High temperatures and severe drought in Europe this summer have affected hydro, nuclear and solar power generation. Statistics from Norwegian consulting firm Rystad Energy show that in the first seven months of this year, Europe's hydropower generation decreased by 20% compared with the same period last year, and nuclear power generation decreased by 12%. High temperatures lead to increased evaporation in rivers, lakes and reservoirs, lowering water levels, and hydropower bearing the brunt. In Italy, for example, hydropower accounts for 20% of the country's total electricity production, but the country's hydropower production has plummeted by 40% in the past 12 months. Hydropower production in Spain also plunged by 44%. Energy analyst Fabien Langningen said that although hydropower production fluctuates widely, the 40% drop is "very extreme", not only in local areas, but all European hydropower majors have not been spared. Energy exporter Norway has warned that it may have to stop exporting energy to countries such as the UK if the country's reservoirs fail to recover. Insufficient investment in hydropower infrastructure and aging transmission lines are also reasons for the decline in hydropower output, some hydropower industry experts say. Eddie Ritchie, an expert at the International Hydropower Association, said: "We are going to have (power) problems this winter. This should be a wake-up call for us to invest more in infrastructure in the next few years." The drought has also affected nuclear power, with France being particularly affected. Several nuclear power plants of EDF have cut production in recent days, because the water temperature in natural waters is currently high, affecting the water used for cooling reactors in nuclear power plants. Sonia Senaviratner, a professor at ETH Zurich, explained that if the water level in the river is too low and the water temperature is too high, the cooling of the reactor can only be stopped, otherwise the discharged water will endanger the life in the river. The French government on the 5th of this month instructed a crisis response working group to coordinate the work of various departments to deal with the drought. "This is the worst drought ever recorded in France," the French prime minister's office said in a statement. High temperature weather is also not conducive to solar power generation, because photovoltaic power generation panels are "afraid of the sun", and high temperature will lead to power loss of power generation panels and shortened service life. Kathryn Porter, a consultant at energy consultancy Watt-Logic, said that when temperatures exceed 25 degrees Celsius, the output of photovoltaic panels drops significantly, and "everything works worse when the temperature is high".

According to the German Transmission System Operator, the market value of solar energy in Germany increased by 0.07 euros from June to July, reaching an all-time high of 0.026093 euros/kWh. Electricity spot market prices also rose sharply, rising by almost €0.10 to €0.0315/kWh in July. The market value of both onshore and offshore wind soared to €0.0278/kWh and €0.0287/kWh, respectively. This means that the value of wind energy has almost doubled compared to May, while spot prices have risen sharply. The Fraunhofer ISE has published a new record for solar power generation for the third month in a row. The data showed that Germany's photovoltaic systems generated 8.223 terawatt-hours of electricity, the second time since June that it exceeded 8 terawatt-hours.

On August 4, Olympian Technology issued an announcement stating that, after the deliberation and approval of the general manager's office meeting, the company established a wholly-owned subsidiary with its own funds. At present, the company has completed the registration of a wholly-owned subsidiary and obtained the "Business License" issued by the China (Shanghai) Pilot Free Trade Zone Administration for Market Regulation. The company was established on August 3 with a registered capital of RMB 30 million. Business scope: general projects: solar power generation technology services; energy storage technology services; technical services, technology development, technology consultation, technology exchange, technology transfer, technology promotion; software development; power electronic components The company and all members of the board of directors guarantee information disclosure The content is true, accurate and complete, without false records, misleading statements or material omissions. Sales of electronic components; wholesale of electronic components; retail of electronic components; sales of advanced power electronic devices; sales of photovoltaic equipment and components; sales of intelligent power transmission and distribution and control equipment; import and export of goods; technology import and export. (Except for projects subject to approval in accordance with the law, independently carry out business activities with business licenses) The establishment of a subsidiary this time is in line with the company's development strategy and business development needs. It will help promote the company's business layout and resource investment in photovoltaic inverters, energy storage products, etc., and improve the company's optical storage and charging integration and centralized supply system. Service capabilities, further enhance the company's core competitiveness, and enhance the company's sustainable profitability. Founded in 2004, Aohai Technology has four R&D centers in Shenzhen, Dongguan, Shanghai and Wuhan, and five intelligent manufacturing bases in Dongguan, Jiangxi, Wuhan, India and Indonesia. Its business covers motor control, battery management, vehicle control, automotive power supply, High-power charging, PD charging, wireless charging, PD energy storage power supply, resistance to common mode interference, board transformers and other technologies.

According to foreign media reports, U.S. Senator Joe Manchin and Democrats have reached an agreement on a settlement bill, which is called the "Reducing Inflation Act of 2022". The bill includes $370 billion in spending on renewable energy and climate measures, a surprise victory for the photovoltaics and cleantech industries. One of the most influential provisions of the act is the long-term extension of the investment tax credit, which has played an important role in the development of the U.S. photovoltaic industry. The bill calls for a 10-year extension of the 30 percent investment tax credit available for PV systems, before gradually dropping to 26 percent by 2033 and 22 percent by 2034. The tax credit applies to entities and individuals that employ photovoltaic technology. In addition, the 30% investment tax credit also applies to energy storage systems, whether co-located or independently deployed. One measure the industry hopes the U.S. government will take is a "refundability" clause, but that measure isn't in the bill. Refundability means that if the tax credit is worth more than the tax owed for the year, it will be paid out as a cash refund. This provision is not included, which hinders the credit worthiness of certain individuals, however the tax credit can be deferred to the next year. There are also several "additions" to tax credits, depending on the type of organization, domestic product use, and project location. For some projects, investment tax credits can be as high as 50%, according to ROTH Capital Partners. The credit also includes a "direct payment" provision. This will allow PV developers with little or no tax liability to treat the credit amount as an overpayment of tax, and they will receive a cash refund. Abigail Ross Hopper, president of the American Photovoltaic Industry Association, said: "With long-term incentives for the deployment and manufacture of clean energy generation facilities, the U.S. photovoltaic and energy storage industries will create hundreds of thousands of new jobs and start building American energy. The next era of leadership. This is a critical opportunity we cannot afford to miss, and now the U.S. Congress must reach a deal and pass this legislation.” The bill is expected to go to the U.S. Senate for a vote as early as next week.

Recently, the Advance Ruling Bureau of Indian Customs allowed the import of all components of solar projects at a preferential tax rate of 5%, thus circumventing the basic duty. To facilitate local manufacturing of solar cells and modules, the Indian government has introduced several tariff barriers such as a safeguard duty of 25%-15% effective July 2018-July 2021 and effective April 1, 2022 , 40% basic duty (BCD). These tariffs have increased the cost of solar projects across India, forcing developers to seek cost-saving ways to bypass them. However, in a recent petition, Aquila Solar Power (Vibrant Energy Holdings), a Telangana-based solar project developer, asked the authorities to consider allowing it to import all components of the project at a preferential tax rate of 5%. Modules are the most prominent cost element of solar power projects, accounting for more than half of the overall project capital expenditure (CAPEX). The authorities' decision contradicts the Indian government's indigenous policy of promoting solar module manufacturing.

India-based PV module manufacturer Rayzon Solar has launched a monocrystalline half-cut bifacial module with a transparent backsheet and a 10-busbar design. The L’Lios panels are available in three versions with power output from 530 W to 540 W and power conversion efficiency from 20.59% to 20.98%. The open circuit voltage is between 48.8V and 49.3V, and the short circuit current is between 13.38A and 13.51A. The panel measures 2,272 mm x 1,133 mm x 40 mm, weighs 28.6 kg, features 3.2 mm tempered anti-reflective glass and an aluminum alloy frame. The temperature coefficient of the panel is -0.39% per degree Celsius, and its operating temperature range is -40°C to 85°C. This new product comes with a 30-year linear power output guarantee and a 12-year product guarantee. The degradation rate is said to be 2% in the first year, and the final power output for 30 years is guaranteed to be no less than 83.0% of the rated output power. Rayzon Solar operates a 300 MW PV module factory in Karanj Kim Surat, Gujarat, and is targeting a 5 GW capacity by 2025.

Spanish renewable energy retailer and project developer Capital Energy announced on Thursday that it had reached an agreement to finance 206 megawatts of wind and solar farm projects in the country. The company has secured 165 million euros ($165 million) in project financing from Germany's MEAG, asset manager of reinsurer Munich Re (ETR:MUV2) and insurer ERGO. The financing will support three wind projects totaling 159 MW, an 8 MW solar PV project under development, and the already operating 39.05 MW Las Tadeas wind farm.

The European Commission’s official website, July 11: Funded by the TANGO project and the Innovation Fund, the European Union is building the 3Sun factory in Sicily, Italy, into Europe’s largest next-generation solar panel or photovoltaic cell GigaFactory. 3Sun is the first highly innovative solar panel industrial-scale manufacturer in Europe and the first in Europe to mass-produce double-sided panels using Heterojunction Technology (HJT). At present, the construction of the super factory has started, and the required investment is about 600 million euros, of which about 118 million euros will be provided by the EU innovation fund. The project is planned to be put into operation in 2023. At that time, 3Sun's production capacity will jump from the current 200 megawatts per year to 3 gigawatts per year, which will generate about 5.5 gigawatts of renewable electricity per year, enough to meet the annual electricity needs of more than 2 million Italian households. Europe is leading the way in the production of heterojunction technology panels that have reached commercial scale and are recognized as a game-changer in the photovoltaic market due to their high performance and overall energy benefits.

Dutch startup Lightyear has launched the world's first mass-produced solar car, the Lightyear 0. A total of 5 square meters of curved solar panels are integrated into the roof, hood and trunk of the EV, which converts renewable solar energy into electric drive, meaning people can recharge from sunlight while driving. The company plans to produce the first batch of 946 vehicles, with deliveries starting in November this year at a price of 250,000 euros (about 1.69 million yuan). After six years of research and development, design, engineering, prototyping and testing, the Lightyear 0 electric vehicle is designed to address "range anxiety." According to test estimates, the solar battery can add 70 kilometers per day to the 624 kilometers of cruising range in traditional charging mode. An interface on a car's touchscreen dashboard provides users with cloud-based updates as they drive, including state of charge, how much solar energy is being absorbed, and feedback on which panels are absorbing solar energy. Lightyear 0 is 5 meters long, has a top speed of 160 kilometers per hour, and can accommodate 5 (parameters丨picture) passengers. The body is made from recycled carbon fiber and aluminum sheets. Instead of a mirror, the Lightyear 0 has four cameras: one for the mirror, one for parking, and two side cameras. Overall, the car's drag coefficient is less than 0.19. A low coefficient of drag means the car uses less energy and can therefore go further. The car's interior is made from vegan and natural materials such as eco-microfiber suede seats and rattan palm detailing. The company said its next design model will start at a more affordable price of 30,000 euros (200,000 yuan), with mass production expected by the end of 2024. Interest in vehicles powered by solar energy has exploded in recent years. German car brand Mercedes-Benz has teamed up with the late fashion designer Virgil Abloh to develop a solar-powered electric car with a transparent front cover. German carmaker Audi has teamed up with Chinese solar cell specialist Hanergy to develop thin solar panels that can be integrated into the roof.

Portugal's EDP plans to expand the scale of floating photovoltaic power generation in Southeast Asia by 2030 According to reports, Portugal-based EDP plans to expand the scale of its floating photovoltaic power plants deployed in Southeast Asia, and will install 16GW of floating photovoltaic power generation systems in water bodies such as oceans and rivers by 2030. Miguel Stilwell, chief executive of EDP, said the company and a subsidiary of Southeast Asia's fourth-largest PV developer Sunseap last year jointly developed the country's first floating PV farm with an installed capacity of 5MW in Singapore. "EDP sees this new technology as a good start to its expansion in the Southeast Asian market, and is already evaluating and developing other projects," Stilwell said. The floating photovoltaic power plant developed in Singapore is the size of five football fields, with 13,300 photovoltaic modules and 30,000 floats installed. In its first year of operation, the photovoltaic farm will generate 6.1GWh of electricity, which can power 1,250 homes. According to him, Sunseap currently has a project portfolio of 5.5GW in markets in 9 countries and regions including Singapore, Thailand, Cambodia, China, Malaysia, Vietnam, Indonesia and Japan. "I think by 2030, we'll be developing offshore floating PV farms that will make up a significant portion of the 16GW total installed capacity," Stilwell said, adding that the region's marine environment is calmer than others. , which is conducive to the installation and operation of floating photovoltaic power plants.