• July 25, 2024

LevelTen Energy, the operator of solar and wind energy PPA platforms, has released the "PPA Price Index Report" for the second quarter of 2024. The latest report states that power purchase agreement (PPA) prices have increased in the second quarter of this year, following a slight decline in the previous three months. The report points out that after a 1% decrease in P25 prices in the first quarter of 2024, solar PPA prices increased by 3% in the second quarter. LevelTen stated that a series of factors have exerted upward pressure on North American solar PPA prices. The rise in prices was driven by factors such as internet queue leader, approval difficulties, imposition of tariffs on Chinese photovoltaic modules, and the restart of anti-dumping and countervailing duty (AD/CVD) investigations. These events demonstrate that the trade law environment faced by American solar developers is becoming increasingly challenging. The increased cost of using components that require payment of tariffs for various projects is included in the PPA price and has largely contributed to the upward trend of solar energy prices in the second quarter. LevelTen also pointed out that the price of wind power purchase agreements increased by 7% in the second quarter of 2024. The PPA platform states that in the current period of uncertainty, market participants continue to seek innovative ways to reduce risks and successfully complete transactions. Recently, this has been reflected in the increasing use of contract elements to address development risks, particularly through the use of preconditions (CP) and exponentiation in PPA contracts.

• July 22, 2024

According to reports, Chinese regulatory agencies are considering conducting comprehensive fire safety inspections and upgrades on energy storage facilities in operation. For older energy storage stations, strengthening fire safety measures will significantly increase non-technical costs, which may reach as high as 0.2 RMB per watt hour (0.028 USD/watt hour). This move is in response to a series of energy storage plant safety accidents that have occurred globally recently. In the first half of 2024 alone, there were at least six fire incidents involving battery energy storage facilities worldwide, resulting in casualties and property damage. On May 15th, a fire broke out at the Gateway energy storage station in Ota Mesa, San Diego, California, which burned for 11 days until all combustibles were burned out. Germany, France, and the UK have also reported further incidents. In early April, a battery energy storage project in Wenzhou, Zhejiang Province, China caught fire, causing almost all of the construction site to be destroyed. After the accident, the local government required a fire safety inspection and rectification of all battery energy storage facilities under construction and operation within the jurisdiction of Wenzhou. This action, which may be taken nationwide, seems to be an expanded version of the measures taken by the Wenzhou government. Chinese regulatory agencies have consulted energy storage facility manufacturers, builders, and operators to collect their opinions and suggestions. A nationwide fire safety hazard inspection and upgrade plan is expected to be implemented soon.

• July 18, 2024

The latest statistics from the International Renewable Energy Agency show that by 2030, global renewable energy capacity must grow at a rate of at least 16.4% per year to achieve the goals promised at the 28th Conference of the Parties (COP28) of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. The latest report from the International Renewable Energy Agency highlights a major risk: the world may not be able to achieve the set target of 11.2TW by 2030. The report shows that the growth rate of renewable energy capacity reached a record high of 14% in 2023. The International Renewable Energy Agency has stated that if this growth rate continues, there may be a global shortfall of 1.5 TW by 2030, accounting for as much as 13.5%. The International Energy Agency found that out of 194 countries worldwide, only 14 countries have explicitly set targets for renewable energy installed capacity by 2030. Subsequently, in June of this year, a report was released on the COP28 commitment to double the installed capacity of renewable energy.

• July 15, 2024

The Somali Ministry of Energy and Water Resources has initiated a bidding process for the design, supply, installation, testing, and commissioning of off grid solar energy storage power plants. These power plants will provide services to 46 educational institutions in the Benadir administrative region of southeastern Somalia, which also includes the country's capital Mogadishu. The bidding documents list 46 plots, with minimum photovoltaic capacity ranging from 16 kW to 250 kW and minimum battery storage capacity ranging from 50 kWh to 800 kWh. The project is called the Somali Electricity Industry Recovery Project (SESRP) and is funded by the World Bank. The delivery period for this project is eight months from the effective date. Bids must be submitted by mail on or before August 1st. According to the International Renewable Energy Agency, as of the end of last year, Somalia had deployed 51 megawatts of solar energy, up from 47 megawatts the year before.

• July 11, 2024

The South African International Trade Commission (ITAC) has imposed a 10% tariff on imported crystalline silicon photovoltaic modules and panels. The management committee issued a statement on its website stating that the reason for imposing tariffs is to protect South African solar panel manufacturers. At present, this tariff has come into effect. ITAC stated that this also takes into account other factors, including domestic manufacturers reducing investment due to fierce competition from low-priced imported products, as well as a significant decline in the production, sales, and capacity utilization of domestic components. ARTsolar, a local solar panel manufacturer in South Africa, has submitted an application to ITAC to increase tariffs on solar modules.

• July 04, 2024

Perpetum Energy, a Belgian energy company, has built a 40 MW solar carport in Pairi Daiza, a private zoo and botanical garden located in Brugelette, Eno Province, Belgium. The carport is made of durable Grade 4 Douglas fir wood, and the logs and beams are sourced from the Ardennes region. All materials have passed PEFC standard certification to ensure sustainable forest management. The project costs 40 million euros and covers an area of 200000 square meters. Some factories use 51 inverters and 93786 solar panels, some of which are from Chinese manufacturer Longi (265 Wp) and the other are from Canadian Solar.

• July 01, 2024

In recent years, Baltic countries have experienced a solar power boom, and the region hopes to achieve two goals with one stone. Amidst growing security concerns, these countries aim to break free from years of energy dependence on Russia while continuing to prioritize the transition to green energy. The outbreak of hostilities in Ukraine has sounded the alarm for the Baltic States, indicating their urgent need to change energy policies. The Baltic countries of Latvia, Lithuania, and Estonia have learned a lot from Ukraine's unfortunate experience, as they also have to live in the shadow of their belligerent eastern neighbors. Most European countries used to rely to some extent on Russia's energy, but for Baltic countries, this issue is different. These three countries still belong to the "BRELL" line of the Soviet era, and Russia and Belarus rely on Russian operators to control frequency and balance supply and demand. In 2018, Latvia, Lithuania, and Estonia finalized a plan to leave BRELL and join the EU grid by the end of 2025. The events in Ukraine have forced these countries to reconsider their schedules and accelerate the transition. Other measures need to be taken to improve the safety of its power grid. In addition to political reasons, with the soaring energy costs in the Baltic region, Baltic investors have gained a strong economic motivation to invest in solar energy. At the height of the energy crisis in Europe in 2022, the bills of electricity consumers increased nearly seven times compared to the previous year. In this context, the growth of solar power generation in the Baltic Sea region from 2022 to 2024 even exceeded the most optimistic predictions. Estonia has indeed made significant progress in the development of photovoltaic power generation. Mikel Anus, President of the Estonian Renewable Energy Association, stated that installed capacity doubles every year. In just five years, as of the end of 2023, the total installed capacity of solar energy has increased from 39.6 MW in 2018 to 812 MW. According to data from the Lithuanian Energy Agency (LEA), Lithuania exceeded its target of 1.2 gigawatts of solar power generation by 2025 in 2023. In the past few years, the country has generated nearly 300 megawatts of new electricity. Anna Roz ī te, Business Development Director of AJ Power Group, stated that as of January 2024, Latvia's solar installed capacity is approximately 300 megawatts. Since May 2023 alone, this number has increased by about three times. Due to market participants mainly choosing solutions that can be implemented as soon as possible, solar energy has ushered in an investment boom in Latvia and other Baltic countries.

• June 28, 2024

Sahara dust has entered the atmosphere, affecting solar power generation in various parts of Europe by up to 20%. This type of dust cloud is quite common and can reduce clear sky irradiance (leading to solar power generation) by up to 20%, but fortunately, this situation will only last for a few days. According to the analysis using the Solcast API, this week's dust clouds will dissipate on Saturday, reducing the impact on areas further north and mountainous areas protected by the Alps. The low-pressure system over the Mediterranean has triggered a serious sand and dust transport event, affecting solar power generation throughout Europe for the entire week. The weak low-pressure system in the Mediterranean forms a southerly wind, which passes through the Mediterranean from Sahara Africa and enters Europe, blowing sand and dust into southern Italy and France. The high-pressure ridge from the Atlantic forms a westerly wind, blowing sand and dust from the northern Alps into southern Germany. By Saturday, the intensity of sand and dust will greatly decrease, mixing and dispersing with the upper atmosphere, thus being diluted. The impact on clear sky irradiance is very significant, with the global level of clear sky irradiance (GHI) in Marseille decreasing by more than 20% compared to the average level. In summer, it is not uncommon for Sahara dust transport to cross the Mediterranean, as the Azores high-pressure system moves northward, creating more low-pressure systems in the Mediterranean. That's why Italy, which extends to the Mediterranean, is usually more susceptible to the impact of such dust transport.

• June 24, 2024

The French Ministry of Ecological Transformation reported that approximately 1013 MW of new photovoltaic power generation systems were successfully connected to the grid in France from January to March this year. In contrast, the country's installed capacity in the fourth quarter of 2023 was 984 MW, compared to an additional 639 MW in the first quarter of last year. As of the end of March 2024, France's cumulative photovoltaic installed capacity has reached 21.1 GW. Among them, major developers have deployed approximately 20.3 GW in mainland France, while the rest are distributed in Corsica and French overseas territories. At present, the total capacity of solar projects queuing up for grid connection is 27.3 GW, of which approximately 6.3 GW have already signed preliminary grid connection agreements. The new Aquitaine region, Auvergne Rh ô ne Alpes region, Provence Alpes Blue Coast region, and the Greater East region of France account for 47% of the total new installed capacity so far this year. These regions with the largest installed capacity account for over 53% of France's cumulative grid connected capacity as of the end of March.