Markets

Belgium market update: Once among Europe’s leaders in solar PV deployment, with more than 1 GW of capacity added in its peak year of 2011, Belgium’s market lost momentum following the abrupt closure of generous subsidy programs. In recent years, driven by its residential PV segment, the country has experienced a solar comeback, which became particularly prominent in the year just passed.

Proposed utility-scale projects have begun piling up at the U.S. federal agency, as the end of the 30% Investment Tax Credit (ITC) draws closer.

This year’s auction will be carried out by Mexico’s energy regulatory commission, CRE. Final results will be announced in early November.

The country’s cumulative installed PV capacity reached 45 MW at the end of last December. Newly installed PV systems for 2017 totaled around 18 MW, which was the largest annual growth ever registered in the Norwegian PV market.

In an interview with pv magazine, the president of the Peruvian Society of Renewable Energies, Juan Coronado, discusses the auction for solar and renewables, which the government is obliged to hold this year, and the different options large-solar has to resume its development in the Andean country. According to him, when the obstacles that are currently impeding private PPAs are eliminated, utility-scale PV projects could be conceived outside of the auction mechanism.

German firm, ib vogt and Egypt’s Infinity Solar inaugurated first 64.1 MW PV farm in the Aswan Governorate, Southern Egypt this week. pv magazine, which attended the event, reports on the future plans of the two partners, and looks at the Egyptian solar market.

GTM Research and SEIA’s final report on the U.S. solar market in 2017 shows both the struggle of the residential sector, as well as a larger than anticipated fall in utility-scale volumes, leading to a 30% contraction overall.

In an unexpected turn of events, two unions representing coal interests have put a halt to the signing of 27 renewable energy power purchase agreements (PPAs), thus effectively stopping South Africa’s renewables industry in its tracks.

Private equity firm, Gore Street Capital is planning an IPO for an investment fund focused entirely on utility-scale energy storage projects, to be listed on the London Stock Exchange. The fund already owns three storage projects in the U.K., and is seeking to raise GBP 100 million in initial investment.

Shareholders have agreed to the proposed merger of JA Solar Holdings Co., Ltd with JASO Holdings and its wholly owned units, JASO Parent and JASO Acquisition, thus taking the manufacturer one step closer to privatization.