ABB supplied central inverters to 246 MW Chilean solar plant
The El Romero Solar Plant in the Atacama Desert of Chile has been completed using 60 3.6 MW ABB inverter stations. Spanish developer Acciona constructed the solar farm and commissioned it last year.
Spanish scientists use magnetic electrodes to increase efficiency of fullerene-based solar cell
A spanish research team from Ikerbasque has created a fullerene-based cell that is also capable of turning direct current into alternating current.
Sonnenstromfabrik seeks to expand into Benelux
The German module maker has entered into a partnership with Netherlands-based Hadec and is also seeking to expand into Belgium.
A2A buys PV plants totaling 17 MW in Italy
Through this operation, the Italian power and gas provider is further expanding into the solar sector.
India’s Tamil Nadu state cancels 500 MW of solar projects
The government of the Indian state decided to cancel an auction held Jan-Feb 2017, as developers rejected offer to reduce tariff bid of INR 4.40 ($0.07)/kWh.
AfDB to co-finance 50 MW of solar in Burkina Faso
The African financial institution plans to help Burkina Faso electrify Northern Dorsal Africa through solar power plants alongside with smaller projects such as solar pumps and lamps in rural areas.
Solar fastest growing energy source in 2016, finds latest IEA report
The International Energy Agency’s Renewables 2017 report finds that solar PV capacity grew 50% last year, underpinning a 12% increase in this year’s renewables forecast and prompting the IEA to forecast 1,000 GW of clean energy by 2022.
Statoil acquires 40% of Scatec’s 162 MW solar project in Brazil
The Norwegian oil company has also formed a 50/50 joint venture with the fellow solar developer to build and operate large-scale PV plants in Brazil.
GCL-SI secures 62 MW module order from Brazil
The Chinese module maker will provide local engineering company WEG with its GCL-P6/72 325W panels.
Saudi Arabia’s 300 MW solar tender may conclude with lowest bid ever
A consortium formed by UAE-based Masdar and French energy giant EDF has offered to deploy all the tendered capacity at a LCOE of 0.06697 SAR ($0.0178) per kWh. In addition, seven of the eight bids were under $0.03 per kWh. The tender’s bidders will be announced by the end of January 2018.
