Markets

A pick of the biggest headlines in solar around the world this week, with details of elephants, bees, beer, gigafactories, ultra-mega, erm, things and electioneering in the UK… as Sid Vicious once said… almost.

The government’s National Energy Administration has pledged to help local authorities drive rooftop installation across the nation. The details were revealed in an investment note issued by Deutsche Bank.

GTM Research and SEIA’s Q2 Solar Market Insight reports the third consecutive quarter over 1 GW, with ongoing growth in the residential segment and a strong quarter for commercial PV.

The latest French government figures show solar PV market recovery continuing in the second quarter of 2014, led by large projects. During the quarter the nation surpassed 5 GW of installed PV.

The 33 MW-AC plant is being developed by SDC Energreen Aljaval, a joint venture between Mexico’s Energreen and Spanish group Aljaval, which is developing more than 300 MW of PV across the country.

Interview: Rafael Benjumea, CEO of Spanish developer FRV, warns that implementation of Australia’s RET Review recommendations will discourage investment in the country’s solar industry.

The Austrian solar company tells pv magazine that it has no assets in Crimea nor any related debts to Russian banks, describing reports that it owes $300 million to Russian banks as “incorrect.”

While the Russian government has yet to notify the Agency, IRENA tells pv magazine it encourages all U.N. member states to join the organization.

The revitalized Chinese group is looking to build large-scale solar plants in Japan and sell power to electric companies through the feed-in program.

The solar company has purchased two new PV projects, a 13.5 MW installation in South Wales and a 4.45 MW array in Cornwall, England.