Solar Large-Scale Plants News

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
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
France added just 397 MW of solar in six months
At the end of June, France’s installed PV capacity topped 9.3 GW for a 4% increase on the figure recorded at the end of December. Only 397 MW of new capacity was put into operation, however, a much lower figure than the 490 MW deployed in the same period of 2018. Why?
Sep 6, 2019 // Plants, Large-Scale, Commercial, France, Europe, CRE, David Callegari
China’s aluminum smelters alone could shift 2.3% of daily electricity demand
German energy agency Dena has found China’s smelter fleet could shift 432.5 GWh of daily demand to more amenable hours to tally with renewables generation. To make it happen though, the regulator needs to lay down rules for providing incentives.
Sep 5, 2019 // Manufacturing News, Plants, Large-Scale, Commercial, Germany, China, Europe, Asia, Dena, flexible
Ameren puts forward plans for 30MW of solar-plus-storage in rural Missouri
Utility Ameren Missouri is planning three grid-scale solar facilities with energy storage, marking what is claimed will be the first ever instance of an energy company in the US Mid-West state powering its customers’ homes with batteries.
Sep 5, 2019 // Plants, Large-Scale, Commercial, Storage, USA, pv power plants, solar pv, solar-plus-storage, BESS, North America, Missouri, ameren, battery energy storage systems
Polish solar goes big with 1.1GW dual announcement
Poland’s still-nascent solar market could witness a colossal boost in the future if two schemes unveiled this week succeed in reaching the finish line.
Sep 5, 2019 // Plants, Large-Scale, Commercial, Poland, utility-scale PV, Europe, eastern europe, mining, miner, large-scale pv, solar mines
Iberdrola in fresh PV play with 250MW submitted for approval in central Spain
Spanish developer and utility Iberdrola is waiting for project approval from the Castilla-La Mancha government to move ahead with four utility-scale solar PV facilities in the central Spanish region.
Sep 5, 2019 // Plants, Large-Scale, Commercial, Spain, Portugal, Iberdrola, solar pv, bifacial, Inverters, Europe, solar-plus-storage, daisy-chain inverter
Australia’s Clean Energy Council calls for drastic power market reform
Australia needs to drastically overhaul its power market in order to harness and benefit from the country’s skyrocketing rooftop solar and battery market, according to the Clean Energy Council (CEC).
Sep 5, 2019 // Plants, Large-Scale, Commercial, Markets & Finance News, Storage, Rooftop PV, Battery Storage, Australia, Oceania, Clean Energy Council, rooftop solar, LRET, David Parker
Powertis cements Brazil position with 765MW PV portfolio
Powertis is to develop four projects in total across Minas Gerais and São Paulo. The most significant project, which is anticipated to have a capacity of 495MW, will be joined by three separate 90MW projects.
Sep 5, 2019 // Plants, Large-Scale, Commercial, South america, Brazil, Powertis, São Paulo, Pablo Otín
Namibia and Botswana mull 20-year, 5 GW solar push
The governments of the two African nations are considering deploying huge volumes of generation capacity over two decades. The project, still in its initial phase, is being supported by the World Economic Forum’s Global Future Council on Energy.
Sep 5, 2019 // Plants, Large-Scale, Commercial, Africa, eskom, WEF
North Macedonia’s 35 MW solar tender attracts 82 bids
The government intends to build a 25 MW solar park in Sveti Nikole and a 10 MW facility in Makedonski Brod. The feed-in premium granted to the winning bids has been capped at €15/MWh.
Sep 4, 2019 // Plants, Large-Scale, Commercial, Europe, North Macedonia, Kreshnik Bektashi, Sveti Nikole
Mini series: LatAm’s early PV leader, with enormous DG potential
The early development of PV projects in Latin America was spearheaded by one country: Chile. And while there remain prospects for large-scale project development, its distributed generation segment has the potential for enormous growth, says Marcela Puntí Martín, the general manager of the Chilean Solar Energy Association (ACESOL).
Sep 4, 2019 // Plants, Large-Scale, Commercial, Opinions, Chile, South america, Latin america, enel green power, Marcela Puntí Martín, ACESOL
Dutch government treats 21 municipalities to smart EV chargers
Vehicle-to-grid functions could soon become increasingly important. While policymakers discuss the necessary regulations in other nations, the Netherlands government is motoring ahead with the technology.
Sep 4, 2019 // Plants, Large-Scale, Commercial, Storage, Grids, Transport, Germany, Europe, Netherlands, vehicle-to-grid, Stientje van Veldhoven, Nissan Leaf, Renault Zoe, Mobility House