Norway saw 23.5 MW of solar come online in 2018
Despite the small figure, last year saw the nascent Norwegian PV market expand 29% from the previous year. The country’s cumulative installed PV capacity reached approximately 68 MW at the end of December.
World Bank provides $185m for 310 MW of renewable capacity in Bangladesh
Multilateral lender hopes to leverage $212 million more from the private sector as falling solar development costs make renewables more attractive. A solar plant with a 50 MW capacity in Feni will be one of the first to benefit from the new funds.
Brazil to hold next A-4 auction on June 27, solar likely to be included
The Ministry of Energy and Mines is planning nine energy auctions up to 2021. The plan includes two “new energy” procurements per year – A-4 and A-6 auctions – and one per year for existing power plants. It is unclear whether solar will be eligible and, if so, which auctions it would compete in, but Brazilian solar association ABSOLAR is confident PV will admitted to both.
Gujarat’s 1 GW solar tender fails to attract bidder
Developers turned their back on a procurement exercise linked to projects at the Dholera Solar Park, after insisting the challenging terrain meant the electricity price ceiling stipulated by the state would make projects unviable.
Utility pays for rural power lines to be replaced with solar-plus-storage for remote farms
Western Australia’s state-owned utility Horizon Power is preparing to roll out 13 solar and battery technology units at 14 far-flung farms in the Esperance region.
Global solar demand reached 104 GW in 2018
According to new figures released by SolarPower Europe, last year saw 1.4 GW more new solar generation capacity than trade body had expected. Lower demand in China was compensated for by stronger developments in emerging markets.
Shortlisted bidders go forward in Lebanon’s 180 MW, 12-plant tender
Lebanon’s Ministry of Energy and Water has qualified 28 domestic and international firms to enter the next stage of a tender for 180 MW of solar generation capacity.
ADB provides $11.5 million for 50 MW PV project in Kazakhstan
The Asian Development Bank has signed an agreement to finance a project in the south of the central Asian nation.
Smart Energy Week in Tokyo: Self-consumption, storage and a plentiful pipeline for now
Though we’re unlikely to see a return to the days of double-figure GW annual installation levels, Japan will stay at the top table of solar. Last week, pv magazine visited PV Expo Japan, part of Tokyo’s World Smart Energy Week, and found plenty of market developments to discuss, along with healthy interest from major players.
Solar-plus-storage approaching the North Pole
The Northwest Territories of Canada are going to host a solar-plus-storage project that will be the first of its kind in the region. The facility will power three businesses and 32 residential units in Inuvik and Iqaluit.
