Poland’s PV capacity reaches 486.5 MW
With more than 200 MW of newly installed PV, 2018 was a record year for Polish solar. Of the nation’s total PV capacity, 339.5 MW comes from 50 kW or smaller arrays.
The blockchain club
Open-source blockchain platform Energy Web Foundation has revealed the number of its affiliates has risen from 37 to 100 in recent months. New members include EnBW, Total and a unit of the State Grid Corporation of China. The platform was conceived to create an energy-blockchain ecosystem and to accelerate the energy transition.
Manz reports higher sales and positive earnings for 2018
The PV equipment manufacturer said solar sales remained stable. Major CIGS contracts with Chinese partners Shanghai Electric Group and China Energy Investment Corporation dominated the company’s PV business.
Portugal’s EDP confirms plans to divest generation assets and invest in renewables
The utility could invest up to €7 billion in renewable energy projects up to 2022.
No more auctions for solar and renewables in Mexico
CFE boss Manuel Bartlett has again stated the national utility will not buy electricity from private companies as it can generate power itself. It is unclear whether CFE intends to develop solar assets.
Chinese manufacturer Seraphim’s new 1 GW module fab will produce bifacial, half-cut modules
The Changzhou-based company, which has established the Shanxi facility with state-owned rival Shanxi Lu’An Photovoltaics Technology, has not revealed what proportion of the factory’s output will feature the high efficiency technology.
Renewables made up almost 65% of net power production in Germany last week
Renewable energy had a 64.8% share of electricity generation, according to solar research institute Fraunhofer ISE. The achievement was mainly due to strong production from wind facilities.
The hurdles in the way of Spain’s rich solar promise
On Thursday, PV conference organizer Solarplaza and Spanish solar association UNEF will host the Solar Market Parity conference in Madrid. pv magazine’s Pilar Sánchez Molina will participate in the Vision of the future: Spain in 2030 panel.
EkoRE breaks ground on 1 GW vertically integrated module factory in Turkey
The facility is in the Bor organized industrial zone of Niğde, in central Anatolia. The factory was backed by incentives provided by the country’s Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources.
EU wants to know more about Eon’s bid to acquire Innogy
According to the Brussels authorities, the transaction could affect competition in the electricity and gas sectors. EU competition commissioner Margrethe Vestager wants to ensure there are no price increases as a result of the proposed takeover.
