JA Solar issues strong response to IP theft allegations
Chinese module manufacturer, JA Solar has issued a statement refuting assertions made by SolarWorld in hearings conducted last year, which were reported last week in the findings of United States Trade Representative (USTR) report into Chinese practices related to intellectual property.
Fossil fuel global grip being loosened by holy trinity of affordable PV, wind and storage, finds BNEF
‘Unprecedented challenge’ for fossil fuels as low LCOE for solar and wind power, allied to tumbling storage costs, sees renewables claim larger share of bulk and dispatchable generation while adding vital flexibility to global energy mix.
Sweden’s operational PV capacity tops 231 MW
Although there is still confusion between different numbers provided by the Swedish energy agency, Energimyndigheten, new statistics suggest that Sweden was the largest PV market in Scandinavia in 2017.
France’s Orange enters African off-grid solar market
The French multinational telecommunications corporation has announced a plan to begin providing off-grid solar solutions to Burkina Faso and, at a later stage, in Senegal, Mali, Guinea, and the Ivory Coast.
Video interview: Will lithium-ion’s battery dominance soon end?
At the recent Energy Storage Europe exhibition in Düsseldorf, Florian Mayr, partner at renewable energy advisory firm Apricum, explained how lithium-ion technologies got a jump on other battery forms in the stationary storage world, but its dominance should not be taken for granted.
SoftBank, Saudi sign incredible 200 GW solar MOU – comment
A memorandum of understanding (MOU) has been signed between the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia and Japan-based SoftBank founder Masayoshi Son, to establish the world’s largest solar PV energy project by 2030. How likely it is to materialize, and what will be done with the power, if it is realized, however, remains to be seen. Of more interest, says BNEF, is the first 7.2 GW phase.
Italy’s secondary solar market sees new movement with operations totaling 60 MW
While the solar investment fund F2i has agreed to acquire 51 MW across several regions, PV developer Ternienergia has sold 10 solar parks totaling 11 MW.
EDF unveils 10 GW storage plan
The French power utility said it aims to become the European leader in this market. The new plan will entail all market segments, but will primarily focus on the residential sector.
SolarWorld files for insolvency – again
Roughly seven months after its new beginning, the German solar PV manufacturer has again filed for insolvency at the District Court of Bonn – the second time in one year. SolarWorld blames the planned phasing out of anti-dumping measures by the EU Commission against Chinese competition and the further drop in prices.
Kyocera JV inaugurates 13.7 MW floating PV plant in Japan
A joint venture between Kyocera Corporation and Tokyo Century Corporation has completed a 13.7 MW floating solar PV plant in Japan.
