BNEF shines light on China’s solar curtailment problem
Approximately 56.2 TWh of solar and wind generation was curtailed in China last year, underscoring how excessive investment and an oversupply of electricity pose an ongoing threat to renewables development, according to newly released research.
Amid devastation, Tesla begins restoring power in Puerto Rico
Current estimates suggest 80% of Puerto Rico is still without power, but thanks to Elon Musk’s efforts at least one children’s hospital has been able to turn the lights on.
Queensland to offer no-interest loans for solar systems
As part of the $2 billion affordable energy plan, the Queensland Government has announced it will invest $40 million in schemes to improve access to both solar energy and storage systems.
European Parliament proposes nationally binding renewables targets
The European Union should aim for 35% of renewables in its energy consumption by 2030, with nationally binding targets introduced to support EU goal, European Parliament says.
Growing political will and falling costs make universal energy access possible by 2030, IEA finds
The report, published in Energy Access Outlook: from Poverty to Prosperity, is the first instance of this sort of historical analysis, with this particular study looking at 140 countries and showing that the number of people without electricity fell to 1.1 billion in 2016, down from 1.6 billion in 2000.
Virtual net metering in Greece at risk from EU reform
The European Council’s response to proposed European Commission reforms suggests that rules supportive of virtual net metering could be scrapped after pressure from Germany.
Senegal issues 100 MW solar tender
Senegalese government issues open tender for solar projects with a combined storage capacity of 100 MW in the Diourbel, Kaoack, and Fatick regions of the country.
U.S. thin film PV maker Stion to discontinue operations
The Mississippi-based CIGS manufacturer cites “intense” competition from imports.
U.S. PV system prices have already increased due to Section 201 (w/ charts)
The latest report by GTM Research puts numbers on the increase in H2 2017 system prices and analyzes the potential damage from a range of scenarios.
SunPower: Any trade action should apply to everyone but us
The high-efficiency solar maker asks for Section 201 action to include First Solar’s thin film products, but to exclude its back contact crystalline silicon solar as a unique product.
