Utility Scale PV

BNZ, a Barcelona-based independent power producer (IPP), has announced a 49 MW solar project in northern Portugal in partnership with GRS, a Madrid-based solar engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contractor.

Chinese PV industry leaders are urging Beijing to implement requirements to help manufacturers operate more sustainably, as solar module prices hit record lows in China’s large-scale PV tenders.

German PV project developer Fellensiek Projektmanagement GmbH & Co. KG has filed for insolvency due to claims from an unnamed investor. However, the company’s 20 project entities remain unaffected, and buyers are being sought for their sale.

Argentina’s Secretariat of Energy has increased the self-consumption limit under net metering from 2 MW to 12 MW to expand the country’s renewable energy capacity.

Worldwide, solar has an important part to play in preventing climate breakdown and reducing the frequency of extreme weather events. But the regions most vulnerable to these conditions face their own challenges in building resilient energy systems. The right approach to renewable energy development can reap multiple benefits in these regions, as pv magazine heard when it spoke to Kamal Kishore, Special Representative for the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR).

Scientists in Morocco have evaluated how hybrid wind solar plants may be combined with pumped hydro storage to power remote rural areas. The proposed system was found to have an LCOE $0.03831/kWh and a 86% use factor.

Renewables developer Q Energy has closed €50.4 million ($55.7 million) in financing for a 74.3 MW floating solar plant in northeastern France. Construction is already underway, with commissioning planned for the first quarter of next year.

Japan has allocated 33.6 MW of PV capacity in its latest procurement exercise. The lowest bid for a 650 kW solar project came in at JPY 5.0 ($0.035)/kWh, while the average final price was JPY 8.08/kWh.

Grenada’s Public Utilities Regulatory Commission is seeking expressions of interest for 15.1 MW of solar at Maurice Bishop International Airport. The project may also include a 10.6 MW/21.2 MWh battery energy storage system (BESS). The deadline for submissions is Sept. 20.

Scientists in South Africa have conducted full-scale research on the effect of wind load on PV panel mounting rails for more than 100 days. Compared to standard design codes, they found lower combined wind load coefficients. Maximum loads occurred for an easterly wind direction.