Madagascar wants more off-grid solar for rural areas, preps to host first grid-connected PV plants
Madagascar’s Ministry of Energy and Hydrocarbons is increasing efforts to implement its rural electrification plan for 2015-2020. Meanwhile, the government is also seeking developers for the island’s first MW-sized grid-connected PV projects.
Brexit: Chatham House spells out complexities of UK’s energy relationship with EU
Unpicking the energy ties that bind the U.K. and European Union will prove a monumental task, says Chatham House, requiring immediate insight into which relationships can be salvaged and how a new level of integration can be reached.
Italian solar fund Tages Helios raises another €55 million
The Italian fund announced the closing of its third financing round. To date, the fund has raised approximately €210 million.
Ten energy majors back global blockchain initiative
Ten energy companies from nine nations have joined forces to provide $2.5 million support for the Energy Web Foundation (EWF), a global non-profit organization focused on accelerating blockchain technology across the energy sector.
Sierra Leone’s first utility-scale PV project moves forward
The government of the West African country has signed an implementation agreement for a 6 MW solar project in Freetown. The country’s first MW-sized PV plant is being built with the Abu Dhabi Fund for Development (ADFD).
SolarEdge reports strong Q1 with $115 million in revenues
The company shipped 455 MW-AC of inverters from January through March and predicted revenues for Q2 to be within the range of $120 million to $130 million
SunPower’s losses continue during Q1
The high-efficiency solar manufacturer is still bleeding red ink, as it begins shipping its lower-cost P-Series modules and continues its restructuring.
U.S. researchers say solar micro-grids can help military facilities prevent cyber and physical threats
A U.S. research team from the Michigan Technological University is assessing the technical and economic viability of military microgrids run on solar power.
Ecosummit 2017: Eneco Group to invest in Next Kraftwerke
Dutch energy company Eneco Group announced its acquisition of a 34% stake in Next Kraftwerke, a German company operating one of Europe’s largest virtual power plant networks. The investment was announced at the Ecosummit cleantech event in Berlin today.
Hungary supports net metering PV projects up to 50 kW with 0% loans
The Hungarian Development Bank started a subsidized loan program for renewable energy and energy efficiency in late April. The €350 million program will run through to 2022.
