• June 12, 2023

According to the latest figures from the German Photovoltaic Association BSW-Solar, Germany has reached a major milestone with more than 3 million photovoltaic systems currently in operation. The association said that Germany's rooftop photovoltaic market demand is strong and is expected to break through the 4 million mark as early as next year. Germany this week connected its 3 millionth photovoltaic system to the grid, according to BSW-Solar. The German Solar Industry Association predicts that the country will break through the 4 million mark as early as next year, adding nearly 350,000 new photovoltaic systems this year alone. Currently, the total installed solar capacity in Germany exceeds 70 GW. Homeowners are investing heavily in solar energy, with more than double the number of new PV systems being installed in the first quarter of 2023 compared to the same period last year. Carsten Körnig, managing director of BSW Solar, attributed the 129 percent increase to the increased demand for solar technology amid the energy crisis and improved framework conditions. The popularity of plug-in solar modules deployed on balconies is also on the rise, with more than 5 million households already using solar systems on their roofs for power and heating. In addition, there are approximately 2.6 million solar heating systems in Germany, mainly for hot water supply and space heating in private households. Germany exceeded its PV expansion target of 7 GW last year, so it seems that the 9 GW target set by the country this year will also be achieved. However, the federal government aims to achieve 215 GW of installed PV capacity by 2030.

• June 09, 2023

intersolar Europe 2023 will be held from June 14 to 16 at the Messe in Munich, Germany. Wintop Solar will be presenting our complete solar support solutions at the show, so welcome to the show. Our booth number is 4C,435.

• June 05, 2023

Bilbao Kirolak, the municipal corporation under the city council of Bilbao, Spain, announced that part of the facilities at the San Inacio Sports Center were closed due to a roof collapse. Other facilities in the city of Bilbao remain open and operational and the cause of the collapse is currently under investigation. In an interview with local radio, Mayor Juan Mari Aburto said heavy rain and the large number of solar panels on the roof of the sports center were likely the cause of the collapse. These solar panels were installed after the project was awarded to Inbisa Construcción in 2010 and became the largest photovoltaic roof in Bizcaia at the time. The project originally consisted of 120 solar panels, but based on photos of the collapse, there are an estimated 168 at the site. The company's total investment in the project amounted to EUR 411,000 (USD 440,797).

• June 01, 2023

Today is June 1st International Children's Day, which belongs to children's exclusive festival. We were also children in the past. On this Children's Day, let us worry about our worries and feel the beauty of innocence. Always remember the cuteness of this world, childlike innocence regardless of age, happiness never expires. May you always keep your childlike innocence and be happy!

• May 29, 2023

According to the latest data from the Danish Energy Agency, as of the end of March 2023, the cumulative installed solar capacity in Denmark reached 3,251 MW, distributed in 131,979 photovoltaic systems. Self-consumption PV installations built without subsidies accounted for 1.72 GW, while solar arrays under PPAs accounted for 336 MW. In addition, projects selected in the public tender contributed 248 MW, while photovoltaic systems installed under the expired incentive scheme accounted for 938 MW. The agency recorded 236 MW of new PV capacity in the first quarter of this year and said in a statement that developers will connect more PV installations to the grid in the first three months of 2023 than in all of 2021. The agency also said that Denmark will install more than 1 GW of photovoltaic systems between March 2022 and March 2023. Large corporations are increasingly prioritizing clean electricity from solar energy, resulting in an increasing market share of unsubsidized large-scale PV projects. Despite potentially lower economic margins compared to wind power, these PV installations continue to gain traction in the market, driven by the desire for sustainable energy solutions. According to a recent report by Rystad Energy, Denmark is expected to lead Scandinavia in solar development, reaching 9 GW of photovoltaic capacity by 2030. Denmark will also lead in the use of green hydrogen, accounting for 12% of the European market, Rystad Energy said.

• May 23, 2023

The Spanish cabinet has approved a 2.19 billion euro ($2.38 billion) investment plan. The strategy, first proposed by the Ministry of Ecological Transition and Population Challenges and the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, aims to combat drought and strengthen water resources. These include the construction of desalination plants powered by solar power plants, support for the reuse of urban water, reduction of expenses on affected agricultural farms, and relief of pressure on the aquifers that supply the Doñana National Park. The government authorized state-owned company Acuamed to tender for the new desalination plant and photovoltaic solar park, allocating a budget of 600 million euros. Acuamed will develop agreements to incentivize investment in photovoltaic parks and set a maximum selling price for desalinated water. Spanish developers have implemented projects using photovoltaic power generation to address water shortages through desalination plants.

• May 18, 2023

The Bulgarian Ministry of Energy has announced the launch of a 240 million Bulgarian lev ($134 million) rebate program open to applications for households installing solar water heating systems and rooftop photovoltaic arrays, which may also be paired with battery storage. The Bulgarian Ministry of Energy has launched a solar rebate program of up to 240 million BGN to help households reduce their carbon footprint and lower household electricity bills. Homeowners can now apply for funding for solar water heating systems and rooftop photovoltaic systems up to 10 kWp, which may also be paired with battery storage, the department said. The deadline for applications is November 10. Following final approval by the Union Council, funds totaling BGN 140 million will be distributed through Bulgaria's National Recovery and Rehabilitation Programme, with the remainder coming from additional funds from the state and private entities. Funds up to 80 million BGN will be distributed in the first round of financing. According to the long-awaited financing plan, solar water heating systems can be fully funded, but not exceeding 1961 levs; photovoltaic systems below 10 kwp can receive subsidies of up to 70% of the total project amount, but not exceeding 15,000 levs . To apply for financial assistance, households should still be using inefficient heat sources such as wood or coal-fired stoves, boilers or fireplaces, and must be the applicant's permanent residence. According to Solar Energy Europe (SPE), Bulgaria's cumulative installed PV capacity has reached 1.5 GW by the end of 2022.

• May 15, 2023

The International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) has released new data on the capital costs of solar PV, onshore and offshore wind for the period 2020-2021. The results show that Germany and the Netherlands have the lowest capital costs in Europe, both at 2.2%, while those in the US, China, India and Australia are 5.4%, 3.9%, 7.1% and 4.6% respectively. IRENA has released its first report on the cost of financing renewable energy, covering solar PV, onshore and offshore wind technologies in all major global markets. The agency drew data from 172 survey responses and 33 interviews with 56 experts providing cost of capital (CoC) data for at least one of the three renewable energy technologies from 45 countries on six continents. The results show that Germany and the Netherlands have the lowest capital costs for utility-scale PV of all regions surveyed, at 2.2% each. In Europe, Sweden follows at 3%, Denmark and the UK at 3.3%. Spain, France and Italy have CoCs of 5.1%, 3.4% and 4.3%, respectively. Ireland, Portugal and Ukraine had the least favorable results at 9.9%, 10% and 12.2% respectively. In North America, the United States has a CoC of 5.4%, while Mexico has a CoC of 8.7%. In South America, Chile beat Brazil's 7.6 percent with 5.7 percent. The best results in the African region were South Africa and Kenya, both at 6.9%, while Tunisia had the worst results at 10.7%. China leads the global cost of capital at 3.9%, followed by Australia at 4.6%, followed by India at 7.1%. Mature PV markets reflect good capital costs in China, North America and Western Europe, IRENA said.

• May 11, 2023

Australia's largest rail infrastructure project, the Melbourne-Brisbane Inland Rail Freight Line, has switched to solar power to power its signaling system. The move is expected to save about A$25 million ($16.93 million) in costs. Following a successful trial of the solar signaling system at Coolleearlee in northern NSW, ARTC has approved the system for use at the remaining 82 signaling stations along the rail corridor from Albury in the south of the state to Gowrie in Queensland run. The Albury-Gowrie section is part of an ambitious inland rail project that will link the ports of Melbourne and Brisbane along a new route west of the Great Dividing Range. The line will bypass the Sydney metropolitan area and will also connect to the Sydney-Perth rail corridor. Construction on the project, which began in 2018 and was due to finish in 2025, has been plagued by budget blowouts and construction delays. While no completion date has been set for the project, ARTC has switched to a solar-powered signaling system, a move that will help save money. Rebecca Pickering, acting chief executive of ARTC Inland Rail, said using solar and battery energy storage instead of mains power for the signaling system had saved the project significant money, a move that eliminated the need to use local power infrastructure or obtain easements Mains power service for signaling sites.