EU finances 100 MW solar plant in Uzbekistan
French energy company Total is developing the solar field near Samarkand, which will sell power to National Electric Networks of Uzbekistan under a 25-year power purchase agreement.
Polish solar developer bought by Norwegian state-owned energy company
Buyer Equinor could be in for a pleasant surprise – its assessment Wento boasts a 1 GW solar project pipeline in the nation significantly under-reports the 1.6 GW claimed by private equity fund seller Enterprise Investors.
Legal challenge to Ukraine’s retroactive FIT cuts
Lithuanian-owned solar developer Modus Energy International is reportedly seeking €11.5 million from the Ukrainian government after it retroactively reduced feed-in tariff payments from August. Modus claims Kiev breached the Energy Charter Treaty with its reduced-payment legislation.
Big solar for Western Balkans disused coal mine
Land scarcity and renewables prices have been long considered significant hurdles for renewable developments in the hilly Balkans. Still, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) sees solid opportunities in floating PV on public dams, PV modules on rooftops, and renewables projects in landfills and disused coal mines.
Hungary launches third renewables auction
The Hungarian energy regulator expects to contract around 300 GWh of renewable energy in the procurement exercise.
China’s Covid recovery saw green bond issuance rebound in second half of 2020
The $18bn worth of sustainable finance instruments floated in the nation last year marked a retreat from previous highs but, with most of the bonds issued from July onwards, the recovery is under way, according to the IFC, which is anticipating a more-than-$100 billion sector in emerging markets over the next three years.
Bulgarian developer to build 50 MW merchant PV plant in North Macedonia
Solarpro Holding has won a tender launched in late 2019 by North Macedonian utility Elektrani na Severna Makedonija. It will build a 50 MW solar plant and will sell power on the spot market or via private PPAs.
Hevel Solar unveils 22.3%-efficient heterojunction BIPV module
The new panel has a nominal power of 395 W and a claimed temperature coefficient of 0.28% degrees Celsius.
India’s solar imports dipped 75% in ten months
Covid-19 disruption has been cited as the chief culprit as imports from China, Thailand and Vietnam slumped from April to January, but safeguarding duty also appears to have had an impact, with unaffected imports from nations such as Myanmar, Chad and Russia on the rise and Malaysian trade keeping steady.
Uzbekhydroenergo, EDF join forces to develop pumped hydro, floating PV
The two companies are initially planning to build a 200 MW pumped-hydro facility in the Bostanlyk district of Uzbekistan’s Tashkent region.
