Emiliano Bellini
France announces winners of 150 MW tender round for rooftop PV projects exceeding 100 kW
The French governenment announced that 361 projects were selected in the first 150 MW round of the 1.35 GW tender for rooftop PV. The next tender round will be held in July.
Dangote Industries and Blackstone plan 100 MW solar plant in Nigeria
The Nigerian industrial group was granted funds to conduct the feasibility study for the 100 MW facility by the USTDA. The plant would be built in Kano State, in the north of Nigeria, where the two companies are also planning to construct a 1 GW coal power plant.
Kosovo must do more for renewables, EU says
The European Commission has said that Kosovo’s government needs to increase efforts to improve its energy system, and to provide more support for renewables, although it has recently revised its energy (and renewable energy) strategy up to 2020.
Poland to miss 2020 EU renewable energy target, Ecofys
Poland is set to miss its target of covering up to 15% of energy demand with renewables by 2020. Under the most favorable scenario provided by a report released by local consultancy Ecofys, new additions for solar may reach 695 GWh, while the country is expected to reach a target of only 13.8% by the end of the decade.
South Africa makes it easier to deploy large-scale solar in renewable energy zones
The country’s Ministry of Environmental Affairs has simplified the environmental impact assessment process for large-scale solar and wind power projects in South Africa’s eight Renewable Energy Development Zones.
Japanese scientists seek to develop solar cell able to absorb spectral components of longer wavelengths
The new technology is designed to capture the spectral components of longer wavelengths that are usually lost during transmission through the solar cell. The Japanese scientists are using up-conversion of below-gap photons to reduce power losses and increase the cell efficiency.
Cambodia’s solar development moves forward with 10 MW project
The Asian Development Bank will provide Singapore-based Sunseap Group with $9.2 million. The company will use the funds to construct Cambodia’s first large-scale PV plant, a 10 MW facility located in Svay Rieng Province.
Aurés Solaire commissions Algeria’s second module factory
Algeria’s prime minister has inaugurated the country’s second solar module manufacturing facility in Batna. The French-Algerian module maker intends to double the factory’s capacity to 60 MW at a later stage.
Global installed PV capacity exceeds 300 GW, IEA PVPS
The world’s cumulative PV capacity had surpassed 303 GW at the of 2016, according to a report from IEA PVPS. Globally, solar power is now able to cover approximately 1.8% of power demand.
India’s Central Electronics Limited seeks partners to expand capacity of PV module factory
The Indian state-owned technology company issued an expression of interest to seek potential partners to expand capacity at its module manufacturing facility in Uttar Pradesh, India.
