News

Oman reveals bidders in 146 megawatt solar-diesel-storage tender
The state-owned Rural Areas Electricity Company wants to build 11 Solar-diesel-storage projects in remote rural locations. Pre-qualified bidders in the tender comprise Engie, Canadian Solar, Akuo, Longi, Jinko, GCL, Abengoa, Total and Belectric.
Dec 10, 2019 // Plants, Large-Scale, Commercial, Markets & Finance News, Storage, Canadian Solar, Engie, Asia, akuo, LONGi, Jinko, GCL, Oman, shell, Solar-diesel-storage, Abengoa, Total and Belectric
Europe approves $3.2 billion to support battery R&D
The European Commission has approved use of capital given by seven member nations to back Europe-wide R&D projects across the lithium-ion battery value chain, with the purpose of possibly unlocking an extra $5 billion in private sector investment
Dec 10, 2019 // Markets & Finance News, Storage, Europe, lithium-ion battery
U.S. senators replicate call for ban on Huawei solar inverters
A group of ten bipartisan senators such as Marco Rubio (R-FL), Susan Collins (R-ME) and Joe Manchin (D-WV) sent a letter to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC), calling on it to take action to fight the national security threat introduced by Huawei's entrance to the U.S. solar sector.
Dec 10, 2019 // Inverters, Policy, USA, FERC, Huawei, North America, Marco Rubio, Susan Collins, Joe Manchin
India's SECI in new solar auction drive as green energy target beckons
The Solar Energy Corporation of India (SECI) has introduced tenders for 1.2GW of PV projects and 1.2GW of solar-wind hybrid projects on 5 December.
Dec 10, 2019 // Plants, Large-Scale, Commercial, Markets & Finance News, Grids, India, SECI, tender, solar pv, NTPC, Asia, solar-plus-wind
Israel scientists find new way to keep dust off solar panels
Inspired by the lotus effect, scientists from Negev-based BGU have examined mechanisms and forces that may be improved to keep dust off solar cells for higher performance. The innovative technology allows removing 98% of the dust amount from panel surface.
Dec 10, 2019 // Technology, Solar Panels, Asia, Israel, PV cell, BGU
Chint launches a 103MW solar project in Netherlands
The photovoltaic park developed by Chint Solar was commissioned a month and a half ago. The PV modules for the project were manufactured by Astronergy, the company’s unit in Germany.
Dec 10, 2019 // Plants, Large-Scale, Commercial, Germany, pv modules, Europe, Netherlands, Chint Solar
Chinese researchers study gas release when combusting PET-laminated thin-film solar panels
A group of researchers from the Chinese national research institute has examined the way flexible thin-film solar modules with PET-lamination behave when burnt. The findings show that, in the process of combustion, the device releases such toxic emissions as HCN, hydrofluoric acid, SO2 and some VOCs.
Dec 10, 2019 // Technology, China, Asia, solar modules, thin-film, flexible, SKLFS
Akuo bags 6-MW energy storage project in Tonga
French renewable energy producer Akuo Energy said Friday it has secured a contract to construct in Tonga a power storage system with a capacity of 23.4 MWh/6 MW.
Dec 9, 2019 // Storage, France, Europe, Oceania, Akuo Energy, Tonga
Engie purchases 50 MWp PV pipeline in Portugal
The Portuguese unit of France's Engie SA (EPA:ENGI) has obtained solar energy firm Ikaros Hemero together with a project pipeline of over 50 MWp, local press reported Saturday.
Dec 9, 2019 // Markets & Finance News, Portugal, Europe, Engie SA, Ikaros, Hemera Duarte Caro de Sousa, Pedro Cruz
BYD declares new inverters "Battery-Box Premium" line
Chinese firm BYD Co. Ltd. intends to establish the "Battery Box Premium" line, the next generation of its own Battery Box, at the first quarter of 2020.
Dec 9, 2019 // Manufacturing News, Inverters, China, Asia, BYD
Ambitious 1 GW agrivoltaic livestock farming project declared in Malaysia
The Malaysia Automotive, Robotics and IoT Institute is planning a huge solar energy project which will integrate agriculture and livestock farming in the Sabah region. The research institute claims to have secured $50 million for the project's initial, 200 MW phase. The 25,000ha needed for the projects will host up to 150,000 cattle in addition to cultivation of forage crops like kenaf, corn, hay and wheat.
Dec 9, 2019 // Plants, Large-Scale, Commercial, Malaysia, JA Solar, Asia, Automotive, Robotics and IoT Institute, NET Kovina Co, Ltd, Max Legacy Sdn Bhd, Datuk Darell
Oil giant BP increases stake in PV developer Lightsource
British Gas and Oil supermajor BP announced it increases its stake in solar developer Lightsource BP in an effort to help accelerate the organization's growth and its aspirations to develop 10GW of renewable energy assets by the end of 2023.
Dec 9, 2019 // Markets & Finance News, Lightsource BP, Europe, bp
India holds a tender for hybrid and photovoltaic projects, with 1.2 gigawatts of capacity each
Indian SECI is going to conclude 25-year-valid PPAs for solar and hybrid ventures. The developers can choose where in India the facilities will be built, owned and operated.
Dec 9, 2019 // Plants, Large-Scale, Commercial, Markets & Finance News, Storage, India, SECI, Asia
Indian solar colossus starts Wellington project in Australia
Sterling and Wilson Solar Ltd is entering the market of Australia and starting the first Australia-based photovoltaic project – the 200-megawatt solar field in Wellington, the state of New South Wales.
Dec 9, 2019 // Plants, Large-Scale, Commercial, Markets & Finance News, Australia, Oceania, Sterling and Wilson Solar Ltd
Major Burkina Faso PV project secures €48.82m ‘Desert to Power’ loan
The African Development Bank (AfDB) will lend the government of Burkina Faso €48.82 million (US$54.04 million) to develop 208MWp of PV across the nation under its Desert to Power initiative.
Dec 9, 2019 // Plants, Large-Scale, Commercial, Markets & Finance News, Grids, solar pv, European Union, West Africa, AfDB, African Development Bank, Burkina Faso, French Development Agency