Siemens wants to take over Kaco
After announcing its entry into residential storage a week ago, the Munich-based multinational has now unveiled a plan to acquire inverter manufacturer Kaco. Siemens has not provided details about the value of the transaction.
Germany’s KFW finances 123 MW Chile project selected in 2016 auction
The plant is being built by Spanish developer Solarpack in the Atacama desert. The project was selected in an energy auction held by the Chilean government in 2016. At the time, Solarpack’s bid of $29.1/MWh was a record low for solar.
Hanwha 1.7 GW panel factory is the second US fab to come online this week
Hanwha Q Cells has begun shipping solar panels from its 1.7 GW factory near the Georgia-Tennessee border. The huge facility is the second major U.S. module factory to announce production this week.
If bifacial panels can compete on price the (backsheet) choice is clear
Jinko Solar has launched a new bifacial solar module, with a clear backsheet manufactured by DuPont, to compete with standard glass-on-glass bifacial products, as well to create markets where bifacial might not have previously fit.
Storage Highlights Countdown #4; 27 microgrids for the Maldives – Trina Solar
In the run-up to the Energy Storage Europe conference pv magazine is featuring the top ten developments in the field as our Energy Storage Highlights, selected by an independent jury of experts. Yesterday we entered our top five, with MAN’s thermoelectric energy storage.
Germany deployed 579 MW of new solar capacity in January
Last month’s jump in new installations was mainly due to the pending FIT cut for installations not larger than 750 kW.
Shell and Total join fossil fuel companies bidding for a piece of Europe’s PV renaissance
With Europe set to return to solar power levels last seen during the PV boom seven years ago, a wave of mergers and acquisitions is taking place as the oil and gas majors splash the cash to buy the expertise needed to participate in PV’s new dawn.
Belgium’s PV capacity tops 4.25 GW
Most of the nation’s solar is in Flanders, which at the end of December had more than 3 GW of grid-connected PV. Wallonia and Brussels account for the remaining 1.1 GW and 83 MW, respectively. Although Belgian solar is still dominated by residential PV, a stronger stimulus for the market may come from the large-scale segment in the years ahead.
Denmark’s European Energy acquires largest PV project in Italy
The Danish developer has bought the right to build a 123 MW plant in Troia, in the southern Italian region of Apulia. The project was initiated in 2011 and is the largest Italian PV project to have secured all necessary approvals. European Energy plans to start construction this year.
Solar made up 50% of India’s new power capacity in 2018
The level of new solar capacity – 8,263 MW – however, was 15.5% down from the 9,782 MW added in 2017 owing to safeguarding duty and tax taking a toll on large-scale PV. While utility-scale solar declined 23% year-on-year, rooftop PV remained a bright spot, and registered impressive growth of 66%.
