Sierra Leone’s first utility-scale PV project moves forward
The government of the West African country has signed an implementation agreement for a 6 MW solar project in Freetown. The country’s first MW-sized PV plant is being built with the Abu Dhabi Fund for Development (ADFD).
Hungary supports net metering PV projects up to 50 kW with 0% loans
The Hungarian Development Bank started a subsidized loan program for renewable energy and energy efficiency in late April. The €350 million program will run through to 2022.
Mexico publishes bidding rules for November’s renewable energy auction
The auction will be held in November. Under the auction’s new dispostions, solar projects will be able to sell power to more entities, while prior to these new rules the only buyer was state-owned electric utility CFE.
Study: reasonable cost of capital can make solar competitive in all European countries within five years
According to a new report from (ETIP PV), solar is already competitive with the current low wholesale electricity prices in southern European countries, while in Europe’s northern regions PV can become competitive within the coming five years.
Denmark: solar without incentives is possible, but bureaucracy is killing it
Interview: Denmark is planning a future without incentives for solar and renewables, after abruptly closing the “transitional” incentive program for PV installations up to 400 kW in December. The Danish PV market, meanwhile, has now come to a halt. pv magazine asked Peter Ahm, the CEO of PA Energy and Danish representative to the International Energy Agency’s (IEA’s) PV Power Systems Programme, how the Danish solar market can further grow in the short and long term without subsidies.
Minnesota’s solar market is growing fast (with chart)
Minnesota installed 203 MW-DC of solar during the first quarter, adding to 207 MW deployed in 2016. The state is expecting to reach more than 800 MW of installed capacity by the end of this year.
Moldova sets solar FIT of $0.10/kWh
A tariff of MDL 1.90 ($0.10)/kWh will be granted for the first time to a 41 kW PV system planned by local developer Opal-Succes SRL. Furthermore, the authority has granted special tariffs to three wind projects totaling 6.5 MW. The country’s new legislation on renewables came into force at the end of March.
SMA holds firm as inverter revenue leader, with Huawei topping shipment charts, says IHS Markit
Latest market data from analysts shows that Huawei shipped the most inverters last year, followed by Sungrow, while SMA, Huawei and SolarEdge pulled in the most revenue worldwide.
Gambia seeks to assess how solar can be combined with its mini-grids
Gambia’s National Water and Electricity Company (NAWEC) has issued a tender to select companies to conduct feasibility studies to assess the country’s potential for solar and hybridized PV projects in mini-grids and close to existing power plants.
Vietnamese utility to build 350 MW
A unit of utility Electricity of Vietnam (EVN) has announced plans to build two projects totalling 350 MW of solar capacity in southeastern Vietnam.
