Insurance is seldom sexy but climate change campaigners will raise a glass to Munich Re if the industry emulates its policy to cap the financial risk related to battery warranties and helps lift global investment in energy storage as a result.

The level of new solar capacity – 8,263 MW – however, was 15.5% down from the 9,782 MW added in 2017 owing to safeguarding duty and tax taking a toll on large-scale PV. While utility-scale solar declined 23% year-on-year, rooftop PV remained a bright spot, and registered impressive growth of 66%.

The association that represents developers operating at the 1,465 MW solar project in Egypt – due for completion in June – say they have been told nothing about a rumored rise in investment costs caused by more expensive construction materials.

A bevy of lenders from Australia, Germany and the Netherlands have provided up to £272 million for 17 solar and onshore wind projects that benefit from the U.K.’s expired incentives program.

It turns out the cash element of the HK$54.9 billion ‘cash and stock replacement’ plan to privatize Hanergy’s Hong Kong listed thin film division amounts to around HK$0. Thin Film shareholders face a Hobson’s Choice between a convoluted scheme laced with uncertainties or writing off their stock.

Although light on detail, Hydrogenics Corp’s announcement of an electrolyzer project win appears to signal the North American nation has swelled the number of power-to-gas schemes worldwide – and this one should be in operation next year.

The manufacturer endured a rollercoaster ride in 2018, as China’s 5/31 policy decision saw prices plunge before staging a partial recovery. But the Wuhu-based company saw an uplift in its development business and is forging ahead with production expansion amid bullish predictions for the future of PV.

The president last night announced he is hoping to arrange a meeting with Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping to bring an end to the long-running trade stand-off between the two nations, provided further progress can be made in negotiations.

The indebted Chinese developer has put back plans to set a date for its huge shares issue scheme by three weeks. The company needs to raise HK$1 billion that is due for repayment by May but needs stock holders to agree to significantly dilute their stakes.

The big manufacturers turned their Chinese new year production efforts to higher efficiency products but order volumes for standard cells fell during India’s peak PV season, according to PV Info Link.