L R AS Published on Monday 26 February 2024 - n° 477 - Categories:PV Watch
A look at what the energy transition means
There's a lot of talk about the energy transition, reducing the use of fossil fuels, protecting the climate... Mr Liebreich brings it all together in a brilliant presentation that, above all, explains current developments.
L R AS Published on Monday 19 February 2024 - n° 476 - Categories:PV Watch
A look at two photovoltaic reindustrialisation studies (in France and Australia)
PV Magazine has published three articles on the state of the French photovoltaic industry. They take stock of the strengths and weaknesses of the current situation. And they don't forget to mention the procrastination of the Brussels authorities.
This week, the Australian Photovoltaic Authority presented the results of its study on the relaunch of PV industrialisation in that country. The approach is completely different.
It is interesting to compare the two approaches and to see the weakness or inadequacy of the French position.
L R AS Published on Sunday 11 February 2024 - n° 475 - Categories:PV Watch
A look at a potential danger
The continuing conflict between Israel and the Palestinians has woken up the Arab world and prompted Iran to launch an assault on the Red Sea by the Houthi rebels. Even if these attacks are not very important, they are spectacular and encourage those in charge of ships loaded with hydrocarbons to bypass Africa. This increases costs and threatens to spread, leading to more serious disruption of world trade, as we had a foretaste of with the disruption of Chinese supplies during Covid.
One of the main victims is likely to be the photovoltaic sector, which will be hit by the contagion of three factors: higher delivery costs, hasty purchases by developers who have until now been taking advantage of the continuing fall in panel prices, and supplies from project managers who are buying panels for the 2024 season. The trend is set to reverse after the Chinese New Year.
L R AS Published on Sunday 4 February 2024 - n° 474 - Categories:PV Watch
A look at the President of the Republic's change of heart
Three months ago, the talk was all about ecology, climate protection and protecting the global climate. In the space of a few weeks, and without warning, the President of the Republic has adopted the opposite position, irritating the opinion of renewable energy professionals who no longer understand what is going on and no longer know what the future of photovoltaics in France will be. For them, the shock is harsh, but nothing calls into question the development of photovoltaics.
AS Published on Sunday 21 January 2024 - n° 472 - Categories:PV Watch
The photovoltaic market at the start of 2024
In 2023, the fall in solar panel prices has stimulated demand. Demand is estimated at between 412 GW and 455 GW, an increase of 53% over 2022.
Lower prices have boosted internal rates of return on projects. However, the market has had to contend with a shortage of manpower, changes in the regulatory environment and the growing demand for solar panels.
AS Published on Sunday 14 January 2024 - n° 471 - Categories:PV Watch
A look at the government's decision to favour nuclear power
Who knows that the French President has decided to limit the expansion of renewable energies, and therefore of photovoltaics, in favour of a new nuclear programme? Only the professionals have followed the ups and downs: The attachment of the Energy Department to the Ministry of Finance, the denunciation of what had been the ecologists' fund of trade, the "pause" on photovoltaic installations, ... A reaction comes after half a decade of rhetoric in favour of ecology, greenhouse gas emissions and an "ever more" policy championed by the European Commission. This reaction, which is probably not sustainable, will merely erase the excesses of the past, before normalisation resumes.
AS Published on Sunday 14 January 2024 - n° 471 - Categories:PV Watch
Macron chooses nuclear over renewables. Professional incomprehension
The fact that energy has been attached to the Ministry of Finance has come as a surprise
In the face of climate change, France is backing away from renewable energies and relying entirely on nuclear power
2023 was the warmest year on record
L R AS Published on Monday 18 December 2023 - n° 470 - Categories:PV Watch
A look at forecasts for slow future growth in PV installations
The year 2024 was expected to see very strong growth in photovoltaic installations, with falling panel prices reducing the cost of construction. The new year should confirm the exceptional growth rate of 2023. This was the most predictable, and the most likely, given the competition between panel manufacturers fighting each other to sell their products.
Despite this high probability, European and global research consultancies are claiming that the world is entering a period of low installation and even stagnation for several years. This seems paradoxical. Is there a reaction against the electrification of the world? Are we waiting for the new generation of panels that will replace TOPCon? Are we coming up against physical, moral, political and environmental constraints that limit installations? Is there a backlash against the recent environmental movement? Is this just caution at the start of the year?
L R AS Published on Monday 11 December 2023 - n° 469 - Categories:PV Watch
A look at the optimism of Chinese photovoltaic manufacturers
Major programmes to increase production capacity are now coming on stream. Already, overproduction has led to a fall in the price of silicon for wafers, cells and panels. Many commentators are predicting a price war, sales at a loss to free up stocks, and multiple bankruptcies.
This situation makes sense in a Western context, but not in China. On the contrary, we can expect a rapid recovery in the photovoltaic sector.
AS Published on Monday 4 December 2023 - n° 468 - Categories:PV Watch
A look at the figures for 2023
The year 2023 was marked by upward revisions in demand for photovoltaic installations. At the same time, manufacturers increased their production capacity. Prices reached very low levels, encouraging the construction of power plants and residential installations. The beginnings of a global trend are emerging. This explains the particularly high growth rate achieved in 2022, and again in 2023. The fall in the price of panels means that the growth rate in 2024 will be even higher than in the previous year!
AS Published on Monday 27 November 2023 - n° 467 - Categories:PV Watch
A look at the overproduction of panels and its consequences
The photovoltaic industry has embarked on a race for volume. They ended up overproducing, leading to a significant drop in prices. Initially, they benefited from the fall in silicon prices. In the second phase, they are forced to look for savings, innovations and ways of selling without losing too much on each panel sold. Are we going to see prices fall for almost another twelve months before they recover? Will there be an event that suspends this spiral to the lowest price?
Strangely enough, panel buyers may not be the winners in this price downturn.
AS Published on Sunday 19 November 2023 - n° 466 - Categories:PV Watch
A look at two aspects of the future
Two aspects of this week's articles look to the future. Firstly, self-consumption, which is being solved in two different ways, by the Chinese and the Californians. Secondly, the abundance of panels is raising questions. The Chinese have returned to the strategy they used in the early 2010s. While they wiped out the German industry at the time, the situation has since changed fundamentally with the American reaction and above all the emergence of India. A commercial, political and strategic war has been launched. It will only end in five years' time, with the success of Indian industry ...
AS Published on Monday 13 November 2023 - n° 465 - Categories:PV Watch
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AS Published on Monday 6 November 2023 - n° 464 - Categories:PV Watch
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AS Published on Monday 30 October 2023 - n° 463 - Categories:PV Watch