Emiliano Bellini
Construction begins on Sweden’s largest PV plant
The 5.5 MW facility was built by power company Göteborg Energi. The solar plant, in Säve, near Gothenburg, is intended to increase the utility’s generation capacity from renewable sources.
Denmark issues tender for solar projects up to 1 MW
Through the exercise, the Danish Energy Agency will allocate around 35 MW of PV capacity. The $16.7m tender was originally scheduled for last year.
Zorlu Energy plans 50 MW solar project in Kazakhstan
The Turkish company has signed a framework agreement with the Kazakh Ministry of Energy and with the Turkestan district local authority for the large-scale project, which will be in the southernmost, sunniest part of the country.
Hanwha Q Cells to be merged with Hanwha Advanced Materials
The transaction, expected to be finalized next month, will be made through the purchase by the Advanced Materials business of the holdings of Q Cells’ three main stakeholders. The company told pv magazine the operation is intended to enhance the group’s solar growth strategy.
Suriname to pre-qualify contractors for three MW-sized PV projects
The process will be conducted by the Caribbean Development Bank for the government of Suriname with $33m of public funding making up the balance from a $65m line of financing provided by the bank.
Flex to manufacture Enphase products in Mexico
The U.S. microinverter maker has said the capacity increase will be made under its partnership with the Flex Group. It will start delivering devices produced in Mexico to the U.S. market, starting in the second quarter of 2019.
Hungary to see record PV growth in 2018
The Eastern European country is expected to see between 300 and 400 MW of PV capacity deployed this year. This growth will be primarily driven by the FIT program, which closed in mid-2016. Net metered PV installations up to 50 kW represent another key market driver, while C&I projects between 50 kW to 500 kW have ground to a halt.
Repsol buys 264 MW solar project in southern Spain
After announcing its plan to invest in renewables in May, the Spanish oil group has now made its first move in the solar energy sector by acquiring a €210 project near Badajoz, in the southern Spanish region of Extremadura.
Akfen Renewables secures $52 million for 85 MW of PV in Turkey
Overall, the Turkish renewable energy company secured funds in the amount of €102 million, a sum that will be invested in wind and solar projects with a combined capacity of 327 MW. The lender was the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD).
Egypt wants cheaper solar bids, lowers bar to $0.025/kWh
The Egyptian Electricity Transmission Company (EETC) has informed all participants of a tender for the deployment of 600 MW of PV capacity in the West of Nile Area that it won’t accept bids exceeding US$0.025/kWh. In its tender for the 200 MW Kom Ombo solar project, the lowest bid, submitted by Saudi energy company ACWA, was $0.02752.
