News

Panda Green writes off another $5.6m
The debt saddled renewables project developer has signed off on the sale of two wind farms in Shanxi at a loss of RMB40 million on investment. The sale will contribute up to RMB251.5 million to help pay off the parent company’s debts
Sep 9, 2019 // Markets & Finance News, China, Asia, Panda Green, Changzhou Zhaolian
Qatar solar testing facility ‘open for business’
After more than six years of scientific and technical research efforts in the solar sector, the Qatar Environment and Energy Research Institute (QEERI) is now targeting a major role in the industry itself.
Sep 9, 2019 // Manufacturing News, Plants, Large-Scale, Commercial, Grids, pv modules, Asia, Qatar, r&d, qeeri, testing, Dr. Veronica Bermudez Benito
Lightsource BP breaks ground on 70MW Pennsylvania trio
Lightsource BP has started construction of a 70MW trio of Pennsylvanian solar projects that will provide power to Penn State University.
Sep 9, 2019 // Plants, Large-Scale, Commercial, USA, pv power plants, utility-scale PV, Lightsource BP, Pennsylvania, North America, penn state university
Industry: Italian solar comeback needs market redesign, not subsidies
Subsidies are not the answer for Italy to revive its solar industry from the deadlock brought about by the scrapping of feed-in tariffs (FiT), operators have warned at an industry event.
Sep 9, 2019 // Plants, Large-Scale, Commercial, Tariffs, Italy, PPA, pv power plants, solar pv, Europe, subsidy-free pv, feed-in tariff, Paolo Rocco Viscontini
UNEP: Solar the star of a decade of ‘incredible’ renewables momentum
Solar PV has seen a “meteoric rise” over the past decade, with more capacity installed than any other power source, according to a new report by BloombergNEF and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP).
Sep 9, 2019 // Plants, Large-Scale, Commercial, Markets & Finance News, Germany, UK, China, Europe, Asia, bloomberg nef, unep, solar finance, development finance, reports, Inger Anderson
Nigeria powers up Africa’s ‘largest off-grid solar hybrid’
The latest project to be switched on in Nigeria’s solar electrification programme for universities is also thought to be the largest ‘hybrid’ plant of its kind on the African continent so far, inaugurated this week at Bayero University Kano (BUK).
Sep 8, 2019 // Plants, Large-Scale, Commercial, Grids, solar pv, off-grid solar, Africa, microgrid, Nigeria, off-grid pv, renewable integration, rural electrification
STI Norland expects 1.2GW of contracted mounting systems orders in 2019
Mounting systems specialist STI Norland said it had surpassed 3GW of cumulative installations with 1.2GW of contracted mounting systems orders expected in 2019.
Sep 8, 2019 // Plants, Large-Scale, Commercial, Japan, Spain, France, India, pv power plants, Europe, Asia, Mexico, North America, sti norland, pv trackers, pv mounting systems
Cambodia tender secures lowest solar power price in Southeast Asia
The Asian Development Bank-backed procurement round attracted 26 bidders for the 60 MW project, according to the development lender. The ADB says the low price secured will persuade neighboring governments to embrace auctions.
Sep 8, 2019 // Markets & Finance News, tender, Asia, Cambodia, Asian Development Bank, Southeast Asia, Siddharta Shah
High power prices, falling PV costs and new regulations behind Brazil’s solar carnival
The nation’s thriving distributed generation market is flying, as was evident at last week’s Intersolar South America trade show. The sector seems unconcerned by mooted changes to net metering incentives in the new year and when even an environmental non-believer like President Bolsonaro is on side, it is difficult to be pessimistic.
Sep 8, 2019 // Manufacturing News, Plants, Large-Scale, Commercial, Inverters, Solar, USA, Sungrow, Canadian Solar, China, South america, Latin america, Europe, Brazil, Asia, Fronius, Greener, North America, Intersolar South America, Solar Promotion, Florian Wessendorf, utility scale solar, Marcelo Sousa, Ada Li, Thais Zampieri Bitancourt, Julian Rau, Trina, Álvaro García Maltrás, Apollo Chai, Rodolfo Meyer, Portal Solar, Marcio Takata, Lucas Troia
Panda Green accepts $22.5m hit on sale of 540 MW of solar projects
The heavily indebted developer has cashed in two eight-project portfolios for an immediate $28 million windfall but accepted the sales recognize heavy losses as it continues to try and pay down debt.
Sep 8, 2019 // Plants, Large-Scale, Commercial, Markets & Finance News, China, Asia, Panda Green, Shanxi Silu Electricity Engineering Co Ltd, Changzhou Zhaolian Lvchang New Energy Ltd
New metallization process cuts silver demand for modules by 30%
Fraunhofer ISE has worked with German technology companies to improve the metallization process in silicon solar cells. The result could drive down module costs quite a bit.
Sep 8, 2019 // Technology, Manufacturing News, solar cell, Fraunhofer ISE, PERC, metallisation, wickon hightech, koenen, murakami, Florian Clement
Solar-plus-storage vs grid enhancement
Ontario’s Independent Electricity System Operator will implement a pilot project for a future electricity market based on PV, storage and smart power consumption. The utility says the project will be a cheaper, more efficient alternative to expanding grid infrastructure.
Sep 8, 2019 // Plants, Large-Scale, Commercial, IESO, Alectra Utilities, Natural Resources Canada, Terry Young
Comtec ready to swim against the tide by outsourcing manufacturing
While the rest of China’s solar manufacturers take on ever more debt to expand their production lines as fast as possible, Comtec said it is ready to sell off fabs for the right money and will instead focus on project sales and lithium battery and EV business opportunities.
Sep 6, 2019 // Manufacturing News, Plants, Large-Scale, Commercial, Markets & Finance News, China, Asia, Comtec, John Yi Zhang
Jordan launches tender for utility scale solar at Azraq refugee camp
When built, the 5 MW solar park will supplement two other megawatt scale plants powering the camp. The project is expected to be developed with the support of the Spanish government.
Sep 6, 2019 // Plants, Spain, tender, Europe, MEMR, Azraq, Dave Mozersky
Big money for Turkey’s 500 MW solar factory
With the Turkish government having given Kalyon Enerji another three years to build the 500 MW facility it won a tender to construct with former partner Hanwha Q Cells, Ankara has now committed a $333 million “super incentive” to the fab.
Sep 6, 2019 // Manufacturing News, Markets & Finance News, Asia, Kalyon Enerji, Eren Engur, Hanwha Q Cells, Turkey