Vikram Solar taps teamtechnik for module expansion
Indian module maker Vikram Solar has signed a MoU with German equipment supplier teamtechnik that will see the two companies collaborate on Vikram’s manufacturing expansion from 500 MW to 2 GW over the next three years.
Egypt agrees to international arbitration for PV projects but slashes FITs
Egypts Minister of Electricity and Renewable Energy announced an updated phase for its feed-in tariff (FIT) scheme, putting an end to the dispute over the location of the arbitration seat, but also dramatically reducing the FIT rate for PV projects to $8.4 cents and 7.8 cents/kWh, putting into question the viability of the previously proposed projects.
D.E. Shaw, Madison Dearborn agree not to block the sale of SunEdison assets
The agreement removes a key hurdle to the carving up of SunEdisons empire.
Philippines may place limits on future PV build-out
The countrys Department of Energy (DoE) may start imposing limits on the amount of renewables such as solar and wind that can be installed in parts of the country where the grid is most congested, according to a local report.
Lerri Solar plans further overseas growth
Longi Silicon subsidiary, Lerri Solar, has announced plans to continue expanding outside of China after a year of huge shipment and capacity increasing, with its own subsidiaries now set up in various different solar markets worldwide.
Melting backsheets, broken cells, and hotspots
Quality roundtable preparation: A case of compromised quality. An operator claims nearly 17% of the modules in his array displayed significant damage after three years. The EPC company concealed the damage from the investor until the warranty had expired. The module manufacturer responded slowly and only out of goodwill.
Canadian Solar enters into new distribution agreement in Mexico
The Chinese company has signed the agreement with local wholesale distributor of solar products DM Solar, for the companys popular modules that will be mainly used for small and medium-scale projects, as Canadian Solar raises its profile in the Latin American country.
Fifty-eight solar projects submitted within Argentinas renewable energy tender
The 58 PV projects have a combined capacity of 2.8 GW and are located in 12 different provinces. The solar quota for this tender was just 300 MW, with the winning projects due to be announced in October.
The United States and China formally join the Paris Agreement
The worlds largest emitters have committed to the global agreement, but the voluntary nature of individual national plans leaves many doubts.
Philae’s comet location revealed while Rosetta’s PV prepares for last adventure
The European Space Agency (ESA) has tracked down Philae, Rosetta’s spacecraft probe, resting in a dark crack on Comet 67P. The news bears great scientific significance for ESA as well as a certain emotional value for PV fans who have watched the Rosetta mission being entirely powered by the sun for about twelve years.
