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Image: The recently launched 20MW solar energy plant in South Sudan. Credit: Ezra Group A public-private partnership in South Sudan has launched the country’s first major solar power plant and Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) in the capital Juba, where it is expected to provide electricity to thousands of homes.
The solar farm will have an attached battery energy storage system rated at 35MWh. The off-taker is the South Sudanese Ministry of Electricity, Dams, Irrigation and Water Resources, represented by South Sudan Electricity Corporation, the national electric utility parastatal company.
This power station is an attempt to (a) diversify the country's generation mix (b) increase the country's generation capacity and (c) increase the number of South Sudan's homes, businesses and industries connected to the national grid. The power station is reported to cost an estimated US$45 million to construct.
"South Sudan: Asunim and I-kWh join the Juba solar project (20 MWp)". Afrik21.arica. Paris, France. Retrieved 2 June 2022. ^ Carmen (9 February 2022). "Juba Solar PV Park, South Sudan". Power-Technology. New York City. Retrieved 2 June 2022. ^ a b Maria Gallucci (13 March 2020). "South Sudan Is Building Its Electric Grid Virtually From Scratch".
According to Wood Mackenzie’s report, China continues to dominate the solar module manufacturing landscape in terms of scale, but emerging challengers from India, South Korea, and Vietnam are rapidly closing the gap as global production becomes more geographically diverse.
The total module shipments of the top 5 manufacturers nearly reached 300GW in 2023. The major players maintained their leading positions throughout the list. The top four were LONGi, Jinko, Trina and JA Solar, the same order as last year.
N-type modules accounted for the majority of shipments from several top-tier manufacturers. Jinko Solar, the top global shipper, reported that over 87% of its 2024 shipments were N-type. However, TOPCon remained the leading advanced technology, with average conversion efficiencies exceeding 24%.
The top global solar panel manufacturers, based on how many they ship, include JinkoSolar, JA Solar, Trina Solar, and LONGi. However, the best manufacturer for your solar project will depend more on whether their products suit your budget, needs, and lifestyle.