IHS Markit lowers 2018 outlook for world PV market to 105 GW
The market research company expects the Chinese market will decline by 15 GW this. Part of this slow-down, however, will be off-set by lower module prices and accelerated demand across markets with pent-up demand. Furthermore, it forecasts another wave of oversupply, low profitability and consolidation in the industry.
Solarcentury take charge of 44 MW Dutch solar farm
The project is being developed by Solarcentury and Encavis, who are working on what they claim is the “largest [PV] farm” in the Netherlands, near the city of Eindhoven.
Chinese government stands firm in face of PV industry lobbying
Representations by big beasts of global PV win only a partial concession from the authorities in Beijing, with officials agreeing to honor FIT payments for any ground mount projects connected during the next three weeks.
Brazil’s Cemig buys 431 MW of wind and solar in own auction
Selected wind and power plants will supply electricity to the Brazilian utility under a 20-year PPA, starting from 2022.
World’s largest li-ion battery and 707 MW of solar power in Colorado proposal
Xcel Energy’s 120-day report to Colorado regulators includes an additional 1.1 GW of wind at 1.1-1.8¢/kWh. Solar power bids have come in at 2.2-2.7¢/kWh, and solar+storage at 3.0-3.2¢/kWh.
Estonia now has more options for rooftop PV
With new amendments to the Electricity Market Act, the Baltic country will now have its first technology-neutral auctions for renewable energy projects ranging in size from 50 kW to 1 MW, its feed-in premium scheme limited to generators up to 50 kW (which may favor solar), and more chances to create direct lines with single final customers.
SolarPower Europe revises down global outlook for 2018… but only a bit
Despite recent developments in China, the European solar association believes global newly installed PV capacity this year will reach 102 GW, only 5 GW lower than its previous guidance.
France’s 50 MW tender for self-consumption ends up with only 2 MW of power assigned
The failure of the tender depended on a series of factors, the most important of which was the clarification of policy around fiscal exemptions for solar self-consumption in the case of third-party investment.
India: The first solar plant bid at INR 2.44 expected in August
The Indian Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) says the nation will exceed 175 GW of installed renewable energy capacity as plans for bidding for 115 GW of renewable power projects to March 2020 were announced. The target for PV parks has been increased from 20 GW to 40 GW with some 41 parks in 21 states – with aggregate capacity of more than 26 GW – already sanctioned.
China steps in to fill US solar void in the occupied territories
With Palestinian developers keeping a low-profile since the advent of the Trump administration, Chinese government money is funding PV projects to support electricity supplies in the disputed nation’s crumbling infrastructure.
