India’s 10 GW mega tender has now been trimmed to 3 GW
A week after rejecting the sole bid received – from Azure Power – for its manufacturing-linked 10 GW solar procurement, the government has trimmed the size of the ill-fated exercise by more than two-thirds.
Netherlands PV market expanded by 46% in 2018
Dutch New Energy’s report reveals residential PV is no longer the largest growth driver – commercial and industrial and large-scale solar are now taking the lead. With newly installed PV capacity of 1.3 GW, the country saw its largest increase in new installations last year.
New Caledonia sees 10 MW solar-plus-storage plant come online
The Wi Hâche Ouatom project is the first of its kind in the southwest Pacific French overseas territory. The facility is 51% owned by Enercal Energies Nouvelles and 49% by Promosud, both of which are based in the archipelago.
US utility surprised by solar connection requests ‘which have not followed linear rise since 2008’
Clearly surprised by the explosion in popularity of PV in the last two years, Michigan’s Consumers Energy has asked for time to process outstanding interconnection requests which could not ‘have been predicted by the company in earlier years’.
First EBRD-financed slice of Benban project comes online
The 30 MW plant was developed by a consortium led by Infinity Solar Energy SAE – an Egyptian developer operating in Africa and the Middle East – with Germay’s ib vogt, investment vehicle MMID and private equity firm BPE Partners.
Europe passes 500 TWh of renewables demand – but solar loses ground
The 2018 figures for the Guarantee of Origin (GO) certificate market show a marked growth in clean energy demand in Europe. Demand surpassed 500 TWh, while GO prices reached record levels. Solar GO, however, saw a slight fall.
Saudi Arabia launches tender for 1.5 GW of solar capacity
The Renewable Energy Project Development Office is tendering seven large-scale IPP solar projects. The exercise is part of Round 2 of the Saudi National Renewable program, which is expected to allocate almost 2.2 GW of PV capacity this year.
Solar gains ground in Mongolia
A 10 MW solar facility in the Sumber Soum area of Mongolia’s southern Govisümber province has been connected to the grid. The project was financed by the Green Climate Fund and XacBank and takes Mongolia’s installed PV capacity to 35 MW. The pipeline of approved solar schemes has surpassed 700 MW.
Jordan suspends renewables auctions, new licenses for projects over 1 MW
Auctions and new licenses will be suspended until the Jordanian government has assessed the capabilities of its power network.
Portugal to hold first solar auctions in June
The announcement was given by the country’s Minister of Environment and Ecological Transition, Matos Fernandes. Two kinds of auction will be held for PV: for large-scale projects granted a feed-in premium tariff, and for smaller installations including rooftop awarded a fixed tariff.
