UK: London backs solar with funding for 1 GW PV scheme
London has launched a £34 million Energy for Londoners scheme, which includes goal of generating 1 GW of energy from solar by 2030. Shirley Rodrigues, deputy mayor for the environment and energy, presented parts of London’s energy vision this week at the Energy Storage Connected Systems conference.
Dutch consortium plans world’s first “off-shore” floating PV plant for the North Sea
The pilot project will be developed over the next three years and will utilize standard PV modules. The consortium expects the solar array to have a 15% higher yield compared to traditional installations.
US installs nearly 4 GW of solar in Q4 2017
GTM Research has given its preliminary estimate for installations over the full year 2017 at 11.8 GW, a 22% decline from 2016 levels.
Mission Solar to double US solar module manufacturing
The expansion to 400 MW will make Mission the fourth-largest PV module maker in the U.S.
China’s Top Runner Program spurring n-type solar cell development, report finds
The Technology Top Runner Program portion of China’s push for higher-efficiency solar products sets a June 2019 grid connection deadline for 1.5 GW of next-generation PV technology; this target is poised to drive mass production of n-type cells, says EnergyTrend.
US: Trump proposes 72% cut to DOE’s clean energy research
U.S. President Donald J. Trump has asked Congress to take a machete to the Department of Energy’s (DOE’s) renewable energy and energy efficiency programs to even lower levels than he proposed last year – cuts likely avoided because of Congressional incompetence.
UK Capacity Market Auction results draw criticism over lack of renewables
Fossil fuel sources received the most back-up generation power capacity, according to the provisional results of the latest Capacity Market Auction, released today by the U.K.’s National Grid. The country’s Renewable Energy Agency (REA) has criticized the results, stating the government is blocking new renewable energy projects.
2018 pivotal year for Greek energy, new PV auctions planned
2018 is going to be a pivotal year for Greece’s energy sector, including in renewables. An auction for new solar PV plants is expected to attract global attention; however other changes currently underway are also expected to be effective for the long term development of the Greek PV industry.
Taiwan next country to file WTO complaint over US solar tariffs
Taiwan has filed a complaint with the WTO over the U.S.’s decision to impose safeguard tariffs of up to 30% on crystalline silicon solar cell and module imports.
WFES 2018: Three trends driving PV in MENA
Two weeks ago, the 8th World Future Energy Summit opened its doors in Abu Dhabi. The conference and trade show comprised six co-located events across the cleantech spectrum, and attracted over 33,000 visitors across four days. The rapid increase in the scale of activity within the solar sector in the region was on display throughout the show. Here are three key takeaways from WFES 2018.
