Strong Q1 for First Solar, Enphase, Sunrun
U.S. residential solar installer Sunrun reported strong solar deployments and revenue to start 2020, even with orders decreasing by as much as 40% for periods in March. Micro-inverter manufacturer Enphase’s first-quarter revenues exceeded expectations as the company set an all-time gross margin record and announced plans for a new manufacturing location.
Finnish solar manufacturer gets Lithuanian factory purchase over the line
Appetite may have been lacking among private investors – at a time when global stocks are tanking amid Covid-19 and global recession fears – but the eco-friendly new Finnish government, and neighboring administrations, have stepped in to fill the breach.
Power purchase agreement for 83 MW of Spanish solar
Sunco Capital has secured a deal with oil major Shell. The electricity will be provided by two solar parks Sunco is building near Ciudad Real, in southern Spain.
Covid-19 weekly briefing: Evidence abounds of renewable energy gains at the expense of fossil fuels as the clamor for a green recovery rises
Portugal set a new coal-free record because of the pandemic as Belgium and Israel moved to help the renewables industry. But there was grim news in Mexico and Turkey, and Bangladeshi clean energy firms have appealed for more assistance.
SunPower accesses $1bn in residential solar and storage loan capital from credit union
The cash injection from Tech CU will fund the installation of ‘tens of thousands’ of the Californian manufacturer’s solar panels on residential rooftops over four years, according to the company.
Energiekontor secures third solar PPA in Germany
The German solar developer has secured a power purchase agreement from French energy giant Engie, which has agreed to buy electricity from a 41.5 MW solar plant under development in the Mecklenburg-Vorpommern region.
Tackling climate change with machine learning: The power of entrepreneurship
The importance of start-ups and climate tech companies in advancing the use of machine learning to combat climate change was emphasized at a recent online workshop.
Storing solar and wind energy with compressed air
Researchers have studied the potential of using compressed air to store renewable energy in offshore saline aquifers. The technology could hold 77-96 TWh for up to two months in British waters, although the costs have proven hard to pin down.
Bangladeshi solar module companies seek Covid-19 stimulus package
Industry representatives call for a $59 million, five-year package of grants, loans and tax incentives from the government after Dhaka extended a coronavirus-driven industrial shutdown into the middle of the month.
Obligatory temperature testing: How Covid-19 is changing the boardroom
Chinese solar project developer GCL New Energy revealed in its latest update in a drawn-out project sale saga how coronavirus measures will affect corporate gatherings.
