Japan: Solar tax breaks will be removed, PV accounts for 3.3% in Q3
As part of the plan to liberalize its energy market, Japan will end tax breaks for commercial solar installations at the end of next March. A tax reform plan is expected this month. In other solar news, PV accounted for 3.3% of electricity production in Q3; and 750 applications have been submitted by hopefuls looking to enter the countrys energy market next April.
US: EIA to begin including small-scale solar output in new data
The Energy Information Administration of the DOE will begin including monthly estimates of small-scale distributed solar PV capacity and generation by state and sector; finds distributed PV accounted for 30% of electricity in September.
California's PG&E announces first 75 MW of storage contracts
Pacific Gas and Electric Company unveils details of first tranche of storage contracts offered in the state under California’s Energy Storage Decision, which has targeted procurement of 1.32 GW of storage by investor-owned utilities by 2020.
Kingfisher pledges $75 million renewables investment
Kingfisher, owner of companies including B&Q and Screwfix, has announced a £50 million (around US$75 million) investment in renewables, the majority of which will be channeled into solar energy. The move is part of the companys aim to become net positive by 2050.
From the Mag: A selection of stories from the December issue
It’s December, and do we have some gifts in store: from a comprehensive update of India’s solar market to a near-the-knuckle muck-rake of unscrupulous solar sales practices, it’s all in this month’s issue.
SolarPower Europe: Removing trade barriers could create 50,000 solar jobs
According to a new study, removing trade barriers associated with the import of solar PV products into the European Union will positively benefit the European jobs market. Between 2008 and 2014, both the number of jobs created and GVA decreased; growth is forecast between now and 2020, however. Policy makers have “much” to do in realizing Europes solar potential says SolarPower Europes CE.
US deployed 60 MW of storage in Q3, finds GTM
By the end of the third quarter the U.S. had added more than 100 MW of energy storage capacity for the year, with more than 60 MW coming online in the third quarter, GTM Research finds.
US$2 billion in equipment contracts lapse at Hanergy
The troubled thin-film giant has cancelled two contracts signed in March for the delivery of BIPV production equipment.
Neo Solar Power to transfer cell lines to Malaysia, China
In a move to avoid U.S. tariffs on Chinese and Taiwanese PV, the cell maker plans to begin production in Malaysia with a 70 MW cell line in Q1 2016.
NRG CEO David Crane steps down
The visionary leader who brought traditional power company NRG into renewable energy has been replaced by Executive VP Mauricio Gutierrez.
