Covid-19 daily bulletin: Italian PV developers do their bit for the nation

The Italian PV industry raised more than €500,000 in just eight days to help the nation’s public health efforts to limit the spread of Covid-19. The Gestore Servizi Energetici (GSE) state body responsible for disbursing solar power incentive payments ran a ‘1 kWh for the country’ campaign from April 7 until Wednesday. The program asked the operators of PV plants who receive incentives under the Conto Energia energy bill to donate some of their incentive payments to the public health effort, with each kilowatt-hour of surrendered payment equating to a €10 donation. With almost 5,500 PV project operators signing up, more than €500,000 was raised and the GSE will now open a second phase of the appeal on May 11, to include renewables project operators who receive public payments under other arrangements.

The International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) has added its voice to the growing chorus of institutions demanding the fiscal stimulus packages being launched around the world in response to the coronavirus pandemic align with energy transition objectives. Presenting its Global Renewables Outlook report today, IRENA said the $110-$130 trillion (€101-120 trillion) investment required to guide the switch to renewables to 2050 would drive $98 trillion more in raised global GDP than a return to business-as-usual, as well as creating millions of new jobs.

The Slovakian Ministry of Economy has cancelled the nation’s first renewables tender because of the Covid-19 public health crisis. The 30 MW clean energy pilot tender was announced in early February and developers had until April 30 to lodge bids. However, the ministry this month announced cancellation of the exercise “in order not to disadvantage any candidate given the current crisis situation.”

Conference delayed

The Solar Asset Management Asia conference planned in Tokyo in June is the latest trade event to fall victim to the Covid-19 pandemic. Organizer Solarplaza has put back the dates of the solar project operations and maintenance event from June 4-5 to September 24-25. Solarplaza said Tokyo Conference Center Ariake would remain the venue and event registrations will stay valid.

Negative energy prices for more than six hours straight in the Netherlands late last month – caused by a slump in demand associated with Covid-19 mitigation measures – mean solar incentives will not be paid for Sunday, March 29.

The Swiss government has boosted its solar system rebate fund by CHF46 million (€43.7 million) in a bid to keep up demand which has fallen off amid the Covid-19 crisis.