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.
AU Optronics unit to pull out of solar poly business
Tokyo-based M. Setek, a unit of OEM manufacturer AU Optronics, has reveaeled that it is to cease production of polysilicon for the solar industry, focusing instead on the production of ingots.
Customer turns owner: QSTec revealed as centrotherm investor
Centrotherm customer Qatar Solar Technologies (QSTec) is the foreign investor behind Solarpark Blautal, which has secured an 80% stake in German PV production equipment supplier centrotherm. Solarpark Blautal, in which centrotherm founder Robert M. Hartung is also an investor, inked a contract to purchase an 80% stake in centrotherm in December 2015.
The pv magazine weekly news digest
2016 begins with an egalitarian slant as solar markets of all shapes, sizes and regions garner attention, much of it extremely positive.
Skytron partners with Strata Solar in the United States
The North Carolina-based PV developer plans to equip more than 1.4 GW of solar PV with Skytron’s monitoring systems by the middle of this year, including both retrofits and newly built plants.
Tax exemptions for solar components introduced in Brazil's legislature
A legislative committee has approved the introduction of exemptions to the IPI, PIS, Pasep and Cofins taxes for certain components of solar PV installations in the 8322/14 bill.
US renewable energy mandates bring down fossil fuel use, power costs
A new report by the U.S. government’s NREL and Berkeley Lab finds a 3.6% reduction in fossil fuel generation and up to US$3.9 billion in net savings for electricity customers in 2013, as well as reduced water use and the creation of 200,000 jobs.
Nevada: SolarCity announces 550 job losses, closes training center
Just over a week after Nevadas Public Utilities Commission took the decision to scrap retail-rate net metering, SolarCity has announced 550 jobs will go in the U.S. state. The rooftop solar PV installer has also closed its training center in West Las Vegas.
GCL looking to raise $748 million
The GCL Group has said it is looking to raise around HK$5.8 billion (approx. US$748.2 million) by way of two rights issues. The funds will go towards reducing company indebtedness and stimulating business development, particularly in the solar farm segment.
