Nexwafe closes financing round with €32 million
Innovative solar wafer company Nexwafe has closed its latest financing round with €32 million. The round was lead by the Indian group Reliance, which contributed €25 million to the round. The Freiburg-based wafer manufacturer intends to use the funds to drive forward the production and commercialization of its kerfless PV wafers.
Will China’s ‘double carbon’ and ‘dual control’ policies drive demand for solar?
Factories suffering from rationed grid electricity could help drive a boom in on-site solar systems, and recent moves to mandate the retrofitting of PV on existing buildings could also lift the market, as analyst Frank Haugwitz explains.
Bangladesh issues EPC tender for 60 MW PV project
Bangladesh has floated an international tender seeking engineering, procurement, construction and commissioning services for a 60-MW solar power plant in north-western Pabna district.
Bangladesh looks to nuclear to raise clean energy share
In a bid to enhance ratio of emissions-free generation in its energy mix, the Bangladesh government is condsidering replacing small-sized oil-fired power plants with new nuclear.
Indian coal company seeking consultant for 250 MW floating solar project
Singareni Collieries Company Ltd., a state-owned Indian coal miner, has opened bids from project management consultants for a 250 MWp (DC) floating solar power plant it is developing. It will make a selection through domestic competitive bidding, followed by a reverse auction.
Big modules head for standardization
PV manufacturing giant Trina Solar says it has agreed with other industry players on a set of standard dimensions and other technical specifications for PV modules utilizing 210mm wafers – the largest currently available on the market. The manufacturer says it expects the China Photovoltaic Industry Association to formally release the standard before the end of October.
China’s emission-reduction action squeezes PV production
Industrial shutdowns and reduced factory production capacity levels indicate the companies producing the raw materials used by solar manufacturers are being afflicted by electricity consumption measures just as other sectors are. It is not clear whether the solar industry will be afforded any favors by Beijing, as analyst Frank Haugwitz explains.
NITI Aayog releases geospatial energy map of India
NITI Aayog has released a new map that attempts to identify all primary and secondary sources of energy and their transport/transmission networks to provide a comprehensive view of energy production and distribution in India.
A lightweight plastic to replace aluminum module frames
South Korean company LG Chem has developed a new plastic material that it says could replace the metal frame of a PV module, making it much lighter. The company says it has already secured mass production capability for the material and begun selling products at full scale.
Co-located hubs key to battery industry competitiveness
A report from Australia’s Future Battery Industries Cooperative Research Centre which analysed the development of battery hubs in the U.S., Germany and Japan, has found that co-location and cooperation between industry and government were key to their success. For Australia to play the same game, it will have to leverage its wealth of resources, and clean up its act along the way.
