German renewables surpass 40% of electricity generation in 2018
German research institute Fraunhofer ISE found that electricity generation from PV systems has increased 16% to reach 45.7 terawatt-hours, with photovoltaics comprising 8.4% of total generation.
Taqnia announces completion of phase 1 Layla Solar Plant, first Saudi IPP project
Taqnia Energy, a subsidiary of the Saudi Technology Development and Investment Company, has announced the completion of the first 10 MW phase of the Layla Solar Plant. The facility will cover approximately 10% of the power needs of the province of Al-Aflaj.
UK export payments won’t end – but they will get much smaller
The government has finally announced the results of its consultation on ending FIT export payments. With the vast majority of respondents against the proposal… it has responded by going ahead anyway.
World’s largest distributed energy management system to be deployed in Western Australia
PXiSE will deploy its Active Control Technology to manage up to 50,000 distributed energy resources across Horizon Power’s 2.3 million square kilometre network, which it says will enable higher levels of renewable energy.
Australia’s QUT discovers process to lower the cost of renewable hydrogen
Hydrogen holds promise for harnessing renewables to produce clean fuel for transport, growing a green energy-export industry, and overcoming seasonal intermittency challenges in the grid. On the road to viable hydrogen production every cost-efficiency measure counts.
Kiwis launch 18 MWh VPP, green investment scheme
New Zealand will connect 3,000 home battery systems to the national grid to provide demand response services. The government has also set up a US$69 million finance company to accelerate investment in distributed energy generation and electric vehicles as part of its 2050 carbon neutral goals.
Jordan gets $265 million loan to improve grid capabilities, integrate more solar
The funds, provided by the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, will help utility NEPCO repay short-term debt, as well as financing expansion of the grid’s capability to increase the share of solar and other renewable energy.
Limejump secures solar PPA from NextEnergy Solar Fund
The UK energy technology company said the new contract will provide 120 MW of solar generation through its Limejump Virtual Power Platform. The energy bought from NextEnergy Solar Fund will then be traded on the national grid.
Beijing prepares to take more planned approach to solar
Curtailment issues will prompt Chinese government to focus on new project development in the urban east, to reduce power losses. The central authorities also want to ramp up the electricity trading market and peak shaving technology.
Indonesia introduces net metering
With a new decree, the Indonesian Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources has enabled the owners of residential, commercial and industrial rooftop PV systems to sell excess power to the grid. The government hopes the new provisions will result in around 1 GW of deployed PV capacity over the next three years. Doubts, however, have been raised about the attractiveness of the scheme.
