Central & South America

There are four PV projects and all the facilities will use bifacial panels provided by the Brazilian factory of the Chinese-Canadian manufacturer.

According to Brazilian solar energy association ABSOLAR, PV project developers will be awarded “quantity contracts” in the auction to be held on June 27. The association, however, warns that changes in contract structures require adequate adaptation and correct implementation to achieve success.

The world had more than half a terawatt of PV generation capacity at the end of last year as emerging solar markets picked up the slack caused by Beijing’s subsidy about-turn to the tune of a 20% rise in installations outside China.

Washington is looking to become the fourth state to make the move to 100% renewable electricity, with only a senate review and the hand of Governor Inslee left in the path of SB 5116.

Governor Rosselló has signed legislation moving the island to 100% renewable energy, while both the Trump Administration and the island’s utility push for a greater dependence on gas.

Although details are vague, the Vice Ministry of Alternative Energies is reportedly developing the country’s first medium sized projects to be connected to the national grid. It is also planning to implement distributed generation projects ranging in size from 1.5 MW to 3 MW in the crisis-torn nation.

Energy agency the EPE has admitted 1,581 projects with a total capacity of more than 54 GW to the procurement exercise’s initial phase.

The Japanese gas provider has acquired a 50% interest in four Mexican PV projects with a combined capacity of 746 MW. The new joint venture will further develop solar and renewables across the country.

In an exclusive interview held during the meeting “Experience of Uruguay: Business Hub of Latin America”, organized by the Uruguayan Embassy in Berlin, the country’s Minister of Energy, Guillermo Moncecchi, spoke about the future of solar in the country’s energy mix, while also recognizing its great potential by virtue of the fall in panel prices. Although its share is currently very limited and there are no prospects for large growth in the short term, solar power currently has good opportunities for development in distributed generation, as electricity prices are constantly rising. As for large-scale projects, new auctions could be held again in the coming years, but not immediately. The country, however, is still listed among the countries with the highest share of renewables in the world, with a precentage close to 98%.

The fifth round (Ronda 4) of the RenovAr program for large-scale solar and renewables will be held by the end of the year, according to the Argentinean Minister of Renewable Energy, Sebastián Kind. The procurement exercise will also include grid infrastructure projects.