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In April 2024, nonprofit Climate Central published a report about the United States’ renewable energy potential, based on 10 years of solar and wind power data.

The 238,181 GWh of solar generated in the United States in 2023 was more than eight times the volume produced in 2014. Wind power had more than doubled to 425,325 GWh.

Solar and wind could have powered more than 61 million average US homes in 2023. California led, with 68,816 GWh of solar energy. Texas led for wind, with 119,836 GWh, and also generated 31,739 GWh of solar in 2023.

Generation needs to be spread more evenly nationwide, however, and in an effort to advance the US energy transition, groups of young campaigners have turned to the courts.

In 2022, plaintiff Navahine F., whose surname has not been publicized, and 12 other young Hawaiians filed a case requiring the Hawaii Department of Transportation (HDOT) to take responsibility for providing a life-sustaining climate. Navahine vs. HDOT was settled in favor of the plaintiffs on June 20, 2024, in what is being regarded as the world’s first youth-led, transportation-focused constitutional climate case.

“This agreement offers a holistic roadmap for states and countries to follow around the world,” said Andrea Rodgers, co-counsel for the plaintiffs.

HDOT is now obliged to transform its transport system to achieve net-negative emissions by 2045, as requested by the campaigners.

Renewables scientist and Stanford University professor Mark Z. Jacobson, who models air pollution and 100%-renewables transitions, was an expert witness for the plaintiffs. The Navahine case was his first legal victory.

“The Hawaii case was the third one I was involved in,” Jacobson told pv magazine. “I also testified in a previous case in Oregon where this group sued the federal government on climate grounds but that has been delayed, or thrown out. We’ve developed plans for each US state to transition to 100% renewables and I was called to testify how they can do that.”

The Oregon case is Juliana vs. the United States. The plaintiffs argued the state had violated their constitutional rights by causing dangerous carbon dioxide concentrations.

In Montana, Jacobson was involved with a case that concluded in June 2023. The Held vs. Montana case was successful in lower courts and is back before the Supreme Court after an appeal by the state. “I think it will hold up,” said Jacobson who, in early August 2024, was about to release a paper analyzing California’s path to a milestone 100 days of 100% clean power.

Uneven generation

Clean power generation is uneven in the United States with some states embracing solar, wind, and other renewable-energy resources more effectively than others.

“What we need right now is to deploy, deploy, deploy renewables and other technologies; clean, renewable energy and electrification on a large scale,” said Jacobson, discussing the action needed to bridge the gap.

Jacobson said he wants “more policies put in place to go to 100% renewables” – a requirement he will hold firm on no matter the outcome of the upcoming US election. Jacobson has been heavily involved with the Democrat party in the past but said the 100% renewables effort is “not a partisan issue.”

“I’ve always been open to working with any party,” he said. “It just happens to be that the states that are more interested in 100% renewable energy have had more Democrat governors. But, in fact, the states with the most wind for example, like nine out of the 10 states with the most fraction of their electricity from wind, are all Republican states.

“My goal is to solve problems. The solution is 100% clean, renewable energy for 100% of the people. We need everybody engaged, across party lines, internationally as well. I don’t specifically just speak with Democrats; it’s just as I said, it happens to be that that’s where most people are interested in this and open to engagement. But in fact, Republicans are also interested… it’s just, they won’t admit it.”

Like a lot of the activists he has testified in support of, Jacobson blames “Big Oil” donors for the stranglehold fossil fuels have on certain states. But what about the impact “Big Tech” has had on the climate? From data centers to greenwashing there are a lot of offenders to choose from.

Technological advances, of course, can also benefit the energy transition, said Jacobson.

“We need technology to solve problems – through electrification, through solar, wind, heat pumps, battery electric vehicles, battery storage, electric induction cooktops, and industrial firebrick technologies.”

In Jacobson’s view, technology can be a double-edged sword. “There are certain technologies that aren’t useful, such as nuclear power, carbon capture, direct air capture, blue hydrogen, electro fuels, bioenergy. These technologies are not usable,” he said. “On the other hand, there are technologies that are more energy efficient and use less energy, I mean like the LED lightbulb instead of the candescent lightbulb. And compared to gas or combustion, heat pumps use one quarter of the energy for air and water heating.

“Using technologies wisely and reducing energy use is important to energy efficiency. But we shouldn’t be afraid of technologies, we should be careful about which technologies we use.”

Jacobson’s goal for the 100% renewables movement’s future is to keep going on the same trajectory. “In terms of our own research, we want to push out a lot of studies that are policy relevant, looking at the ability to transition to clean renewable energy, and [we want to] try to focus on what really works and not focus on what doesn’t work.”

Earlier in 2024, Jacobson’s team published plans for 149 countries to transition to renewables with the aid of firebricks – bricks that can store large amounts of heat. “For that study, we started with energy data from the International Energy Agency (IEA) for 149 countries and projected that forward to 2050 … We find that across 149 countries, we can transition every country, without a problem, to 100% clean, renewable energy.”

The study examined several factors. It considered electricity demand and the electrification of energy sources, including the shift from gas vehicles to electric vehicles; the number of wind turbines and solar panels required for the transition; and the cost of the transition; land usage; job creation and losses; and air pollution.

“The costs are so much better than fossil fuel systems,” said Jacobson. “The ranges don’t even matter that much because they’re all much lower. Even the high range is much less than the low range of the fossil fuel costs.”

The right technology

Close to the top of the list of solutions he is very much against is carbon capture and storage (CCS). A 2023 paper authored by Jacobson and published in “Environmental Science and Technology,” analyzed a case study of a proposal to capture and store carbon dioxide from 34 ethanol refineries in five US states and build a pipeline to transport the CO₂ to an underground storage site.

“Adding carbon capture always requires energy and equipment,” said Jacobson. “You can get more carbon reductions by using it [energy and equipment] just to replace a fossil source rather than to use it to power carbon capture equipment. You’re always increasing carbon dioxide by using carbon capture. You’re misusing the energy needed for that and you could be using it to actually replace a fossil fuel source. You’re also increasing air pollution and fossil fuel mining because you can’t reduce the fossil source or get rid of the air pollution it causes,” added Jacobson.

His views are not isolated. Scientists from Oxford University published a study in December 2023 claiming that heavy dependence on CCS could be economically wasteful. Others have taken a less hardline approach, however, for fear of setting back hard-won progress.

In 2020, the IEA described CCS as “one of the key technology areas” for putting energy systems around the world on a more sustainable path. The organization also acknowledged, however, that CCS necessity was due to the lack of a better alternative.

The German government said the H2Mare OffgridWind project in Denmark has successfully linked two electrolyzers for hydrogen production to a land-based wind turbine. The project will serve as a model for a similar system on the high seas. “In the coming months, H2Mare will now investigate how fluctuating electricity production affects the system's operation,” the German government said. It added that all necessary equipment could soon be housed on a platform directly on an offshore wind turbine. According to the German government, this is the first time two electrolyzers have been linked directly to a megawatt-scale turbine, which could help drive production costs down.

Ontras Gastransport and H2 Energy Europe have agreed to define the technical and commercial framework for hydrogen transportation in Ontras' Green Octopus Mitteldeutschland (GO!) pipeline project. Ontras will transport renewable hydrogen to German industrial regions including Salzgitter, Berlin, Eisenhüttenstadt, Magdeburg, and Leipzig-Halle, with an initial focus on the chemical and steel industries. “By combining our planned 1 GW green hydrogen production project in Denmark with Ontras' robust gas transportation network in Germany, we aim to contribute to the development of an integrated, reliable hydrogen economy spanning Europe,” said Cyril Cabanes, CEO of H2 Energy Europe.

GreenGo Energy said it has secured two partnerships to develop hydrogen projects in Namibia. The company will sign a deal with InnoSun Energy Holdings to jointly develop large-scale solar and wind projects for green hydrogen production, using InnoSun’s established presence in wind development in Namibia. GreenGo Energy will also collaborate with Lodestone, a local iron mining company, to integrate green hydrogen into steel production, aiming to set new standards for sustainable manufacturing.

MOL has started hydrogen production at its 10 MW electrolysis unit in Százhalombatta, Hungary. The €22 million ($24.4 million) facility, which produces 1,600 tons of hydrogen per year, will serve the Danube Refinery. Plug Power provided the electrolysis unit. “The new technology will gradually replace the natural gas-based production process, which currently accounts for one sixth of MOL Group's total carbon dioxide emissions,” said the Hungarian company, adding that the unit is the region's largest capacity green hydrogen plant.

Lhyfe and H2 Mobility Deutschland have signed a five-year agreement to deliver renewable hydrogen. “The hydrogen will be supplied from Lhyfe’s future production site in Schwäbisch Gmünd, the largest green hydrogen production plant in the federal state of Baden-Württemberg,” said Lhyfe. The first deliveries of hydrogen will be used in four fuel stations developed and operated by H2 Mobility Deutschland across the states of Baden-Württemberg and Rhineland-Palatinate.

DH2 Energy said that the Portuguese Agency for Investment and Foreign Trade (AICEP) has awarded its VVR Green renewable hydrogen production project Potential National Interest (PIN) status. The company revealed that the plant will start with a 35 MW electrolysis capacity and 49 MWp of solar power, using a dedicated PV plant to supply electricity to the electrolyzer and connecting to the grid. In the first phase, the project aims to produce 1,650 tons of renewable hydrogen annually. DH2 Energy said it plans to expand the plant to 75 MW of electrolysis and 100 MW of solar power in the second phase.

State-owned utility Eskom has kicked off a tender for the design, engineering, procurement, construction and commissioning of a 19.5 MW solar plant located at the 105.8 MW Sere wind farm in South Africa’s Western Cape province.

The chosen contractor will also be expected to conduct operations and maintenance for the first two years of operation.

The tender details stipulate that the plant should consist of ground-mounted solar panels, with a lifespan of at least 25 years on less than 20 hectares of land. It will be connected to the 132 kV Skaapvlei substation through a dedicated 132/22kV transformer.

The 19.5 MW facility is envisaged as the first of several phased projects at the site of the wind farm, with long-term plans to increase capacity to a total 600 MW, pending feasibility.

The tender is open until Sept. 12. Eskom hopes to award the contract in November, allowing for construction to begin next year.

Eskom recently launched a tender for 30 MW of solar in eastern South Africa, open for applications until Oct. 29.

PV testing labs Kiwa PVEL and Kiwa PI Berlin have collaborated on a white paper that outlines how to use testing and inspection to enhance the durability and long-term performance of solar modules.

The white paper, “Raising the Bar: Defining acceptable levels of quality for PV modules,” assigns benchmarks for evaluating solar module quality through extended reliability Product Qualification Program (PQP) testing, Pre-Shipment Inspection (PSI), batch testing, and Ongoing Reliability Monitoring (ORM). It states that these metrics “provide a comprehensive framework for ensuring that PV modules meet the highest standards of quality and reliability.”

The paper includes guidance on PQP acceptance thresholds from Kiwa PVEL based on a range of test results seen through the program over the last few years. The guidance is separated by PQP test, offering guidance on what qualifies as a “clear pass,” “conditional pass,” and “clear fail.”

“We have used the past years of PQP data to create clear direction for the industry on what test results should be considered acceptable,” said Tristan Erion-Lorico, VP of sales and marketing at Kiwa PVEL. “This is the first time Kiwa PVEL has publicly provided this guidance, which will surely lead to more reliable PV module designs and material selection.”

The white paper also covers PSI and reveals that only 76 of 774 analyzed batches of solar modules passed inspection without defects.

Kiwa PI Berlin’s analysis identified electroluminescence defects as the most common issue, primarily due to microcracks, weak soldering, cell contamination, finger interruptions, and short-circuited cells. Frame defects were the second most frequently observed problem.

It also offers recommendations for evaluating PV modules at various production stages and batch sizes using batch testing and ORM. It outlines test protocols, frequency, and acceptance thresholds for both metrics.

“This white paper highlights key aspects for module procurement and displays our commitment in pushing the industry to higher levels of quality,” said Terry Jester, managing director for North America at Kiwa PI Berlin. “We believe our updated guidance will be instrumental in advancing the solar industry and safeguarding renewable energy investments worldwide.”

Kiwa PVEL and Kiwa PI Berlin united under the Kiwa brand earlier this year. The news was followed by the release of Kiwa PVEL's 10th PV Module Reliability Scorecard.

Chinese inverter supplier Solis said it has developed two new string inverters for the US and Canadian markets. The S5-GC125K-US offers 125 kW of rated output power with 480 V of grid power, while the S5-GC60K-LV-US provides 60 kW with 208 V of rated grid power. The two offerings are three-phase grid-tied inverters.

“Both new models come with flexible options such as wire and shade coverings, built-in Module-Level Power Electronics (MLPE), and Rapid Shutdown (RSD) transmitters,” the company said. “These options allow for tailored solutions to meet the specific demands of any new or repowering project.”

The S5-GC125K-US features 10 maximum power point tracking (MPPT) channels, each with a max input current of 32 A and a max short circuit current of 50 A. The S5-GC60K-LV-US has eight MPPT channels with the same 32 A input current and 50 A short circuit current. Both inverters offer a maximum efficiency of at least 98.5%.

“Both inverters feature a fuse-free architecture, reducing failure points and enhancing the reliability and longevity of the system. The inverters offer one of the lowest start-up voltages in the industry, maximizing energy production,” the company said. “They support a broad range of operating voltages, accommodating various repowering requirements and ensuring optimal performance.”

Anyone interested in increasing the efficiency of their solar panels should consider taking inspiration from giant clams in the shallow waters of the Western Pacific Ocean, as a recent study led by Yale University scientists hypothesizes.

The scientists are currently working on obtaining funding for further proof-of-concept scale devices that operate according to the clam's unique principles, lead author Alison Sweeney told pv magazine. The clams have distinctive bright blue ‘lips’ which are covered in shiny material that reflects light and directs it inwards towards photosynthetic algae in their dark innards to create energy. Their outer shell has algae that grow in vertical columns.

In the study “Simple Mechanism for Optimal Light-Use Efficiency of Photosynthesis Inspired by Giant Clams,” published in the journal PRX: Energy, the academics considered the fact that clams move and stretch in the sun throughout the day to maximize their efficiency. It presents an analytical model for determining the maximum efficiency of photosynthetic systems based on the physical structure, movement, and light-scattering characteristics of the creatures.

“We’d be very interested to hear from any possible industrial partners who might benefit from our insights about the clams,” said Sweeney. “The clams show us a straightforward strategy to perform photoconversion at the optimum light intensity for a given material while absorbing nearly all the environmental energy at a higher intensity. This would pertain to any organic photovoltaic material, or to any scheme to use biological photosynthesis for biofuel or biorefinery inputs. The giant clam design is important for any photoconversion technology that is prone to photodamage or exhibits decreased quantum efficiency with increasing solar flux.”

The scientists’ mathematical model calculates the clam's quantum efficiency – their ability to convert photons into electrons. Accounting for changes in sunlight and the environment, they found the average quantum efficiency of these clams was 42%. And when the clams’ movements were added, this increased to 67%. By comparison, a green leaf system’s quantum efficiency in a tropical environment is only around 14%.

The clam's solar potential is already known, but according to the researchers, the new calculations deliver an intriguing avenue for cell manufacturers to explore. For example, the industry could consider stretchy material for panels or growing algae on panels, as well as other possibilities. This study is part of a series by Sweeney's lab that looks at how the natural world can influence sustainability practices in industry.

Eternit, a Brazil-based construction materials supplier, introduced a new solar module for BIPV applications at the recent Intersolar South America exhibition and conference in São Paulo.

The panel weighs just 1 kg, or 3 kg per square meter, and can be installed on a range of surfaces, including all kinds of roofs, facades, and modular structures, according to the company.

It measures 960 mm x 360 mm x 3 mm, with monocrystalline PERC solar cells and 50 W of power. It has an open-circuit voltage of 12.03 V, a short-circuit current of 4.19 A, and a temperature coefficient of -0.32% per degree Celsius.

Brazil’s National Institute of Metrology, Standardization, and Industrial Quality (Inmetro) has already certified the module.

“With the Eternit Solar Leaf, we hope to increase our share in the solar energy sector, exploring new sales channels and expanding the brand’s presence throughout the country, in addition to reinforcing our commitment to promoting clean and sustainable energy,” said Eternit Commercial Director Rodrigo Inácio.

The manufacturer claims that the module's light weight offers significant logistical advantages for the supply chain.

“The module is easy to transport and can be carried by a single person without the need for machinery. We do not rule out exporting the product in the future,” said Inácio. “The frameless aluminum construction makes installation easier, with no need for an additional metal fixing structure, reducing costs, time and labor.”

Eternit offers a 10-year product warranty and a 25-year performance warranty for the Solar Leaf.

Manila Electric Co. (Meralco) has increased its stake in solar company SP New Energy Corporation (SPNEC), the largest solar energy developer in the Philippines.

According to a listing on the Philippines stock exchange, MGen – a wholly owned subsidiary of Meralco – acquired an additional 5.8 billion shares in SPNEC, equivalent to 11.6% of the company, from Solar Philippines Power Project Holdings Inc for a total of PHP 7.5 billion.

The deal brings the total investment of MGen and its affiliates to PHP 27.9 billion for 25.3 billion shares, equivalent to 50.5% of SPNEC. Solar Philippines will continue to hold 14.7 billion shares, equivalent to 29.4% of the company.

In the listing, SPNEC said that it does not expect the transaction to have a material impact on its business and operations.

At the start of this year, SPNEC and Solar Philippines broke ground on a 4 GW solar park that has been touted as the world’s largest solar array.

US-based Infinrel has developed a new software solution that actively predicts component failure in inverters used in large-scale photovoltaic plants.

“Our Energy Kardio Graph (EKG) system operates like a medical EKG but 10,000 times faster,” the company's founder and CEO, Bert Wank, told pv magazine. “It samples small electrical perturbations on the input and output of the inverter at MHz scale, millions of times per second, and enables insight into the actual operation of the inverter on its switching cycle basis.”

The new solution can reportedly display artifacts of degrading components such as saturating inductors, or capacitors that lose the essential capacity to buffer energy, or high frequencies that can damage step-up transformers.

“Examining those figurative ‘heart rhythms' of the inverter allows infiniRel’s proprietary software to build causality between the electrical signal shape, its cause, and its effect,” Marco Marazzi, infiniRel‘s VP Software Engineering, added. “Essentially, using a Failure Effect and Method Analysis process, our EKG will extract features from the wavelets that relate to component degradation and eventual failure risk.”

The software uses machine-learning algorithms to process data into features that tag each functional group of components inside the inverter, reducing the amount of high causality data from MB/sec to kB/sec. “The EKG system is independent of any data source as it creates high-resolution data by itself,” Wank said. “It is lock-step with the rate semiconductors experience change of both voltages and currents, on a micro-second level and not reporting every second, but one million times per second.”

The company explained that a utility-scale inverter powered by an insulated gate bipolar transistor (IGBT) switches between 1 kHz and 3 kHz, which requires the actual gate drive to contain up to 1 MHz signals in order to optimize the design for efficiency. More recent inverters which deploy gallium arsenide (GaN) or silicon carbide (SiC) power stacks, switch at 20 kHz to 30 kHz, an order of magnitude faster than its fundamental switching frequency which is the heartbeat of the power conversion system.

“If any of those drive signals is off, even slightly, internal power dissipation dramatically increases, leading to stack failure,” Wank further explained. “The software control loop, geared to match the utilities’ 60 Hz power quality requirements and regulating on a switching cycle basis, does not have the bandwidth to observe and respond to such subtle changes.”

Based in San José, California, Infinirel is currently raising capital to build more EKGs to deploy with its customers in the energy transition.

“We are going to expose our solution at RE+ in Anaheim next week,” said Marazzi. “Infinirel was one of the 10 winning teams of The Set! Contest that will advance to the final phase of the American-Made Solar Prize Round 3.” The U.S. Department of Energy (DoE) developed the competition to incentivize the nation’s domestic solar entrepreneurs. Infinirel and each of the 9 other finalists will receive $100,000 in cash and $75,000 in vouchers at the DOE National Labs or other qualified partner facilities, to further develop their technology.

Japanese electronics and electrical equipment manufacturing company Mitsubishi Electric has released a high-temperature water-to-water heat pump for commercial and industrial applications requiring high-temperature water of up to 78 C.

Dubbed Climaveneta EW-HT-G05, the new product uses R513a as the refrigerant. It is a non-ozone-depleting refrigerant developed to replace R134a, which the company utilized in the previous version of the heat pump – the EW-HT model.

The new product is available in four versions with sizes of 73 kW, 86 kW, 105.2 kW, and 129.3 kW. All versions measure 1,223 mm x 877 mm x 1,496 and their weight ranges from 380 kg and 430 kg, depending on the size.

The heat pump has a heating capacity ranging from 72.9 kW to 129 kW and a seasonal coefficient of performance (SCOP) spanning from 3.15 to 3.19. The coefficient of performance (COP) is 3.68 for 73 kW and 3.77 for 129.3 kW.

“With its 2 independent circuits, it can operate in part load to improve efficiency during low-demand periods and comes available with several options such as touchscreen display, refrigerant leak detection and Master-Client group controls,” the manufacturer said.

It also said the new heat pump can be combined with its Integra range of 4-pipe Simultaneous Heating & Cooling equipment for commercial buildings, industrial process heat recovery, including IT Cooling, and district heating systems.”

A 600 MW solar and energy storage project has been granted planning consent in the United Kingdom, the largest PV plant in capacity terms to date. It means project developer Island Green Power can now proceed with construction at the utility-scale site.

Cottam Solar Project was granted a Development Consent Order (DCO) on Sept. 5, 2024, following consultation with local stakeholders and a lengthy examination process. In England, projects with capacity greater than 50 MW must be signed off by the Department of Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ), following an examination by the UK Planning Inspectorate. The Cottam Solar Project DCO is the fourth consent order issued by DESNZ Secretary of State Ed Miliband since taking office in July 2024. It brings the total number of DCOs granted to solar projects in England to seven, with the first awarded to the 373 MW Cleve Hill solar project in 2020.

Miliband’s decision to grant the DCO comes despite some local opposition to the plant, which will straddle the border of Lincolnshire and Nottinghamshire. Over the summer, the secretary of state sought clarification on issues ranging from land ownership rights to ecological concerns, such as the developer’s commitments to biodiversity and habitat management.

When commissioned, the 600 MW plant will make use of a grid connection at the nearby Cottam 400 kV substation. The grid infrastructure previously served the EDF-owned 2 GW Cottam coal-fired power station, which was powered down in September 2019.

Cottam Solar is one of two major solar projects in the area being developed by Island Green Power. The 480 MW West Burton Solar project is also subject to DCO approval. The Planning Inspectorate has completed its examination of the site, and the Secretary of State has until Nov. 8, 2024 to make a ruling.

The flurry of DCOs issued by DESNZ in 2024 has been accompanied by a UK government consultation on potential changes to the consent process for larger solar plants in England. Due to the resource intensive nature of obtaining a DCO, few projects have been developed in the 50 MW to 150 MW range. The government claims raising the threshold for DESNZ approval to 150 MW could result in faster consenting at a lower cost to developers, as projects would be handled through local government planning systems. Industry stakeholders have until Sept. 24, 2024 to respond to the planning consultation.

EliTe Solar, a global manufacturer of PV cells and modules, has unveiled plans for a solar manufacturing hub in Egypt. 

The company announced the investment venture, worth over $150 million, following discussions with Egypt’s Prime Minister, the Chairman of the Suez Special Economic Zone, and the Chairman of Chinese conglomerate TEDA.

The manufacturing hub will be located in the TEDA Suez Economic and Trade Cooperation Zone, near the northeastern Egyptian city of Suez, spanning 78,000 m2. It has a total planned production capacity of 8 GW. The first phase of development, expected to reach completion by September 2025, will establish a 2 GW solar cell production.

Once operational, the hub is projected to generate annual sales exceeding $190 million.

“This venture will position Egypt as a central hub for photovoltaic manufacturing in the Middle East and North Africa,” said EliTe Solar Chairman Liu Jingqi. “We are introducing cutting-edge technology to revolutionize local supply chains and manufacturing standards. We are committed to building a state-of-the-art facility that will serve as a model for efficiency, sustainability, and advanced production processes.”

Headquartered in Singapore, EliTe Solar has manufacturing facilities in Vietnam, Indonesia and the Middle East. According to its website, it operates 6 GW of annual wafer capacity, as well as 7 GW of cell and 5 GW of module capacities.

Innovation has been a major driver of the recent progress in the renewable energy sector, driving down costs and improving the capabilities of key technologies like solar panels and electric vehicles, as well as improving energy efficiency. The term renewable innovation refers to the development and implementation of new technologies, processes, and strategies to improve the use of renewable energy.

Like other fields of innovation, renewable innovation often follows McKinsey's Three Horizons Framework. Horizon 1 focuses on short-term improvements to existing technologies (e.g. test solutions to improve the operational efficiency of assets), Horizon 2 involves developing mid-term opportunities with emerging technologies or solutions (e.g. agrivoltaics), and Horizon 3 explores long-term, high-impact innovations that could transform the energy landscape (e.g. disruptive cell technologies such as perovskite solar cells). This framework provides guidance for balancing existing priorities with long-term growth opportunities.

Amid today’s challenges in the renewable sector, diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) are mandatory pillars to succeed, as these promote a range of thought that is crucial for finding new and disruptive solutions. Teamwork is also a key aspect of renewable innovation. When team members feel valued and respected, they are more likely to take risks and propose bold ideas – an essential component of innovation. The 2024 Hunt Scanlon DEI Report emphasizes that inclusion is a critical driver of long-term business success and innovation, especially in industries like ours, where the ability to adapt and evolve is key​ (Hunt Scanlon Media). Similarly, a recent study by the Boston Consulting Group (2024) highlights that diverse leadership teams are 45% more likely to report market share growth compared to less diverse peers, underscoring the business value of diversity in driving innovation​ (BCG Global).

Innovation can be deterred by cognitive biases, such as groupthink, which is more likely to occur in identical teams. Embracing intersectionality – the interconnection of social categories, such as gender, ethnicity, class, sexuality, and education – promotes an inclusive culture and ensures that every team member feels empowered to contribute with their unique insights, thus fostering innovative, effective problem-solving and better solution adoption. Fostering diversity creates an environment where different ideas and points of view are explored, which can potentially lead to more robust and original solutions. The 2024 Elsevier report on gender diversity in research supports this by exposing that diverse teams can produce more innovative and impactful research outcomes, which are aligned with the ultimate goals of energy innovation​ (Digital Commons Data).

For anyone entering the renewable sector, it is vital to understand the importance of continuous learning and adaptability due to the fast-paced changes in technologies and regulations. Building a collaborative network with colleagues from diverse backgrounds enhances innovation, as it brings to the table different perspectives. Resilience is equally important, along with seeking mentors for inspiration and guidance. Thus, embracing diversity and collaboration not only promotes innovation but also prepares individuals to navigate and succeed in this dynamic field.

Filipa Monteiro Martins is the Renewables Innovation Unit Manager at Galp, where she leads initiatives that drive the development and implementation of cutting-edge renewable energy technologies. With expertise in large-scale renewable energy generation, including solar and wind, she is focused on enhancing the performance of renewable assets. Her work also involves advancing flexibility technologies to better integrate and utilize renewable energy, along with exploring innovative developments such as agrivoltaics. Before this role, Filipa managed the execution of photovoltaic projects across Iberia, where she oversaw large-scale solar installations and contributed to expanding Galp's solar capacity. Before transitioning to the renewable sector, Filipa gained extensive experience in the oil and gas industry, including a key role as a secondee at Eni, focusing on technical and contractual interface management, and earlier positions at Galp. With a diverse background covering different energy sectors, Filipa brings a wealth of experience and a strong commitment to fostering innovation and inclusivity in renewable energy. Filipa holds an Executive MBA from the Lisbon MBA Nova-Católica, an MSc in Petroleum Engineering from Heriot-Watt University, and an MSc in Civil Engineering from FEUP.

Interested in joining Filipa Martins and other women industry leaders and experts at Women in Solar Europe? Find out more: www.wiseu.network

JA Solar has reported an 8.54% year-on-year decline in revenue to CNY 37.36 billion for the first half of 2024, with a net loss of CNY 874 million. It shipped 38 GW of PV modules, including 1 GW for internal use. The company said it expects to reach production capacities of 80 GW for monocrystalline silicon wafers and cells, and 100 GW for modules by the end of this year, with n-type cell capacity at 57 GW. It noted that it invested CNY 1.96 billion in R&D in the January-June period, and now holds 1,827 effective patents.

Tongwei said revenue fell 40.87% year on year to CNY 43.80 billion in the first half of 2024, on a net loss of CNY 3.13 billion. Its solar business generated CNY 29.22 billion of revenue, or 66.71% of the total, with a gross margin of 6.03%. Polysilicon sales rose 28.82% to 228,900 tons, and PV module shipments surged to 18.67 GW. The company said that it installed 320 MW of new solar projects during the period, bringing its total installed capacity to 4.39 GW. By the end of June, Tongwei’s annual polysilicon capacity exceeded 650,000 tons, with solar cell capacity at 95 GW and module capacity at 75 GW. It said its 200,000-ton silicon project in Baotou, Inner Mongolia, will start production by the end of this year, bringing total polysilicon capacity to 850,000 tons.

GCL Technology said revenue fell 57.7% year on year to CNY 8.86 billion in the six months to June 30. The company also reported a net loss of CNY 1.48 billion, reversing last year’s profit of CNY 5.52 billion. It said it plans to continue to develop innovative granular silicon and perovskite technologies, in addition to advancing upstream manufacturing integration.

TCL Zhonghuan said it recorded a net loss of CNY 3.06 billion in the first half of 2024, with revenue falling 53.54% year on year to CNY 16.21 billion. Sales expenses rose 18.25% to CNY 217 million, while management expenses increased 20.55% to CNY 600 million, the company said. It noted that R&D costs rose to CNY 531 million, down 70.72% from the previous year.

China Resources Power has announced its third batch of PV module tenders for 2024, with plans to procure 1 GW of PV modules in two segments. The first tranche calls for 700 MW of n-type bifacial double-glass modules, with a power output of 610 Wp. The second segment includes 300 MW of n-type bifacial double-glass modules with 580 Wp of output. Bidding is scheduled to start on Sept. 24, 2024.

Gansu Power Investment Group said that construction has officially started on the first phase of its 6 GW Tengger Desert renewable energy project. The CNY 30 billion installation will generate 12 TWh of electricity per year, with 3 GW of wind capacity, 3 GW of solar, and 900 MW/3,600 MWh of energy storage. The first phase involves a 3 GW solar project in Jiuduntan, Liangzhou, Gansu province.

The authorities in Landes department, France, have approved the Terr’Arbouts agrivoltaic project, launched in 2020 by 35 farmers working to diversify crops due to water quality issues.

The project, developed by Green Lighthouse Développement (GLHD), spans 700 hectares and will feature 200 hectares of solar panels, generating 450 MW of power alongside agricultural production.

“A rotation of fodder, oilseeds, and omega-3-rich crops will support livestock farms and local needs,” said Jean-Michel Lamothe, president of PATAV, the farmers' association behind the project.

The authorities have formalized the project’s sustainability with agreements, including a rural lease and a partnership to protect water resources.

Jean-Marc Fabius, CEO and founder of Green Lighthouse Développement, said the project has undergone five years of studies and consultations, leading to improvements such as preserving rural paths, creating ecological and landscape corridors, and reducing certain areas of land use. These changes were made to address concerns from local communities, CDPENAF members, government agencies, associations, and residents. The project is set to be commissioned in 2028.

FOB China prices for N-type M10 and G12 wafers have remained stable this week at $0.140/pc and $0.198/pc, respectively, following a brief price increase driven by market leaders last week.

Cell companies, both in China and internationally, have so far shown limited acceptance of the recent wafer price hikes. The two leading wafer manufacturers managed to secure a slight increase of around CNY0.01-0.02 ($0.0014-o.oo28) per piece, varying by customer. However, Tier-2 wafer manufacturers were unsuccessful in their attempts to implement similar price increases, though this situation also presents a significant opportunity for them to clear inventory.

The sustainability of the wafer price increase is a topic of discussion among market participants, who believe that in an environment of oversupply, it will primarily depend on changes in supply.

A Tier-1 wafer producer is reportedly altering its operating strategy following recent leadership changes. The company, which previously maintained a high operating rate of over 90% for wafer production, has reduced it to around 70% since the last week of August.

Given the company's substantial wafer production capacity, the factory's decision to reduce output is expected to help restore the market's supply-demand balance over time and gradually shift prices from loss-making levels back to a more rational range. Nevertheless, the likelihood of a sustained price increase in the short term appears diminished, as the company's new leadership has reportedly directed the PV business to prioritize expanding sales and reducing inventory.

Another leading wafer manufacturer, focusing on an integrated production model across the solar supply chain, has reportedly kept output, sales, and inventory levels balanced in the wafer segment by using much of its production for in-house module manufacturing. This positioning may allow the company to continue pushing for wafer price increases, leveraging its integrated model to maintain cost advantages and potentially boost module sales while other manufacturers contend with rising wafer costs.

Some industry voices are concerned that rising wafer prices could prompt small producers, who have reduced or halted production, to quickly ramp up their operating rates. This rebound could potentially disrupt efforts to optimize production capacity and slow down industry integration in the wafer market.

Overall, market participants believe that the wafer market fundamentals remain largely unchanged, with overcapacity and high inventory levels still prevailing. A sustainable and substantial increase in wafer prices may only occur once excess capacity is fully addressed.

OPIS, a Dow Jones company, provides energy prices, news, data, and analysis on gasoline, diesel, jet fuel, LPG/NGL, coal, metals, and chemicals, as well as renewable fuels and environmental commodities. It acquired pricing data assets from Singapore Solar Exchange in 2022 and now publishes the OPIS APAC Solar Weekly Report.

Researchers at the Nova University of Lisbon in Portugal have developed an ultrathin perovskite solar cell that utilizes a checkerboard (CB) tile pattern with designated UV photon conversion capability to protect the perovskite layer against UV-enabled degradation and a luminescent down-shifting encapsulant that reportedly improves UV irradiation.

They explained that UV degradation is one of the main factors causing the “irreversible” degradation of perovskites in solar cells, which usually occurs at the interface between the perovskite absorber and the electron transport layer (ETL). “This photostability problem can be easily solved if UV radiation does not reach the interface of ETL/perovskite layers,” they added. “However, by using a UV-shielding encapsulant layer in perovskite solar cells, the UV photon of the solar spectrum will be lost, hence limiting further efficiency gains.”

To proposed combined solution was conceived to solve this issue, as it not only acts as an encapsulant but also as a “photon-recycler” for the incident UV light. The addition of luminescent down-shifting (LDS) fluorophores to the encapsulant enables the conversion of high-energy photons into lower-energy ones. “These lower energy photons can then be absorbed by the perovskite layer without issues, and the increased number of visible photons available for absorption by the cell will in turn increase the external quantum efficiency (EQE) of the cell,” the group stressed.

The team created checkerboard (CB) gratings with symmetry-property to make them suitable for integration as an LT structure into the solar cells and then applied an LDS encapsulant material composed of an experimentally developed tri-ureasil modified by lanthanides onto the CB photonic front structure.

The academics designed the solar cell with a substrate made of indium tin oxide (ITO), a titanium oxide (TiO2) ETL, a perovskite absorber, a hole transport layer (HTL) based on Spiro-OMeTAD, a silver (Ag) metal contact, and the proposed encapsulant with the CB photonic front structure. “The CB grating structures are top-coated as a final processing step, which prevents the structuring of the active absorber layer, which could lead to electrical degradation via increased recombination,” they stated.

With this architecture, they then built two solar cells with perovskite absorbers with a thickness of 250 nm and 500 nm, respectively. Tested under standard illumination conditions, the two devices achieved a 25.9% and 28.2% higher photocurrent, respectively, compared with identical cells with a planar structure and without the new encapsulant and the CB photonic front structure.

“We demonstrate that at least 94% of the impinging UV radiation can be effectively converted into the Visible spectral range,” the research team stated. “Photonic protection from high-energy photons contributes to the market deployment of perovskite solar cell technology, and may become crucial for Space applications under AM0 illumination.”

The new cell concept was explained in the paper “Photon shifting and trapping in perovskite solar cells for improved efficiency and stability,” published in the scientific journal Light.

Singapore-based Vena Energy, in partnership with Shell Eastern Trading, China’s Trina Solar with Gurin Energy’s Vanda RE, are working on clean energy projects in Indonesia’s Riau Islands to supply Singapore’s energy needs.

Vena Energy and Shell have secured conditional approval from the Singapore Energy Market Authority to import 400 MW of renewable energy from the Riau Islands.

Vena Energy’s Indonesia projects include a planned 2 GW solar and 8 GWh battery energy storage system on the Riau Islands, expected to deliver 2.6 TWh of green energy to Singapore annually.

Vena Energy CEO Nitin Apte reaffirmed the company’s commitment to supporting Singapore’s renewable energy goals.

“This project serves as a model of cooperation between Singapore and Indonesia, generating valuable investment opportunities and propelling both countries towards a more sustainable and prosperous future,” said Apte.

South Korea installed approximately 1.2 GW of new solar during the first half of the year, the Korea Energy Agency has told pv magazine. Estimates suggest between 2.7 GW and 2.8 GW will be added throughout all of 2024.

The figures point toward a continued slowing down of South Korea’s solar market. In the “IEA-PVPS Annual Report 2023,” released earlier this year, contributing author Donggun Lim said that after peaking at 4.66 GW in 2020, annual installations have declined, with 3.92 GW in 2021, 3.28 GW in 2022, and an estimated 3.31 GW in 2023.

If the Korea Energy Agency’s full-year estimate for 2024 materializes, it would be the lowest figure for annual deployment since 2018, when 2.59 GW were installed.

“This decline is related to the government’s nuclear-centric energy policy, tightening regulations, and shrinking budgets for solar power, and is expected to continue in the coming years,” said the IEA-PVPS report.

It called the outlook for renewable energy “negative” in South Korea, with the current government lowering renewable portfolio standard targets and increasing targets for nuclear power generation. 

“The current government has drastically cut the 2024 budget for renewable energy,” it said. “The budget for renewable energy support items from the power industry infrastructure fund was reduced by 42.3%, the budget for support for renewable energy deployment was reduced by 35.4%, the budget for feed-in tariff was reduced by 65.1%, and the budget for financial support for renewable energy was reduced by 27.5%.”

Despite an apparent deprioritization, solar auctions continue to take place in South Korea. The country has operated a solar tender system annually since 2011, which has taken the shape of competitive bidding for fixed-price contracts since 2017. In 2023, auctions procured 272 MW in the first half and 60 MW in the second half of the year, totaling 332 MW of capacity.

Jiyhe Gwak, principal researcher at the Korea Institute of Energy Research, told pv magazine that a tender is planned later this month, with the announced capacity yet to be determined.

Gwak added that PV deployment in South Korea is led by utility-scale installations, with solar projects “notably driven by private sector participation, with a focus on medium- to large-scale installations considering capital requirements and site availability.”

A blocking high-pressure system over Europe brought high temperatures and up to 20% more irradiance than normal across much of the continent in August, according to analysis using the Solcast API.

This atmospheric pattern resulted in higher than average irradiance from the UK to Poland, with solar generation records broken across several regions. However, northern areas like Norway and Scotland saw significantly less sunlight due to wet weather driven by an Icelandic low pressure system. Meanwhile, Italy and Greece, as well as the African Mediterranean coast experienced normal to slightly below-average irradiance, despite enduring record-breaking heatwaves.

Solar conditions were particularly favorable in a broad area from the UK and France to the Baltics, where irradiance levels were well above average for August. This trend, as reported in pv magazine midway through the month, continued as the high-pressure system persisted as forecast. Solar generation records were broken in multiple regions, with France surpassing 15 MW of generation for the first and second time in August, setting a new generation record early in the month. Latvia and Lithuania saw some of the most significant irradiance gains, exceeding 20% above normal, while central Germany also experienced substantial gains.

In contrast, Norway, parts of Sweden, and Scotland saw significantly lower irradiance than usual for August. These regions were less impacted by the high-pressure system that dominated most of Europe. Westerly winds brought wet and cloudy weather to these areas,
as the Icelandic Low steered unsettled conditions across the region. Southern Sweden, however, benefited from higher than average irradiance, in line with the overall trend in northern Europe.

Across the Mediterranean, irradiance levels were closer to average, with many parts of Italy experiencing below-average conditions. However, this did not shield the region from the extreme heat. The Mediterranean basin faced its hottest August on record, surpassing the
previous year's temperatures. Both Spain and Italy issued red alerts due to the heatwaves, which persisted despite the relatively normal solar conditions.

Solcast produces these figures by tracking clouds and aerosols at 1-2km resolution globally, using satellite data and proprietary AI/ML algorithms. This data is used to drive irradiance models, enabling Solcast to calculate irradiance at high resolution, with typical bias of less than 2%, and also cloud-tracking forecasts. This data is used by more than 300 companies managing over 150GW of solar assets globally.