BREAKING: Suniva petition could start new global solar trade war
Today Suniva filed for relief under a little-known act that could exempt the United States from global trade agreements and allow President Trump to take trade action against solar imports from multiple nations. Suniva is asking for a minimum import price of US$0.78 per watt for modules and $0.40 for cells.
Canadian Solar supplies modules to Uganda’s largest PV project
The Chinese solar manufacturer and developer has supplied 10 MW of solar PV modules to the Soroti Photovoltaics Plant in Uganda.
Tempress receives follow-on order for turnkey line
Tempress systems, a subsidiary of U.S. based Amtech, has received a follow-on order for a multi-phase 1 GW project. The turnkey order is for an n-type bifacial manufacturing line, and includes high throughput PECVD and diffusion platforms.
United Photovoltaics Group agrees to acquire 200 MW plant in China’s Ningxia
A Chinese group’s unit has formally agreed the acquisition of 200 MW solar power plant in China from Beijing Zhongteng IOT Technology.
Trina Solar ships first 20 MW batch of new DUOMAX twin modules
The Chinese PV behemoth has supplied 20 MW of its newly launched bifacial module DUOMAX twin to a project in China’s Qinghai province.
Battery storage, smart grid, efficiency companies raise $ 435 million in VC funding in Q1
Battery storage, smart grid and energy efficiency sectors experienced YoY increase in venture capital funding in Q1 2017, finds the latest report by Mercom Capital Group. QoQ increase reported in all but battery storage.
Kyocera says PV output steady despite domestic plant closure
The Japanese manufacturer says it expects to produce about 1 GW of solar panels in the year to March 2018, roughly in line with its output in the preceding fiscal year.
Japan may cancel 27.7 GW of approved PV capacity
The Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) has said that it may cancel feed-in tariff (FIT) approvals for 456,000 projects, or roughly 27.6 GW of capacity, as the prospective developers of those projects failed to lock in grid-connection agreements by the government’s March 31 deadline.
Poland to miss 2020 EU renewable energy target, Ecofys
Poland is set to miss its target of covering up to 15% of energy demand with renewables by 2020. Under the most favorable scenario provided by a report released by local consultancy Ecofys, new additions for solar may reach 695 GWh, while the country is expected to reach a target of only 13.8% by the end of the decade.
South Africa makes it easier to deploy large-scale solar in renewable energy zones
The country’s Ministry of Environmental Affairs has simplified the environmental impact assessment process for large-scale solar and wind power projects in South Africa’s eight Renewable Energy Development Zones.
