Policy

A new report published by the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization outlines the benefits of solar powered irrigation systems to both large and small scale farming operations in developing countries. The report also stresses the need for comprehensive management and regulation of such systems, to avoid unsustainable water use.

Companies and consortia from China, Europe, and domestically have lodged technical and financial offers to build four 50 MW solar plants in Jordan’s Maan Development Zone, the government reveals.

With its growing population and rapidly increasing energy needs, Pakistan’s energy security is undermined by the overriding share of imported fossil fuels in its energy mix. But, by turning to its untapped, tremendous solar, wind and biomass potential, the South Asian country could spur social and economic development, while improving energy access, says IRENA.

The large-scale solar markets of China, the USA, and Europe have experienced vastly different fortunes over the past couple of years. As China has boomed and the U.S. held steady, Europe has seen growth rates plunge. But nothing is constant in PV, and each of these three vital markets faces a series of unique challenges and opportunities, as pv magazine discovered.

The Ministry of Economic Affairs is currently working on a new Electricity Market Act. In the future, the use of plug-in solar devices in Luxembourg should be allowed. Furthermore, self-consumption from solar sources may be exempt from paying the electricity tax.

In a new report out today, Oil Change International and the Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis (IEEFA) have taken the International Energy Agency (IEA) to task for misleading governments on climate policy through its energy forecasts.

Jordan’s Government has approved a new policy allowing all public institutions in the country to build and own a solar PV plant up to 10 MW. The first to benefit, Mutah University has launched a 10 MW tender.

Chinese module manufacturer, JA Solar has issued a statement refuting assertions made by SolarWorld in hearings conducted last year, which were reported last week in the findings of United States Trade Representative (USTR) report into Chinese practices related to intellectual property.

‘Unprecedented challenge’ for fossil fuels as low LCOE for solar and wind power, allied to tumbling storage costs, sees renewables claim larger share of bulk and dispatchable generation while adding vital flexibility to global energy mix.

Solar materials producer DuPont Photovoltaics Solutions to cooperate with Internet of Things pioneer in big energy data Envision to develop effective degradation analysis for solar modules.