Turkey’s 1 GW Konya project in doubt
Project partners Hanwha Q Cells and local company Kalyon Enerji appear to have ended their partnership and to be negotiating the terms of a ‘divorce’.
Chile wants to know amount of local content of its solar plants
Public body Codesser wants to hire experts to carry out a “Study to determine the participation of national suppliers in the provision of construction, operation and maintenance components and services in solar energy projects in Chile”.
REC Silicon to suspend production at Moses Lake poly factory
Norway-headquartered REC Silicon has revealed plans to halt operations at its Moses Lake facility in the U.S. in 17 days’ time. The company says it has taken the decision to maintain liquidity for its semiconductor business with American workers set to pay the price for President Trump’s trade war with China.
Renewable energy investment to increase by $210 billion over five years
Backing for renewable energy assets is set to rise 10% with grid-scale PV the most attractive opportunity among investors surveyed for a new report. But improved investment vehicles and outsourced asset management are still needed if climate change is to be mitigated.
Amprion and OGE announce 100 MW power-to-gas project in Germany
The €150 million project is entering the approval phase. Using the new facility, expected by 2023, the two companies will test how electricity from renewable energy can be converted into green hydrogen and green methane via electrolysis.
Balearic Islands to be powered by renewable energy in 2050
The Balearic parliament is today set to approve the Law on Climate Change and Energy Transition that includes, among other measures, an obligation to incorporate PV panels in car parks and new buildings. The bill also mandates the closure of all polluting power plants from next year and a prohibition of diesel vehicles from 2025, and petrol engines from 2035.
Understanding bifacial boost
Belgian research institute imec has developed a new simulation framework it says can calculate the expected output of a bifacial PV system. The model could help improve developer understanding of the best system configurations for bifacial, and foster confidence among investors by providing a precise prediction of energy yields.
United States: Texas’ solar market is about to catch fire
With more than 5 GW of approved solar projects in the ERCOT grid, Texas is getting ready for a major boom in its utility-scale solar market.
Cambodia’s 100 MW National Solar Park project moves forward
The Asian Development Bank, which is backing the plant, is seeking project consultants. If built, the solar park would improve the country’s limited power supply and bring technical benefits to the national grid.
EDF helps Londoners share solar power using blockchain
The CommUNITY project is being realized outside the U.K. regulatory framework, which does not permit power trading between electricity customers.
