As the installation cost of residential PV decreases and the grid parity is achieved in more regions, the residential PV market is gaining a new momentum. However, safety is a major concern due to various reasons, such as poor product quality, lack of construction experience, and tight schedules.

The Japanese authorities will provide a maximum rebate of JPY 303,500 ($2,350)/kW for solar projects ranging in size from 10 kW to 50 kW. Projects above 50 kW will be assigned a rebate of JPY 205,900/kW.

The share of silver in the total cost of PV modules has increased by around 5% in recent months, according to US analyst Matthew Watson. He told pv magazine that silver prices are set to rise, adding that the metal will eventually account for an even larger percentage of overall module costs.