India mulls alternatives to bank guarantees for PV projects
Lobby group the National Solar Energy Federation of India has welcomed the move and asked the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy to extend any such measures to existing contracts to help developers meet working capital requirements.
Belgium deployed more than 500 MW of PV in 2019
The country’s cumulative installed PV capacity reached 4.82 GW at the end of 2019. Most of last year’s new PV additions were rooftop projects, but Engie also started up a 100 MW solar park.
Another solar module factory in Algeria
Algerian telecoms and renewable energy company Milltech is planning to begin producing panels at a new factory next month. The modules made there will chiefly be distributed in Algeria but the company also hopes to export.
Solar-powered hydrogen production in Japan
Toshiba has finalized construction of a 10 MW hydrogen plant in Fukushima prefecture which draws power from 20 MW of solar generation capacity as well as the grid.
Cyprus’ largest PV park is operating subsidy-free
The 8 MW facility has been developed by a cement producer to supply around 10% of the annual electricity needs of its nearby factory. Under subsidy-free rules, the power will be bought by the Electricity Authority of Cyprus for the average price it would have paid if the electricity had come from fossil fuels.
Sri Lanka launches 150 MW solar tender
Sri Lanka’s Ceylon Electricity Board is seeking proposals for 20 solar power projects ranging in size from 3 MW to 10 MW. The projects are part of the third phase of the ‘Soorya Bala Sangramaya’ (Battle for Solar Energy) program.
Uzbekistan’s 200 MW PV tender attracts 54 bidders
The list of bidders includes companies and consortia from all over the world, suggesting that the procurement of large-scale solar is becoming increasingly competitive at a global level. The 200 MW solar park will be built in Sherabad, in southeastern Uzbekistan’s Surkhandarya region.
Optimistic solar outlook in India dimmed by Covid-19
Developers are also expected to drag their heels over project completion during the first half of the year as the safeguarding duty applied to imported Chinese and Malaysian solar products is due to expire at the end of July.
Australian government redirects funding for Energy Transition Hub
The Australian federal government said last week that it will curtail funding for the five-year Energy Transition Hub research initiative.
Big solar going back to Romania
Complexul Energetic Oltenia, a Romanian coal-fired power producer, plans to build 310 MW of PV capacity across four sites at one of its facilities. The projects are part of the company’s restructuring efforts and decarbonization plan.
