l'Actualité du Solaire

A new tender period will be opened in January 2020 for a power demand of 850 MW and a second one in June 2020 for 1,000 MW. A new call for tenders for solar photovoltaic projects on buildings will take place in February 2020 for 300 MW, following the 300 MW bid in October 2019.

These announcements aim to accelerate the development of photovoltaic solar power, since the current 9.1 GW installations are expected to reach 35 to 45 GW in 2028, i.e. a 4 to 5-fold increase in less than ten years.

Tecsol of¹ September

"For us, the important thing is not a record or a competition, but the acceleration of the energy transition. We want to be inspiring," says Eric Scotto.

This record price is explained by the fact that two auctions (120 MW and 100 MW) were held shortly before the 150 MW auction, with prices of €20.73 per MWh and €19.78 per MWh respectively. For the last auction, that of 150 MW, Akuo was able to take advantage of the first two contracts obtained. Without them, there would not have been such a final price, as the last lot benefited from economies of scale in the implementation of worksites in close geographical proximity but also in the operation of the sites. The land is flat, requiring little civil engineering and close to the source stations. Another advantage is the Portuguese government's declared willingness to promote long-term renewals via fifteen-year contracts to give investors confidence. In addition, the proposed plant benefits from the excellent sunshine conditions in the south of Portugal. Finally, the financing is facilitated by capital which is flowing in at very attractive rates by redirecting liquidities.

Eric Scotto concludes: "The contract obtained provides all the conditions for success: long term, stability, low volatility, predictability and above all it represents the energy of the future".

Tecsol of^1st September

PV Magazine of 27 August

Engie and Mirova are already working together to develop wind energy projects in Spain: the Goya project with a combined capacity of 300 MW, and the Phoenix project with a combined capacity of 342 MW, in the Aragon region.

PV Magazine of 27 August

The poor performance of this experiment is attributed to the effects of accumulated dust, damage to the solar panels caused by passing vehicles, and the weather conditions in the country. Added to this is the enormous noise caused by vehicles on this stretch of road.

The French government is going to launch a new experiment by installing a new solar panel with a higher conversion rate and lower cost on a 400-metre stretch of road.

https://www.energytrend.com/research/20190802-14780.html

EnergyTrend of 2 August

In western North Dakota, the Power Generation Establishment Act and regulations restrict the development of new energy infrastructure, including solar power, on prime agricultural land.

It is not yet clear whether other states will follow the example of Michigan and North Dakota and take steps to preserve the soil from solar energy.

Landowners will surely continue to look for useful ways to diversify their sources of income; utilities, businesses and residential electricity users will surely continue to look for the most efficient ways to add solar energy to the Midwest's generation mix.

PV Magazine August 28th

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The Victorian government has approved three projects in the Shepparton area with a combined generating capacity of 175 MW. However, some residents are unhappy about the loss of prime agricultural land and now useless irrigation equipment, which had been upgraded with government subsidies.

PV Magazine of 28 August

Editor's note It is the first signs that farmers or authorities are rejecting the idea that the installation of solar panels will change their living environment. The protest has only just begun but it will become more pronounced in the coming quarters. This is affecting the central United States and Australia.

It is striking that it is in the most agricultural and sparsely populated regions that the challenge is emerging, whereas in densely populated areas (Vietnam), people are trying to see how photovoltaic can be integrated into economic activity and help production.

Land availability is another factor in the rapid adoption of bifacial products. It was recently boosted in the United States by President Trump's exemption from Section 201 duties on solar products manufactured in the Far East.

PV Magazine of August 29th

The two-sided panels :

their demand is steadily increasing, which is reflected in the bifacial cells. Hence the change in the price of standard cells and that of high efficiency bifacial cells (> 21.5%) in the first half of 2019 for overseas (left) and for the Chinese market (right).

Graph 1: Price Trends of Superior High Efficiency (>21.5%) Standard and Bifacial Cells Worldwide for 1H19. (Left: Overseas (non-China), USD/W; Right: China, RMB/W)

Chinese manufacturers produce 98% of all bifacial cells. Chinese domestic demand is sourced locally, unlike foreign markets; prices for bifacial cells are higher because they have higher efficiency. They are better able to withstand downward pressure in China than in foreign markets. The price of high-efficiency bifacial cells in the first half of 2019 is stable on the Chinese market (from 1.31 RMB / W to 1.31 RMB / W, and down 4.4% for other foreign markets (from 0.183 USD / W to 0.175 USD / W).

The price differential between standard high efficiency cells and bifacial cells will evolve according to the balance between supply and demand. Demand is strong and concentrated in the Chinese markets, which leads to fairly frequent price fluctuations. However, other overseas markets do not demand as much bifacial products as China at the moment, so prices are rather stable.

Platelet size The format of the plates was, twenty years ago, 4 inches. In 2013, the 5-inch format (156.75 mm x 156.75 mm) became the norm. For manufacturers, larger formats allowed (and still allow) to reduce costs and increase efficiency.

In theory, different sizes of inserts should have different prices. However, when comparing prices in China in the^first half of the year, the price difference decreases when demand shrinks.

Graph 2: Price Trends of Mono/Multi Wafers Worldwide for 1H19 (Left: Overseas (non-China), USD/Pc; Right: China, RMB/Pc)

When products have become more diverse, buyers have more choice. Prices vary according to demand and market acceptance rather than actual market value.

https://www.energytrend.com/research/20190827-15080.html

EnergyTrend of 26 August

Editor's note The article sheds new light. According to him, the price depends mainly on demand and not on production costs.
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THE WORLD

* 11.4 GW installed in China in the first quarter; 38 to 42 GW in 2019 ?

PV Tech of August 24th

Editor's note The important thing is not in these statistics, but in the possibility for developers to create solar installations without government approval because of the grid parity that is gradually being introduced in China. If there will be few installations in 2019, there will be many more in 2020.

As a result of these customs duties, the sales of batteries that used to come from China (the world's number one with more than half of the world's production) will now be exported from Korea, Japan, Poland, etc.

Of course, various voices are being raised to contest the appropriateness of these customs duties on panels or batteries.

PV Magazine of August 27th

Editor's note The trade war is growing between China and the United States. China is delaying until the November 2020 elections hoping that D. Trump will be defeated. Conversely, the president wants to show that he is defending American interests.
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THE PRODUCTS

* The demand for followers will increase in the next five years.

The USA will remain the largest market for trackers. Installations in Europe, the Middle East and Africa (EMEA) will increase significantly. Competition will increase in Europe: the current dominant suppliers (PV Hardware and Soltec, which hold half of the market in the EMEA region), will be challenged by Europeans such as Convert, Ideematec and NCLAVE, a subsidiary of Trina Solar, and by Americans Nextracker and Array Technologies.

Despite the rapid growth in the EMEA region, installations in America (especially the USA and Mexico) will remain dominant. Asia has great potential for the use of trackers.

Distribution of ground-based tracker power plants over 1 MW :

The growing demand for two-sided panels is also helping to stimulate the demand for trackers, thanks to their potential to further increase the efficiency and reduce the cost per watt of tracking systems. The cost differential between two-faced and single-faced panels has been reduced in recent years. This price gap will become insignificant compared to efficiency gains by 2020-2021.

PV Magazine of August 30

Editor's note The study seems serious but it is open to criticism:

Of the amounts envisaged: 150 GW over five years, that makes 30 GW per year (on average). This is just what is installed in 2018, when 100 GW have been installed. From then on, there would be no diffusion of the tracking process, even though everyone recognises the increase in yield that the mobility of the panels brings.

On the combination of a tracker and a bifacial panel: it allows a significant increase in energy production, for a cost almost identical to that of a single-facial panel. The association is obvious without being discussed...
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- LONGi increased its research and development expenditures from $175.5 million in 2017 to $182.7 million in 2018, representing the

seventh consecutive year of increased spending and the second consecutive year of record spending in the photovoltaic industry. It is PV Tech's largest R&D expenditure for 2018.

- Hanergy Thin Film (now renamed Hanergy Mobile Energy Group) became the second largest R&D investor in 2018, spending $134.6 million, up from $79.2 million in the previous year, when it ranked fifth.

- GCL ranks third with spending of US$91.4 million, up from US$165.2 million in 2017, making it second only to LONGi.

- Tongwei has climbed up the rankings with research and development expenditure of US$88.8 million in 2018, up from US$53.4 million in the previous year. The company is fourth in 2018, up from seventh in 2017.

- First Solar (5th^{) and} SunPower (6th) ^spent$84.5 million and $81.7 million respectively in 2018.

- Zhongli Talesun (7th⁾ spent US$77.9 million on R&D in 2018 ($69.8 million the previous year).

- Tianjin Zhonghuan Semiconductor (TZS) in 8th ^place spent US$59.9 million in 2018, ($53.5 million in 2017).

- JinkoSolar (9th⁾ increased its research and development expenditure to $53.3 million in 2018 ($45.2 million in 2017).

- Risen Energy (10th⁾ reduced its R&D spending in 2018 to $49.2 million, (down from $56.4 million).

PV Tech blog of August 29th

Editor's note In a business in perpetual evolution, investing little in research and development condemns the company to eventually lose part of its competitiveness compared to those who carry out important research. The latter will find processes, improvements or innovations that the former will not have the means to find.

Of course, there is research and research. It is not because we invest a lot that we find new solutions. In fact, some research is fruitless or wasted. But it is perseverance in the effort that pays off. The company derives processes or savings that distinguish it from less ambitious or less wealthy competitors.

The R&D budget is the easiest to cut. All that is needed is not to grant certain credits. Since all companies are aware of the fundamental role of R&D and its place in competitiveness, shrinking budgets reflect the situation of companies: they are cut back because the company's overall situation is worse. For a year or two at most, a reduction does not affect the company's results, which on the contrary are stimulated. It is then that turnover and profits are disrupted. For example, the reduction in First Solar's budget over the past two years is already reflected in the accounts, even though the company can announce increased sales and orders. The latter come from the R&D effort made three or four years ago.

A slowing trend in spending is emerging. In 2014 out of 2013, only two companies had reduced their spending; in 2018, 11 companies reduced their spending, surpassing for the first time the nine that increased it. This is due to the Chinese government's May 31 measures that shut down new facilities.

Two companies (First Solar and Yingli Green) have reduced spending for four consecutive years since 2015. Two other companies (Eging PV and Hareon Solar) have reduced spending for three consecutive years; two others (ZJ Sunflower, Wuxi Suntech) have reduced spending for two consecutive years.

Two companies (First Solar and Yingli Green) have reduced spending for four consecutive years since 2015. Two other companies (Eging PV and Hareon Solar) have reduced spending for three consecutive years; two others (ZJ Sunflower, Wuxi Suntech) have reduced spending for two consecutive years.

Some companies have increased their R&D efforts.Two companies (LONGi Group and Zhongli Talesun) have steadily increased their R&D spending since 2012. Others have increased their investments in 2018 : JinkoSolar, Canadian Solar, SunPower, Tongwei, Hanergy Thin Film, URE, TZS and Comtec.

The companies are divided into four groups:

1°) Five companies (First Solar, LONGi, Hanergy Thin Film, SunPower and GCL) constitute the leading group in R&D spending. They have spent between $400 and $600 million over the last five years. They are separated from the rest of the sample by a minimum of US$100 million in cumulative R&D spending over the last five years.

In the 2018 rankings, SunPower has lost two places to LONGi and Hanergy Thin Film, as the latter two have experienced rapid growth in R&D spending over the past three years. It was about to lose a third place to GCL, but GCL has significantly reduced its R&D spending in 2018.

2°) Zhongli Talesun, TZS and Tongwei Group constitute a second powerful group accelerating R&D spending in recent years, spending between $200 and $250 million over the next five years.

3°) The acceleration of R&D spending by Risen Energy, JinkoSolar and Canadian Solar over the last two years will enable them to move ahead of Yingli Green very quickly, but they remain at a respectable distance from the previous group with a cumulative amount of $120 to $180 million over five years.

4°) The companies following Canadian Solar invest so little in R&D that a gap is widening between the leading companies and the others.

Research & development as a percentage of turnover :

Traditionally, companies invested between 0.8% and 3% of their turnover. First Solar and SunPower have always been exceptions with higher percentages. Now the gap between the companies has widened. This is due to the proprietary technology of these two groups, which requires higher expenses as a percentage of turnover. At the same time, the low R&D rates of JinkoSolar and Canadian Solar (two of the world's largest panel manufacturers) have little effect on their place in the ranking.

The chart below groups the integrated manufacturers LONGi, TZS and GCL. LONGi and TZS have increased their sales rapidly, which has reduced the R&D/sales rate.

It emerges that the emerging players are those with high R&D expenditure over five years.

https://www.pv-tech.org/editors-blog/rd-spending-analysis-of-21-pv-manufacturers

PV Tech's blog of August 19th

Editor's note The analysis of research and development spending allows us to determine the near future of the companies concerned. The relative weakness of First Solar's and SunPower's R&D partly explains their operating losses and more generally the decrease in their economic influence in recent quarters. LONGi's efforts are reflected in the emergence of this company. Conversely, GCL's low investments explain the group's difficulties and its relative decline among manufacturers.

There is therefore a strong correlation between the rate of R&D spending and the three or four-year future of the companies.

A nuance must be made between fully integrated companies and those that only assemble panels: the latter seem to have less need for a high amount of R&D, which would explain why they are part of the 3rd group.

GCL's financial situation is very bad: an amount of 30 billion RMB is to be repaid in the next twelve months. The parent company borrowed RMB 64 billion over the half year. Management says it will be able to borrow more to repay maturing loans, and that there are no foreseeable difficulties ...

Over six months, the project development activity of its subsidiary GCL New Energy (GNE) generated revenues of RMB 3.4 billion (up 16% year-on-year) and a net profit of RMB 410 million. Management plans to sell GNE

PV Magazine of August 23rd

Editor's note The GCL group is gradually sinking. It does not seem to have benefited from the opening of new silicon production units, its idea of using black silicon does not seem to be competitive with monocrystalline, and finally the group's management no longer seems to be as efficient. Given its notoriety, it is not possible to put it into bankruptcy. We are only going to see it sinking into losses, losing market shares, becoming insignificant with its multi-crystalline, which has made its fortune. When it has lost enough prestige and weight, it will disappear.
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PV Tech of August 27th

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How to avoid panel fires?

The solar panels currently on the market mainly consist of glass panels, EVA polymer glue, photovoltaic cells, protective foils and aluminium frames. The resulting thermal resistance is high, so why do they burn?

To better understand these incidents, you need to know how the solar panel works. It converts sunlight into direct current. This is converted into alternating current by the inverter. This is when the energy can be fed into the grid or consumed by itself. This complex circuit is the result of numerous lines or equipment. This assembly must be checked regularly.

Problems can also occur during the photovoltaic energy conversion process, such as hot spots, cracks and yellowing, which reduce energy production and damage the solar cells and panels. They are caused by the quality of the photovoltaic cells, incorrect installation or maintenance, shading situations or even bird droppings, ... Damaged or blocked areas of a photovoltaic cell heat up. To reduce hot spots, manufacturers usually connect a bypass diode in the junction box to increase the current path and protect the panels from fire. Bypass diodes also need to be replaced. The current will also heat up as it passes through the bypass diode, increasing the temperature of the junction box.

Solar inverters, which serve as DC/AC inverters, have several protection mechanisms, such as DC isolators: anti-islanding protection. This protection against fire or electric shocks comes from the electrical separation. The anti-islanding protection is also a switch for solar energy. All distributed solar power generators with grid connections must have anti-islanding protection. Grid-connected inverters must be able to disconnect immediately from the grid in the event of a power failure, to avoid danger to maintenance personnel.

There should be no danger in most cases, provided that the installation is carried out correctly. The fire risk of solar panels is 1 in 80,000, which is lower than that of other electrical equipment.

Monitoring and maintenance is required

In Great Britain, the DBEIS survey of 80 fires caused by solar energy found that the DC insulator is the most exposed to fires, probably because the DC insulator is also electromechanical equipment. 26 of the 80 accidents are due to poor design or installation, while the DC insulator has the second highest ignition rate.

The UK's Building Research Establishment (BRE) reports that 36% of incidents were due to problematic installations of solar energy systems; 12% were due to product failures; 5% were the result of faulty designs. 47% of the remaining incidents cannot be attributed to solar panels.

In Japan, over the last ten years, 127 fire accidents related to solar installations have occurred in the archipelago. 70% of these were caused by a lack of regular inspections.

https://www.energytrend.com/news/20190826-15050.html

EnergyTrend of 26 August

The reliability of renewable energies will depend on the development of storage solutions. This will eliminate intermittency and the strategic dependence on oil. The only sticking point will be access to the materials essential for renewable energy. This can be circumvented by innovations that reduce the demand for these materials, and by recycling.

A world powered by renewable energy will not see massive transfers of wealth from the majority of countries to a small clique of resource-rich countries. Rather, renewable energy is a mix of industry, high-tech innovation and agriculture. It is quite different.

The shortage of rare earths is a potential threat, especially to the wind industry, which needs materials like neodymium for its magnets. "It's possible, but rare earths are not that rare," said Overland*. "On the contrary, they are difficult and expensive to extract. As demand increases, says Overland, more and more countries and companies will become interested in these materials. Recycling will play an important role, driven by rising prices and environmental awareness. Unlike coal or burnt oil, many critical materials used for renewable energy production can be recycled without leaving the industrial cycle. This is the fundamental difference between fossil fuel technology and renewable energy technology".

So the big difference with the hydrocarbon era is the emphasis that will be placed on mastering the technology. It is not certain that the Chinese will lead innovation. "It may be that solar panels will become so cheap that profit margins will become low, while margins will remain in storage and therefore in storage technology.

Increasing volumes of electricity will be traded between neighbouring regions and countries, which could reduce conflict. Trade relations could be more symmetrical and complementary. The world will depend on each other in a much more intertwined way than under the domination of a few oil companies with a stranglehold on energy security. Now, a big gas feud accompanied by a shutdown would give a new impetus to renewable energy.

* Mr Overland is director of the Centre for Energy Research at the Norwegian Institute of International Affairs.

https://www.pv-magazine.com/2019/08/22/renewables-and-geopolitics-there-wont-be-as-much-to-fight-over/

PV Magazine of August 22nd

Editor's note It's almost an idyllic world that Mr. Overland presents here. Certainly, the hydrocarbon-based world caused conflicts of possession. It is likely that the world of renewable energies will create other sources of conflict, because people are still the same as they are: always wanting more and crushing the weaker neighbour. These conflicts are not yet detectable because renewable energy is too new to have all its flaws. The only thing that is true is that the world will be different, that it will be driven more by research and innovation, that it will profoundly change social organisation with more interconnection between parts of the population.

Fraunhofer, the German international development organisation GIZ and the Vietnamese seafood supplier Viet Uc Seafood are working on a project for shrimp breeding pools covered with solar panels. Land-based aquaculture operations, which are common in Vietnam, usually cover their water tanks with a solar panel cover.