According to a new report from Agora Energiewende and Sandbag, the EU solar market grew around 60%, or 10 GW, last year. The analysis also predicts that total solar demand across all EU PV markets will continue to grow due to lower module prices, and that it may reach an annual volume of 30 GW within four years. Meanwhile, solar has reportedly achieved a 4% share in the EU electricity mix.

The Canadian company is planning to build a 20 MW hybrid diesel-solar power plant at the Madaouela mining site near Arlit, in northern central Niger. The project will be developed by Canadian independent power producer Windiga Energy.

The warning was made by the nation’s Consumer Affairs Agency, which claims 172 fire accidents occurred in Japan from 2008 to 2017. The Japan Photovoltaic Energy Association said it will provide homeowners with the relevant information and stressed fire risk should not be used as an argument against the energy transition.

Dutch New Energy’s report reveals residential PV is no longer the largest growth driver – commercial and industrial and large-scale solar are now taking the lead. With newly installed PV capacity of 1.3 GW, the country saw its largest increase in new installations last year.

The Wi Hâche Ouatom project is the first of its kind in the southwest Pacific French overseas territory. The facility is 51% owned by Enercal Energies Nouvelles and 49% by Promosud, both of which are based in the archipelago.

The Renewable Energy Project Development Office is tendering seven large-scale IPP solar projects. The exercise is part of Round 2 of the Saudi National Renewable program, which is expected to allocate almost 2.2 GW of PV capacity this year.

A 10 MW solar facility in the Sumber Soum area of Mongolia’s southern Govisümber province has been connected to the grid. The project was financed by the Green Climate Fund and XacBank and takes Mongolia’s installed PV capacity to 35 MW. The pipeline of approved solar schemes has surpassed 700 MW.

Auctions and new licenses will be suspended until the Jordanian government has assessed the capabilities of its power network.

The announcement was given by the country’s Minister of Environment and Ecological Transition, Matos Fernandes. Two kinds of auction will be held for PV: for large-scale projects granted a feed-in premium tariff, and for smaller installations including rooftop awarded a fixed tariff.

In France’s new energy strategy, the Macron administration has said how much will be allocated annually in tenders for ground-mount and rooftop PV projects over the next six years. In the best case scenario, France would have 44.5 GW of solar capacity by 2028, with renewables forecast to come in at up to 113 GW.