pv magazine's weekly news round-up
Here we are again, everything you could possibly need to know about this week in solar shoe-horned into one handy email. Those of you old enough can think of it as a sun-drenched That Was The Week That Was.
Sanderink buys Wagner Solar
The Dutch group has taken over the insolvent German PV group, which will continue to operate under the Wagner Solar brand and retain 80 employees at its two sites in Hesse.
Solar farms increasingly popular with UK farmers
More and more farmers are combining sheep and chickens with rows of PV panels and producing a double output of food and clean, home-grown power, according to a new report, says the BRE National Solar Centre.
SPI Solar to pay $92 million for Maltese firm, 26.57 MW of PV projects in Greece
Describing the deal as “a significant milestone” in its global expansion, SPI said it would pay nearly $92 million in cash and company shares for Sinsin Renewable Investment Limited.
Aleo Solar up and running in Germany
Following its acquisition by Taiwanese group Sunrise Global Energy, production at the former Bosch-owned Aleo Solar in Prenzlau, Germany, has begun again. The PV manufacturer is now producing its high-efficiency 300 W modules at the 120 MW capacity fab, where 190 employees have retained their jobs.
ABB unveils strategy to become battery leader
Swiss power and automation giant ABB intends to establish itself as the “leading entity” in the battery storage sector. It set out this vision in its Capital Markets Day event in London on Tuesday.
Oman, Royal Dutch Shell invest $53 million in GlassPoint Solar
Big oil is increasingly turning to solar power to extract petroleum, so much so that the country of Oman and Royal Dutch Shell on Monday announced a $53 million investment in GlassPoint Solar.
Italian FiT cuts destabilizing PV market, hurting Europe, says EPIA
The PV industry association argues that the law will block “prosumers” from providing flexibility to the energy system and helping to avoid costly grid extensions.
Canadian Solar partners on $800 million solar fund in China
Teaming up with the state-owned Sichuan Development investment company, Canadian Solar will focus on utility-scale and distributed generation projects in Sichuan Province and other solar resourceful regions in the country.
US, China hold close to 50% of global PV pipeline
At a combined capacity of 61 GW, projects in the U.S. and China make up almost half of the current PV pipeline, according to IHS, which says a large share of planned projects are “immature” and unlikely to materialize.
