European Commission calls for 'energy union' as its seeks to break Russia's market dominance
The European Commission is set to present a new plan on Wednesday calling for an “energy union” that would strengthen its stance in the global energy market against Russia. The German government appears to have some qualms about the proposed policy.
Spain’s link to France boosts intermittent power
Spain and France have interconnected a new grid line that doubles the electricity exchange between the two countries. With a power capacity of 2 GW and capable of reversing the direction of flow of the energy exchanges between Spain and France in just 50 milliseconds, the new line is expected to boost renewable energy.
LDK Solar emerges from bankruptcy
The vertically integrated solar company closes US Chapters 15 and 11 bankruptcy proceedings at three of its U.S. subsidiaries, reaches final stages of $700m debt restructuring process.
pv magazine weekly news digest
Solar prepares to lift the roof in the UK, SolarEdge prepares to go public, Kaiser Permanente injects a a healthy dose of solar into its daily rounds, and fourth quarter financial reports come pouring in.
SolarCity soars into 2015 on record home solar sales
Construction activities at SolarCity’s gigawatt-sized panel manufacturing factory in Buffalo, New York, are temporarily on ice as the region shovels out from under this past week’s big snow dump.
Conergy UK creates rooftop division as British solar market matures
Strategy sign of wider reflection of the U.K. solar market’s diversification as it looks to maintain growth in a post-ROC landscape.
Tanzania announces One Million Solar Homes initiative
Commitments by the IFC, USAID, OPIC, Sunfunder, SNV and Off Grid Electric are expected to put Tanzania at the forefront of the U.S. Power Africa program.
Silevo teams move into former Solyndra facilities
In a sign of the ongoing renaissance of solar manufacturing in the U.S., it has been revealed that SolarCity is moving its expanding Silevo team into the former Solyndra manufacturing facilities in Fremont, California. It is understood the facility will form an expanded R&D center for Silevo to continue developing its technology.
REC to push into China under new ownership
Last week PV manufacturer REC appointed a new CEO in Steve O’Neil, which will become effective on 25 March. Only last month, shareholders voted for the company’s acquisition by Norway’s Elkem Group, which itself is owned in a majority stake by ChemChina. This will allow the company to make a bold push into China, Luc Graré, senior vice president, sales and marketing, tells pv magazine.
China: PV installed capacity grows to almost 30 GW in 2014
China’s National Energy Administration (NEA) has released 2014 solar figures. The report shows installed capacity approached 30 GW, while manufacturers are reporting greatly increased utilization rates.
