The 2023 Smart Energy Forum took place at Prague's O2 Universum conference hall from Oct. 17 to 18. The event drew 5,000 attendees and 72 exhibitors across 8,500 m² of floor space, with more than 30 panel discussions focused on solar. pv magazine covered the first day of the conference in Prague, Czechia.

As the central European nation clocked in 2,627 MW of installed solar PV capacity at the end of 2022 – which is 426 MW up from the previous year, according to estimates published by the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) – the Czech Republic’s continued achievement of these solar gains was on the lips of most attendees. However, the obstacles in the way of these achievements – fraudulent operators, lagging grid infrastructure, and lengthy application processes – were also heavily discussed and dissected.

Czech Environment Minister Petr Hladik said that the solar industry is currently experiencing a huge boom. However, he dashed hopes for the country only pursuing PV by stating that its generating capacity would be a mix of renewables and nuclear. There are six commercial reactors generating roughly one-third of the landlocked country’s electricity.

Hladik said the government is on the cusp of releasing a national climate policy. The document will establish a roadmap for the government to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050, including a fivefold increase in solar and wind capacity. He added that the government also wants to increase grid flexibility.

Robert Sedmera, a sales representative for Austrian PV manufacturer Fronius, told pv magazine that the company has operated in Czechia since 1991. He said that does not believe the country’s solar capabilities will ever eclipse nuclear, but noted that the public appetite is leaning more toward the sun and cheaper electricity prices. He added that the price for electricity is currently “high” at CZK 6 ($0.24)/kWh, and noted that there is an additional distribution fee of around CZK 4 crowns, bringing the total cost to CZK 10/kWh.

“About two, three, four years ago, the price for the electricity was much lower, so then the also the return of investment was 10 years or 12 years,” Sedmera said. “Nobody would like to, and nobody could, I would say, imagine that electricity would now cost that much.”

He said that compared to Austria and Poland, Czechia is not meeting all demand for solar. The government is “taking too long” to approve installations, he said.

Martin Bursik, president of European Renewable Energies Federation (EREF), said that the elephant in the room for Czechia is the government's lengthy approval process. However, he noted that a directive is in the pipeline so these times could be slashed if projects meet certain criteria.

Pavel Chovanec, sales manager of local distribution company SolSol, told pv magazine that government subsidies have helped to ramp up commercial PV installations of late. But he said that he agrees that local authorities need to expedite sluggish processes.

Miloš Preisinger, a renewable energy specialist for Swiss mechatronics specialist Stäubli, told pv magazine that the local solar market is growing due to changing government legislation and growing community desire to cut back on fossil fuel emissions. However, he claimed that “risky products and companies” have threatened to derail the reputation of the local sector.

Milan Hošek, a representative from the Czech Photovoltaic Association, echoed these concerns. He told pv magazine that the caliber of rooftop installations is the “biggest problem” facing the domestic industry. He said that incorrectly installed PV rooftop arrays pose lightning risks, and that could damage the sector's reputation.

Preisinger said another “major problem” is grid connection. The government needs to invest in improving aging infrastructure, he said, estimating it would cost “many millions” over at least five years to ensure that the entire country is properly connected.

“It is very important because many people have made investments to the photovoltaic system,” Preisinger said.

Stepan Chalupa, president of the Czech Renewable Energy Chamber, said that Czechia's energy market is continuously improving, but better regulations are needed to prohibit fraudulent providers from operating. This concern was echoed by Natálie Foltýnová, marketing coordinator of German renewables developer BayWa re.

Due to surging energy prices caused by the war in Ukraine, “everyone wanted PV on their roof in the Czech Republic” last year, she said. This led to more mounting companies flooding the market, but not always delivering results. “They only collected money,” Foltýnová explained. “Now everybody is afraid, and nobody trusts the mounting system companies.”

Chalupa appeared to express optimism about the government working with stakeholders to establish key acceleration project zones. Later in the day, Pavel Doucha, founder and partner of the local law firm Doucha Šikola advokáti, clarified this legislative push in greater detail.

“I heard from our partner that there will be some subsidy model commercial solution, for example, a factory can install the commercial operation though the commercial solution, [and] can save more money on the electricity bill,” she said. “I think it will be good for business.”

The European Council approved a proposal this week to improve electricity market design in Europe. If the European Parliament approves the reforms, they will result in more stable energy prices, lower dependence on fossil fuel costs, and better crisis resilience, according to Teresa Ribera Rodríguez, Spain's ecological transition minister.

Two-way contracts for difference – only applied after a transition period of three years, but five years for hybrid projects connected to two or more bidding zones – would apply to investments in renewable energy, including solar.

“The council added flexibility as to how revenues generated by the state through two-way CfDs would be redistributed,” it said. “Revenues would be redistributed to final customers and they may also be used to finance the costs of the direct price support schemes or investments to reduce electricity costs for final customers.”

The proposal includes a clause regarding consumer protection, with the amendment establishing the free choice of supplier and the option of accessing dynamic electricity prices. This would be across fixed-term and long-term contracts.

“The council agreed to stricter rules than previously for suppliers in their price-hedging strategies to shield customers from variations on wholesale markets,” the council stated. “It agreed to protect vulnerable customers from disconnections by putting in place ‘supplier of last resort’ systems to ensure the continuity of supply at least for household customers if such systems do not already exist.

Up to 944 GW direct current installed capacity could be deployed if 1% (157,621 hectares) of utilized agricultural area (UAA) in the European Union applied agrivoltaic systems – a fivefold increase on the total EU installed capacity in 2022, a new assessment by the European Commission’s Joint Research Centre (JRC) states.

In the “Overview of the Potential and Challenges for Agri-Photovoltaics in the European Union” report, the researchers determined this figure assuming an installed capacity per land area of 0.6 MW per hectare, with the EU’s total UAA being 158 million hectares.

“Agri-PV potential of installed capacity is at TW scale for the two main land categories of arable land and permanent grassland and meadow assuming that they are covered by 10 % and 5 % with Agri-PV systems,” the paper states. “If the 10% of EU's UAA is covered with Agri-PV systems, the installed capacity could be between 3.2 and 14.2 TW, while only 5 % of coverage would lead to a total capacity comprised between 1.5 and 7 TW.”

Some parameters are still hindering agri-PV’s large-scale success, the JRC researchers found. Issues include no clear definition of what agrivoltaics is or what the European standards are, among others.

“One of the main challenges for Agri-PV is related to the absence of a clear and EU-harmonised definition, which could lead to land characterization changes when Agri-PV systems are installed on agricultural land. This change could have an impact on the eligibility to agricultural subsidies,” the document states.

Member states are also “general” in their plans to support investments in renewable energy, with support for agrivoltaics not explicitly mentioned in a majority country’s strategic plans.

“Technical challenges as well as challenges regarding the permitting and grid connection procedures have been also identified. In addition, there has been an increase in land prices impacting the welfare and security of the farmers. Finally, regardless of the technological advancements, there are still technical challenges that need to be addressed in order to maximize the electricity production while taking into consideration the biodiversity and without compromising significantly the crop yield.”

Agrivoltaics' potential could be unlocked if policymakers made changes, according to the report's 17 recommendations. This includes ensuring certified agri-PV systems were not excluded from common agricultural policy (CAP) subsidies; further research and development, and pilot schemes to overcome technical challenges; financial support through member states’ national policies was provided; and more.

Agri-PV deployment could also be fast-tracked through spatial planning and simplifying permitting and grid connection procedures, with the farmer's economic benefit and property security placed front-of-mind for governments.

“Even though it is not a new concept, the interest for this form of PV deployment has increased rapidly over the last few years mainly due to the increasing need for electricity production and the limited availability of new land due to the increasing global food demand,” the paper states. “Continued research and development, in particular cross-cutting studies that take into account energy, crop yield and biodiversity aspects, will be essential to overcome technical challenges and ensure fully sustainable solutions for the future.”

Total corporate funding – including venture capital funding, public market and debt financing – for the solar industry experienced a 55% year-on-year increase in Q3 2023 and is currently valued at $28.9 billion, up from last year’s $18.7 billion in Q3 2022, new analysis by Mercom Capital Group reveals.

The total corporate financing deals, however, decreased by 5% year-over-year, with only 124 in the first nine months of 2023 compared to 131 over the same period in 2022.

According to Mercom Capital Group CEO Raj Prabhu, the solid results from the first three quarters of 2023 were due to a “strong push” towards global decarbonization and incentives from the North American Inflation Reduction Act. “M&A activity, on the other hand, has faced adverse effects, especially in the realm of project acquisitions, due to increased due diligence, higher costs, delays, and a tight labor market,” he said.

“Project developers and independent power producers were the most active acquirers of solar projects in Q3 2023 – picking up 2 GW – followed by insurance companies, pension funds, energy trading companies, industrial conglomerates, and IT firms with a total of 1.6 GW,” Mercom states.

“Investment firms acquired 959 MW; electric utilities acquired 877 MW; and oil and gas companies acquired 759 MW of projects.”

During the first three quarters of this year, there were fewer venture capital funding activity deals – 51 in the first nine months of 2023 compared to 72 over the same 2022 period – but this value increased 4% year-on-year, representing $5.7 billion in Q3 2023 compared to $5.5 billion in Q3 2022.

There were 10 solar top venture capital securitization deals totaling $3.2 billion in Q3 2023 compared to eight deals totaling $2.3 billion in Q3 2022, representing a 39% year-on-year increase. A total of 166 solar top disclosed mergers and acquisitions, comprising 31.6 GW, occurred in 9M 2023. This is compared to 207 projects acquired, comprising 52.2 GW, in 9M 2022.

Mercom Capital Group, a US-based communications and renewable energy research firm, publishes its Solar Funding and M&A Reports on a quarterly basis.

NPC Incorporated, a Tokyo-based solar equipment manufacturing company, will expand capacity due to steady progress and equipment demand from its main customer, an unnamed North American PV manufacturer, NPC announced in a press release today.

“Concerning the US solar photovoltaic industry, which is the main targeted market of the Machinery Business of NPC Group, long-term growth is expected [and is] backed by political supports that have activated capital expenditures for capacity expansion and R&D at US PV manufacturers,” the company said in its financial results for the fiscal year ended on August 31, 2023.

NPC Incorporated said the North American client has booked equipment for two new factories, without providing further details.

The equipment provider also stated that consolidated net sales for fiscal year 2023 hit JPY9,320 million ($62.4 million), representing a JPY4,941 million year-on-year increase. Net income, meanwhile, improved 135% year-on-year to JPY936 million.

Looking forward, NPC said it expects to generate revenue of JPY10,327 million and a net profit of JPY1,112 million in fiscal year 2024.

The company specializes in making PV module manufacturing equipment and automation machines, but also offers solar power plant inspection services, recycling and reusing capabilities, among other offerings.

NPC said it also expects a steady increase in solar panel recycling machine sales slated for overseas markets, such as Europe, and Japan. The sale of parts and inspection services for solar power plants is expected to stabilize.

The Irish government has allotted €380 million ($403 million) – what it is referring to as the “biggest ever budget” – for the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland’s residential and community upgrade schemes, which includes the solar PV grant scheme for homeowners.

The government made the announcement in its 2024 Budget, handed down on Tuesday, under the banner of “energy transformation.” The government said the allocation “will continue to build momentum in delivering on our national retrofit targets” and is a €24 million spend increase on last year.

Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications, Eamon Ryan TD, said in the first half of 2023 solar panel installation increased 231% from last year. This was followed by the government’s move to slash VAT. It is expected that 21,000 households will receive solar support by the end of the year, the announcement states.

But Conall Bolger, CEO of the Irish Solar Energy Association (ISEA), told pv magazine today that the budget was “perhaps not quite so generous as it first appears.” While he welcomed certain government measures, such as the new low-interest loan scheme for rooftop solar, and doubling the tax disregard when a household sells excess solar electricity back to the grid, some instruments lacked urgency and “fail to deliver meaningful actions.”

There was 616 MW of rooftop and ground-mounted solar PV connected to the Irish grid at the end of 2022, according to data provided by the Irish Distribution System Operator, ESB Networks, Bolger said. He said the department is forecasting 1,060 MW connected at the end of 2023.

In a wider commentary on the budget, Bolger said he was critical of the government’s failure to scrap tax barriers preventing farmers from leasing land for solar developments. “Central to Ireland’s decarbonisation plan is the government’s own stated ambition to develop 8 GW of solar energy by 2030,” he explained.

“This will require approximately 25,000 acres of solar farms within this decade and making this a reality will require the cooperation of farmers across the country. All farming families are conscious of tax exemptions to allow land to be passed on to the next generation without punitive tax bills. Inexplicably, this does not apply in instances where more than 50% of land is utilised by solar panels.”

He also expected the government to remove the “arbitrary rule” that “punishes” farmers who engage in renewable energy. Bolger said there is growing demand from home and business owners to implement rooftop solar PV panels, and meeting this demand would require more trained tradespeople to install the technology.

Morocco-based state-owned phosphate rock miner OCP Group intends to power mining operations with solar power at two sites in the northwest African country.

The company said in a statement it inked a €100 million ($106.0 million) contractual loan from the International Finance Corporation (IFC), with the money going towards partially funding the construction of €360 million twin solar PV plants located in the mining towns of Benguerir and Khouribga.

The projects are expected to have a combined capacity of 400 MW and to be linked with 100 MWh of battery storage. The two solar plants will provide energy to the unspecified mine's operations.

OCP group chairman and CEO, Mostafa Terrab, said the agreement is a “major milestone” towards the company achieving its target of 100% renewable energy in fertilizer production by 2027.

OCP's first started mining Khouribga for phosphate – a common fertilizer ingredient – in 1921, and touts the Benguerir open-pit mine as one of its most important research facilities in the country. Together, these towns form the Gantour system, which is the third-largest phosphate mine in the world.

IFC, a member of the World Bank Group, allocated its first green loan – financing offered to projects with a positive environmental impact – to OCP Group in April for the mining company's 1.2 GW solar program, which consists of four solar power plants.

A spokesperson from OCP Group told pv magazine France in April that construction of the projects was expected to start at the end of that month, with a building permit granted at the end of 2022.

OCP Group, one of the largest phosphate and fertiliser companies in the world, is expected to convert its operations to exclusively “green” energy by 2027, the announcement states.

Solar panel company Maxeon Solar Technologies will lay off 15% of its total employees by the end of the year to manage the impacts of reduced shipments from one distributed generation (DG) client in North America and an “industry-wide demand slowdown” in global DGl markets, the business announced in a press release yesterday.

Bill Mulligan, Maxeon’s CEO, said in the statement that the company has decided to “streamline” operations, invest in new technologies and develop a mix between DG and utility-scale markets due to the “rapidly changing market and industry conditions.”

“We believe that Maxeon is well positioned to weather this market disruption and come out stronger on the other side,” he said.

The press release mentions that the company’s largest North America-based DG customer recently “breached their payment obligations” and the company paused shipments in late July as a result.

“While this customer has recently made several payments on their outstanding balance and is now close to becoming current, we continue to pause our shipments and engage in good faith towards [the] resolution of certain ongoing claims of breach under the Master Supply Agreement,” Mulligan explained.

“We do not have visibility into how quickly such resolution can be achieved. It is our position that we have firm quantity and pricing contracts in place.”

The 35-year-old Maxeon – based in Singapore but with a presence in 13 0ther countries – expects its third quarter 2023 revenue to be in the range of $224—$229 million, with shipments between 622 MW—632 MW. The company’s EBITDA, meanwhile, is slated to drop by roughly $30 million in Q3 2023 due to the reasons listed above and “inventory adjustments.”

The company will provide further details on Q3 2023 results and Q4 2023 guidance, as well as more information about restructuring activities, during its Q3 2023 earnings call, currently scheduled for November 15, 2023.

By 2050 the levelized cost of energy (LCOE) for solar PV will be $0.021/kWh, the international registrar and risk management company DNV, based in Norway, predicts in a new report published today. The Energy Transition Outlook 2023 – a 211-page document charting global and regional renewable energy trends until mid-century – prophesizes some solar PV’s LCOE will be already close to $0.020/kWh by 2025.

A reduction in unit investment costs, now valued at $870/kW, led to the decline, the report states. “As solar PV installations continue to double, these numbers are bound to drop, landing below $700/kW shortly after 2030 and shrinking further to $560/kW by 2050.”

The learning rate for solar is predicted to decrease from 26% to 17% by 2050, with the figure settling as cost components “adjust to decreasing expenses.” By the middle of the century, solar PV will retain its position as the world’s cheapest energy source, with a combined capacity of 15.3 TW – a 13-fold growth from 2022. But as solar grows so will storage, with the report stating, “We predict most of the global solar capacity additions to integrate storage”.

The Energy Transition Outlook 2023 expects solar to reach 54% of installed generation capacity by 2050, but only represent 39% of the world’s grid electricity generation. “The efficiency or the capacity factory of solar power stations trail behind other renewable energy sources like wind and hydropower,” the document states, “nevertheless, the underlying cause of solar’s rapid proliferation lies in its dwindling costs.”

DNV expects China and the United States to continue leading global solar PV installations for the next two-and-a-half decades, however, both countries will experience “a slight dip” by 2050 as they reach installation saturation. India, the Middle East and North Africa will creep up in the solar hierarchy, nearly tripling their shares, from 6% and 3% in 2022 to 14% and 12% by mid-century, respectively.

Solar taking over fossil fuel generation will differ per country and respective policies, with the report predicting solar surpassing fossil fuel generation in Europe in 2030 because of the region's, “world-leading decarbonization agenda and supportive solar policy.” But this “overwhelming surge in solar” will have a knock-on effect on other renewable energy generators and the nuclear sector, leading to a slight decrease in shares.

Non-fossil fuel energy – solar PV, wind, hydropower, bioenergy and nuclear – is expected to make up 52% of the primary energy mix by 2050, which is a different prediction from DNV's 2022 forecast, the new outlook report states.

*The article has been updated on October 11 to specify that the world's cumulative PV capacity will reach 15.3 TW by 2050, and not 8.8 TW, as we previously reported.

On Monday the Bulgarian Ministry of Energy announced it recently opened public discussion for the country’s first renewable energy auction.

Through the procurement exercise, the Bulgarian authorities expect to allocate 1,425 MW of renewable energy power generation capacity and 350 MW of storage.

Investment support will be provided to build a minimum of 570 MW of power generation capacity and 150 MW storage facilities, the announcement states.

The deadline for submissions is November 6, 2023.

The project is part of the National Recovery and Sustainability Plan (NRRP), which is a four-pronged policy adopted in 2020 aimed at facilitating economic and social recovery in Bulgaria post-COVID-19 pandemic. ‘Green Bulgaria’ is one of the policy targets – with BGN4,499 million ($2439.63) total planned expenditure – and focuses on building up sustainable management of natural resources and “allowing to meet the current needs of the economy and society.”

The policy states that “liberalizing” the country’s electricity market will be fundamental for the implementation and investment of projects, with a “national decarbonization fund” and “energy efficiency programme” also in the works, too.

The Bulgarian government committed to phasing out coal by 2038 in May 2021, and in May 2023 launched a scheme aimed at ramping up installations of solar water heating systems, rooftop PV arrays and batteries.

Bulgaria recorded 1948 MW solar PV installed capacity at the end of 2022, according to recent statistics published by the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA).

A perfect storm is brewing in the Philippines – comprising a combination of legislative reform and an extremely liberal market – making the country the most attractive of Southeast Asian nations for developing solar PV projects, Moritz Sticher, senior advisor of Berlin-based cleantech advisory company Apricum, told pv magazine.

“The Philippine market is the only liberal energy market in ASEAN and the only one with a spot market, the Wholesale Electricity Spot Market (WESM),” he said. “If you go to Thailand, it's the Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand (EGAT); if you go to Vietnam, it's Vietnam Electricity (ENV); if you go to Indonesia, it's Perusahaan Listrik Negara (PLN) and so forth. These are state-run and align with the energy ministry mostly – sometimes not – but the degree of freedom to operate in this market is not there for private sector players, simply because of these monopolies.”

Recent changes to foreign ownership laws have positively impacted the market, Sticher said, leading to increased activity. “The limitation on foreign ownership in the Philippines for renewable energy assets was removed in December last year, which further spurred the growth in C&I,” he said.

The Philippines’ Department of Energy enforced changes to the Renewable Energy Act in December, removing rules around 100% Filipino ownership of certain renewable energy assets. “Mostly locals” are winning these new government tenders, Sticher said, with projects expected to be delivered next year.

However, obstacles remain, the analyst added, including a lack of government-built infrastructure. “Transmission lines don't go [up] from one day to the other so there would be years, one or two years [before connection],” he said, warning if the government lagged on developing infrastructure it could lead to market “stagnation.” Sticher added that the Philippines’ archipelagic geography – it comprises 7,640 islands – poses another challenge, as the country lacks a ‘developed grid' which makes it difficult to connect large-scale solar PV plants to the network.

Sticher also said the Philippines’ government regulatory framework surrounding C&I permits is not as complex compared to other ASEAN countries, such as Thailand, “and there seems to be no threat of limiting this segment through regulations, such as frequently seen in other ASEAN countries, mostly pursued by the respective state-owned utilities.”

Overall, he is confident that: “The Philippines in general is a place to do solar energy. If I were to develop a project right now, I would do a project in the Philippines.”

The comments come off the back of the Philippines’ first canal-top solar irrigation project coming online, as well as recent numerous plans to develop floating solar PV arrays in the region being trumpeted.

The Philippines aims to install 15 GW of clean energy by 2030, with a possible focus on mini-grids and standalone clean power systems due to the country's archipelagic nature, according to a 2022 report by the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA).

UK distribution system operator UK Power Networks announced on Wednesday it launched its largest flexible electricity tender comprising 850 MW of opportunities for developers in London, and the east and southeast of England.

The London-based company’s head of flexibility markets, Alex Howard, told pv magazine that the announcement means the country’s major distribution network operator – responsible for 8.5 million customers – will manage “demand growth” and get more renewables connected to the grid.

“Last year, for the first time, and last week, for the second time, we've gone out to say, ‘Actually, we do have that challenge and we're going to use flexibility for that challenge',’” he said of the tender announcement. “But we're also going to use flexibility to help get more renewables connected because, in parts of our network, there is a big queue, both solar and wind farms and batteries, who wants to connect but who aren't yet able to.”

The challenge, he said, is rising demand created by customers relying on lower carbon-producing energy sources and more electric technologies. Project attrition for renewable projects is also posing its own problems, with Howard stating if the UK wanted to hit net zero carbon emissions, the more the company could do to “pull them [the projects] forward, the better.” He did not clarify how many projects were gridlocked.

Provisionally successful applicants will be announced in January 2024, with contracts commencing over the summer. UK Power Networks launched its first flexibility tender of 95 MW in 2019, and will continue to run annual flexible tender programs until the foreseeable future, Howard added.

UK Power Networks’ press release states the opportunities range from “just a few hours of flexible provision” and “as little as 10 KW per zone”, with the company looking for, “opportunities to create new revenue streams by ensuring that the region’s power distribution infrastructure is not over-loaded and renewable energy is prioritized.”

Flexibility means regulating the outputs between renewable energy generators – such as batteries and wind turbines – with customers who can “sign up to reduce their demand at peak times to benefit financially,” the release adds. It is the ability to change generation or consumption patterns to support the electricity system, rather than building new infrastructure, such as substations.

UK Power Networks' flexibility team, according to Howard, is tasked with finding smart solutions to rising demand.

“Twice a year, we go out and run that process, and try to sign those commercial agreements, different players, to kind of moderate how they use the network, in order to make better use of that capacity,” he said. If UK Power Networks didn’t follow this formula, and were to instead build the network for the size of what was coming, Howard estimates the company would spend £410 million ($503.1 million) more over the next five years to meet demand.

The UK’s solar PV cumulative capacity was 15,292.8 MW at the end of July, with newly installed capacity for the first seven months of this year reaching 643 MW, recent data published by Great Britain’s Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) show.

This morning the European Council in Brussels announced it had adopted a suite of measures under the banner of the Renewable Energy Directive which is part of legislation, passed in June, meaning all European Union (EU) member states must contribute to the EU’s common goal of 45% renewable energy use by the end of the decade.

The new rules aim to target sectors where renewable energy integration has been “slower,” the EU Council press release states, including transport, industry and buildings. Some sector rules include mandates while others include options.

For transport, the member states can opt to aim for a binding target of 14.5% reduction of greenhouse gas intensity in the use of renewables by 2030, or a binding share of at least 29% of renewables within the final consumption of energy by 2030, the press release states.

For industry, member states will increase renewable energy use by 1.5% per annum and also “have the possibility” to discount the contribution of renewable fuels of non-biological origin (RFNBOs) by 20%. They can do this if their national contribution to the binding overall EU target meets their expected contribution, or their share of hydrogen from fossil fuels consumed is no more than 23% in 2030 and 20% in 2035.

The new rules for buildings, heating and cooling stipulate there is an “indicative target” of at least 49% target of renewable energy use in buildings by the end of the decade. The press release states that targets for heating and cooling would “gradually increase.”

Permitting procedures for renewable energy projects will also be sped up, with their deployment “fast-tracked” to help achieve the targets. Member states will identify areas worthy of acceleration and renewable energy projects will undergo a “simplified” and “fast permit-granting” process. The renewable energy projects will also be presumed to be of “overriding public interest” which will “limit the grounds of legal objections to new installations.”

The directive also strengthens the sustainability criteria for the use of biomass energy while aiming to reduce the risk of “unsustainable” bioenergy production. “Member states will ensure that the cascading principle is applied, with a focus on support schemes and with due regard to national specificities,” the press release states.

Spanish Acting Minister for the Ecological Transition, Teresa Ribera, described the new rules as a “step forward” that allow the EU to pursue its climate targets in a “fair, cost-effective and competitive way.”

The “general context” created by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic has led to a surge in energy prices across the EU, which has highlighted the need to accelerate energy efficiency and increase the use of renewable energy, the original European Council documents state.

“In order to achieve the long-term objective of an energy system that is independent of third countries, the Union should focus on accelerating the green transition and ensuring an emission-reducing energy policy that reduces dependence on imported fossil fuels and that promotes fair and affordable prices for Union citizens and undertakings in all sectors of the economy.”

In March all member states in the European Parliament voted in support of the measure except Hungary and Poland voting against and the Czech Republic and Bulgaria abstaining.

Belgian-based hydropower company Hydrobox and Kenya-based C&I solar company SolarNow last week commissioned a hybrid solar-hydro plant in Gitwamba, rural Nairobi.

Located near the town of Baricha, Kirinyaga County – and on the premises of a formerly abandoned hydro project – the 1,200 m² mini-grid facility is in close proximity to the nearby Rwamuthambi river. The facility uses the natural flow of the water to power a crossflow turbine, managed by Hydrobox, and is expected to deliver 50 KW of hydropower with a design flow of 0.65 m3/s.

The solar array, managed by SolarNow, has an installed capacity of 150 KW with expectations to ramp up to 350 KW next year. It is expected the Gitwamba power plant will connect 150 households, eight schools, two medical facilities and 10 businesses to power.

Hydrobox CTO Rik Vereecken told pv magazine that solar capture and storage would be the plant’s master and primary energy source, with hydropower acting as the secondary source or slave, supplying energy when the load was in “deficit”.

“This combination leads to a stable and consistent power generation system,” he said. A 50 KW crossflow turbine, Victron Quattro inverters and chargers, Fronius Inverters, a 240 KWh storage facility and a 90 KVA backup generator comprise the hydro part of the project, Vereecken added.

SolarNow director and CFO Ernst Vriesendorp told pv magazine that the technicalities between hydro and solar had “proven complementary” but did not go into detail as to how the solar component of the project was comprised.

He said that despite the project’s humble size, it has “large” benefits. “I think it's a very entrepreneurial and rewarding segment, and, in our opinion, with a very high impact potential,” Vriesendorp explained. “It is a technical achievement, but also a strategic achievement.”

Hydrobox sales manager Annelies Vanderwaeren told pv magazine that a power purchase agreement (PPA) with an unspecified business owner – whom they are considering their “anchor customer” – had been secured as well as another PPA with a “bigger telecom provider”. She also said the project is expected to be completely online by the year's end, adding the $650,000 project was financed through private equity funding and crowdfunding, with the latter garnering $263,511.

By the end of 2022, Kenya's total installed solar capacity stood at 307 MW, according to the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA). Around 90 MW of PV was newly deployed last year.

Brussels-based consultancy firm, the Becquerel Institute, launched its new online platform titled the European Solar PV Data Hub last week at the European Photovoltaic Solar Energy Conference in Lisbon. The Data Hub includes quarterly and yearly market data updates for all European countries, with forecasts and component pricing reports available to buy.

The company’s COO Philippe Macé told pv magazine today that while the platform aims to provide users a way to access solar PV market data “easily”, its other purpose is to shrink the industry’s “information gap”.

“In the industry, we get people outside of the world of PV asking us, ‘What's the size of the market in this country?’ ‘How does it compare with the total European markets?' And ‘Why can I not find this data?',” he said. “We would like to reduce that information gap.”

A team of Becquerel Institute analysts “clean” and “normalize” supplied information – such as solar PV installed capacity – provided by each country’s peak solar association or regulator and the International Energy Agency Photovoltaic Power Systems Programme (IEAPPSP), with the Data Hub acting as an aggregator. The information is easier to collect from larger markets as bigger countries are “well organized,” Macé said. “Germany, for instance, is quite easy to collect data,” he explained, “but in France, for example, you have different sources, and they are often contradictory.”

“We aggregate the data but we cross-check between sources, and most importantly, we make a choice on what's the most reliable and probable number we should display,” he said. Examples of European countries where it is difficult to provide reliable market data include Estonia and Slovenia. But the Becquerel Institute has a way around it. “For these ones, it is much harder to get data, so we make estimates, we make informed guesses based on feedback from, if not actually local people, some people in the neighboring markets,” Macé said.

The information is then pumped into charts that display annual market share per segment, cumulative installed capacity per year and year-on-year market growth. While the information provided on these pages, such as “highlights” and “country status”, is free, other segments on the Data Hub are not.

For a fee, users can receive “country forecasts” up until 2027 – comprising figures per market segment and a comparative European map, among other features – and “custom-made reports” responding to a “client’s need”, the Data Hub website states. This would take the form of “components prices” and include additional aggregated data, such as global solar PV spot prices, and “pricing trend” analysis.

Asked why the press release and website state “our portal is currently free” when the whole portal is not currently free, Macé clarified: “I would say that half of it is free. The rest is not behind a paywall but restricted access.” The Becquerel Institute has “no” plans to charge users for any of the free information, Macé said, adding there was no “single price” scheme currently in use and the price is determined per customer.

The Data Hub’s target market is “basically everybody”, Macé said, with a focus on project developers, manufacturers and governments. The website is running as a minimum viable product until the end of the year. Macé said the Becquerel Institute welcomes feedback on the platform.

The Philippine government’s irrigation development and management corporation, the National Irrigation Administration (NIA) last week announced the country had 183 solar-powered irrigation projects slated for development next year – a 24.4% increase on the 147 projects completed this year.

This year’s projects irrigated a total of 830 ha of agricultural land, costing PHP1,643,583,002 ($29 million). There were 17 solar-powered irrigation projects completed by September 15, with the agency estimating they will spend Php 1,720,984,000 on next year’s projects irrigating 2,168 ha of agricultural land.

Among the completed projects, were two PV arrays deployed on top of irrigation canals. Solar projects on canals are proliferating across the world. Recent projects were announced in Spain, India, France, United States, and Pakistan, among others, but only a few of them have been realized to date. These projects provide electricity without occupying land and reducing water evaporation.

The two projects are the 350 ha Buspan Solar Pump Irrigation System in Malamig, Central Luzon, and the Anbuspa Solar Pump Irrigation System located in Tibagan, Central Luzon. The latter project was replicated from the NIA Region III project, located in Bulacan, which installed 155 solar panels with 60 KW capacity on the top of an irrigation canal.

The agency said they were pursuing solar-powered irrigation projects to replace “expensive diesel pumps” with the end-use of solar energy deemed the “most accessible and economically viable” of all renewable energy sources.

“With the soaring price of gasoline and diesel, these projects can continue to irrigate their lands free from the burden of shouldering high fuel costs,” the agency said in the announcement. “The technology consists of solar panels, pumps, electronic pump controllers, storage tanks, and conveyor systems. With solar power, it is seen to be more cost-effective than the fuel-powered irrigation pumps due to operation costs.”

The Philippines aims to install 15 GW of clean energy by 2030, with a possible focus on mini-grids and standalone clean power systems due to the country's archipelagic nature, according to a 2022 report by the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA).

Yemen had 256.8 MW installed PV capacity at the end of 2022, according to the most recent data from the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA).

Solar became the primary energy source for Yemeni households after 2016, which was two years after the start of the now-tempered civil war, according to a recent paper by the Berlin-based Energy Access and Development Program (EADP). The paper reported 75% of Yemen's urban population and 50% of Yemen's rural population access solar energy.

On July 1, the Dutch legislation on solar panel recycling changed and imposed importers selling solar panels to Netherlands' clients to pay a recycling fee of €40 ($42.50) per ton – a massive jump from the previous €6.50 per ton fee.

PV module importers are expected to pay this fee until 2025 to the OPEN Foundation, a Dutch nongovernmental organization.

Jan-Willem Jehee, operations manager at Stichting Zonne-energie Recycling Nederland (ZRN), today told pv magazine that the organization, which advocates for solar stakeholders and works with the OPEN Foundation, wanted to “offer some transparency” around the schedule change.

“We had a change where usually it's €6.50 ($6.98) per ton put on the market for solar module [and] that increased to €40 – so that's a sixfold increase as of July 1 this year. Where does this €40 come from? What are we doing with the money? That kind of stuff we want to clarify,” he said.

The organization hosted a public consultation last week answering questions about the fee change, which fits in with the European Union’s Netherlands’ 2014-mandated Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) Directive. The directive aims to minimize the block's electrical and electronic waste.

Another policy change ZRN wanted to provide information about was the new warranty fund or security deposit, also mandated as part of the Netherlands’ 2014 WEEE Directive, Jeehee said. “You need to offer security, that as a producer you are able to pay for recycling in the future,” he explained.

“The WEEE says the way you're importing, or if you're bringing a solar module into a market in Europe, you're responsible to collect it when it becomes waste, and to make sure it's recycled when it comes to waste,” he added. “What we're doing in the Netherlands is we are introducing this guarantee fund, which is basically a fund with money aimed to absorb shocks in the market should one occur.”

Asked if he expects shocks to the market, Jehee answered: “In the coming 20 years, for sure.” He added there may be many “uncertainties” which will buck assumptions, surrounding demand and therefore price, but it is expected one day there will be, “less market growth than what is anticipated.”

“If you're talking about an increase of your waste streams, we will have large guarantees of solar modules for 25 years, sometimes 30 years, but that's the technical lifetime,” Jehee said. “You don't know the economical lifetime. You don't know, for instance, when a household will be ready to replace old modules installed in 2010 with a new version. We have a belief of what it will be, but it might turn out to be different.”

What Jehee is confident of is that if there is exponential growth of solar uptake – as there is estimated to be – then treatment and recycling fees are expected to grow exponentially to match. This is where the security deposit comes in. “In order to be able to offer this stable pricing, we say we're going to set some money apart in a fund, and this is this guarantee fund,” he said.

ZRN collected feedback from solar stakeholders until the end of last week about their initial thoughts on the fund and plan on publishing results from the public consultation “soon,” Jehee said. There will be one more round allowing stakeholders to give further feedback before the body submits their recommendations to the OPEN Foundation, which will make the final ruling.

Jehee expects the guarantee fund to be ready between the end of this year and sometime next year.

He said at present there was not enough solar waste to warrant treatment facilities in the Netherlands, with low volumes transported and managed outside the country adhering to Dutch law. “How will it be done in the future when waste streams start growing? Of course, it will be different,” Jeehee said.

The International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) estimated there would be more than 78 million tonnes of cumulative PV waste material by 2050, the organization said in 2016.

Recycling or repurposing solar PV panels at the end of their roughly 30-year lifetime can generate an estimated stock of 78 million tonnes of raw materials and other valuable components globally by 2050, the report added. “If fully injected back into the economy, the value of the recovered material could exceed $15 billion by 2050.”

The Mauritian government’s energy agency, the Central Electricity Board (CEB), is inviting consultancy firms to submit their proposals for developing a feasibility study into the installation of a 30 MW floating solar PV array at the 60 ha Tamarind Falls Reservoir in the archipelago’s southwest.

CEB will evaluate whether the firm has completed previous feasibility studies for floating PV solar arrays and if it has designed hybrid solar or wind battery energy storage systems in the past.

The team leader – a degree-accredited registered electrical, mechatronics or electro-mechanical engineer – should also have at least 15 years’ experience and completed a feasibility study for a floating solar PV farm in the past 10 years. The application should also include a civil engineer and an environmental expert involved in completing a previous floating solar PV feasibility study.

The deadline for applications is October 16.

Tender documents claim the country’s hunger for floating PV plants originates from “a view of avoiding land usage” for this kind of energy generation, and that the CEB is “currently contemplating” setting up a 30—40 MW wind farm at Plaine Sophie with power outputs from the wind generator and floating PV farm within a collector substation.

The first floating solar PV project at the reservoir kicked off in 2019 when consultancy firm RINA Consulting was appointed to conduct a feasibility study into implementing a floating solar PV array at the site. After the study, the government approved the implementation of a pilot 2 MW project.

CEB went out with a call for additional applications for the second stage of the pilot project in November 2022 with six bids received. “However, after evaluation of bids, none of the bidders was found to be responsive,” the tender document stated. “Subsequently, the CEB decided to proceed with a rebid exercise for the pilot phase.” It is expected the 2 MW solar farm will be operational by August 2024.

According to the latest statistics from the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), Mauritius recorded 110 MW of installed capacity by the end of 2022. The nation did not install any new capacity last year, according to the agency.

In March 2022, the CEB of Mauritius issued two different tenders for the deployment of 140 MW of solar-plus-storage capacity. The government of Mauritius has also been supporting distributed solar through net metering and rebate schemes.

Last week, the Sri Lankan government’s Ministry of Power and Energy announced it was now welcoming expressions of interest for ground-mounted or floating solar PV plants – operating at a total capacity of 25 MW – on a build, own and operate basis (BOO) at three substations in the South Asian country.

The projects will range in size from 1 MW—5 MW and will be located close to three Sri Lankan substations with their own capacity limits: Matara (10 MW), Pallekele (7 MW) and Vavunathivu (8 MW).

Selected developers will secure a 20-year power purchase agreement (PPA) with Sri Lanka’s utility Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB). Purchased land or leased land is also required for the project.

Other requirements include the developers meeting the entire cost of the solar PV plant’s grid connection, including power transmission line, transformers, protection and metering equipment, as well as securing all environmental clearances, government approvals and statutory licenses.

Project developers may submit more than one proposal for each substation, with the deadline set for November 8.

Sri Lanka recorded 714 MW installed solar PV capacity at the end of 2022, according to the most recent statistics published by the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA).

The European Commission’s Directorate-General for Energy published an online statement on Friday trumpeting the news that the organization’s first cross-border solar auction targeting 5 MW to 100 MW solar projects based in Finland was “oversubscribed” with “bids significantly exceeding target volumes.”

“The tender saw several projects submitted for building solar photovoltaics renewable energy installations,” the statement reads. “The total capacity of the projects that applied was 516 MW, which represents an oversubscription for the tender and is a clear sign of strong competition for the available budget. The Commission welcomes the positive results.”

The tender was launched in April and closed in September. It was designed to contribute to the rapid initial development of large-scale PV projects in Finland while also providing Luxembourg access to renewable energy potential beyond its territory. Luxembourg is providing a voluntary payment of €40 million ($41.8 million) and Finland is hosting the projects competing for the subsidies.

The European Climate, Infrastructure and Environment Executive Agency (CINEA) will evaluate the eligibility of the projects and award them contracts “based on price,” the announcement states. “This means that the most competitive bids will be selected first, followed by the next lowest bid until the budget is fully allocated.”

Selected developers will prepare a grant agreement by January next year, with their solar projects expected to go online within 24 months from signing.

EDP Renewables, the clean energy arm of Portugal's power utility EDP, has completed construction on a 200 MW solar farm in Poland.

Duerte Bello, CEO of Europe and Latin America operations at EDP Renewables, told pv magazine the PV facility in the center-west of Poland is a project that stands as an example of energy transition.

“What is particularly interesting is that Przykona has been built on fields that were once part of an open-pit lignite mine,” he said. “We believe that renewable energy projects can be an excellent recipe for the just transformation of post-industrial and post-mining areas. They confirm that there can be an energetic second life in traditionally coal-based regions, many of which are in both Poland and Germany.”

The large-scale PV plant is 270 ha in size and incorporates 308,000 p-type bifacial solar panels. Bello said the plant’s location was at a “tremendous advantage” for renewable energy generation as it received high solar irradiation during the day and consistent winds. This guaranteed an elevated degree of utilization of the installed capacity, Bello explained.

“Thanks to this solar installation and other clean energy projects nearby Przykona, the region has become the country’s leading center for renewable energy production,” he said. “With this installation, the company has a cumulative solar power capacity of more than 280 MW in the country, accounting for more than 90% of its total solar capacity in Europe.”

Construction on the Przykona project started in September 2022, with the first energy generation occurring in June 2023. The project was financed through corporate financing, Bello said, adding: “We do not disclose the investment made.”

When asked about the possibility of a power purchase agreement, Bello said Przykona landed a 15-year Contract-for-Difference (CfD) in 2020 as part of a suite of contracts granted in a Poland government renewable energy auction. “However, an option exists to opt out of the contract if a more profitable PPA is signed,” Bello said, adding, “EDPR has been exploring this option.”

Global solar PV employment sat at 4.9 million in 2022, up from 4.3 million in 2021, according to the recently published Renewable Energy and Jobs Annual Review 2023 by the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA).

Among all renewable energy technologies – including hydro, wind and biogas – solar PV was the “fastest-growing” sector and accounted for over one-third of the total renewable energy workforce (13.7) million, the report claimed.

China, home to a majority of the world’s PV manufacturing sector, recorded the most workers with 2.76 million; the also country retained a “commanding position” across the supply chain, from ingots and wafers to cells and modules.

India employed the second largest number of workers, with 281,400 staffers, with on-grid solar estimated to have generated 201,400 jobs and another 80,600 in off-grid settings, the report stated. The US comprised the third-largest solar PV workforce in 2022 with 264,000 employees.

“Increasing solar PV installations in Brazil boosted employment in this industry to 241,000 jobs. Japan added less capacity in 2021 than the previous year. IRENA estimates its workforce at 127,000,” the report stated.

Europe accounted for roughly 11% of the solar PV industry’s total workforce with 540,000 workers in 2022. The report stated that the European Union experienced a “surge” in PV imports in the first half of 2022 due to the Ukraine crisis and subsequent efforts to reduce reliance on oil and gas imports. “However, installation rates trailed due to shortages of inverters and skilled labor, which subsequently slowed imports during the second half of the year,” stated the report.

Female representation in the solar industry was higher than any other renewable energy in 2022, with 40% of the workforce being female – twice as much as in wind, oil and gas sectors, the report claimed. However, women’s participation still falls “somewhat short” of the share of women employed in the overall economy.

Women’s employment in the industry was “uneven”, with females mostly hired for administrative positions (58%) followed by science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (38%) and non-STEM technical positions (35%). Women accounted for only 30% of managerial jobs and only 17% of the total senior management.

More “effective actions” – such as greater awareness, “further” national policies and “better” workplace practices – are needed to ease women’s entry into the industry and improve their career prospects, the report stressed.

The “biggest bottleneck” facing South Korea’s solar energy expansion is the separation distance recommendations said Jaebin Choe, renewables permitting team researcher at Seoul-based environmental advocacy organization Solutions for our Climate (SFOC).

Federal guidelines recommend solar PV installations be sited a minimum distance 100 meters from residential houses, but Choe told pv magazine many local governments trying to expand solar have “resorted to exceptional clauses to bypass the separation distance regulations,” he said.

“But these measures can be a temporary fix at best and cannot solve the fundamental issue,” he added.

South Korea’s Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy (MOTIE) introduced recommendations for sited solar requirements in 2017. A year following the announcement, 68 local governments introduced their own guidelines. Choe said the federal guidelines did not “reflect the challenges” facing local governments, which respond to residents’ queries and complaints.

Choe’s fresh criticism comes as SFOC, in collaboration with researchers from the University of Maryland, this week published a research brief stating Korea’s current Electricity Basic Plan and Carbon Neutrality Plan were not congruous with the country’s Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) target. The target sets out to reduce greenhouse gas emissions 40% by 2030.

The report blamed South Korean policy misalignments and delayed coal-to-renewable energy transitions for not reaching the mark.

“As of August 2023, there are 30 coal-fired power plants (85 units, a total of 40.2 GW) in operation, and two new units (2.1 GW) under construction in Samcheok City,” the report stated. “Following the announced retirements and a 30-year lifetime for the remaining plants, 51 units (28.7 GW) remain operating by 2035, and a complete coal phaseout does not occur until 2050. Therefore, accelerated coal retirement is needed to close the gap.”

The paper claimed that “rapid decarbonization of the power sector” was key to achieving the 1.5 C low-overshoot pathway.

“Our analysis suggests that by 2030, 45% of total electricity generation that is provided by renewable sources of energy, mostly solar and wind generation, can exceed both the prior target and the current 10th Electricity Basic Plan. To achieve this level of generation, over 100 GW of renewable capacity needs to be installed by 2030, which requires adding 10–12 GW new capacity per year between today and 2030,” the report reads.

Choe said the government introduced renewable portfolio standards (RPS) in 2012 to accelerate the procurement of renewable energy, including solar PV. “Yet, the government has lowered the RPS ratio earlier this year,” he said. “It also downgraded the 2030 national target for renewable energy generation from 30.20% to 21.6%, which subsequently lowered this year’s goal for additional procurement for solar energy from 3 GW to 2.5 GW.”

The five-year Korean feed-in tariff (FiT) scheme ended this year without an alternative policy, Choe added.

Jinsun Lee, SFOC’s head of power market and grid, told pv magazine that South Korea could get back on track if the coal-to-renewable transition was expedited “as quickly as possible”. “The expansion of solar is important for the same reasons that renewable energy deployment is critical,” she said. “It will help the country utilize the full potential of its resources while reducing emissions and mitigating the climate crisis.”