First Solar breaks ground on 1.2 GW factory in the US
The plant is the second-largest planned in the Western Hemisphere, and will triple the thin film module maker’s manufacturing capacity in the United States.
Korean researchers propose new material for stable, lead free perovskite
A team of scientists from the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST) has proposed a gold-based halide perovskite as a material for high efficiency solar cells, which it says could be both more stable and more environmentally friendly to produce than many existing perovskites which scientists are investigating to boost solar efficiency.
Canada Pension Plan Investment Board world’s first to issue Green Bonds
Canada’s pension fund is the world’s first to establish a Green Bond. The growing acceptance for renewable energy assets from sovereign wealth funds indicates a solid and healthy business climate for renewable energy, and could have positive effects for the industry in the future.
Italy and Spain join group of countries supporting 2030 binding renewable energy target of 35%
According to the EU Commissioner for Energy and Climate Action, Arias Cañete, negotiations among all EU members on final target are still ongoing, and face several issues.
Lowest public solar power contract in the United States: 2.49¢/kWh
Arizona’s largest power user has approved a 20-year power contract with a 30 MW solar project at 2.49¢/kWh, the lowest price for a public solar power contract to date. The deal also involves shutting down a coal plant.
Australian solar researcher Martin Green awarded Global Energy Prize
Pioneering UNSW solar researcher Martin Green has received wide recognition for his achievement as being selected as one of the winners of 2018 Global Energy Prize. The prize has brought with it $820,000 towards Green’s research and teaching, and a congratulatory call from Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull.
Greece to tender 160 MW of PV in July; another 140 MW of PV in 2018
The window for submitting applications to participate in Greece’s forthcoming solar PV and wind tenders in July has expired and Greece’s regulator has announced the number of applications it has received.
SOLAR-ERA.NET launches €22 million call to co-fund development of innovative solar technologies
Through the joint call, the European organization is seeking to provide financial backing for, among other PV and CSP technologies, high-performance crystalline silicon and thin film technologies which can increase module efficiency and decrease turn-key system costs.
U.S. scientists develop scale for measuring perovskite energy
A team from Rice University and Los Alamos National Laboratory has been able to observe electronic properties of perovskites at the quantum scale, and made discoveries likely to impact the development of perovskite solar cells.
India to launch its own battery cell production
India’s PV sector is expanding at a serious pace, creating jobs and further securing energy supply for many businesses. Yet, sourcing battery cell technology at the current rate resulted in annual foreign exchange of $150 million creating deficits, that hopefully can be averted in the future.
