Policy

By 2050, energy use for cooling is projected to triple, according to the World Bank. And by 2050, demand for cooling in countries such as India, China, Brazil and Indonesia will grow fivefold, putting pressure on already strained energy systems and hampering efforts to curb climate change.

California utility PG&E has tested levels of residential solar power up to 100% penetration, and how to mitigate the effects of voltage and thermal overload via smart inverters and traditional transformer and circuit upgrades — with smart inverters shown to allow for up to 100% penetration at cost-effective pricing.

The energy ministry has published a plan for renewables auctions for this year and next. Under the program, Greece’s energy regulator has announced the next PV tender will take place in the summer.

The government is planning to replace the price offered to PV projects that have a capacity of 3-9 MW with hourly tariffs. Solar association Acesol agrees with some of the suggestions but rejects the proposed tariff change. The current system has been the main market driver for Chilean PV for the last two years.

Loan defaults have brought business at the solar goods maker and EPC to a halt and a lack of progress reports on its formerly lucrative project contracts means there is no immediate prospect of seeing the company’s 2018 figures.

The procurement scheme has a budget of €385 million and is open to all renewable energies. Auctions will be held by the country’s National Commission for Energy Control and Prices.

The funds will be used for electrification projects in West Africa and the Sahel to bring electricity to 1.7 million people.

Malawian independent power producer Golomoti JCM Solar Corporation Limited is planning a PV plant in Golomoti, 100km south east of Lilongwe. The project will sell power to utility ESCOM under a long-term PPA.

As Volodymyr Zelensky celebrates his victory in the Ukrainian presidential elections, stakeholders in the country remain uncertain about his intentions in the renewable energy space. With installation figures above 1 GW in the last 12 months, the market is hot — but for how much longer?

Narendra Modi’s BJP party is seeking re-election with the aim of ensuring the electrification of all railways by 2022 and turning renewable energy into a popular movement with steps including an emphasis on solar farming. Even if the elections spring a surprise, however, the renewable momentum is unlikely to slow as no government can afford to roll back the clean power tide.