Indonesia

A 60 MW solar PV plant in the city of Toledo, the largest solar project to be financially underpinned by the Development Bank of the Philippines, has begun dispatching electricity to the grid.

The expansion of the Asian solar market in the first quarter of 2017 was broadly similar to the growth seen in the first quarter of last year, although most countries in the region have yet to reveal official installation statistics for the January-March period, the Asian Photovoltaic Industry Association (APVIA) said in a new report.

A 1.2 MW hybrid plant is currently under development in a remote area of Indonesia aiming to provide 24-hours access to electricity for about 400 households in three villages. The project will be owned by the local community, offering a model for the development of solar PV in the country.

Indonesia recently brought in a new renewable energy law that changes the remuneration tariffs for renewable energy projects, including solar PV systems. Furthermore, the country’s state-owned utility recently signed agreements for new photovoltaic capacity.

State-owned utility PT PLN (Persero) signed agreements with six developers in late March to build PV projects throughout the Southeast Asian nation.