Australia: PV sails past 7 GW – 2017 installation record set to be smashed
The extent of the rapid growth under way in the Australian PV market has been laid out in the latest report by the Australian Photovoltaic Institute. Pointing to 2018 representing “another record year for Australian PV” the outstanding growth of the utility scale segment is a particular highlight – with 1.1 GW commissioned and 1.9 GW under development.
India’s solar rooftop progress still dismal
India’s solar rooftop sector continues to disappoint, with the first quarter of FY 2018-2019 achieving just 155.77 MW against the 1,000 MW EoY target.
Eaton talks business cases for energy storage systems in stadiums, hospitals and data centers
At the end of June, Amsterdam’s Johan Cruijff ArenA inaugurated Europe’s largest energy storage system using new and second-life energy storage batteries in a commercial building, alongside partners Eaton, The Mobility House, Nissan and BAM. pv magazine attended the event and spoke to those involved. Below is the first in a series of three interviews with the partners, looking at their involvement in the project, and what their future plans are.
South Korea to set new PV construction rules after landslide destroys array
The South Korean government has revealed plans to introduce new environmental guidelines and rules on where PV projects can be built, following a public outcry after a landslide smashed into an operational solar array south of the city of Daegu.
LatAm PV markets see increasing use of green bonds
Colombia’s Celsia is issuing green bonds worth US$145 million to finance its large solar PV project pipeline, while U.K.-based Faro Energy is resorting to clean energy bonds to fund its distributed generation (DG) solar projects across Brazil.
Solar corporate funding rises 15% YoY with $5.3 billion in H1 2018 – Mercom
Despite the uncertainty caused by U.S. solar panel import tariffs, deteriorating trade relations between the U.S. and China, and the looming consequences of China’s PV policy change, the solar industry saw a 15% YoY increase in corporate funding in the first half of 2018, on the back of a Q2 rebound, finds the latest Mercom Capital report.
Mexican utility CFE retires protection measures against solar net metering
Without the threat of a hostile attitude from the state-owned power provider, the Mexican distributed generation (DG) market may now continue to be a strong driver of growth in the northern American country.
Ecoligo crowdinvestment campaign for flower farm PV system in Kenya launched
Ecoligo has launched another financing round for the installation of a rooftop solar PV system at a flower farm in Kenya. The system is set to reduce the farm’s grid electricity demand by 50%, and lower its OPEX.
Belgium: Flanders to allow direct lines for solar, RE starting from 2019
A new amendment to the region’s energy law allows enterprises to sell power to one other through the so-called direct line model, starting from 2019.
Engie Brasil takes full control of unit specializing in solar DG
Through the operation, the Brazilian unit of the French energy giant strengthens its position in the local distributed generation segment.
