Australia’s 125 MW Sun Metals refinery solar farm officially opens
The 125 MW solar PV plant, which will supply the power-intensive zinc refinery near Townsville, is Australia’s largest operational industrial solar project.
Solar cell prices decline in reaction to safeguard duties, impending MIP decision
“Significant” price movements in solar PV cells has been observed this week, in reaction to India’s safeguard duties, and the impending MIP decision, says EnergyTrend. Module, wafer and polysilicon prices, however, remain stable. In contrast, prices for li-ion batteries are set to increase by as much as 15% in Q3.
Brazil’s PV capacity tops 1.6 GW
At the end of June 2018, according to official statistics, large-scale solar capacity reached 1,307 MW, while the share of distributed PV generation (up to 5 MW), was 296 MW. Of the total capacity, 1.36 GW was connected to the grid in the last 12 months.
SunPower borrows $110 million to refinance
The PV manufacturer plans to pay off the high-interest ‘mezzanine loan’ with revenue from its residential lease portfolio.
Nissan Brazil and Federal University of Santa Catarina to cooperate on second-life EV battery research
As the global EV market grows, manufacturers are seeking new revenue streams for used EV batteries. Applications in grid and residential storage systems have become popular. The market for second-life EV batteries is expected to reach $4.2 billion by 2025.
Hanergy is back on the expansion trail with plans for Brazil fab
The thin-film specialist has met representatives of the municipality of Uberaba, in the west of the state of Minas Gerais, to discuss project details. Planned investment may reach $1 billion as the Chinese manufacturer, like its peers, targets overseas markets.
Another grid-scale battery heads to South Australia
A 25 MW / 52 MWh Tesla energy storage system will be installed at the Lake Bonney Wind Farm, in a state which already houses the world’s largest battery.
Silfab to launch 300 MW back-contact module production in Q1 2019
The Ontario-based solar manufacturer will deploy a 150 MW production line at its manufacturing facility in Toronto, and another 150 MW line at an unspecified location in the United States.
1 GW renewable energy program launched in South Australia
SIMEC Zen Energy, the Australian energy arm of Sanjeev Gupta’s GFG Alliance, has officially launched its landmark US$1 billion (AU$1.38 billion) renewable energy initiative, announcing the details of its first project – the 280 MW Cultana Solar Farm.
Ferroglobe to open solar grade silicon factory in Spain by the end of 2018
The London-based metal alloy and metallic products provider has conducted a test on 500 kW of wafers in cooperation with the Silicon Module Super League (SMSL). In the next weeks, it will also test 500 kW of PERC cells relying on its own “black silicon”, in coordination with another Super League producer.
