Markets

The International Energy Agency says more than 2 million electric vehicles hit the road last year, to take the total to more than 5 million. The agency has stressed the importance of public policy, charging infrastructure and a fall in costs for continued EV uptake, and says up to 43 million EVs could be sold in 2030.

Leading representatives of the European solar industry have issued a call for a new industrial strategy ahead of the European Commission’s upcoming proposals for the sector, which are expected this summer.

According to a paper published by the European Network of Transmission System Operators, a significant number of grid infrastructure projects in the Ten-Year Network Development Plan 2018 have been delayed, with public opposition identified as the main hindrance.

The German EPC contractor built the 1.9 MWh energy storage system for the automaker as part of a micro smart grid project on the EUREF Campus, a green innovation hub in Berlin.

Households in the Australian state of Victoria can now sign up for sonnenFlat, an energy plan that offers a guaranteed annual energy allowance including solar, storage and grid energy usage for a fixed fee.

A boom in self-consumption and gigawatt-auctions for solar parks are drawing developers to France’s historically underwhelming photovoltaics market. Europe’s dozy giant has long punched beneath its weight, but pro-renewable reforms are helping the country cut red tape and unlock its vast solar potential.

The site is the first step in a planned 200 MW portfolio. Along with a few ground mount installations, the Palestinian authorities set out to achieve substantial parts of the portfolio by tapping public rooftops. The authorities have already secured rooftop spaces at 500 schools for the installation of 35 MW of capacity.

The program will be open to solar power systems with a generation capacity larger than 10 kW. Initially, some 100 MW of solar power will be allocated through the mechanism. Net metering tariffs, however, will be little more than half the current electricity price.

A tracking report from five major international agencies finds the world is lagging behind sustainable development goals for 2030. While more effort is needed to reach some of the world’s poorest populations, though, notable progress has been made in reducing the electrification deficit, thanks to off-grid solar and minigrids.

Scatec wants to expand in Southeast Asia and Vietnam is poised to become a hot market thanks to a generous feed-in tariff and a government that has set tight carbon emission targets.