Engie Australia readies 2 GW renewables war chest
The French energy company is preparing a fund to develop clean energy in Australia over the next ten years. The move comes despite a federal energy policy vacuum that industry insiders fear is deterring investment.
European solar manufacturer body hits out at EU focus on post-production eco labelling
The European Solar Manufacturing Council says a decision by policymakers to disregard the carbon footprint of imported solar products ‘makes absolutely no sense’. Talk of ‘jobs which require a rather low qualification’, meanwhile, is unlikely to heal the widening rift with solar project developers and panel installers.
Bangladesh nears net metering policy for solar irrigation pumps
Firming up the payment system for solar energy exported back into the grid from PV-powered pumps will offer owners a new revenue stream, eat into a $1 billion annual diesel fuel bill and reduce strain on the grid by up to 1.5 GW daily during the agricultural season.
Brazilian regulator wants to reduce net metering credit and introduce grid fee
Electricity regulator ANEEL has proposed applying a fee for solar systems with up to 5 MW of generation capacity and reducing energy payments for participants in the nation’s net metering program.
BayWa commissions 25 MW of floating PV arrays in the Netherlands
Floating PV installations in Asia may be much larger but the trend is catching on in the EU and, pending a supportive regulatory environment and incentives, the technology could offer several dozen gigawatts of generation capacity in Europe.
PowerGen closes funding for electricity access for a million people
The microgrid utility has raised enough capital from Shell New Energies to deploy systems across sub-Saharan Africa.
Turkcell inaugurates data center with 1 MW rooftop array near Ankara
The telecommunications company opened a large data center near the Turkish capital. Turkcell said it wants to improve data security by storing more information on Turkish soil.
Netherlands to reach 27 GW of solar by 2030
The Netherlands Environmental Assessment Agency expects the nation’s solar generation capacity to have increased by another 5 GW by the end of next year, from around 4.4 GW at the end of 2018. By the end of 2023, installed PV capacity is predicted to reach approximately 15 GW.
Solar to get largest share in Slovakian ‘renewables’ auctions
PV is expected to claim 44% of the clean energy capacity needed to generate 2.4 TWh of electricity in the next two years but potentially gas driven co-generation is also set for big gains. The Ministry of Economy could announce the first auction this year. Energy company Slovenský plynárenský priemysel will be the off-taker.
Lithium batteries – 1.2m tons ready for recycling by 2030
The recycling market will experience a tenfold expansion between last year and 2030, driven by EV battery usage and portable electronics. Retrieving valuable metals and minerals is becoming a high priority and several dozen companies are already in position for the first big wave of end-of-life batteries.
