Gwénaëlle Deboutte
Thailand’s first floating PV project goes online
The 2 MW plant is installed at the historic site of agro-food group SPM, in Thailand. With 2.8 GWh/year of low-carbon electricity, it will cover up to 20% of the site’s annual energy consumption.
The untapped potential of floating PV in Africa
Researchers at the European Commission’s Joint Research Center have assessed the potential of installing floating solar plants on 146 hydropower reservoirs in Africa. They concluded that, in addition to increasing installed capacity, the plants also reduce water evaporation, allowing for increased annual hydropower production.
EDF begins work on 20 MW floating PV plant in France
The French energy company will build the facility on the water reservoir of the Lazer hydroelectric plant, to double its production. Construction is expected to require 13 months.
France allocates 191.3 MW in commercial and industrial PV tender
The final average price for power generated by solar systems with capacities ranging from 100 kW to 500 kW came in at €91.2/MWh. The price for installations ranging in size from 500 kW to 8 MW was €79.8/MWh.
French startups develop PV-powered desalination solution
Two French companies have collaborated on the development of the Osmo-Watt system, which is powered by solar panels. They claim that the technology can produce up to 100 cubic meters of drinking water per day.
Engie, Neoen plan 1 GW solar-plus-storage project in France
The two French companies have announced Horizeo, a massive project that includes a solar plant, battery storage, a green hydrogen production unit, a data center, and an agrivoltaic facility. The huge project is scheduled for completion in 2026.
Belgium deployed 900 MW of PV in 2020
Renewable energy production increased by 31% and now represents 18.6% of the country’s electricity mix. Its cumulative PV capacity increased from 3,887 MW at the end of 2019 to 4,788 MW at the end of December.
France’s PV tender for non-interconnected areas produces average price of €0.0986/kWh
The French government allocated 57 MW of PV capacity across 47 projects through the tender. Réunion and Guadeloupe were the territories with the largest allocated capacities.
Total to build 35 MW solar plant in Angola
The French company will work with Angolan developer Greentech. According to Total, the solar project is in line with Angola’s plan to encourage foreign investment and promote renewable energy sources, with the goal of reaching an installed capacity of 800 MW in the country by 2025.
French parliament approves retroactive FIT cuts for pre-2011, large scale PV
The representatives of the French solar industry have already mobilized against the controversial measure and said they are studying all possible legal actions.
