As global economies develop, and uses for renewable energy diversifies, new pressures are being placed on the electric network. Yet, utilities are sitting on a wealth of data that can reveal better insights into their operations, writes Dan Beasley, Director, Utilities, Cyient.

Alexander Schönfeldt of energy storage specialists, Younicos examines the growing trend of energy storage-as-a-service, and explains why the sector is growing at such a rate.

Finance in developing countries: Economics teaches that capital flows from where it is in surplus to where it is in demand. But that is not the case with renewable energy. The biggest pots of institutional capital in advanced economies are not shifting to developing ones. It is time to take a hard look and develop solutions that resolve this anomaly.

On January 26, 2018, the EAC issued a set of regulations to clarify the general conditions for installing and operating solar photovoltaic (PV) systems in Cambodia. Kohe Hasan, partner at Reed Smith and director of Resource Law LLC (Singapore), and Kaknika Lin, assistant consultant at KPMG Cambodia Ltd provide a summary of the key regulations, in addition to discussing the country’s investment climate.

It is a truth universally acknowledged that billions of people around the world live in poverty. But does it have to be that way? Today’s technological progress means that tomorrow we will be able to produce more, more efficiently – lifting people above the breadline with accelerated economic growth all around the world. Key to these efforts are smart buildings, argues Hussain Kazmi, a PhD student at KU Leuven and Enervalis.

Norway based project developer, Scatec Solar has posted consolidated revenue of NOK 289 million (US$37.1 milion) for the first quarter of 2018, and the company’s EBITDA increased to NOK 212 million ($27.1 million), over the previous quarter’s NOK 207 million. It attributes the improved financials to an increase in development and construction activity.

The Hong Kong government will start discussing plans from early next week to give owners of residential and commercial rooftop solar PV systems the chance to sell surplus electricity to the grid.

U.S. technology company Microlink Devices has achieved a record efficiency of 37.75% on its triple junction thin film cells. The lightweight cell achieves a power density of more than 3000 W/kg, and is designed for use in satellites and unmanned air vehicles (UAVs). The new efficiency record is confirmed by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory.

The governments of the U.K. and India have announced a new green fund, managed by Lightsource BP and the Everstone Group, which will see up to £500 million invested in green energy in India. The U.K. has also joined the Indian-led International Solar Alliance (ISA).

A proposal to make domestic content requirement mandatory for solar PV energy projects is currently being discussed by the Jordanian Parliament.

The 15 MW project was developed under the Netherlands’ SDE+ program for large-scale renewables.

The IPP project is being conceived mainly for self-consumption, although its developers have not excluded selling some of the generated power to a nearby industrial district.

The project, to be developed in the province of San Juan, was selected by the Argentinean government in the second auction round (Ronda 1.5) of the RenovAr program for large-scale renewable energy projects.

The final average price of the awarded projects was €80.8/MWh, slightly below the previous tender of the same type, in which the average price was €85/MWh.

The floating solar array will be deployed at the water reservoir of Peñol-Guatapé, which is owned and operated by local energy and telecommunications utility, Empresas Públicas de Medellín (EPM).

Belgian institute Imec will be the coordinator of a project involving many of Europe’s leading research organizations, which will focus on developing stable, scalable, low cost PV modules based on perovskite technology. The project, named ‘ESPResSo’ has received more than €5 million in funding from the European Union.

German research institute, the Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems (ISE) and equipment supplier, Schmid have jointly developed a production line for customizable modules for building-integrated projects. According to Fraunhofer ISE, the concepts developed by joint study could reduce the production cost for BIPV modules as much as 35%.

The researchers found that printed solar cells achieved a better performance when they used an active polymer material as glue.

Price of cobalt, a raw material used in lithium-ion batteries, rose 26% in the first quarter of the year, following 114% annual increase in 2017, finds EnergyTrend. Suppliers may look at ways to lower cobalt content in new iterations, experts say.

The U.S. National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) has launched a new software package, developed alongside SunPower and kWh Analytics, which it says will improve the accuracy and reliability of PV plant performance data, and improve the industry’s understanding of degradation.

The two biggest names in the solar trade fight will now be one company. SunPower will again be a U.S. manufacturer, and SolarWorld will begin producing P-Series modules.

U.S. solar trade organization, Solar Energy Idustries Association (SEIA) has listed cancelled investments and hiring as well as job losses in its comments supporting requests for exclusion from Section 201 tariffs.

In the first quarter of this year, the Chinese solar manufacturer registered a 34% drop in revenue, while quartely shipments also declined around 19% year-on-year, to 462 MW.

The company’s wafer factory in China was closed in the fourth quarter of 2017. Hanwha Q Cells, however, intends to further produce wafers at its new factory in Turkey.

Two large Chinese ingot and wafer makers have announced bold plans to expand their capacities beyond anything seen to date. In the process they could transform the entire upstream solar manufacturing landscape.

Analyst data records 53% annual growth in storage in 2017, rising to 1.9 GW as South Korea climbed to top of the tree in terms of cumulative capacity. Global project pipeline has soared to 10.4 GW.

The Indian multinational EPC has this week unveiled a new global division that will focus on the development of power+storage hybrid solutions. The new unit will focus initially on lighting up remote islands and has an installation target of 1 GW.

A session at BNEF’s Future of Energy Summit explored how renewables paired with energy storage are successfully competing with new gas plants.

Inaugural global energy storage report by GTM Research finds that Australia’s behind-the-meter storage market tripled in 2017, while the U.S. remains the world’s leading market with an installed energy capacity of 431 MWh. China poised to rise to second place globally in 2019.

Rise in small scale solar contributing towards new trend of falling summertime peak transmission system demand on U.K. grid, says outlook report. Inflexibile gas and nuclear plants may be curtailed to make way for solar and wind.