Mercom India reported August 7 that China further consolidated its topmost ranking as the largest installer of solar projects in the world by installing 24.4 GW of solar projects in the first half of 2017. With that cumulative installed capacity in China has crossed the 100 GW threshold.
Of the 24.4 GW installed in 1H, 2017, grid-connected solar projects accounted for 17.3 GW and distributed generation solar projects (off-grid, rooftop, and the like) account for 7.11 GW. There has been an increase in distributed generation solar projects in China. In 2016, distributed generation solar accounted for just 4.23 GW.
Figures recently published by solar industry firm Asia Europe Clean Energy (Solar) Advisory (AECEA) last week revealed that China has exceeded its 2020 target of 105GW of installed solar capacity, after new builds in June and July pushed it up beyond 112GW.
Mercom India Research also reported August 11 that, for its part, India had installed 4.8 gigawatts of solar generating capacity in the first half of this year. Utility-scale solar additions over the period accounted for 4,290 MW, and rooftop solar 475 MW. Cumulatively, rooftop installations surpassed 1 GW in the first half of the year as well, while the country’s total installed capacity now reaches 14.7 GW. By the end of the year, Mercom predicts that the total will have risen to 10.5 GW worth of new solar in 2017, a 144% increase over 2016’s 4.3 GW.
In addition, the lowest bid in solar reverse auctions declined significantly by about 26 percent from Q1 to Q2 2017.
In a related development, Greentechmedia reports that, by the end of 2017, solar PV capacity will rival nuclear, and could more than double nuclear capacity by 2022.
By 2022, the site says, global capacity will likely reach 871 gigawatts, about 43 gigawatts more than expected cumulative wind installs by that date.
And the Guardian reported September 11 that the UK government is under pressure to reconsider its commitment to a new generation of nuclear power stations, with the cost of offshore wind power recently having reached a record low. The story cites a state-backed price two offshore windfarms had earlier secured for their output that was nearly down to half the level awarded last year to Britain’s first new nuclear power site in a generation, Hinkley Point C. The Hornsea 2 wind project off the Yorkshire coast and the Moray offshore windfarm in Scotland secured a guaranteed price for their power of £57.50 per megawatt hour from the government. The price awarded Hinkley last year was £92.50.
According to the Nuclear Energy Institute, there are 391.5 gigawatts of nuclear plants operating around the world.
https://mercomindia.com/india-installs-4-8-gw-solar-first-half-2017-eclipsing-2016/