World’s largest li-ion battery and 707 MW of solar power in Colorado proposal
Xcel Energy’s 120-day report to Colorado regulators includes an additional 1.1 GW of wind at 1.1-1.8¢/kWh. Solar power bids have come in at 2.2-2.7¢/kWh, and solar+storage at 3.0-3.2¢/kWh.
Risen Energy gets financing for 40 MW project in Kazakhstan
Around $31 million in funds will be provided by the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD). The project is located in the Karaganda region.
Swaziland issues tender for its first solar park
The Lavumisa 10 MW Solar PV Plant be located in the homonymous area in the southeastern part of Swaziland. The Swaziland Electricity Company (SEC) intends to develop the plant on two phases of 5 MW each.
Solaredge: Designing rooftop system with new web-based software
With a growing global residential PV market, software solutions to optimize rooftop systems have spawned. Last year the PV market grew by 29% with no sign of decelartion in sight. Optimizing installations and making them as convenient as possible has thus become a hotter market recently.
Dutch module maker Exasun secures financing to expand capacity
The glass-glass PV module manufacturer will install a new production line at its facility in The Hague thanks to new funds provided by the government of the region of South Holland, and Dutch banking giants ING and ABN Amro.
Germany, Italy and Chile are better positioned for grid-parity in DG, study says
The updated version of the “PV Grid Parity Monitor” (GPM) provides an analysis for the commercial DG segment in representative cities of five countries: Germany, Chile, Spain, Italy and Mexico. Germany, Chile and Italy are the countries where good proximity to grid-parity and regulations favoring self-consumption are best combined.
Chile: desalination project powered by 100 MW of solar gets initial financing
A solar powered water desalination project in Chile has received an initial investment of $500 million. Trends Industrial and Almar Water Solutions will carry out the ENAPAC (Energías y Aguas del Pacífico) project, which will be the largest desalination plant by reverse osmosis (SWRO) in Latin America, and the first large-scale desalinator powered with PV.
SECI launches tender for manufacturing capacity
The government’s Solar Energy Commission of India (SECI) has tendered 5 GW of solar manufacturing capacity to be set up across the country. The capacity will be linked to grid-connected PV projects with the plants developed on a build-own-operate basis.
Estonia now has more options for rooftop PV
With new amendments to the Electricity Market Act, the Baltic country will now have its first technology-neutral auctions for renewable energy projects ranging in size from 50 kW to 1 MW, its feed-in premium scheme limited to generators up to 50 kW (which may favor solar), and more chances to create direct lines with single final customers.
Turkey’s Suoz Energy plans vertically integrated module production
The company resumed production at its manufacturing facility in western Turkey. Additional equipment, aimed at making production vertically integrated, was recently acquired from two Greek manufacturers
