L R AS Published on Tuesday 28 March 2023 - n° 438 - Categories:News of the Month
This week's highlights, as of 26 March 2023
The point in focus
The photovoltaic world is primarily interested in the production and installation of panels and in national electricity production statistics. It rarely looks at the results of these installations, particularly in terms of consumption. France urbaine, Enedis and GRDF had the idea of presenting the evolution of renewable energies in the metropolises, agglomeration communities and urban communities in which 45% of French people live. The idea is that the emergence of renewable energies is also at work in these areas, and that city councillors are seeking to develop their installations to avoid the use of fossil fuels
These three organisations draw up an overview of energy consumption and production in 69 urban areas. This overview extends the first edition from 2017, with data from 2021.
1st important point: a symposium brought together panel buyers to explain their purchasing motivation
What do panel buyers pay attention to?
Secondary point 2:rising interest rates are reducing the volume of global activity and possibly creating a recession. As a result, there is less need for raw materials. Prices fall
Metal prices at rock bottom on fear of a global recession
3rd point point (subsidiary) 3rd point (subsidiary): A change in the tender regulations renders the wind and probably the PV tenders invalid
Onshore wind tender rejected, PV tender uncertain.
Other interesting points The 2022 results of companies
Voltalia in 2022: pause last year, favourable 2023 forecast, disappointing 2027 forecast
Meyer Burger in 2022: continues to grow
RWE in 2022: generates about 70% of its results from renewable energies
AS Published on Tuesday 28 March 2023 - n° 438 - Categories:PV Watch
A look at RE in French urban communities
The photovoltaic world is primarily interested in the production and installation of panels and in national statistics on electricity production. It rarely looks at the results of these installations, particularly in terms of consumption. France urbaine, Enedis and GRDF had the idea of presenting the evolution of renewable energies in the metropolises, agglomeration communities and urban communities in which 45% of French people live. The idea is that the emergence of renewable energies is also at work in these areas, and that city councillors are seeking to develop their installations to avoid the use of fossil fuels
These three organisations draw up an overview of energy consumption and production in 69 urban areas. This panorama extends the first edition dating from 2017, with data from 2021.
L R AS Published on Monday 20 March 2023 - n° 437 - Categories:News of the Month
This week's highlights, as of 19 March 2023
The point in focus
The rise in interest rates has already led to the failure of several US banks, which are seeing their investments in Treasury bonds depreciate. One of them, Silicon Valley Bank, the 16th largest in the US, has fallen victim to social networking. As it was internationalised, it is passing on its failure to banks in different countries which will suffer losses. At the same time, the banking world will be temporarily more cautious, more careful about borrowers, more demanding about credit conditions. Photovoltaics will lose out
A look aton the consequences for photovoltaics of the failure of an American bank
1st important point :
This is the first announcement that perovskite technology can be commercialised. No doubt that other manufacturers will
will soon announce that they also have this technology
A first: Ascent Solar switches to perovskite technology
2nd secondary point :
Aurora Solar presents the parts of a PV installation that can deviate from normality
Why do the advertised performances of panels or systems not match the reality?
3rd point (subsidiary) :
The process is simple and effective, but probably difficult to industrialise
Increasing the efficiency of ICS films that direct light into HJT panels
Other interesting points :
European Commission proposes electricity market reform; Further presentation on electricity market reform
Floating installation in the Mediterranean off the coast of Sète
False expectations of prosumers
AS Published on Monday 20 March 2023 - n° 437 - Categories:PV Watch
A look at the consequences for photovoltaics of the failure of a US bank
The rise in interest rates has already led to the failure of several American banks, which are seeing their investments in Treasury bonds depreciate. One of them, the Silicon Valley Bank, the 16th largest in the United States, has fallen victim to social networks. As it was internationalised, it is passing on its failure to banks in different countries which will suffer losses. At the same time, the banking world will be temporarily more cautious, more careful about borrowers, more demanding about credit conditions. Photovoltaics will lose out.
L R AS Published on Wednesday 15 March 2023 - n° 436 - Categories:News of the Month
This week's highlights, as of 12 March 2023
The point in focus
A careful observer is constantly being asked to make announcements of new production units in Chinese photovoltaics, new plans for capacity increases that sometimes follow each other at intervals of two or three months. At the risk of believing that it is the same announcement repeated with a delay!
It is only a question of a well-planned organisation that anticipates a growth in demand and provides for a safety margin that is often double the manufacturing volume
AS Published on Wednesday 15 March 2023 - n° 436 - Categories:PV Watch
A look at the anticipation of Chinese production capacity
A careful observer is constantly being asked to make announcements of new production units in Chinese photovoltaics, new plans for capacity increases that sometimes follow each other at intervals of two or three months. At the risk of believing that it is the same announcement repeated with a delay!
It is only a question of a well-planned organisation that anticipates a growth in demand and provides for a safety margin that is often double the manufacturing volume
L R AS Published on Tuesday 7 March 2023 - n° 435 - Categories:News of the Month
This week's highlights, as of 5 March 2023
The point in evidence: recent history of silicon
The Chinese government saw the value of photovoltaics before the rest of the world and organised a control of this sector of activity. They helped, financed and organised the various stages of panel production. Above all, they perceived that control of the upstream (silicon and wafers) allowed them to control the downstream (production of cells and panels). From then on, they allowed a few small panel assembly activities to develop, as if to make people forget their control over the entire industry, while having the possibility of limiting or restricting the expansion of these mini-companies.
The article describes how the Chinese have managed to organise their domination, to take advantage of their hegemony. Only this domination is attracting backlash from India and the US.
The Chinese silicon cartel has its best days behind it
1st important point: investigations follow one another and all come to the same conclusions: the announced yield of the panels is not the one observed
A new analysis indicates a 3% loss on solar panels
2nd secondary point: On the strength of their success in revising contracts signed before 2010
French RE actors have filed a petition for annulment, regarding the sharing of super profits
3rd (subsidiary) point point (subsidiary) Several companies have had an excellent year in 2022
A flood of orders in 2022 at First Solar
Array in 2022: excellent year
Soltec in 2022: good year
Other interesting points :
CRE publishes new tariffs and premiums until 30 April
AS Published on Tuesday 7 March 2023 - n° 435 - Categories:PV Watch
A look at the Chinese PV industry (continued: silicon)
Having perceived the interest in photovoltaics before the rest of the world, the Chinese authorities organised a control of this sector of activity. They helped, financed and organised the various stages of panel production. Above all, they perceived that control of the upstream (silicon and wafers) allowed them to control the downstream (production of cells and panels). From then on, they allowed a few small panel assembly activities to develop, as if to make people forget their control over the entire industry, while having the possibility of limiting or restricting the expansion of these mini-companies.
The article describes how the Chinese have managed to organise their domination, to take advantage of their hegemony. Only this domination is attracting backlash from India and the US.
The Chinese silicon cartel has its best days behind it
L R AS Published on Tuesday 28 February 2023 - n° 434 - Categories:News of the Month
This week's highlights, as of 26 February
The point in evidence
Various Chinese official bodies have just published the data for the photovoltaic industry for the year 2022. This is the first year that the data has been published in a systematic way. An effort has been made by the Chinese administration to present the data in a systematic way, but as the data comes from different bodies, some gross errors have crept into the figures. Some of them have been detected. The most important thing is that we can now get an idea of the Chinese PV industry at the end of last year.
The first important point is that it was announced that large silicon production units would start operating at the end of 2022. What is the point if there is collusion between producers?
Slight increase in silicon prices
2nd secondary point: byentering into long-term supply agreements for silicon and wafers, Meyer Burger facilitates the installation and development of producers. It completes the autonomy of its sector
Meyer Burger is building a European PV industry!
3rd (subsidiary) point (subsidiary) 2nd point: the Atlantic photovoltaic business has had to face supply difficulties, but also the effects of the forced labour law, as well as the threat of import duties due to product circumvention
Large-scale plants installed in 2022 in the US
Other interesting points :
Commission's industrial plan gets lukewarm reception
pvXchange wonders about upcoming panel price developments
By 2022, European solar and wind production has overtaken gas production
AS Published on Tuesday 28 February 2023 - n° 434 - Categories:PV Watch
A look at the Chinese PV industry
Various Chinese official bodies have just published data on the photovoltaic industry for the year 2022. This is the first year that the data has been published in a systematic way. An effort has been made by the Chinese administration to present the data, but as the data comes from different bodies, some gross errors have crept into the figures. Some of them have been detected. The most important thing is that we can now get an idea of the Chinese PV industry at the end of last year.
L R AS Published on Monday 6 February 2023 - n° 433 - Categories:News of the Month
This week's highlights, as of 5 February (No 433)
The central point: what effects does and will the lower panel price have?
In a few years, the price of panels has collapsed as a result of productivity, technical progress, and increased demand. In a short space of time, the need for a subsidy to buy the panels has been replaced by the claim that solar energy is much cheaper than any other energy. Although the downward movement has been interrupted for the past thirty months, announcements of silicon production units coming on stream will re-launch the price reductions for panels.
The speed of these events has obscured the consequences of the decline in panel prices. It is time to examine what has changed as a result.
The first important point is that global demand for panels in 2022 would have been much higher than expected. 2023 estimates suggest much higher demand growth than in recent years
2022 PV installation estimates are mind-boggling; 2023 estimates are impressive
2nd point: we have been stuck with habits; an Australian recommends redesigning construction sites, installing panels, prioritising
How to reduce the cost of solar energy?
3rd point (subsidiary) The manufacturers have succeeded in imposing a price increase. This movement should be short-lived
Recovery of silicon in the second half of January
Other interesting points What was a working hypothesis has become reality
AS Published on Monday 6 February 2023 - n° 433 - Categories:PV Watch
A look at changing habits in the PV
Within a few years, the price of panels collapsed as a result of productivity, technical progress, and the multiplication of their number. In a short space of time, the need for a subsidy to buy the panels was replaced by the claim that solar energy was much cheaper than any other energy. Although the downward trend has been interrupted for the past thirty months, announcements of silicon production units coming on stream will re-launch the price reductions for panels.
The speed of these events has obscured the consequences of the decline in panel prices. It is time to examine what has changed as a result.
L R AS Published on Monday 30 January 2023 - n° 432 - Categories:News of the Month
This week's highlights, as of 29 January 2023 (No. 432)
The focus
While renewable energies seem to be the future of humanity, why is there no European policy to stimulate the industry? Why do open letters, or associations fail to make themselves heard by the European Commission? Why does the European dependence on Russian gas, which has caused so much economic disruption over the past twelve months, not alert leaders to the much more sensitive dependence on Chinese photovoltaic production? These few questions remain unexplained in commentary and policy decisions. An AFP document that Solar News obtained explains what seemed to be an enigma
AS Published on Monday 30 January 2023 - n° 432 - Categories:PV Watch
A look at Ms van der Leyen's Davos speech
While renewable energies seem to be the future of humanity, why is there no European policy to stimulate the industry? Why do open letters or associations fail to make themselves heard by the European Commission? Why does the European dependence on Russian gas, which has caused so much economic disruption over the past twelve months, not alert leaders to the much more sensitive dependence on Chinese photovoltaic production? These few questions remain unexplained in commentary and policy decisions. An AFP document that Solar News obtained explains what seemed to be an enigma
L R AS Published on Monday 23 January 2023 - n° 431 - Categories:News of the Month