News

The French Government Plans to Renege on Fixed PV Rates to Cut Down on €2 Billion in Yearly Subsidies, but at What Cost?

published: 2020-11-27 18:30
PV cost has plummeted within the past 10 years due to an increase in equipment installation and improvement in PV technology. Since 2010, PV cost has dropped by 82%. Although this spells good news for consumers and developers alike, the price drop also means the earlier fixed electricity rate (FIT, or feed-in-tariff) has become much more expensive than the rates offered by newly built PV power stations. In light of this discrepancy, the French government has now deemed it appropriate to adjust the earlier fixed rates. Should the proposal pass into law, this will likely have dire ramifications for PV power plants with capacities exceeding 250KW built between 2006 and 2010. ...  more

Trina Solar Signed orders to Ensure Supply

published: 2020-11-27 10:36
Since the beginning of the year, Trina Solar has signed four long-term purchase orders, locking in 3.567 billion wafers and 85 million square meters of pv glass. The total purchase contract value is estimated to be about 20.107 bi...  more

Toshiba Announces Halt of Coal-Fired Power Build-Out, Steps up Renewable Energy Strategy to Curb Carbon Emission

published: 2020-11-26 18:30
The future of coal-fired power is looking bleaker than ever in the face of the current trend of reduced carbon emissions. Case in point, Japan-based industrial equipment manufacturer Toshiba has announced that it will stop all its future constructions of coal-fired power plants and refuse all client orders for said plants while stepping up its renewable energy strategy. ...  more

Ford Unveils Its E-Transit Cargo Van, Priced at US$45,000

published: 2020-11-25 18:30
On November 12, Ford officially unveiled its second mass-produced EV, hot on the heels of the electric Mustang Mach-E. Capable of carrying a max load of 2,000 kg, the newly released E-Transit represents a new effort by Ford to dominate the commercial market. The EV has a 200 km mileage on a single charge, with a price tag of US$45,000 and an expected delivery date at the end of 2021. ...  more

Audi Launched Digital Virtual Exterior Mirrors that E-Tron Owners Can Upgrade for Free

published: 2020-11-23 18:30
Audi has recently announced to offer digital virtual exterior mirrors for production cars. The glass covers of this system's camera lens are heated, so they aren't blocked in bad weather conditions such as rain or frost. Moreover, the aerodynamic drag can be reduced. This system can work with active and passive safety systems. For customers who preorder e-Tron or e-Tron Sportback, they can upgrade to the virtual exterior mirrors for free. ...  more

Highview Power Begins Construction of a 50MW Cryogenic Energy Storage Plant in the UK

published: 2020-11-23 18:30
Highview Power, a pioneer in cryogenic energy storage, announced on November 6 that it has commenced the construction of a commercial energy storage plant in Greater Manchester, UK. Provisionally named CRYOBattery, the project is scheduled for completion by 2023 and designed to have a storage capacity of 50MW (250MWh). It is expected to be among the largest energy storage projects in Europe. Highview was established in 2005 and has headquarters in the UK and the US. ...  more

GlidePath Will Work with Renewance to Form a Supply Chain for Recycling Lithium Batteries in the US

published: 2020-11-23 18:30
The market growth of electric vehicles and the widening adoption of energy storage systems in the utility sector have led to booming demand for lithium batteries worldwide. However, the surge in the use of lithium batteries has also raised concerns about the disposal and recycling of these devices at the end of their lifecycle. Recently, GlidePath Power Solutions and Renewance have entered into an alliance to build a supply chain for recycling lithium batteries in the US. GlidePath is an independent developer of renewable energy projects, while Renewance specializes in software solutions and management services for industrial batteries. Both companies are based in the state of Illinois. ...  more