China Sets a Subsidy Budget of RMB 1.5 Billion for New Solar Projects in 2020

China Sets a Subsidy Budget of RMB 1.5 Billion for New Solar Projects in 2020

China’s National Energy Administration (NEA) has announced that it plans to provide subsidies of RMB 1.5 billion (~$216.1 million) for new solar power projects in the country this year, according ...
/ / Markets & Policy, Solar
With Over 12 GW of Solar Deployed in December Alone, China Installed 30 GW in 2019

With Over 12 GW of Solar Deployed in December Alone, China Installed 30 GW in 2019

In the calendar year (CY) 2019, China is estimated to have installed 30 GW of solar capacity, a decline of 32% year-over-year (YoY) compared to 2018, when 44 GW of ...
/ / Solar, Utility Scale
AECEA_ China Likely to Install 23-31 GW of Solar in 2020 as Uncertainty Grips

AECEA: China Likely to Install 23-31 GW of Solar in 2020 as Uncertainty Grips

In May 2018, the Chinese government abruptly decided to stop approving any new renewable projects until further notice. Back then, just half-way through the 13th five-year plan, the country had ...
/ / Markets & Policy, Solar
JA Solar Lists on Shenzhen Stock Exchange

JA Solar Lists on Shenzhen Stock Exchange

Beijing-based solar module manufacturer JA Solar has announced that it has successfully listed its common stock on the Shenzhen Stock Exchange (SZSE) and has started trading from December 13, 2019. The company ...
/ / Markets & Policy, Solar
China, US, and India Added 9.4 GW of Solar in Q3 2019

China, US, and India Added 9.4 GW of Solar in Q3 2019

The top 3 solar markets in the world - China, the U.S., and India collectively added 9.4 GW of solar in Q3 of 2019. The U.S. solar market installed 2.6 ...
/ / Markets & Policy, Solar
Import of Solar Cells and Modules Drop and Exports Rise in the First Nine Months of 2019

Import of Solar Cells and Modules Drop and Exports Rise in the First Nine Months of 2019

In the first nine months (9M) of 2019, India imported solar cells and modules worth $1.6 billion (~₹115.7 billion), a drop of around 22% compared to 9M 2018. However, exports ...
/ / Mercom Research Focus, Other
Solar Imports to India Declined by 39% in Q2 2019

Solar Imports to India Declined by 39% in Q2 2019

India’s solar imports declined significantly in the second quarter (Q2) of the calendar year (CY) 2019. Solar modules and cells worth $399 million (~₹27.75 billion) were imported by India in ...
/ / Mercom Research Focus, Other
China and India Poised to Lead Asia in Harnessing Wind by 2050_ IRENA Report

China and India Poised to Lead Asia in Harnessing Wind by 2050: IRENA Report

The International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) has released its latest Global Energy Transformation Report, which explores global energy development scenarios up to the year 2050. The report states that Asia ...
/ / Wind
China Approves Over 20 GW of Subsidy-Free Wind and Solar Projects

China‘s Solar Installations Dip by 45% YoY during January-September 2019

China’s National Energy Administration (NEA) has announced that between January to September 2019, the country added 16 GW of solar capacity, a decrease of 45% year-over-year (YoY) from the 44 ...
/ / Markets & Policy, Solar
ABB Set to Acquire Majority Stake in Chinese E-Mobility Company

ABB Set to Acquire Majority Stake in Chinese E-Mobility Company

Switzerland-headquartered ABB is set to acquire a 67% share stake in Shanghai Chargedot New Energy Technology Co., Ltd., a leading Chinese e-mobility solution provider. According to the company statement, the ...
/ / Finance and M&A, Other
Global Renewable Market Led by Solar Set to Grow by 50% in Next 5 Years_ IEA Report

Global Renewable Market Led by Solar Set to Grow by 50% in Next 5 Years: IEA Report

The global renewable energy sector is growing at a rapid pace, and the installation of solar PV systems at homes, commercial buildings, and industrial facilities are set to rise in ...
/ / Markets & Policy, Solar
Has Safeguard Duty Created a Market for Domestic Small-Scale Solar Manufacturers_

Has Safeguard Duty Created a Market for Domestic Small-Scale Solar Manufacturers?

In July 2018, the Directorate General of Trade Remedies (DGTR) recommended a safeguard duty on cells and modules imported from China and Malaysia, which upended the solar supply chain in ...
/ / Mercom Research Focus, Other
Our Inverter Factory in Bangalore Almost Ready for Manufacturing_ Sineng Interview

Our Solar PV Inverter Factory in Bangalore Ready for Manufacturing: Sineng Interview

India is on pace to add over 8 GW of solar in 2019, according to the recent Q2 2019 India Solar market update published by Mercom India and is the third-largest solar ...
/ / Markets & Policy, Solar
India Was the Third Largest Solar Market Globally in Q2 2019 Behind China and the US

India Was the Third Largest Solar Market Globally in Q2 2019 Behind China and the US

India held on to its position as the third-largest solar photovoltaic (PV) market in the second quarter (Q2) of 2019. The United States was the second-largest market behind China. According ...
/ / Markets & Policy, Solar
LONGi Solar Records 41% YoY Revenue Growth In the First Half of 2019

LONGi Solar Records 41% YoY Revenue Growth In the First Half of 2019

Chinese module supplier, LONGi Solar, has announced its financial results for the first half (1H) of 2019. The company’s operating revenue in the 1H of 2019 reached ¥14.11 billion ($2.08 ...
/ / Finance and M&A, Solar
China Adds 11 GW of Solar Added in First Half of 2019

China Adds 11 GW of Solar in First Half of 2019

China’s National Energy Administration (NEA) has announced that the country has reached a cumulative installed solar capacity of around 186 GW. China added 11.4 GW on a year-over-year basis (YoY), ...
/ / Commercial, Solar
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 ...
/ / Mercom Research Focus, Other
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