Energy deal activity down in the Americas but renewables show strength
An Ernst & Young report has found power and utility deals fell off markedly in the Americas during the first half of the year because of the Covid-19 pandemic but commitment to clean energy investment appeared to remain strong.
Brazil imported 2.5 GW of PV panels in first half of 2020
According to a recent report from Brazilian consultancy Greener, the country imported 1.61 GW of panels in the first quarter and 877 MW in the second. Domestic PV module makers had a 4.4% market share with around 100 MW in shipped modules in the first half of the year. The analysts claim these figures show the Brazilian PV market has not been affected by the Covid-19 crisis.
Colombia’s PV project pipeline reaches 8.8 GW
According to the Mining and Energy Planning Unit (UPME), there are currently 385 projects totaling 15 GW at different stages of development, including 4 biomass, 17 wind, 93 hydro, 271 photovoltaic and 7 thermal.
Mexican utility confirms first invesment in solar
The Comisión Federal de Electricidad will invest around $342 million into two PV plants with a total generation capacity of 350 MW at its geothermal facility in Baja California. President Obrador, meanwhile, has described the previous regime’s Energy Reform program as a ‘pillage policy.’
Chevron turns to renewables to power Australian operations
The power company has announced it will build 500 MW of renewable energy projects to power some of its global facilities under a four-year agreement with Canada’s Algonquin Power & Utilities.
Is Mexican utility CFE entering the solar business?
Mexico’s Federal Electricity Commission (CFE) is seeking approval to develop 350 MW of solar in the state of Baja California. The arrays will be built on the same site as the 820 MW Cerro Prieto geothermal project. However, it remains unclear whether the PV installations mark the company’s formal entry into the solar business.
Brazil eliminates import duties for cells, modules, inverters and trackers
The Brazilian government has u-turned over solar equipment import duty by introducing a measure to remove the 12% levy for 101 types of module plus some inverters and trackers. President Jair Bolsonaro had vetoed a similar proposal by the Senate and House of Representatives in November, stating it would be too costly.
Plans take shape for lithium-sulfur-battery powered two-seater plane
British Li-S cell manufacturer Oxis Energy today revealed it is working with U.S. planemaker Texas Aircraft Manufacturing on a pilot training and private transport aircraft. The trainer appears likely to be at least three years away from development, given the commissioning timeline previously announced for Oxis’ Brazilian cell factory.
High-Density Ground Mount Racking Solution with Significant CAPEX Savings for a Lower LCOE
In this pv magazine Webinar, developed in partnership with Jurchen Technology, we’ll take a closer look at how the system, a high-density low-profile racking solution, can maximize land yield and provide unique value compared to single-axis trackers and other tracking solutions in the ground mount project space. We will also examine some case studies from among the 200 MW the company has installed since launching the system in 2014.
Haiti addresses power shortages with 130 MW of PV capacity
The president of the Caribbean island has announced several ground-mounted PV plants will be tendered, along with 60 MW of thermal power generation capacity. The projects are part of a plan to provide the nation with universal access to electricity during Jovenel Moïse’s five-year term in office.
