Solar trackers: Record 2017 shipments; up to 20 GW expected in 2018
Last year saw record levels of global solar tracker shipments, reports GTM Research. It forecasts even bigger growth in 2018, despite continued consolidation. NEXTracker held on to the top spot once again, while Latin America became the biggest market.
UK’s PV capacity tops 12.8 GW
Around 46% of the country’s installed solar PV capacity comes from power facilities exceeding in size 5 MW, while another 20% is represented by residential systems up to 4 kW.
India: Shell may acquire majority stake in Fourth Partner Energy
Shell is rumored to be interested in acquiring a majority stake in Fourth Partner Energy, a rooftop solar power firm based in Hyderabad, India.
UK: Ikea teams up with Big Clean Switch to promote clean energy
Swedish retail giant, Ikea is encouraging people to follow its lead by joining forces with the Big Clean Switch, in a bid to promote a 100% renewable electricity tariff.
Netherlands launches spring round of 2018 SDE+ program for large-scale solar, renewables
The first window to submit project proposals will be opened on March 13. The program is open to, among other renewable energy projects, solar plants over 1 MW and projects ranging in size from 15 kW to 1 MW.
Canada unveils roadmap for coal phase out, RE implementation
The Canadian Department of Energy has revised its goals to phase out coal powered electricity by 2030. It will increasingly focus on renewable energy (RE) and natural gas. In Alberta alone, an extra 5 GW of solar and wind are expected to be installed.
Jordan to launch 30 MW storage project
The project is scheduled to come online by mid-2019 and will help the local grid better manage the increasing power generation from wind and solar facilities, which at the end of 2017 had reached a combined capacity of 500 MW.
Increasing 2030 RE share positive for EU economy, IRENA report shows
Under the REmap case study for the EU, presented by the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) in its latest report, solar PV and wind power will account for the bulk of capacity additions in the power sector by 2030. The potential identified for solar PV amounts to 270 GW, an 86 GW increase on the business as usual scenario.
Solar to lead global renewables growth for next five years — KPMG
Investors throughout the world made 406 investments in large-scale renewables in 2017, collectively valued at roughly €40.1 billion (US$49.5 billion), but solar is set to grow more in terms of capacity than any other clean-energy technology over the next half decade, according to a new report. Battery storage will play a crucial role in this, it found.
Germany’s auction for large-scale solar: Bids below €0.04/kWh for the first time
Price drop continued in the first round of the 2018 tender series. The final average price of solar bids was €0.0433/kWh, a value which is quite below that of the tenders for wind power.
