2019

The contribution of PV to Australia’s electricity generation mix hit record highs last year, according to new figures published today by Green Energy Markets. The electricity generated by new rooftop solar was 86% higher than in the previous three years and utility-scale PV output trebled to pass the 1 TWh milestone.

Indra Overland, head of the Center for Energy Research at the Norwegian Institute for International Affairs, explains how the world’s future energy landscape may include pan-regional super-grids. However, prosumer states seeking energy independence could also be in the mix. According to Overland, the two developments will go hand in hand and the balance between them will be determined by the competitiveness of storage technologies.

With a RMB21.4 billion chunk of its huge debt pile reportedly set to fall due for repayment in July, ownership of four PV projects with a total 80 MW capacity is due to transfer back and forth as the developer tries to sweat its solar assets.

Russian module manufacturer Hevel will deploy 1.2 MW of solar at an hydropower facility operated by local energy provider Rushydro in the Amur region. The solar installation is intended to help the company better manage the power plant, while also reducing its operational costs.

The Ontario firm has revised figures for shipments, net revenue and gross margin after seeing better-than-expected trading in the final three months of 2018.

Diversifying its gas-focused portfolio Down Under, the Italian business has acquired the Northern Territory’s largest solar project – the Katherine Solar Farm.

Following power company NTPC’s 20 MW tender for Rajasthan and 15 MW procurement for Himachal Pradesh, Haryana Power Generation Corporation Limited has invited bids to develop 10 MW of floating PV in Hisar. The deadline for bid submission is on March 1.

Interested developers of large-scale PV plants, with more than 2 MW capacity, have until the end of the year to send proposals. The expression of interest is for projects to be developed with the utility or to be sold to it.

EnBW is planning a big solar park in Weesow-Willmersdorf, in the northeastern region of Brandenburg. If built, the project would become Germany’s largest solar plant. The company says it has a pipeline of unsubsidized projects with a combined capacity of 800 MW.

U.S. fund KKR and Spanish group Gestamp have reportedly begun X-Elio’s sale process. Oil business Repsol and power company Iberdrola are said to be among the interested buyers circling the PV project developer.