Solar ... In the news

Sterlingtimes

EricMears wrote: »

There is of course no way that they can even begin to guess how much PV power is being generated by individual houses. The figures quoted there are therefore pretty meaningless.

Ovo's Smart Meter measures export but Ovo does not appear to capture the data via 3G or via Smart Gateway. Using Smart Meters the electric companies could get a reasonable estimate of overall export. Solar production is more challenging.

ASavvyBuyer

Martyn1981 wrote: »

Gridwatch now has a solar dial, currently displaying 3.3GW and 7.5% of demand (44GW).

There is a disclaimer that the figure is estimated, so the percentage may represent PV / (demand + PV) rather than just PV / demand. Not sure.

Actually, a quick check seems to indicate the % is simply PV divided by demand, so it's 7.5% figure may be slightly overstated - perhaps one for Z to ponder, I may be going in circles.

It looks like they are getting the estimated figures from the Sheffield Uni Project that collects data from a number of domestic systems and extrapolates it for the country based on total PV installed.

Martyn1981

EricMears wrote: »

There is of course no way that they can even begin to guess how much PV power is being generated by individual houses. The figures quoted there are therefore pretty meaningless.

It's based on sampling.

It might not be perfect, but I don't see why it wouldn't be in the ballpark. Certainly won't be meaningless.

Martyn1981

Breaking: China reduces solar installation target to 110 GW by 2020

Slightly confusing article suggesting China has cut its 2020 solar target from 150GW to 110GW minimum, with expectations of 135-147GW!!!!!!!!!!!

Martyn1981

SMA and LG Chem unveil battery inverter solution

The SMA Sunny Boy Storage 2.5 battery inverter and LG Chem’s RESU 10H and 7H storage units both picked up accolades at the ees Award at this year’s Intersolar Europe, and now the two companies have collaborated on a home storage product that they claim will help deliver 80% electricity bill savings for an average household.

The solution will be first introduced into Europe and Australia, and will be available at 7kWh and 10kWh storage capacity. It can be retrofitted to existing residential PV systems, and low-voltage variants of the LG Chem RESU storage unit can also be selected should customers require such a solution.

Martyn1981

Fraunhofer ISE achieves 30.2% efficiency for silicon multi-junction solar cell

Researchers at the Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems (ISE) have confirmed today the successful creation of a silicon-based multi-junction solar cell that has achieved a record 30.2% efficiency.

Note - this is a lab based cell, not a panel, nor a production panel ...... yet!


UK: solar still being blocked in next CFD auction

The second Contracts for Difference auction for renewables has been announced for April 2017, chief focus of GBP 290 million funding pot to be less established technologies as solar once more misses out.

"Despite this new support, it is frustrating to see that the cheapest technologies, such as onshore wind and solar, are still being blocked," said the head of policy and external affairs at the Renewable Energy Association, James Court. "We need the government to take further action to bring balance to the market because the current situation sees gas, nuclear and even diesel all get financial support while the lowest cost renewables are blocked to market."

BEIS documents detail tumbling LCOE costs of solar PV out to 2030

New documents released by the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) have revealed that the government now thinks solar will be significantly cheaper to develop by 2020 than predicted three years ago.

Today’s document reveals that the government expects large-scale solar PV to be developed in the UK at an LCOE of £67/MWh from 2020, representing a stark decrease on the cost forecasted just three years ago.

In 2013, the then-Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) expected deployment costs within the same time frame to stand at around £92/MWh, some 27% more expensive.

TBH I'd missed this (3 years ago). Am I just being suspicious/cynical that the government got the figure so wrong at £92/MWh, at the same time that they were issuing the £92.50/MWh (now £102) contract for HPC? Or is it simply that costs fell faster than anyone expected?

Martyn1981

US news. Anyone that follows the PV news will know that some places in the world have tried to prevent PV, to protect established generators/suppliers - Spain, Australia and Nevada.

Well, looks like Nevada pushed their luck, and the leccy monopoly has been voted down.

Nevada votes to end NV Energy monopoly

Receiving almost three quarters of the votes, Nevada voters have passed a ballot measure that aims to break up NV Energy’s monopoly and liberalise the electricity market to more competition.

Known as the Energy Choice Initiative or Question 3 on a ballot approved on Tuesday, the news is a victory for solar as this is a significant move to deregulation of the state’s public utility.

The ballot question read: Shall Article 1 of the Nevada Constitution be amended to require the Legislature to provide by law for the establishment of an open, competitive retail electric energy market that prohibits the granting of monopolies and exclusive franchises for the generation of electricity?

Martyn1981

I knew that the EU minimum import price (MIP) had gotten silly, but I didn't realise just how silly.

EU confirms withdrawal of five additional Chinese solar firms from MIP

Today, with solar module prices at record lows, Chinese suppliers have calculated that they can serve their European markets more cost-effectively outside of the MIP’s scope, preferring instead to either incur the AD and CVD tariffs levied by the EU, or supply Europe with modules and components produced at manufacturing facilities located in Southeast Asia. These locations are currently outside of the scope of EU regulations.

The rate of duties required of each solar company varies, with JA Solar for example willing to pay 51.5% AD and 5% anti-subsidy duties on its solar imports, rather than abide by MIP rules. For JinkoSolar, it is facing AD of 41.2% and anti-subsidy duties of 6.5%, while Suntech was slapped with an AD tariff of 48.6% when the duties were first introduced.

"The MIP has not been able to keep up with the evolution in price development – largely because it requires companies to submit to prices to a third party for indexation."

Very few companies have been willing to do this, Watson added. "Thus, the price of 56 euro cents/watt the MIP reflects today can be as much as 20 euro cents/watt higher than some quoted on the European market. We have seen European producers quote under 40 euro cents/watt in recent weeks.

Martyn1981

I will admit to getting a bit confused over this article, but I believe it is saying that the technology that goes alongside batteries, for storage of generation, is to fall in price (as will the cost of the batts).

Battery use to drive 4.5 GW global surge in storage inverters, finds IHS Markit


Whilst on the subject, I asked for a quote today on a storage system, and it appeared to be about double what is needed to be economic (for me). Which I found strangely promising as I look forward to a hugely expanding market, and falling prices.

Martyn1981

Solar plus storage systems being installed in 25 villages in Mali

Energy transition start-up Africa Green Tec has entered into a cooperation agreement with German energy storage systems manufacturer Tesvolt to deliver its lithium batteries alongside 50 solar containers, with a total capacity of 3 MWh, to 25 Malian villages.

Africa Green Tec is taking the lead in supplying 25 villages with solar plus storage arrays, which are being financed by crowdfunding and then by loans. Each system will incorporate a 37-45 kWp PV array and a 60 kWh battery, and will cost €150,000.

These systems will be the first time that the villages have had such a reliable source of power, while the batteries will enable them to use the electricity generated at all hours of the day. They will also enable the villages to purchase electricity at over 75% less than what they were previously paying for energy produced by diesel generators. From €1.50 per kWh to €0.20 per kWh.