Mozambican government is actively promoting the spread of clean electricity. Mozambique has a huge potential for renewable energy, of which about 23 GW is derived from solar energy. Despite economic challenges, inflation, the global pandemic and international conflicts, Mozambique's interest in renewable energy continues to grow, both in the on-grid and off-grid sectors.   Bright spots in the energy outlook   Over the past 20 years, Mozambique has maintained solid economic growth and promoted the development of the energy sector through a series of policies and reform measures. The Electricity Act 1997 created opportunities for private sector involvement, allowing the establishment of power purchase agreements (PPAs).   Recent reforms have further improved Mozambique's renewable energy environment. Amendments to the Electricity Act 2022 put a special emphasis on renewable energy, while new off-grid regulations are also being introduced. The power Infrastructure Master Plan for 2018-2043 aims to generate 50% of energy from renewable sources by 2043. Currently, under this new program, solar projects with a total capacity of 125 MW are being developed, of which 60 MW has already been built. Most of these projects are currently under the public-private Partnership (PPP) model, with close collaboration and negotiation. More projects will break ground by 2022 and 2023, and power purchase agreements have been signed for some projects.   The emergence of the bidding plan   The Mozambican government launched the Renewable Energy Tender Program (PROLER) in 2020, with the support of the European Union. The program ensures efficient development of renewable energy projects in Mozambique through a transparent tendering process. The first tender project, the Dondo Solar Power plant, was won by independent power producer Total Eren (now acquired by Total Energies) at a price of $52.45 per MWH. The project will build a 40 MW photovoltaic solar power plant in the Dondo region, which will supply electricity to the Mozambican Electricity Company, and is expected to be completed by the end of 2023. The PROLER program encourages private sector investment in renewable energy in Mozambique, and a transparent bidding process and favorable terms have reduced electricity prices.   Challenges and Opportunities: Off-grid solutions   Despite progress in the field of renewable energy, Mozambique still faces huge challenges. About 65 per cent...

The Philippine government's National Irrigation Authority has revealed that solar arrays on two canals used for irrigation have recently been put into use. The bureau also said that 147 solar irrigation projects will be completed in the country by the end of this year, and 183 projects are planned to be completed in 2024.   The Philippine government's irrigation development and management company, the National Irrigation Authority (NIA), announced last week that the country plans to develop 183 solar irrigation projects next year, up 24.4 percent from the 147 projects completed this year.   This year's project totals 830 hectares of irrigated agricultural land at a total cost of PHP1,643,583,002 (US $29 million). As of September 15, 17 solar irrigation projects have been completed. The agency estimates that next year's project is expected to cost PHP1,720,984,000 and can irrigate 2,168 hectares of agricultural land.   In the completed project, two photovoltaic arrays were deployed on top of the irrigation canal. Aqueduct solar projects are proliferating around the world. Countries such as Spain, India, France, the United States and Pakistan have all announced recent projects, but only a handful have materialized so far. These projects provide electricity without taking up land and reducing water evaporation.   The two projects, located in the central part of Luzon, are the 350-hectare Buspan solar pump irrigation system in Marameg and the Anbuspa solar pump irrigation system in Tibagan. The latter replicates Bulacan's NIA Region Phase III project, which installed 155 solar panels with a capacity of 60 KW on top of an irrigation canal.   The agency says it is promoting solar irrigation projects, working to replace "expensive diesel pumps" with solar pumps, and firmly believes that solar is the "most accessible and economically viable" of all renewable energy sources.   "As gasoline and diesel prices soar, these projects can continue to be used to irrigate land without incurging high fuel costs," the agency said in a statement, "the technology consists of solar panels, pumps, electronic pump controllers, storage tanks and transmission systems." Solar pumps are considered more cost effective than fuel irrigation pumps due to their low operating costs."   According to a report published by the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) in 2022, the Philippines aims to achieve 15 GW of clean energy installations by 2030, and due to the country's archipelagic nature, the country is likely to focus more on microgrids and standalone clean power systems.

As of September 26, anyone who wants to use solar energy to charge an electric car at home in the future can apply for a new state subsidy offered by the German Development bank KfW.   According to the report, private charging stations that use solar power directly from the roof can provide a green way to charge electric vehicles. The combination of charging stations, photovoltaic power generation systems and solar energy storage systems makes it possible. KfW is now offering subsidies of up to €10,200 for the purchase and installation of such equipment, with a total subsidy of up to €500 million. If the maximum subsidy is paid, about 50,000 electric vehicle owners will benefit.   According to the report, applicants must meet the following conditions. First, it must be a residential home with ownership, and apartments, vacation homes and new buildings still under construction are not eligible. Electric cars also have to be existing, or at least already on order. Hybrid cars and company and corporate cars are not covered by the subsidy. In addition, the amount of subsidy is also related to the type of installation.   Thomas Grigoleit, energy expert at the German Federal Agency for Foreign Trade and Invest, said that the new solar charging station subsidy scheme coincides with the attractive and sustainable financing tradition of the German KFW bank, which will certainly make an important contribution to the successful promotion of electric vehicles.   Deutschland Trade and Invest is the German Federal government's agency for foreign trade and inward investment. The agency provides advice and support to foreign companies entering the German market and assists companies established in Germany to enter foreign markets.

In September 2023, Israeli renewable energy developer Teralight has completed the Ma'ayan Tzvi floating PV project with a total installed capacity of 31MW, which is the largest floating PV project in Israel.   The Ma'ayan Tzvi project, located on two reservoirs in northern Israel, cost about $33.8 million (about 246 million yuan).   At present, Israel has a total of more than 40 surface floating photovoltaic power stations, these floating power stations will continue to output clean electricity, and help Israel achieve 30% of the national electricity structure by 2030 renewable energy target; At the same time, these plants will effectively reduce evaporation losses and protect Israel's precious water resources.  

Recently, the first phase of the world's first large-scale photovoltaic hybrid solar power plant project in Dubai has been successfully completed, including 100MW tower solar thermal, 200MW trough solar thermal and 217MW photovoltaic power generation projects. This is currently the world's largest installed capacity, the largest investment scale, molten salt heat storage of the largest solar thermal project. China is the exclusive supplier of rotary retarder for 100MW tower solar thermal power generation project.   Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park is the largest single-site solar park in the world. Less than 65 kilometers away from the downtown of Dubai, the desert lonely smoke, no matter from different angles can see a building like a torch standing in the depths of the sand sea, the solar heat collection tower is undoubtedly a marked building of Dubai solar photovoltaic project.   At the end of December 2019, containers loaded with DW89 rotary gear reducers set off from the Chinese factory and were transported to the Dubai project site.   During the epidemic in 2020, China has steadily shipped goods and fully guaranteed the supply to meet the on-site installation needs of the Dubai project.   In June 2021, the tower project completed the installation of 70,000 rotary drives.   As a domestic reducer enterprise that paid early attention to and distributed the solar thermal power generation industry, the experienced Chinese company not only participated in Delingha 50MW tower solar thermal power station, Gonghe 50MW tower solar thermal power station, Jinta 100MW tower solar thermal power station, Finier type solar thermal power station and other domestic solar thermal power projects.   At present, China is the main supplier of Ivanpah solar thermal power station, the world's largest tower solar thermal project, and the exclusive supplier of Ashalim, the world's highest tower solar thermal power station, with a cumulative supply of more than 300,000 units. The escort for the Dubai solar thermal project is another important achievement made by Chinese companies overseas and is of milestone significance.