Weekly Update (July 14)

Astronergy news this week

1.????Standardization of Rectangular Silicon Wafer Module Dimensions

This week, Astronergy, in collaboration with Canadian Solar, DaSolar, JA Solar, JinkoSolar, Longi, Risen Solar, Trina Solar, and TW Solar,?has reached an agreement recently on the standardized dimensions for the next generation of rectangular silicon wafer modules.

The agreed-upon dimensions are as follows:

?? Module dimensions: 2382mm*1134mm

?? Module long side vertical hole distance: 400/790/1400 mm

This collaborative endeavor will effectively minimize material wastage to maximize the use of containers and alleviate challenges in the supply chain due to variations in rectangular silicon wafer sizes.

2.????Astronergy TOPCon capacity ups to a new high of 38GW

On July 10th, the newly built Astronergy Yiwu Manufacturing Base witnessed the installation of manufacturing equipment for 8GW TOPCon PV cells and 4GW TOPCon PV modules. The production is set to kick off in August, marking a giant leap forward for our operations!

Once we reach maximum production capacity, this project will contribute to Astronergy's TOPCon manufacturing capacity, propelling it to an impressive 38GW by the end of 2023.

3. ? Insights: German Solar Market Trends & Astronergy's Strategy - Interview with Lin He, Astronergy

During Intersolar Europe 2023, Lin He, Head of International Sales at Astronergy, had an interview with?EUPD Research?about the following topics:

a) How do you see the current state of the German solar market? Do you see emerging trends and what to expect from 2023 and beyond?

b) l?What is your impression of the Intersolar Munich 2023? Please tell us about your highlights and expectations.

c) Can you please tell us about Astronergy’s strategy and value proposition for the German market?

Check out the interview video to learn more!

4.???Recap: TaiyangNews Virtual Conference on Global PV System Technology Trends H1/2023

During his attendance at TaiyangNews Virtual Conference on Global PV System Technology Trends H1/2023, Ibrahim Desouky (Ibrahim E.), Technical Manager of EMEA at Astronergy, provided valuable insights into the latest PV technologies and highlighted the competitive advantages of Astronergy's N7 PV modules.

Featuring a cell dimension of 182 X 191 mm, the ASTRO N7 boasts a 5% larger wafer area, resulting in a remarkable 7.6% increase in cell power compared to M10 cells. If you missed the virtual session, watch the video for more information!

PV market news this week:

1. Dutch government is mulling PV ban on agricultural sites

Dutch Economy Minister Micky Adriaansens said this week that she aims to make it impossible to install solar farms on agricultural land, with some unspecified exceptions. The plan has raised concerns at Holland Solar, with the trade group warning of potential damage to farmers and solar project developers.

?2. Dutch pushes for solar panel manufacturing

The Government of the Netherlands has carved out the largest chunk of its €4 billion National Growth Fund under round 3, offering €412 million for the development of circular solar panels within the country to reduce reliance on foreign-produced PV modules.

3. US government offers $45 million for pilot production of PV components

As part of the US government's “Investing in America” agenda, the Department of Energy (DoE) announced $45 million in funding, including $18 million from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, to support pilot manufacturing of solar components.

4. French railway operator launches renewables unit, plans 1 GW of solar

SNCF Renouvelables plans to allocate 1,000 hectares of its land to develop 1 GW of PV plants, aiming to meet 20% of its electricity needs by 2030. This initial phase constitutes a small portion of SNCF's total land ownership of approximately 100,000 hectares, making it the country's second-largest landowner after the state.

5. Iberdrola launches 10-Year Green Bonds

Iberdrola’s latest green bond issue led the company to raise €850 million. The round received interest for over €2 billion, with 142 investors participating. It plans to invest the proceeds in its green-eligible assets, which among other projects, include solar PV assets.

6. Austria is raising renewable energy targets

The Austrian government is revising its renewable energy targets under a draft Integrated Austrian Network Infrastructure Plan (?NIP), a 1st for the country, now open for public consultation. According to the Photovoltaic Association Austria (PV Austria), the 2030 and 2040 targets now aim to be 21 GW and 41 GW, respectively.

7. Abu Dhabi’s GW-scale solar project moves forward

Electricity and water supplier to Abu Dhabi, the Emirates Water and Electricity Company (EWEC) says it has received 4 proposals from Saudi Arabia’s ACWA Power, France’s EDF Renewables, Japan’s Marubeni Corporation, and a consortium of China’s Jinko Power and Japan’s JERA for its 1.5 GW AC Al Ajban solar PV project.

8. Chile releases bidding terms for 5,400 GWh renewables, storage auction

The Chilean authorities want to contract 5,400 GWh of power from renewable energy while also including battery storage. The selected developers will secure 20-year power purchase agreements (PPAs).

9. Indian state launches tender for 100 MW of floating solar

PEDA is seeking prospective developers to set up 100 MW of floating solar projects of different sizes across Punjab. The projects are to be developed on a build-own-operate basis.

10. Netherlands is discussing space for solar PV

Dutch Energy Ministry wants to use rooftops, facades, open spaces and innovative PV applications to speed up the deployment of solar energy in the Netherlands. It, however, wants to restrict the use of agricultural land for the purpose, making it available only if all other options are exhausted.

11. Japan’s 16th solar auction concludes with the lowest bid of $0.065/kWh

Japan’s latest procurement exercise was open to PV projects above 250 kW in size. The lowest price came in at JPY 9 ($0.065)/kWh, with 119.7 MW of allocated capacity.

12. Angola secures $1.44 billion to power rural areas with solar

The Angolan Ministry of Finance has secured €1.29 billion ($1.44 billion) from Standard Chartered to finance the construction of 48 hybrid PV systems across Moxico, Lunda Norte, Lunda Sul, Bie, and Malanje. The new solar infrastructure will provide sustainable electricity to 1 million people.

?13. Slovakia offers $156.1 million for 2023 residential PV, heat pump rebates

The Slovakian authorities are offering €140 million ($156.1 million) in rebates for 2023 to cover up to 50% of the cost of buying and installing solar water heaters, heat pumps, biomass systems, solar-thermal collectors, and PV systems up to 10 kW in size.

14. India’s PV capacity surpasses 68 GW

India must add more than 30 GW of solar capacity annually to meet the 293 GW PV target in its optimal energy mix for 2029-30. The nation had installed 68 GW of PV capacity by May 31, 2023.

?15. Residential PV curtailment is rising in the Netherlands

Dutch utility Liander said this week that the number of curtailment events for residential PV systems more than tripled in the first half of this year and urged owners of rooftop arrays to expand electricity consumption during peak hours.

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