Apricum articles
Our view on the latest developments in the cleantech industry.
The Vast Potential of Hybrid Renewable Energy Solutions for Unlocking New Solar and Wind Markets
Many regions in the world today cannot be sufficiently supplied by large, central power plants and therefore depend on distributed power generation. For many years, this market has been mainly served by fossil fuel-powered gensets.
Is PV module manufacturing becoming a local business?
Satellite PV module manufacturing, the assembly of modules in factories in end markets around the globe rather than in highly centralized and vertically integrated facilities, is a growing trend in the PV industry.
Improved access to public finance for solar may unlock the potential for distributed generation in Brazil
Next to the utility segment, the commercial/residential rooftop segment of the Brazilian PV market offers good market potential, driven by very favorable conditions for self-consumption of generated power.
Beyond PV Industry Consolidation: Investment Opportunities Abound in a Mature Market Environment
The PV industry has bounced back from a tough few years of drastic consolidation driven by overcapacity and savage price competition. The PV market is now global and diversified, and is experiencing strong and consistent growth resulting in companies across the PV value chain becoming profitable again.
Turkey: A thriving PV market set to grow
The Turkish solar market is set to flourish. Attractive opportunities for investors and self-consumption are driving a boom in the license-free segment, and an overwhelming 8.9 GW of applications were received for the 600 MW of tendered capacity last year in the licensed segment.
What can we expect from Saudi Arabia’s solar ambitions?
We spoke to Nikolai Dobrott about his thoughts on the much-discussed topic of when, by whom, and how the next steps in the development of Saudi Arabia’s solar market will unfold.
Centralized auctions drive growth in Brazil’s utility-scale PV market
Plans to diversify Brazil’s hydro-dominated electricity market continue to move ahead, most recently boosted by the just announced solar tendering rounds. With a clear need for additional power generation capacity (~63 GW by 2022) to satisfy a growing population and economy, opportunities are opening up in Brazil’s expanding solar utility-scale and distributed generation segments.
Jordan: Realizing its renewable energy ambitions now
With negligible fossil energy reserves, Jordan is heavily dependent on foreign energy imports. Solar and wind power generation is well-placed to support Jordan’s goals to increase energy independence and reduced energy spending.
Electricity payback time of a PV system – the facts
Opponents of solar energy tend to circulate the misinformation that a PV module cannot generate the amount of electricity during its lifetime that was used in its production. How much electricity is really needed to make a PV module?
GCC countries: Rising stars in solar and wind
The Gulf region is not only home to some of the world’s leaders in oil and gas production, it is also a powerhouse of renewable energy potential. Many of the GCC[1] member countries are perhaps best known for their immense oil and gas reserves, however, they also offer excellent solar resources, and in many cases strong wind resources.
The Russian wind and solar market: The “green giant” shows signs of waking up
Apricum Principal Florian Mayr examines the likelihood of Russia to realize its potential in becoming a major renewable energy industry player, and finds the signs are positive. While Russia has long opted to pursue an energy policy driven by nuclear and fossil fuels,...
Mexico – building a renewable energy market without conventional feed-in-tariffs
Apricum Project Manager Sebastian Schierenbeck examines Mexico’s renewable energy schemes with a focus on solar energy. Adopting a different approach to the conventional feed-in-tariffs favored in established renewable energy markets, Mexico’s mix of energy schemes...