PV set to be largest source of new US generating capacity in 2022
About 46% of all new generating capacity in the United States is expected to be PV this year, giving it the largest share of the new US generation mix.
Solar up in Belgium in 2021 but will have work to do as nuclear shutdown nears
Electric transmission company Elia Group noted a bigger slice of the generation mix occupied by nuclear last year, just hours after a London-based consultant said the nation was on track to switch off its reactors before 2026.
India may add 12.5GW of solar in 2022-23
Indian ratings agency ICRA expects the solar boost based on the backlog of PV projects awarded by central and state electric utilities.
Brazil introduces new rules for distributed generation, net metering
The Brazilian authorities have introduced new rules to ensure that PV systems below 5 MW in size will still be eligible for net metering tariffs until 2045. A grid fee for prosumers will go into effect from 2023, but the economic profitability of rooftop PV and small solar parks is expected to remain high.
South Korea installed 4.4 GW of PV capacity in 2021
South Korea’s cumulative installed PV capacity hit 22 GW at the end of 2021, according to provisional figures from the Korea Energy Agency.
Solar-plus-storage for aquaculture aeration
Recent research from Thailand has shown that solar-plus-storage on floating platforms could be the cheapest option to power energy-intensive aeration systems in aquaculture projects. The battery accounts for around 54% of the capital costs, which is why system sizing would be key for economic viability.
India cabinet approves intrastate transmission scheme backing 20 GW of renewable energy capacity
The second phase of the Green Energy Corridor (GEC) scheme for the Intra-State Transmission System will facilitate grid integration and power evacuation of approximately 20 GW of renewable energy power projects in Gujarat, Himachal Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, and Uttar Pradesh.
Central America’s largest PV plant goes online
A new solar project has been switched on in Penonomé, in the province of Coclé, Panama. It was built with 450,000 solar panels and 89 inverters.
New tech to reduce mechanical stress in floating PV arrays
French start-up HelioRec has developed a new floater that can contain water to add more weight and increase its stability on the water. According to its creators, the new product can be 3.5 times more stable than conventional blow-molded floaters.
Chinese fish pond hosts 550 MW solar farm
Built by the Chint Group, the project is currently the largest in China combining PV power generation and fish farming. It is located in Wenzhou, a city with a subtropical maritime monsoon climate in China’s Zhejiang province.
