Patrick Jowett
UK network operator offers earlier grid connections for 836 MW
UK Power Networks’ (UKPN) distribution system operator (DSO) is expediting grid connections for 25 UK projects, totaling 836 MW.
Philippines expects 2 GW of new solar in 2024
The authorities in the Philippines say the nation is on target to add 1.98 GW of solar this year, alongside 590 MW of battery storage, as part of more than 4 GW of renewable energy projects.
Top utility-scale solar PV contractors add 20 GW in 15 months
Wiki-Solar’s latest league table finds the cumulative installations of the top 34 engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contractors now globally stands in excess of 100 GW (AC).
Electricity prices continue recovery in Europe
AleaSoft Energy Forecasting recorded electricity price increases in all major European markets during the fourth week of April. It also registered historical daily records for solar production in Portugal and Spain.
EU to provide €720 million to support hydrogen projects
The European Hydrogen Bank’s pilot auction is delivering €720 million ($768.3 million) to seven renewable hydrogen projects in Finland, Norway, Portugal and Spain. Together, they plan to produce 1.58 million tons of renewable hydrogen over a period of 10 years.
Midsummer builds 200 MW CIGS solar module factory in southeastern Sweden
Swedish thin film solar manufacturer Midsummer has selected a factory in southeastern Sweden to develop its new solar module production facility, which will produce copper indium gallium selenide (CIGS) solar cells for the European market.
Middle East, North Africa to hit 40 GW of solar this year
The Middle East Solar Industry Association’s (MESIA) latest Solar Outlook Report says that despite rapid growth in solar deployment across the Middle East and North Africa, the area’s power mix is still dominated by fossil fuels. It says growth will be led by utility-scale solar, but it calls for a balanced approach involving distributed energy projects.
Lightsource bp secures financing for 560 MW Greek solar project
Investment totaling €315.35 million ($337.8 million), consisting of funds from Eurobank and the Recovery and Resilience Fund Greece 2.0, will allow UK developer Lightsource bp to begin developing a 560 MW solar project located in the east of mainland Greece.
EDF, KOWEPO, Masdar to develop 1.5 GW of solar in UAE
France’s EDF Renewables, South Korea’s Korea Western Power Co. (KOWEPO), and Abu Dhabi Future Energy Co. (Masdar) have agreed to jointly design, finance, build and operate a 1.5 GW solar project in the United Arab Emirates, under a power purchase agreement (PPA) with Emirates Water and Electricity Co. (EWEC).
China poised to reach 5.5 TW of solar by 2050
DNV forecasts that solar energy in China will account for 38% of the country’s electricity production by 2050, compared to 5% at present, with more than one-third of solar capacity to be combined with storage by the middle of the century.
