Tech advances halving surface needed for ground-mount solar
French developer VSN Energies Nouvelles was able to almost double the capacity of one of its PV projects due to technological advances such as high-powered panels and new plant design concepts.
Optimized business model for agrivoltaics
BayWa r.e. has started optimizing its sheep count while experimenting with shepherd partnership business models.
Weekend read: Rise of the robot (cleaners)
A first-of-its-kind survey has revealed the extent to which automation and robot module cleaning is being adopted by large-scale PV project owners and operators. And the trend is clear; as solar expands geographically and projects grow, the use of robotics in solar operations and maintenance (O&M) is increasing, and the level of understanding as to their benefits is on the rise. Ecoppia, a pioneer in the robotic cleaning segment, partnered with pv magazine on the survey and the results speak volumes.
French railway operator signs 25-year solar PPA
SNCF has agreed to buy 207 GWh of annual electricity supplies under a 25-year power purchase agreement with France’s Reden, which is building four solar plants to provide electricity to the railway operator.
Huawei, garment makers jointly target 2 GW of rooftop solar in Bangladesh
China’s Huawei has partnered with the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) to deploy rooftop PV on top of 4,000 apparel factories.
Indonesia may add 66 GW of solar by 2030, says IRENA
The International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) says that solar could become the backbone of Indonesia’s energy system by 2030. However, the nation’s own expectations are still far off from IRENA’s scenarios.
India’s SECI launches 1.2 GW hybrid wind-solar tender
Solar Energy Corp. of India (SECI) said developers have until Dec. 12 to submit bids for 1.2 GW of wind-solar-storage hybrid capacity. The projects will be developed on a build-own-operate basis, anywhere in India.
Australian miner signs baseload PPA contract with Neoen for 24/7 renewables
BHP has signed a 70 MW baseload renewable energy contract with Neoen to meet 50% of the energy demand of its Olympic Dam mining operations in South Australia.
US utility-scale solar slowed in Q3
US solar had its worst quarter in two years in terms of deployment, due to global supply challenges that slowed growth, delayed projects, and drove up prices.
Equinor acquires Danish solar developer
Equinor is set to fully acquire developer BeGreen, which has a project pipeline of more than 6 GW in Denmark, Sweden and Poland.
