CREO 2018: A new era in the Chinese energy transition
A new era in the Chinese energy transition is on the menu and renewables are the order of the day, according to the latest China Renewable Energy Outlook (CREO). China will not require a gas bridge between coal and renewables, it finds, adding that renewables will become the core of the nation’s energy system by 2050, with annual PV installs of between 80-160 GW possible. Not only that, but electricity supply could be cheaper in this future than it is today.
Meyer Burger picks up 600 MW heterojunction equipment order
Swiss equipment supplier Meyer Burger has received a CHF 74 million (US$74.4 million) order for a 600 MW production line combining heterojunction and smart wire technologies. The order was placed by an unnamed manufacturer, with the line expected to begin cell and module production in the second half of 2019.
Afghanistan announces EoI for 2 GW solar tender
Afghanistan’s Ministry of Energy and Water is calling for expressions of interest (EoI) for 2 GW of grid connected solar PV projects. The last date of submissions is December 20.
COP24 live blog – Day 5
Max Hall is doing one last round of COP24 in Katowice for pv magazine to see whether the world can stave off climate disaster
UK utility to add storage at water treatment sites
Driven by the ambition to reduce costumer bills, Northumbria Water is turning its head to storage systems for peak shedding and uninterrupted power supply. The MW-scale storage project will use second-life EV batteries from Renault.
Zola receives $32.5 million for expansion in Tanzania
Zola Electric has received financial backing worth $32.5 million from social investment firm Symbiotics and the Dutch development bank FMO. The lending facility will be used to grow Zola’s operations in Tanzania over the following five years.
Renewables to account for 38% of Germany’s 2018 gross electricity consumption
The figure released by German industry associations BDEW and ZSW shows that no technology has grown as much as solar PV. Indeed, they say production increased 18% year-on-year. Overall, wind energy remains the largest producer of renewables, with annual growth of 7% over 2017.
EBRD unveils new energy strategy without coal or oil, looks to mobilize €1 billion in private sector capital
The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development yesterday unveiled its new energy sector strategy, which aims to ramp up renewables investment, while moving away from coal and oil. Gas will still remain a focus, however. It has also announced this week, plans for a €250 million green bond framework, through which it hopes to double the issuance of green/sustainability bonds in its active regions; and mobilize €1 billion in private sector investment over the next three years.
275 MW solar+100 MWh storage at Darlington Point, Australia get regulatory nod
The New South Wales Department of Planning and Environment has given the green light to a massive solar farm coupled with a utility-scale energy storage facility. The Australian project proposed by Edify Energy is valued at AU$407 million.
US: Tariffs bite Q3 solar market
Wood Mackenzie and SEIA’s latest Solar Market Insight report shows a big fall in utility-scale project completions from July through the end of September, but the promise of a massive fourth quarter.
