Europe

Approval of law could propel solar sector into the fast lane, where PV is still playing catch-up to a soaring wind industry.

Spanish electricity grid operator Red Eléctrica de España (REE) announced on Wednesday the construction of a 126-kilometer long cable interconnecting the Balearic Islands of Mallorca and Ibiza. The project can potentially benefit PV, which now lags behind in the sun-washed islands of the Mediterranean Sea, but this will require time.

Ukraine has emerged as an ambiguous destination for PV. It provides some eye-catching tariffs and boasts very good solar irradiation. If only political risks did not exist.

In a stormy hearing last week, Spanish commissioner-designate for energy and climate action Miguel Arias Cañete sought to dodge questions about his oil industry past and provided only vague answers to questions about energy and climate protection policy. His candidacy could be in danger.

The fund plans to acquire two PV plants with a combined capacity of 74 MW and expects to continue acquisitions of plants below and above 5 MW following the introduction of next year’s CfD scheme.

The increased budget will be split between the various renewable energy technologies bidding for subsidy support. The country’s Solar Trade Association says the government’s decisions “represent serious tragic mistakes in energy policy.”

ANIE Rinnovabili, the country’s solar PV sector voice, is weighing actions against the feed-in tariff (FIT) cuts recently imposed to existing photovoltaic installations. Tariff reductions were absolutely unnecessary, the energy association says.

pv magazine’s Ilias Tsagas argues that should Scotland’s population vote today in favor of independence, this will not hurt its renewable energy sector but might give it a further boost.

Italy has raised the upper limit for net metering in the country from 200 kW to 500 kW per installation. The measure is set to boost the commercial rooftop PV sector.

Solar boat MS Turanor PlanetSolar has become a research vessel for archaeological expeditions in Greece. The catamaran completed a round-the-world trip in 2012 powered only by sun.