France supports South Africa grid improvement with $477 million
The French Development Agency (AFD) has provided South Africa’s power utility Eskom with a ZAR 6 billion ($477.7 million) credit facility. Eskom, which has delayed the development of several large-scale PV projects over the past years due to grid issues, will use the funds to improve its network and integrate more renewable energy power.
Germany’s Fraunhofer ISE to open testing facility for power electronics & grid integration tech
At the facility, the German scientists will test devices for power electronics and grid technologies in the multi-megawatt range.
Australia: Solar and storage startups pitch to investors, in first Clean Energy Innovators Demo Day
Seven PV and battery storage companies have pitched to investors at the first Clean Energy Innovators Demo Day in Sydney. The Clean Energy Finance Corporation (CEFC) organized the event and can also finance investments in early-stage companies through its Innovation Fund.
ARENA backs deX project to deliver open-source digital marketplace coupling distributed solar-plus-storage and grid services
The Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA) is providing $450,000 (US$346,000) towards the Decentralized Energy Exchange (deX) project, which aims to produce an open-source software platform on which grid services can be provided and monetized by distributed battery storage. A combination of Australian utilities, research bodies, and startups are collaborating on the $930,200 ($715,000) deX project.
Report shows France will triple storage capacity by 2020
A new report from Clean Horizon points to several major developments in the French energy market, which point to the nation becoming Europe’s next big market for storage.
Electric vehicle purchases rise by one-fifth in UK
New car registrations across Britain hit a 12-year high last month, with electric vehicles (EVs) accounting for 4.2% of that figure – a one-fifth increase on the previous month.
AES claims world’s largest battery storage system
The 30 MW lithium ion battery system is the third massive system to go online in Southern California this week, totaling 77.5 MW of capacity.
Tesla inaugurates 20 MW / 80 MWh battery system in Southern California
The system is one of three that SCE has contracted to meet peak demand needs following its Aliso Canyon leak, as a new test for the abilities of energy storage.
Azuri to roll out PayGo Solar to 20,000 Nigerian households
The British provider of the pay-as-you-go off-grid solar system has commenced the installation of its home systems across Nigeria, with the aid of the country’s Niger Delta Power Holding Company.
Practical Action: solar enablers and award winners
The Practical Action non-governmental organisation (NGO) won a Zayed Future Energy Price last week at Abu Dhabi’s Sustainability Week for its work to reduce poverty. The NGO shares its experience of solar PV deployment in the developing world.
