LONDON, May 22 (Reuters) – Overcapacity in the global solar
industry is unlikely to disappear soon, suggest data and
strategies outlined in the recent financial reports of top
manufacturers.

That surplus has contributed to sharp falls in the average
selling prices of solar panels, or modules, with knock-on
impacts for manufacturing profit margins.

LONDON, May 21 (Reuters) – Grid operators in the western
United States are joining forces to design a new computer-run
system to balance power across a wider combined area, improve
handling of increasing amounts of fluctuating renewable power
and save money at the same time.

They could achieve even greater benefits by going a step
further, following the lead of their counterparts in Europe, by
linking wholesale markets.

LONDON, May 17 (Reuters) – European policymakers face a
difficult decision on building carbon capture and storage (CCS)
- saving money in the long run requires spending more upfront.

CCS captures carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from a fossil
fuel power plant and then pipes it to an underground storage
site such as a depleted gas or oil reservoir.

LONDON, May 16 (Reuters) – Solar panels were cheaper than
wind turbines for the first time last year in certain markets,
per unit of capacity, and are rapidly closing a remaining gap in
the full cost of power generation.

Until now, wind power has been the leading low-carbon
alternative to oil, coal and gas, outside large niche markets
such as Germany, which has seen a huge ramp-up in installed
solar.

LONDON, May 14 (Reuters) – Rejection by the world’s trade
body last week of preferential support for domestic solar panel
makers in Canadian province Ontario brings helpful but limited
guidance in a growing number of other disputes.

The case involved domestic content requirements, which block
foreign companies from participating in national support
programmes, and which are intended to suckle local
manufacturers.

LONDON, May 10 (Reuters) – The latest round of company
financial reports suggests that solar module selling prices will
continue to fall, although more slowly than previously.

The impact of proliferating proposed import duties is a
major unknown, however.

Solar panel, or module, prices have fallen sharply in the
past five years, in response to global over-supply coupled with
falling subsidies and the economic crisis in the world’s biggest
market, Europe.

LONDON, May 9 (Reuters) – U.S. solar module maker and
project developer First Solar illustrates wider
industry efforts to secure new markets in a shift away from the
United States and Europe.

That was before the U.S. and European imposed and planned
import duties against Chinese products, which may hinder
exporters seeking to tap one of the world’s fastest growing
markets.

LONDON, May 8 (Reuters) – Morocco is set to pay more for its
solar power than far richer countries such as Germany and should
switch tack to cheaper solar technologies that can compete
better with wind, oil and coal.

The higher cost can probably be attributed to its choice of
concentrated solar power (CSP), the competitiveness of which is
being questioned as prices of rival photovoltaic (PV) technology
tumble.

LONDON, May 3 (Reuters) – Policymakers around the world are
turning to the private sector to finance a massive expansion of
electric grids and Britain’s experience in funding offshore wind
projects holds lessons on consumers over-paying as a result of
competitive tenders.

Countries globally are seeking to expand transmission
capacity, to connect more remote renewable power; link networks
across wider areas to boost stability; and in emerging economies
draw more customers to the grid.

LONDON, May 1 (Reuters) – Hydropower offers an effective way
to balance grids that increasingly have to cope with variable
renewable energy supply, and this may end the long lull in
hydroelectric projects caused by economic and planning hurdles
in developed countries.

The vast majority of electricity is presently consumed at
the instant of generation, putting a premium on electricity
storage.