Eastern Europe

Cumulative PV capacity installed under the scheme reached 90 MW at the end of June. Of this capacity, around 27 MW were deployed in the second quarter alone.

Through the auction, the authorities in Tirana aim to build a solar park in the Akërni salt flats, near Vlorë.

A group of Russian researchers has found out that under resonance conditions, the Pyramid of Giza can concentrate electromagnetic energy in its internal chambers. This discovery, the scientists claim, may also be used to develop high efficient solar cells.

Having entered the solar space four years ago with residential rooftop kits, Ikea added storage to its product mix in 2017. pv magazine caught up with Signe Antvorskov Krag, Global Development Leader IKEA Home Solar Business to discuss business models, its role in the industry, and how it intends to execute the next stage of its plan: energy communities.

The proposed safeguard tariffs on imports from China and Malaysia are expected to generate a number of painful short-term impacts. Overall they are not expected to change much in the market, however, says TrendForce. What will have a bigger effect is the EU’s final MIP decision, due in September.

Despite its huge potential in the region, solar PV has hitherto gained little traction in Central Asia. In Kazakhstan, two utility-scale PV projects have been realized, and a few are in the pipeline for Uzbekistan as it begins to attract international investors. But many challenges on the policy level have yet to be overcome.

With Republika Srpska, one of the two entities of Bosnia and Herzegovina, announcing a tender to build a 65 MW solar PV plant; Croatia planning a 6.5 MW solar PV installation, to be built on the Island of Cres; and Macedonia welcoming its first solar panel manufacturing plant, capable of producing 20 MW annually – it has been a busy period for the small solar markets in the Balkans.

The Norwegian developer, which is already developing two solar plants totaling 83 MW in the Eastern European country, has now secured an agreement to build a 47 MW facility in the Mykolaiv region in south Ukraine.

The PV module manufacturer started negotiations with Jabil, after the U.S. introduced duties on solar imports. Recom plans to restart manufacturing activities with Jabil’s 700 MW production equipment in the first quarter of 2019. Where exactly this will take place, however, has not been disclosed yet.

With around 300 MW of installed PV power at the end of May, Poland still needs volume to become a major European PV market. More capacity is expected to come online over the next years, however, as a result of the auction mechanism for renewables. Around 360 MW was allocated by the two auctions held by the Polish government, although only 27 MW of this is currently online.