Manufacturing

Tesla’s Nevada operation is still open for business, though. The EV and battery maker has assured the market its cash position is strong enough to weather an “extended period of uncertainty”.

The impact of COVID-19 will leave its mark on our society and economy while a sliding Australian dollar is likely to make imported goods more expensive. In its webinar held on Thursday, the Smart Energy Council is discussing business tips on how to weather the storm over the next six months. And a question arises: Can residential and commercial solar and storage buck the trend against the economic recession which is on the way?

Chinese manufacturer Risen Energy will supply Malaysia’s Tokai Engineering with 20 MW of its new panels, unveiled in December. Risen claims its products can help reduce balance-of-system project costs by 9.6% and the levelized cost of energy by 6%.

The Canadian battery manufacturer has announced an investment from Japanese Itochu Corporation and got closer to integrating Moixa GridShare AI with its Evolve batteries.

U.S.-owned analyst Wood Mackenzie expects solar demand to decline but predicts the market will recover, with the prospects for the energy transition remaining intact.

The Australian Government’s “Economic Response to the Coronavirus” incentivises commercial and industrial solar PV uptake.

Chinese-Canadian PV heavyweight, Canadian Solar, is looking to harness the power of poetry with the release of its HiKu Mono in Australia. The innovative monocrystalline module enters the market near the top of the range.

Trina Solar’s two new bifacial solar modules are touted as a “game changer,” not only for utility-scale projects, but for commercial and industrial developments as well. PV innovation continues to reduce costs and improve performance, but Australia’s outdated infrastructure is doing its best to slow the transition down.

The COVID-19 outbreak has disrupted the global PV supply chain. China, the largest manufacturing hub for solar products, has postponed factory openings in many regions, as it has been hit by logistical hiccups, staff shortages, and delivery delays. Manufacturers in some Chinese provinces are running under capacity, while those overseas are facing the same situation.

Many solar factories in China are starting to resume production, suggesting that concerns about supplies of PV components could soon begin to ease. Nevertheless, the temporary standstill will have an impact on the global solar market, as the implementation of some projects will probably be postponed until next year.