Scottish Power enters PV business
The distribution network operator for central and southern Scotland says it wants to maximize onshore renewables potential by adding solar and storage to its clean energy business. The company said hybrid projects combining wind, solar and storage will become the industry standard in 2021.
South Sudan to get 20 MW/35 MWh solar-plus-storage plant
Egyptian manufacturer El Sewedy Electric has secured a contract from the authorities in Juba to build the $45 million project in Nesitu county. The African Export-Import Bank is financing the facility.
Nevada toys with 1 GW of storage by 2030
In what has been a crazy year for Nevada, the Public Utilities Commission is ending on an equally insane note by proposing 1 GW of energy storage to be deployed across the state by the last day of 2030.
Could EVs start to displace fossil fuel-driven vehicles within five years?
With almost a decade having passed since electric vehicles hit public roads, the price of battery packs has dropped 87% since 2010, according to a report by Bloomberg New Energy Finance. With rising efficiency and evolving supply chains, the market research group suggests cumulative demand will bring prices down to parity with internal combustion engine vehicles by 2024.
Narrowing down 166 billion battery materials
Researchers at the U.S. Argonne National Laboratory have applied a combination of machine learning and artificial intelligence to help narrow down a list of 166 billion molecules that could be used to form the basis of a battery electrolyte. The technique, say the researchers, offers a way to greatly reduce the cost of narrowing down such an enormous data set, while still providing a precise understanding of each molecule and its likely suitability.
Ofgem’s plan for network charges triggers renewables sector backlash
Ofgem passed its long-awaited, controversial plan for network charges last week, despite earlier warnings against the move. The UK electricity market regulator’s Targeted Charging Review has provoked a backlash in the renewables sector, as many believe that the plan will damage the economics of distributed energy resources and unsubsidized onshore wind and solar development.
Indian government now finalizing new energy policy, says think tank
Aside from an emphasis on energy efficiency, the Indian government’s new energy policy will primarily focus on Indian-made battery cells for electric vehicles, in addition to demand creation initiatives and new incentives.
Iberdrola switches on 3 MWh battery in Spain
The project was realized by the i-DE distribution company of the Spanish electric utility. The large scale storage battery is intended to improve the quality of electricity supply with a focus on solar projects located nearby.
Tender for 50 MW of floating solar launched in Portugal
The Alqueva Dam on the Guadiana River, in southern Portugal, will host ten floating PV projects mostly financed by a €45 million Council of Europe Development Bank loan.
Bangladesh to assess impact of integrating renewables into grid
The government has set a very low bar of achieving just 10% of its electricity supply from renewables as it tenders for consultants to advise it on how to incorporate intermittent generation into the national grid.
