More subsidy free solar + storage for the UK
Local authority West Sussex County Council has commissioned the 7.4 MW Westhampnett Solar Farm, co-located with a 4.4 MW lithium-ion battery. The project was built without government subsidy, according to the council, and is expected to deliver significant income over its 25-year lifetime.
French turn on nuclear opens €45 billion renewables investment opportunity
The French government is expected to show a draft plan on how to achieve nuclear generation reduction plans. After minister Hulot left the government in August, amidst disagreements with Macron’s handling of the nuclear lobby, the parliament has voted for a bill to reduce nuclear generation capacity. If the plans are realized in compliance with the climate targets, solar and wind deployment could grow significantly.
Petroleum Development Oman awards contract for 100 MW PV plant
State owned oil company Petroleum Development Oman (PDO) has awarded an independent power producer contract for a 100 MW solar project to a consortium led by Japanese conglomerate Marubeni. Once constructed, the plant will power PDO’s operations in Oman under a 23-year PPA.
QWAY to develop 500 MW of renewables in Angola
Belgian developer QWAY energy has announced plans for 500 MW of renewable energy capacity in Angola, up to 300 MW of which it says will be solar PV. The company has signed a contract for the projects with Angola based company Thueia.
Electricity and hydrogen, from one cell
Scientists at the United States Department of Energy’s Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory have created a hybrid device which can produce both hydrogen via water splitting and electricity via photovoltaics.
Juwi signs contract for third project in Vietnam
German renewables developer Juwi has signed a contract to provide EPC services for a 50 MW project located near to the coast in central Vietnam’s Binh Dinh province. This project brings Juwi’s pipeline in the Southeast Asian country to 130 MW.
Europe’s largest commercial and industrial PV storage testbed launched
Testing lithium-ion, redox flow, and sodium-sulfur technologies, EPC provider CMI Energy wants to establish which types of system, or which combinations, are most suitable for different applications using the 4.2 MWh facility.
Risk of a ‘bridge to nowhere’ effect in Africa’s electrification
A report from the United States’ Rocky Mountain Institute finds more work is needed on the demand side for microgrids and other rural electrification projects in Africa. Such projects, says the report, often focus on building generation capacity, with little consideration for the ability of end users to make good use of energy.
Inverter maker and battery giant charge into US market
German inverter maker SMA has joined forces with China’s BYD after losing US market share to Solaredge, which this year linked up with Kostal to optimize communication interfaces between inverters and storage applications.
Falling rupee could threaten $3.84bn of Indian solar projects
As the currency continued to fall today, analysts are concerned developers will see any savings from lower module prices disappear, and lenders may get nervy, putting India’s national solar target in grave doubt.
