JA Solar supplies modules to Bangladesh’s first large-scale project
Bangladesh announced plans to install around 1.6 GW of solar capacity until 2021 to meet its growing energy demand. The 28 MW site is the first large-scale project to go online.
US: EnergySage finds $236.5 million tax on solar due to Section 201, USITC
Two major policy decisions in the United States have caused a temporary tax and stagnation in the residential solar industry, finds EnergySage’s Solar Marketplace Intel Report.
Elon Musk to step down as Tesla chair
Under the terms of a settlement with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), Musk will be ineligible to serve as chair for three years. The deal also involves a US$40 million penalty and structural changes at Tesla.
Naturgy begins work on two PV projects selected in Spain’s RE auction
The Spanish power and gas provider has started construction on two 50 MW solar plants near Ciudad Real, in the southern region of Castile–La Mancha. The projects are part of the 250 MW pipeline it secured in the government’s renewable energy auction held in July.
ITM Power plans 100 MW power-to-gas storage project in the UK
The “Project Centurion” will allow the testing of ITM Power’s Proton Exchange Membrane (PEM) electrolyser at Inovy’s Runcorn Site, where hydrogen is being produced as a co-product of the chlor-alkali process.
Taiwan’s cell makers: A$44.8 bn loan, new layoffs and falling shares
In the latest news emerging from the struggling world of Taiwanese solar cell makers, Motech has announced more layoffs, and a NT$4.8 billion loan; GET has let 203 employees go; and shares of the new UREC merger are said to be down. India’s safeguard tariffs are also hitting the country’s manufacturers hard.
200 GW Saudi-Softbank solar plans abandoned – reports
Plans to establish the world’s largest solar energy project have been shelved, according to the Wall Street Journal. Saudi Arabia is instead said to be working on a new, “more practical” renewable energy strategy.
Germany deployed nearly 2 GW of PV so far this year
In the first eight months of 2018, newly installed PV capacity in Germany totaled almost 2 GW, and is already well above the previous year’s level. New residential and commercial PV systems, with a combined capacity of nearly 241 MW, have been reported to the Federal Network Agency. In October, solar incentives will drop by another 1%.
France: EDF, Total and Engie ‘really bad’ green providers, says Greenpeace
Greenpeace France has launched a Green Electricity Guide, which ranks 19 French electricity providers in terms of their renewable energy offers. The environmental association accuses several providers of practicing greenwashing, as they buy power from nuclear power plants and then turn it “green” using guarantee of origin certificates.
Taiwan takes India to WTO over safeguard tariffs
Taiwan has joined Malaysia in requesting consultations with India under the safeguard agreement of the World Trade Organization (WTO), following India’s decision to impose 25% safeguard duties on imports of solar cells, whether or not assembled in modules.
