Germany 2016: Expanding renewables, stagnating decarbonisation, increasing power prices
Renewables will continue to dominate Germanys power sector in 2016. Decarbonisation is said to be stagnating, however, thus, jeopardizing the countrys climate protection goals. And, while household power prices fell last year, they are expected to increase to 2014 levels again. Encouragingly, solar sees strong public support. Agora Energiewende looks to the new year, having assessed 2015, which saw a year of records, both for renewables and coal.
Scotland: solar, wind enjoyed 'huge' year in 2015, says WWF
WWF Scotland publishes data revealing renewables delivered record energy for Scotland in 2015, with solar meeting half or more of household electricity or hot water needs during seven months of the year.
UK's Hive Energy opens Mexico office
British solar developer looks to capitalize on the buzz of the Central American region by opening office in Mexican capital, Mexico City.
Property deal signed for phase one of planned 1 GW Saudi PV fab
The Al-Afandi Group signs property contract with Saudi Royal Commission to build 55,000 square meter premises in Yanbu; phase one of the solar panel plant will have 120 MW capacity, with 1 GW the final target.
1500-volt systems to account for 9% of utility-scale PV installations in 2016
GTM Researchs latest report expects 1500-volt architecture to take over the utility-scale solar market over the next few years, citing clear balance-of-systems cost advantages.
What does solar have to do with the bankruptcy of the second-largest U.S. coal miner?
While there is little direct causation between the rise of solar and the fall of coal, GTM Research Director of Solar Research MJ Shiao notes that the fall of coal creates opportunities for renewable energy.
Corporate funding in solar reached $25.3bn in 2015, finds Mercom Capital
Report finds total corporate funding for the sector slightly below 2014, as were venture capital investments, which amounted to $1.1 billion for 2015.
Sunrun on the run from Nevada in protest at utility fees
Residential solar company follows SolarCity in pulling out of Nevada after the U.S. state imposed fees on rooftop solar PV systems for customers.
Utility-scale US solar costs down 17% in Q3 2015, finds EnergyTrend
Analysis reveals 17% fall in installed cost of large-scale solar in the U.S. in the third quarter of last year compared to 2014; continued cost decrease will spur demand for 2016.
UK: Lightsource connects 100 MW of solar in just one month, introduces merchant post-subsidy model
British solar developer completes 23 new ground-mounted solar farms in the U.K. in December, including 14 sites connected under the FIT, and nine connected under the ROC scheme.
