l'Actualité du Solaire

THIS WEEK'S NEWS HIGHLIGHTS.

The texts to be read this week :

FRANCE

The use of nuclear power makes a comeback on the French scene

If we want to eliminate hydrocarbons and coal, how can we replace polluting power plants? Renewable energies are recommended as the ideal solution. We dream about the contribution of hydrogen, but it will be in the long term. So RTE has drawn up two scenarios, one using only renewable energies to show that this is not possible or credible; the other using nuclear power as a non-polluting means of supplying electricity. By 2050, there is time to slow down the spread of renewables and make the use of nuclear power unthinkable. Hence :

RTE's lucidity over a 30-year horizon

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To know the importance of the modifications wanted by the government concerning the solar contracts 2006-2010

The public authorities have in their sights the solar electricity supply contracts concluded between 2006 and 2010. The holders of these contracts are concerned about the changes that could be imposed on them. Enerplan has developed a small software program to determine what could be imposed on these holders. It is important to know what could happen in order to prepare for it and to be prepared.

To answer the questions and concerns of power plant owners who have contracted between 2006 and 2010

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PRICES - PHOTOVOLTAIC PRODUCTION :

All speculation one day turns around. Are we at that stage?

Silicon producers have done a good job of getting wafer manufacturers to enter into long-term supply contracts. Most of the needs of the major cell and panel manufacturers were covered by these contracts. This left only a marginal need to be covered, which made it easy to manipulate prices. Only at some point, users prefer to use their stocks and limit their purchases rather than buy at too high a price. We may be at that level of hesitation, and therefore of market reversal:

Has silicon finished its price rise?

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STORAGE:

Would you rather change your habits or have a third party capture the CO2 you emit?

Environmentalists are warning of global warming due to greenhouse gas emissions and more specifically carbon dioxide (CO2) released into the atmosphere. The main targets are users of hydrocarbons. Hence the measures taken to avoid increasing the global temperature, which would melt all the glaciers. The solutions proposed are numerous. Everyone knows them but they are restrictive in everyday life. Scientists have discovered how to capture CO2 and transform_it into solid carbon. If this discovery is confirmed, it would change all the models recommended until now to limit the rise in temperature:

Solid luminescent carbon obtained from carbon dioxide (CO2) gas.

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HYDROGEN :

It is said that the causticity of hydrogen destroys the pipes intended for natural gas. Nothing is worth realizing, hence the project of a mixed pipeline: a traditional part, another adapted and long enough for the hydrogen to have time to disturb the quality of the pipeline:

Hydrogen in a nutshell: 475 km of pipeline to test; HPS - Energieinsel partnership

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THE USE OF SOLAR PANELS

Second warning against degradation of panel quality

This is the second warning in a few weeks about the deterioration of panel quality. The first one reported changes in the nomenclature of components that were probably cheaper or less available. Apparently all brands are more or less affected by this degradation. As long as there are only a handful of manufacturers, it is hardly possible to change suppliers. They are aware of their position of strength and can only assert that their priority is quality, quality, quality (cf. PV Tech interviews at SNEC) and place lower quality components!

Again, a warning about panel quality

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PHOTOVOLTAIC MANUFACTURERS:

It is encouraging to be informed that a US panel manufacturer is failing to produce enough to meet demand. This is especially true when Chinese products are being challenged when they are available

First Solar faces a flood of orders

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PV company executives are worse than French politicians. Asked how they got through the rise in glass and then silicon prices, their answer is off the mark. Only the angle of their answer indicates their concerns. This is what makes these answers interesting.

PV Tech's interviews at SNEC (Part 1)

PV Tech interviews at SNEC (part 2)

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