SPI buys 30 MW of PV project development rights in Japan
In its second major global project agreement this week, SPI has picked up a raft of solar PV projects across four Japanese prefectures.
Record quarter for residential and commercial solar
Mercom solar financing report says expiry of US federal tax credit has driven segment to new high. UK and African off-grid projects also feature prominently in Q1 figures.
Court halts restart of Japanese reactors
Plans to restart two reactors in western Japan have been stopped despite green light from nuclear regulator. News comes in the wake of India’s pro-nuclear trade agreements.
Labour pledges to remove carbon from UK electricity supply
To achieve decarbonization through PV alone would require an extra 100 million panels in the next 15 years. Labour would make decarbonization by 2030 a legal requirement, if elected on May 7.
Thin film to power drones
Silent Falcon UAV will be powered by Ascent Solar cells. Drone has a range of ‘commercial, public safety and defense applications.’
Russian banks set to seize Crimean solar power plants
Update: Saddled with massive debts estimated at $870 million following Russia’s annexation of Crimea and a dramatic cut in feed-in tariffs, solar plants in the region have been unable to pay back outstanding loans and now face foreclosure.
Swiss battery maker joins Azores grid project
Leclanche’s lith-ion batteries will form part of MW-scale renewables-plus-storage project. Swiss company’s Danish shareholder will also finance the project to the tune of $3.7m.
Scatec announces South Africa projects
Norwegian developer has announced three contract wins under much-delayed round of national power auction. No details emerged as to how state utility Eskom has overcome publicized grid constraints.
Solar-Fabrik identifies fire-risk modules
German manufacturer has published the serial numbers of modules with junction boxes which may catch fire. Any related product recall will be a fresh blow for the troubled German module maker.
Utility aims to bring P2G power to the US
SoCalGas wants to use its existing natural gas infrastructure to store excess renewables power. Under P2G, renewable electricity is used to make synthetic equivalent of natural gas.
