Solar Markets & Finance News

Bifacial PV stands on the edge of a boom across the world’s four corners as cost improvements and geopolitics strengthen the case for the budding technology, according to Wood Mackenzie.

Microsoft has purchased 85MW of solar energy from Engie as part of a broader agreement covering 230MW of clean energy generated by the developer's Texas operations.

Lightsource BP has secured US$140 million financing for a portfolio of seven utility-scale PV projects across the US.

The advent of permitting restrictions on wind power projects has opened the door for PV in the pending auction for renewable generation facilities with a capacity of more than 1 MW. Wind power dominates Polish clean energy and no solar projects were successful in last year’s exercise.

The Paraná-based energy provider will buy renewable energy under a 15-year power purchase agreement. The auction’s winners and final prices were not revealed.

The French development agency and the environment ministry have a €1.6 million budget to finance novel off-grid projects from companies and NGOs operating with local partners in Africa.

Engie North America has bought a four-project portfolio in Massachusetts that comprises 25MW of solar and 22MWh of energy storage.

Top UK solar investor Bluefield Solar Income Fund (BSIF) has hailed the advent of subsidy-free utility-scale solar in the UK, announcing a number of agreements to bring forward unsubsidised projects in the country.

One of Spain’s prominent subsidy-free solar players has witnessed a bullish start in 2019 after becoming the offtaker for some of the largest deals seen in the country so far this year.

Japanese carmaker Honda has clinched the car industry’s supposedly “largest” renewable energy deal, signing a duo of virtual power purchase agreements (VPPAs) for 320MW of wind and solar to power its US operations.

The nation’s political parties have found agreement on a green electricity package which is expected to create stable conditions for the next three years. From next year, €36 million will be made available annually for the further support of PV systems and energy storage.

Utility SaskPower is set to close the net metering open to systems up to 100 kW in size once a 16 MW cumulative generation capacity limit is reached in the province.

A planned 10 MW solar project will be coupled with a storage system with a minimum capacity of 8 MWh. The facility will be near Hambantota in southern Sri Lanka.

The project, planned for Khovd in the west of the country, is being developed with the support of the World Bank.

A handful of European states have moved to bankroll various World Bank clean energy initiatives, with US$100 million of French and Dutch money set to back PV in Sub-Saharan Africa.