Lack of Insurance for Solar Modules Holding Back Indian-Made Modules

Lack of Insurance for Solar Modules Holding Back India-Made Modules

Indian manufacturers have made solid inroads supplying to the domestic market after the safeguard duty was imposed on imported modules from China, Malaysia, and Taiwan last year, according to Mercom ...
/ / Markets & Policy, Solar
U.S. Could Face Retaliation Unless It Removes Tariffs on Certain Chinese Solar Imports

U.S. Could Face Retaliation Unless It Removes Tariffs on Certain Chinese Solar Imports

Nearly a month after losing a case to India at the World Trade Organization (WTO) after it ruled against the country in a solar domestic content requirement trade case, the ...
/ / Markets & Policy, Solar
China’s National Energy Administration (NEA) has approved 22.78 GW of feed-in tariff (FiT) based solar projects. These solar PV projects are expected to be grid-connected by December 2019. They have been approved under China’s first national unified bidding for solar projects seeking feed-in-tariffs. A total of 4,338 solar PV projects with a combined capacity of 24.55 GW were proposed to be developed, but only 3,921 projects totaling 22.78 GW have received the official approval. Apart from these, 417 proposed solar projects with a capacity of approximately 1.77 GW have not been approved. Out of the approved projects, 366 are ground-mounted utility-scale solar projects with a total capacity of 18.12 GW. Moreover, 473 of them are distributed generation solar projects totaling 0.56 GW while 3,082 are self-generation or excess capacity solar projects totaling 4.10 GW. The feed-in-tariffs approved range from RMB 0.2795 ($0.0406)/kWh to RMB 0.55 ($0.08)/kWh. The average submitted tariff was RMB 0.3281 ($0.0478)/kWh, and the official deadline of the approved 22.78 GW is set for December 31, 2019. If the grid connection takes place in 2020, the approved tariffs will be reduced by RMB 0.01 ($0.001)/kWh each quarter up to the second quarter of 2020. If solar PV projects are connected after June 30, 2020, the approved feed-in-tariff will be revoked, and the projects would stand canceled. In May 2019, the Price Bureau of China’s National Development and Reform Commission had announced the level of solar FiT payments for large-scale projects. For the ease of implementation, the country had been broadly categorized into three regions: Region 1, 2, and 3. In the 2019 bidding process, 23 provinces had participated. The most favored destination is Guizhou Province with more than 3.6 GW, followed by Shaanxi Province with more than 3 GW, and 13 other provinces, each with more than 1 GW to be installed. Gansu Province and Xinjiang Autonomous Region were not allowed to participate due to the prevailing grid curtailment issues. Heilongjiang, Jilin, Yunnan, and Hainan did not join this bidding process, mainly due to limited grid capacities. According to Frank Haugwitz of Asia Europe Clean Energy (Solar) Advisory (AECEA), larger projects were allowed to submit competitive tariffs with the lowest at RMB 0.2795. “Given the 2019 results, it appears that the single most important evaluation criterion was the feed-in-tariff submitted by the developers. It is possible that during the 2020 bidding, other factors might be taken into account when evaluating submitted bids in an attempt to increase the share of distributed projects,” he added. According to Frank’s communique, “In light of the 22.78 GW of feed-in-tariff supported projects approved, AECEA has increased its 2019 full-year guidance from 32-34 GW to 38-42 GW, thus still representing a decline of approximately 5-14% year-over-year. AECEA’s forecast takes into account the feed-in-tariff, grid-parity, residential, poverty alleviation, top-runner, and demonstration projects along ultra-high voltage long-distance transmission lines. According to China’s National Renewable Energy Centre (CNREC) data, between January and May 2019, a total of 7.61 GW of solar PV projects were installed, representing a decrease of 44% year-over-year (YoY). Ground-mounted utility-scale projects amounted to 3.83 GW (+9% YoY), and distributed projects totaled 3.27 GW (-61% YoY). In May, only 1.43 GW of solar capacity was installed, a decline of 42% YoY. The CNREC estimates that in June, possibly 5 GW could be installed, leading to approximately 12.6 GW during the first half of 2019. Compared with the 24.30 GW capacity installed during the same period in 2018, this will represent a decrease of approximately 52% YoY. At the end of May 2019, China was home to 182.07 GW of total installed solar power generation capacity comprising 127.68 GW (70.2%) of ground-mounted utility-scale projects and 54.39 GW (29.8%) of distributed generation. Mercom recently reported that China installed 5.2 GW of solar PV capacity in the first quarter of 2019. When compared to Q1 2018, this was nearly a 40% decline in the installation numbers in which China had installed 9.65 GW of solar PV capacity.

China Approves Nearly 23 GW of Solar Projects Based on Feed-in Tariff Mechanism

China’s National Energy Administration (NEA) has approved 22.78 GW of the Feed-in Tariff (FiT) based solar projects. These solar PV projects are expected to be grid-connected by December 2019. They ...
/ / Markets & Policy, Solar
NSEFI Cautions MNRE Against Anti-Dumping Duty on Solar Mounting Structure Products

NSEFI Cautions MNRE Against Anti-Dumping Duty on Solar Mounting Structure Products

The National Solar Energy Federation of India (NSEFI) has written to the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) expressing its concerns over the levy of anti-dumping duty on aluminum and ...
/ / Markets & Policy, Solar
India’s Solar Imports Declined by 40% in Q1 2019

India’s Solar Imports Declined by 40% in Q1 2019

India’s solar imports witnessed significant decline year-over-year (YOY) in the first quarter (Q1) of the calendar year (CY) 2019, according to the latest trade data. Solar modules and cells of ...
/ / Mercom Research Focus, Other
Budgetary Allocation for Solar Increased by 1% While Coal Gets a 48% Boost in 2019-20

India Remained the Third Largest Solar Market After China and the US in Q1 2019

India remained the third largest solar photovoltaic (PV) market in the first quarter (Q1) of 2019. For the second quarter in a row, the United States was the second largest ...
/ / Markets & Policy, Solar
China Allocates $435 Million for Solar Project Subsidies in 2019

China Allocates $435 Million for Solar Project Subsidies in 2019

China’s National Energy Administration (NEA) has confirmed that it will allocate approximately RMB 3 billion ($435 million) for solar projects this year. This is the first time that the country ...
/ / Markets & Policy, Solar
India the Lowest Cost Producer of Solar Power_ IRENA

India the Lowest Cost Producer of Solar Power: IRENA

According to a report by the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), the cost of renewable energy sources fell to record lows again in 2018. The report finds that costs from ...
/ / Markets & Policy, Solar
GuarantCo and Sindicatum Renewables Sign Deal for Green Bonds Worth $60 Million

UK’s Zouk Capital Acquires Majority Stake in Italy’s Electric Mobility Utility BE Power

Zouk Capital, an infrastructure and private equity fund manager, based out of the United Kingdom, has acquired a majority stake in BE Power. BE Power is a digital utility active ...
/ / Electric Vehicles, Market & Policy
China Approves Over 20 GW of Subsidy-Free Wind and Solar Projects

China Approves Over 20 GW of Subsidy-Free Wind and Solar Projects

China has approved over 20 GW of solar and wind projects as part of its plan to install unsubsidized renewable energy projects in the country. This first batch of subsidy-free ...
/ / Markets & Policy, Solar
Jinko Solar Signs 240 MW Solar Module Supply Deal in Vietnam

JinkoSolar Bags 10.7 GW of Orders in 2019, Announces Mono Wafer Capacity Expansion of 5 GW

Chinese solar module, cell, and wafer manufacturer, JinkoSolar, has announced that it has already received orders of 10.7 GW for the current year. The company also announced that it is ...
/ / Markets & Policy, Solar
SECI’s 250 MW Solar Auction in Maharashtra Sees Lowest Tariff Rise to ₹2.87/kWh

China Announces 2019 Feed-in-Tariff Levels for Solar Projects

Ending months of uncertainty in the solar market, the Price Bureau of China’s National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) announced the level of solar FIT payments for large-scale projects which ...
/ / Markets & Policy, Solar
LONGi Solar Announces 34% Rise in Revenues During 2018

LONGi Solar Announces 34% Rise in Revenues During 2018

Chinese module manufacturer LONGi Solar has announced its annual financial results for 2018. The figures show that the revenue from operations was ¥21.9 billion ($197 million), an increase of approximately ...
/ / Markets & Policy, Solar
Gujarat Issues Tender for 1 GW of Wind Projects

Vestas, Goldwind and Siemens Gamesa Emerge as Top Wind Turbine Installers Globally

In 2018, a total of 20,641 wind turbines were installed across the globe with a total capacity of 50,617 MW. These wind turbines were supplied by 37 manufacturers, says a ...
/ / Other, Wind
USTDA Funds Feasibility Study to Assess Viability of a 100 MW Solar Project in Mozambique

China’s Solar Installations Dip 40% YoY to 5.2 GW in Q1 2019

China installed 5.2 GW of solar photovoltaic (PV) capacity in the first quarter (Q1) of 2019. When compared to Q1 2018, this was a nearly 40% decline in installation numbers ...
/ / Markets & Policy, Solar
Uttar Pradesh to Charge Developers for Under and Over Generation of Solar and Wind Power

China Plans to Prioritize Non-Subsidized Wind and Solar Projects

China is prioritizing unsubsidized wind and solar photovoltaic (PV) projects. China’s National Energy Administration (NEA), has organized and drafted a project report on promoting non-subsidized affordable projects for wind and ...
/ / Markets & Policy, Solar
China Eyes One Belt One Road Initiative to Expand Renewable Energy

China Eyes One Belt One Road Initiative to Expand Renewable Energy

China plans to utilize its ambitious One Belt One Road (OBOR) initiative to expand renewable energy along the economic belt. According to China’s National Energy Administration (NEA), “In the past ...
/ / Other, Renewable Energy
51 GW of Wind Projects Installed Globally in 2018_ Report

51 GW of Wind Projects Installed Globally in 2018: Report

In 2018, nearly 51.3 GW of new wind energy projects were installed globally, 4 percent less than the previous year, says Global Wind Report 2018. In the last five years, ...
/ / Other, Wind
Toxic Air Killed 1.2 Million Indians in 2017: Report

Toxic Air Killed 1.2 Million Indians in 2017: Report

Air pollution is estimated to have caused nearly 4.9 million deaths in 2017 with India and China accounting for 1.2 million each, which was the highest in the world, according ...
/ / Other, Renewable Energy
Solar Modules with Bypass Diodes Exempt From 7.5 Percent Port Duty in India

MNRE Takes a Tough Stand Against Two Defaulting Chinese Solar Module Suppliers

The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) has issued an advisory asking the stakeholders to beware of two Chinese companies - CSUN Trading (Hong Kong) Co. Ltd. and CEEG ...
/ / Commercial, Solar
Chinese Solar Panels Free from EU Anti-Dumping and Anti-Subsidy Measures

India Imposes Anti-dumping Duty on Import of Solar EVA Sheets from 4 Countries

The government of India has notified the imposition of anti-dumping duty on the ‘Ethylene Vinyl Acetate (EVA)’ sheets for solar modules imported from China PR, Malaysia, Saudi Arabia, and Thailand ...
/ / Markets & Policy, Solar
Gujarat Issues Tender for 1 GW of Wind Projects

50.2 GW of Wind Power Projects Added in 2018 Globally: Report

In 2018, the world added the third highest annual total of wind power. According to the Wood Mackenzie Power & Renewables 'Global Wind Power Market Outlook Update: Q1 2019' report, 50.2 GW ...
/ / Other, Wind
India to Partner with Peru and France to Expand Renewable Energy

Energy Demand Grew by 2.3% Globally in 2018; China, US and India Account for 70% of the Rise

Energy demand across the world in 2018 grew by 2.3 percent the fastest in a decade on the back of a global economy that grew by 3.7 percent in 2018 ...
/ / Other, Renewable Energy
Karnataka is the Top Solar State in India with 5 GW in Cumulative Installed Capacity

India Emerged as the Third Largest Solar Market in 2018 Behind China and US

India was the third largest solar market behind China and the United States with 8.3 GW of solar PV capacity installed in 2018. Japan and Germany were the fourth and ...
/ / Markets & Policy, Solar
Important Headlines from India’s Solar Industry During February 2019

Important Headlines from India’s Solar Industry During February 2019

A series of significant announcements in the Indian renewable sector were made during February. For instance, the Minister of Power and New and Renewable Energy, R.K Singh declared the state-wise ...
/ / Markets & Policy, Solar