A new study from the University of New Brunswick confirms that homeowners are more likely to install a residential PV array if they live in areas with a high concentration of rooftop solar power generators. Investments from public entities installling rooftop solar, according to the study’s authors, can indirectly promote renewable energy just by making it more visible to people.

Bids can be submitted to the German grid authority, Bundesnetzagentur until November 2, 2018. Solar accounted for all winning bids in the first round.

In an interview with pv magazine, vice president of GoodWe, Ron Shen, talks about the company’s plans for Germany, Spain, Africa and India, in addition to its goal to triple production capacity to 15 GW in China. He also discusses the effect of China’s 31/5 policy change, and plans for an initial public offering (IPO).

The Qatar-based investment firm has agreed to acquire a 75% stake in Netherlands-based Zon Exploitatie Nederland Holding B.V. (ZEN). The Dutch company owns a PV plant porftfolio of around 96 MW.

The Energy Project Implementation Support Unit (EPISU) will help independent power producers (IPPs) improve the bankability of projects. The new entity is being created with the financial support of the African Development Bank.

The solar plant was built by the local IPP, Meinergy Ghana Ltd in Gomoa Onyaadze, in southern Ghana. The country’s President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo said that further IPP projects will be brought online via competitive bidding, and that solar bids will have to be cheaper.

The Lebanese Center for Energy Conservation (LCEC) has published a list of the 75 Expressions of Interest (EoIs) for three 100 MW solar PV plus storage projects. A detailed call for project proposals will be circulated to the 75 consortiums by December 2018.

Something interesting is happening in the PV market. We’re not just seeing an emergence of corporate power purchase agreements (cPPAs) in parity geographies – but also compelling innovation in the commercial models which underpin them. Despite the challenges of offtaker risk, contract duration, and assorted other contractual oddities when financing renewable energy projects in this way, leading lenders are just about getting used to the idea of private offtake agreements. But are they ready for other commercial-disrupters like blockchain; ‘power and flexibility agreements’; pooling of medium-sized energy suppliers; and PV-storage hybrid projects?

Renewable energy sources, notably solar and wind, are reaching price and performance parity on and off the grid, shows a report from accountancy firm Deloitte, highlighting seven trends that are driving this transformation.

The two companies joined to build one of Europes largest storage systems. The project will provide grid management services, such as primary control reserve. SMA says it is just one of four others large grid management storage systems it will commission in Germany over the next few months.