Blue Earth picks up an all-star cast of executives
The solar developer has hired talent from SunEdison, Recurrent Energy and NRG Renew.
Australian offgrid push may leave unfair burden of grid costs
Encouraging households to add sufficient storage to their PV arrays to disconnect from the electricity grid may leave an unfair burden of high utility payments to those left connected. Ric Brazzale, the Managing Director of Green Energy Trading says that a large movement of households off the grid may be bad for consumers without necessarily doing anything for the environment.
Germany: LG Chem to supply batteries for Steags 90 MW energy storage project
LG Chem will supply Steag with six of its large-scale lithium ion (Li-ion) batteries for what will become the largest energy storage system project of its kind, when complete, in 2017. Steag is investing EUR 100 million in the 90 MW project.
Solar O&M market to surpass 390 GW by 2020, says GTM
Report from GTM Research forecasts a tripling of the global solar operations and maintenance market from 133 GW this year to more than 390 GW by 2020, growing even in regions where PV expansion has stalled.
US DOE awards $125m for 41 transformational energy tech projects, including solar
Funds issued as part of the Department of Energy’s Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy to be issued ahead of the UN Climate Change talks in Paris as part of wider investment in low carbon economy.
British public vastly overestimate solar support levels, poll finds
According to a new YouGov poll commissioned by the Solar Trade Association, subsidies for U.K. solar power are 22 times less than people actually think, comprising just GBP 9 per consumer per year.
End of German energy storage funding will see market drop 13% in 2016
The expiration of Germanys energy storage program this December is expected to see market growth contract 13% in 2016, says EuPD Research. This year, up to 16,000 small scale solar+storage systems are forecast to be installed in the country, up from 5,000 two years ago. An end of year rush and a drop in PV system prices are anticipated from those looking to profit from the funding before it ends.
India: Waaree wins contract for 75 MW PV plant, orders 100 MW Huawei inverters
The Indian EPC last week secured the rights to develop a 75 MW solar PV plant in the Indian state of Gujarat, prompting an order for 100 MW of inverters and smart PV solutions from China’s Huawei.
FOE: Finance for 100% renewables exist, but policies are absent
In a new report, Friends of the Earth (FOE) calculates that switching to 100% renewable energy in Africa, Latin America and most of Asia by 2030 would cost US$5.15 trillion equivalent to the amount held by the worlds 782 wealthiest people. It concludes the financing for transforming the energy landscape exists, but that the political will is “shockingly” absent. Solar, meanwhile, is envisaged as playing a key role.
Apple, SunPower join forces to invest in 170 MW of solar in Inner Mongolia
Apple Inc. is investing around 40% of the RMB 659 million required to install 170 MW worth of solar PV plants in Inner Mongolia. SunPower and Zhonghuan Semiconductor are providing the remaining funds.
