China's solar curb
Beijing's move to curtail solar power subsidies is far from terminal for the global market.
China's suspension of approval for new subsidised grid-scale photovoltaic (PV) solar projects has led to sharply reduced forecasts for global capacity expansion in 2018. But the longer-term outlook for the sector still looks buoyant, as costs continue to fall. The government's decision, at the end of May, came into effect in June and effectively means only projects subject to competitive bidding will be sanctioned in 2018, while feed-in tariffs have also been cut. The rationale for the move is familiar, echoing similar moves in Spain and Germany, the countries that led the solar drive in Europe. A combination of attractive subsidies and falling installation costs led to more projects being b
Also in this section
9 January 2026
A shift in perspective is needed on the carbon challenge, the success of which will determine the speed and extent of emissions cuts and how industries adapt to the new environment
2 January 2026
This year may be a defining one for carbon capture, utilisation and storage in the US, despite the institutional uncertainty
23 December 2025
Legislative reform in Germany sets the stage for commercial carbon capture and transport at a national level, while the UK has already seen financial close on major CCS clusters
15 December 2025
Net zero is not the problem for the UK’s power system. The real issue is with an outdated market design in desperate need of modernisation
